By Nancy Olsen-Harbich, MA
Many parents may think that locating a registered or licensed nursery school or day care center ensures quality early childhood education, but that is not necessarily so. In our state, all facilities providing child care for more than 3 hours per day must be licensed by the New York State Office of Children and Family Services, but this only means that the facility has met minimum safety and staffing standards.
While you want your child to be safe, it is very important to also look for early childhood programs that truly engage, rather than just amuse your child, that promote a sense of belonging and respect for self and others, and that encourage learning and exploration.
Three Fundamental Components
The three fundamental components of quality education are the environment, the activities, and the teacher or caregiver.
The environment…
- Should be clean, safe, and inviting
- Have lots of interesting toys, blocks, manipulatives, books, dramatic play props, and art materials arranged in a way that is organized and accessible
- Have a good “vibe”– are children happily engaged with the materials provided?
The activities…
- Should encourage children to think and explore on their own and to interact with other children and the adult teachers or care givers.
- Large blocks of time should be devoted to child-selected, rather than only teacher-directed, activities.
- Preschoolers develop initiative, curiosity and important social skills through play with peers.
The teacher or caregiver…
- Should be sensitive to the needs, interests, and stage of the child’s development
- Should be able to use positive discipline and encouragement to help children learn self-control.
- Many preschool teachers and day care workers are not licensed teachers. It is up to you to determine if those who you are trusting to take care of your child and provide meaningful social and educational experiences are up to the challenge.
Put Yourself in Your Child’s Place
- You can literally put yourself in your child’s place—or what might be your child’s place—by visiting the preschool or day care center, observing the children and staff in action, and talking to the individual staff members. Do they seem to take pride in their work, provide good role models, and treat your child as the special person he or she is? What kind of training/education has prepared them for this important job?
- Imagine what it would be like to be a child learning there. Is this someplace where your child would willingly want to come? Would your child feel welcome, comforted in time of need, and accepted and valued by others? Would your child enjoy exploring this learning environment?
“The adults in the room” plan the environment and the activities; they are the most essential factor in your child’s learning experience. Invest time in talking with them about what happens there before making your decision.
Nancy Olsen-Harbich is Program Director and a Human Development Specialist with Cornell Cooperative Extension of Suffolk County’s Family Health and Wellness Program. She can be reached at 631-727-7850 ext. 332 or at no18@cornell.edu.