High-Quality ECE (Part 1)

It’s time to look for a great preschool for your child, but what does “great” look like? What does “great” mean? As parents, we want our children to have the best early childhood experience possible, but first, we must know what “great” looks like. In other words, what does high-quality look like?

One of the most important aspects about high-quality education programs is teachers’ education. Qualifications vary by state, so when visiting a center, this is an important question you need to ask the person giving you a tour. Ask about the teachers’ education, their experience, and their teaching pedagogy.

Another important aspect of high-quality education is having a safe and engaging environment available for children at all times. For example, are there enough materials and equipment for all the children in the classroom? Are these materials open-ended versus task-oriented? Children should also have enough space to move around freely and safely. During outside play, do children have an alternate activity to engage with if they are not interested in active physical play? The outside classroom is as important as the inside classroom, but often times, it is easily overlooked. Take a look at this great video on what High-Quality Preschool looks like. Take into consideration this is just one example of a high-quality environment and that every program is different.

Another aspect of high-quality preschool is Family Engagement. Does the center or preschool program work towards strengthening family-school partnerships? In addition to creating volunteer opportunities a high-quality program offers daily opportunities for teachers to communicate with families. Does the school offer opportunities for parents to volunteer even if they cannot come to school? How are those parents engaged in school activities?

Lastly, parents should also look at the school and classroom climate. Is it a positive one? Positive climate reflects the emotional connection between the teacher and the children and among the children and the warmth, respect, and the enjoyment of verbal and nonverbal interactions (CLASS, 2008).