The Obsessive Parents’ Guide to Preschool
By Carol Kinlan (Boston Magazine)
8/25/2015
This step-by-step guide will help you find a school with a philosophy and location that suits your own; explain what you need to get in; and offer myriad alternative plans—because, hey, in the end, it’s just preschool, right?
Many an urbane parent will confess that diving into the fiercely competitive world of preschools is almost as important as choosing your child’s name. It’s your little one’s first classroom experience, and if you do it right, the theory goes, the preschool years will lead to a lifetime of learning. “Parents who are ambitious and highly invested in their child’s education may see the preschool years as paramount to their child’s long-term success,” says educational consultant Carol Kinlan, of the Back Bay’s McMillan, Howland & Spence. “The new ‘learning and the brain’ research does point out how available a young child’s brain is to learning language, memorizing words, letters, et cetera. Thus, making best use of this unique window of opportunity can make parents feel anxious.”
But don’t panic. This step-by-step guide will help you find a school with a philosophy and location that suits your own; explain what you need to get in; and offer myriad alternative plans—because, hey, in the end, it’s just preschool, right?
Match Your Child to a Preschool Philosophy
What kind of learning environment will take your adorable tot from bundle of love to polished kindergartner? Mary Watson Avery, senior program director at Wheelock College’s Aspire Institute, pairs kid-personality types with the prevailing teaching styles. —K.B.
FOR THE INVESTIGATOR
YOU WANT: At Montessori schools, kids from ages two years and nine months to six years interact in a single classroom. Each day, teachers lay out specific play materials and give children plenty of time to explore. Self-directed and quiet play is encouraged, helping foster kids’ innate sense of curiosity in a structured setting.
SO TRY THIS: Wildflower Montessori
FOR THE INDEPENDENT SPIRIT
YOU WANT: Reggio Emilia programs take a child-centered, play-based approach. Often, teachers work with the class’s interests rather than delivering a preset curriculum, and they’re big on documenting classroom activities in journals and photos. It’s a great environment for self-starters.
SO TRY THIS: Charlestown Nursery School
FOR THE COLLABORATOR
YOU WANT: Waldorf schools focus on community, offering group activities like baking, cooking, and gardening. Kids make a purposeful connection with the natural world, so you won’t find any flashy toys here (and media is often avoided).
SO TRY THIS: Waldorf School of Lexington
FOR THE HOMEBODY
YOU WANT: In a co-op program, families get more involved than at a typical school, helping in the classroom and on the administrative side. Preschoolers often love seeing their parents during the day, and really, wouldn’t you like to be a fly on the wall for their first classroom foray?
SO TRY THIS: Newtowne School
Case the Joint
Wizened preschool warriors may scare you with tales of three-year-long waitlists and brutal, legacy-driven admissions. Reality is much kinder. Below, eight tips for a successful search. —K.B.
Be open. Don’t waste energy trying to figure out which schools are the most prestigious. “Remember that the ‘right school’ is the one that fits your child’s profile and your family’s values, regardless of so-called reputation,” says educational consultant Don McMillan, of McMillan, Howland & Spence.
Map it. You don’t want to be stuck in gridlock while your child languishes at a fee of $1 per minute late.
Visit. During open houses, check the schools’ walls. Are there letters, words, numbers, and pictures? Do they seem interesting or overwhelming?
Do your homework. Confirm teacher training and experience, how a typical day unfolds, and when you’ll hear about a decision.
Connect. Call admissions departments at two to four schools to schedule appointments and interviews. Avoid overbooking.
Don’t hover. Schools may ask for a “play group” or home visit. Don’t over-prep, Kinlan warns. “You’re dealing with very seasoned people at these schools who have seen everything.”
Engage. But do it gracefully. “The best [interviewees] have a low-key, flexible attitude and show that they want to be part of the community,” Kinlan says.
Be patient. Decisions are sent from December through March, and families typically have one month to send in a deposit. “Be clear with admissions that you may need until mid-March to make a decision,” Kinlan says.
Reverse-Engineer Their Alma Mater
We match local tot lots to their higher-ed dopplegangers. —Kelley King Heyworth
If you love Harvard’s prestige…
Beacon Hill Nursery School draws the progeny of Brahmins, bankers, and even a Bruin (the 2011 Stanley Cup made its first stop here).
If you love Wellesley College’s worldliness…
Tots at the Teddy Bear Club receive 40 percent of their instruction in French, surrounded by abstract artworks and an array of handsome playthings.
If you love Berklee’s music focus…
At the Henry Frost Children’s Program, Grammy-nominated music teacher Alastair Moock collaborates with budding maestros to create original scores.
If you love MIT’s high-tech facilities…
Dexter Southfield’s 36-acre spread includes a pool, ice rinks, research-grade telescopes, and a new “Playscape” with waterfalls and gardens.
If you love Boston College’s pastoral setting…
Mini Thoreaus at Mattapan’s Pathways to Nature spend time exploring the surrounding 68-acre reservation.
If you love Hampshire College’s curriculum…
Kingsley Montessori School tykes take weekly classes in Spanish, art, and music; an afterschool program offers yoga, science, and music.
Prepare a Backup Plan
Didn’t get your first choice? There are plenty of other schools out there with similar educational philosophies and shorter waitlists. “It’s the right match that leads to good outcomes—not the prestige of a school,” advises educational psychologist and consultant Lori Day. —Julie Suratt
DREAM SCHOOL: Spruce Street Nursery School in downtown Boston, for its emphasis on learning about the world through active exploration and play.
SHORTER WAITLIST: Charlestown Nursery School draws kids from as far as Brookline and Newton, offering a Reggio Emilia–inspired program with a deliberate focus on nature, exploration, and art in a play-based setting. Says one CNS mom, “I love that my son can walk through the streets of Charlestown and point out different species of birds.”
DREAM SCHOOL: John Winthrop School for Young Children in the Back Bay, which encourages children to follow their curiosity and become active, self-directed learners.
SHORTER WAITLIST: The Early Childhood Learning Lab at Boston University, which has the advantage of being a teacher-preparation program for BU’s acclaimed Early Childhood Education program. Up to six adults oversee mixed-age classrooms.
DREAM SCHOOL: Clinton Path Preschool in Brookline, a mixed-age co-op program known for its play-based approach.
SHORTER WAITLIST: The Apple Orchard School has a creative and outdoor- oriented program: Children spend a good portion of their days exploring the working farm. A mom of two boys describes it as a “magical school,” with “boat rides, hayrides, planting, caring for ducks and farm animals, cooking, singing, [and] mud puddles”—plus a flexible curriculum tailored to children’s interests.
DREAM SCHOOL: The Cambridge-Ellis School in Cambridge, renowned for its creative arts, music, and foreign-language programs.
SHORTER WAITLIST: The Cambridge locations of Wildflower Montessori—a family-focused Montessori cooperative based on a model developed at the MIT Media Lab—are run as one-room classrooms (with low student-to-teacher ratios). Kids get involved in their communities, walk to playgrounds, and plant gardens.
