Seven tips for choosing a good daycare center arrived in the Hechinger mailbag today from Kelly Mayberry, director of a daycare in Dallas. Not necessarily bad points. But what’s missing are tips for how to judge what’s happening educationally in an early childhood setting, probably the area most difficult for parents to judge.
In the list below, Mrs. Mayberry warns against places that allow “just playing,” but in fact, children learn from both structured and unstructured play situations. Parents should also look out for what sorts of play materials are provided. Is there sand and water? Blocks? Materials to promote fine motor skills? Activities where gross motor skills can be developed? Do teachers read to children, and if so, do they lead discussions about the books as they read? The Hechinger Report offers a Go Deep section on early childhood education that includes other aspects of a quality childcare program.
Here’s what Mrs. Mayberry had to say:
1. The Center Should Have Qualified & Caring Teachers: The Center should have degreed or qualified teachers. If not – Beware!
2. Classroom Sizes Should Be At or Below State Teacher/Student Ratio: Some centers are private business and focus on profits, rather than the care of the children.
3. The Center Should Always Have Consistent Communication with Parents: Parents should be able to communicate with someone at the center about their child at any time.
4. The Center Should Be Safe and Secure: It’s best to choose a center with Control Access, CCTV, with DVR recording – as the minimum security standards.
5. Quality of Center: You should expect the center to be warm and inviting. It should be in good repair and condition – and conducive to a respectable learning environment.
6. Learning vs. “Just Playing”: Parents should stray away from daycares that just let kids play. These unstructured activities lead to many children getting injured.
7. Sanitation: The Center should have a daily cleanliness policy to reduce germs and viruses.
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at 5:05 pm
This article really sparks some thoughts. I respectfully submit this rebuttle to Ms. Mayberry’s article…
1. Statement should read “have qualified, caring, and degreed teachers.” In my experience, having a degree alone does not ensure quality or caring.
2. Most states require even private childcares to have a license which will include mandatory child to teacher ratio. We should be wary of assuming that a private childcare that seeks to make a profit must lack the capacity to care. I have seen both for profit and not-for-profit programs operate without the element of really seeming to care. It isn’t money that dictates this as much as leadership within the program. Weak leadership leads to poor management and insufficient staff support and an uncaring attitude.
3. Agreed!
4. Gives false readings on what goes on behind the scenes. There is always a place to go where that is out of camera view. Invades all sense of child and family privacy. If a child has an issue, whether behavioral or physical or other, the world is given access to view it. The best monitoring system are school leaders that care, monitor, communicate, and stay involved in their school classrooms throughout each day. Brings back topic #1.
5. Agreed
6. No play in preschool? It isn’t the play that leads to injury – it is the lack of qualified and quality staff and leaders that are not invested in the safety, wellfare, and learning potential of their students.
7. Agreed