Preschool Ratios

We're in the process of interviewing preschools and I'm curious as to what everyone's experience has been with teacher:child ratios. The preschool we toured today has a 1:10 ratio for their 3yo class which seems really high to me....during college, I worked at a preschool that had a 1:4 ratio in the 3's class. State law allows 1:15, so maybe 1:10 isn't so bad? All other aspects of this particular school seem like a great fit for us and I've heard nothing but rave reviews about the teachers. I'm just afraid that DS will feel like he's lost in a sea of kids. :huh:

We're scheduled to tour a few more schools and I'm anxious to see what they have to offer. What is the ratio in your child's class?

Re: Preschool Ratios

Quinn's class (4 year olds, even though he's 5 ... he was 4 when the year started ) is 12 kids. There's 1 teacher and 1 aide that is hers most of the day. The aides can float when one group needs help w/a big project or something, so I'm sure the 12:1 is within the state guidelines, but they have at least 2 adults in there 95% of the time.

[Phoebe]

Re: Preschool Ratios

I think ours is 1:7 in the 3s class. There were 14 kids and two teachers. It didn't seem like a sea of kids because they had centers and tables where the kids weren't all clumped together.

Our 4.5 class was 11 to 1 teacher which kind of stunk. It was nice having a smaller class, yet the teacher wasn't ideal.

[DCJenn]

Re: Preschool Ratios

Ours is 1:10. However, their days are Morning Circle, classroom circle, activities, snack, outside playtime, lunch, nap, activities, afternoon circle, snack, outside playtime. He gets yoga two afternoons a week, music three afternoons a week and French every day- but no activity is longer than 20 minutes except playtime, naps and lunch.

Namaste-

Jenn

Re: Preschool Ratios

Thank you, ladies. It's a relief to know that 1:10 isn't out of the norm.

It didn't seem like a sea of kids because they had centers and tables where the kids weren't all clumped together.

It is the same setup at this particular school. We sat in on the class for awhile and the teacher seemed to do a great job in addressing the needs of all of the children. DS can be very timid when around other kids his age (he's very outgoing with adults and older kids, though) so I'm worried that he'll sort of fall into the shadows.

Re: Preschool Ratios

Good preschool teachers will gravitate towards those shy kiddos and try to make sure they stay involved. Our first preschool experience was not a good one (the JCC in Cleveland Heights). But the place Quinn is now (that I mentioned before) is wonderful. IMO it's more about the teachers than the ratios (assuming the ratios are reasonable, of course), so if you get a good vibe from them and have heard good things, I'd feel safe.

[Flynn]

Re: Preschool Ratios

1:4 prior to Christmas
1:7 after Christmas

(this is for three year olds as well)

[peggyfromwastate]

Re: Preschool Ratios

We also have 14 kids, with 2 teachers in the room all the time. It's very structured, it works well. I am not worried about the ratio at all....

(I'm just extremely happy that he is happy with preschool and he loves his teachers!)

[HouseofWool]

Re: Preschool Ratios

DS can be very timid when around other kids his age (he's very outgoing with adults and older kids, though) so I'm worried that he'll sort of fall into the shadows.

If this is his first experience with a structured school-like setting, I would make that abundantly clear to the teachers in the room. Our son changed schools recently and the transition was a bit rough for us. Thankfully he seems to have found his place in his group of kids and has settled in nicely. If the teachers are doing their jobs, they will ensure that he is appropriately involved in the group activities.

Good luck!

Re: Preschool Ratios

1:11 for the 4 year old class (with 1 teacher - parents do try to come in and help out). DD has an amazing teacher. . .she is incredible with the kids and makes it seem like a very small, tight-knit bunch. It's really all about the teacher. If DD had been assigned to a few other teachers in the same preschool, I probably wouldn't have rave reviews.