We are all wearing green today! Anna's preschool has been doing colors and for some reason today is actually pink day! HUH?
That kind of sums up her preschool this year, though, and it is no secret that I am less than thrilled with it. This is her teacher's first year there and it shows that she does not have a lot of experience in early childhood. When I taught at my mom's Day Care, I had a lesson plan book and the day-to-day activities were very well planned out and the lesson plan book was full. If you look at this teacher's plan book (I have since I have subbed there), it is basically empty! Seriously...it contains very few words. That would not have flown when I was teaching Special Ed. We had to turn our plans in weekly to the principal to be approved. I am also a huge music fan and believe that kids need to be taught a lot of music. The current teacher just doesn't have that music ability. Part of preschool is learning daily fingerplays and songs that are different. That helps the kids learn repetition in the songs and build pathways in the brain for learning. Simply doing the same 5 songs all year just isn't what we were looking for.
I will say that things at the Preschool have improved. It is a Co-op so parents are required to volunteer as the parent helper daily. That is nice so you always know what is going on. We turned in a parent survey and I am sure that I am the only one who turned in such a lengthy response to the questions. I kept it constructive and as positive as I could and things have improved. Bottom line, though, is that the teacher does not have experience in preschool and it really shows. Luckily, Anna is fine in the fine motor and acedemic department. However, she needs a lot more in terms of structure and learning how to transition from activities. So, I am sad to say that she is enrolled elsewhere for next year. I hate to leave the friends that she has made, but now she will be able to make more. I know of at least one other student who is following us to the other preschool, so she will at least know one person. We didn't register early enough, though, so we are in an afternoon class. Some of her gymnastic friends are in the morning class there. Bummer.
Ok, I will get off my whining now. I am just irritated and it is the things like wearing pink on St. Pat's Day that sums up everthing. Is Anna getting the socialization that she needs? YES. That was my main reason for sending her to Preschool, but I signed up wanting a little more than she is getting. We go to an Open House April 21 at the new school, so I am anxious for Anna to go to that. We have also visited and feel we have made the right decision. It seems like a better learning environment that will hopefully help Anna more with her squirminess. This will also allow her to make even more friends before kindergarten.
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