I am looking for a good preschool in the mesa/ tempe area for my two and half year old. I am open to suggestions, I would like a part time option, and not too expensive.
She has been asking me if she can go to school for two weeks now, she has always been home with me and I don't know what I should look for in a preschool... Please help!
We got to Bella Montessori in Chandler, LOVE it! Check out the website, www.bellamontessori.com
Good luck in your search!
check out the one at your church/temple. It usually has the best.
I have posted many, many times about Montessori schools - as I believe very strongly in them. My daughter has attended Montessori school since she was 2 (she is now in 3rd grade), and I teach seventh and eighth grade in a Montessori school. Your daughter is the perfect age to start at a Montessori school, and I strongly encourage you to look into one.
You are very lucky to have many AMI-associated Montessori schools in Mesa. You can find the list here:
http://www.montessori-ami.org/
If you're interested in learning more about Montessori, please feel free to send me a message and I will give you TONS of information. :) You can also look at my previous answers to Montessori questions if you're more interested in doing that.
Good luck.
I recommend the types of preschools that are not a "chain". I say that because those tend to be less homey, and caring. Like the one my daughter went to was the one of the town preschools, nice little homey place. only 3 classes. I suggest going around and visiting ones your interested in and seeing which feels best to you. good luck.
p.s. my original comment was because I thought you were in my neighborhood, oops, sorry.
I'd go in and talk to the teacher at a few different schools before deciding. I personally like the smaller schools with only one teacher and no more than 12 kids in a class. preschool is only 2 hours for the 3-4 yr olds my dd is 4 and has been going for almost 2 years now. we love it. some things that make me comfortable
I can drop in the school anytime unannounced and the teacher doesn't care
parents help out in the class room
there are field trips planned that are fun and age appropriate, we just went to the library and had a little tour and the librarian was so great with the little kids--
there's been one to a dentist office--also a childrens museum in the area and a dinosaur park, the firehouse--
anyway I look not just at the atmosphere of the school but the ideology of the teacher, my dd's teacher makes learning fun and motivational for the kids. ask for an idea of what the curriculum is like, see if you can sit in on a class now to see if you feel comfortable taking your kid there.
if they say no, run.
the best way to find a good preschool is word of mouth from other mom's in your area, if you don't know any, ask the teacher at the school if they can provide you with references.
also make sure they are accredited to do early childhood education and that they keep up on their accreditation.
my dd's teacher taught kindergarten for 5 years and is going on 6 now in preschool. she keeps up with the accreditation, and I enjoy talking with her, and my daughter adores her.
which is why we've been back 2 years and she will be back there in the fall.
those were things that were important to me.
