Goddard Vs. Montessori

My daughter goes to a Goddard school and loves it. So do I. There were some issues as the old owner was terrible with money and ended up declaring bankruptcy, but a owner in Ohio ended up buying the school to prevent it from closing.

At my school, the director is so so so caring. She's actually the one who "turned in" the old owner for not following Goddard standards and all the trouble she was causing with the school. She really wants the children to have an enjoyable, loving, learning experience. I think she really makes all the difference in the world.

Talk with the directors and assistant directors of the school - owners, too, for Goddard (they're supposed to be on-site). If you're comfortable with them, then I think you'll be comfortable with the school they run.

Go with the school with the happiest children, and teachers.
Preparation for kindergarten involves lots of social time, and a chance to develop fine and gross motor skills, which any decent preschool will do (coloring, painting, sorting, cutting, gluing, puzzles, climbing, riding, taking turns, sharing, etc.)
Go with your gut. If you tour a preschool where the kids look unhappy turn and RUN!!!

Montessori is not a licensed name, so anyone can hang out a sign and call themselves that. I agree to look at various schools and go with your gut. Any decent preschool will more than prepare your child for kindergarten. The important thing is that the kids seem engaged and happy and that the teachers are nice and seem to be in control. There are a ton of philosophies out there and other than a pleasant atmosphere it is about finding the fit for your child.

I don't know to much about Montessori schools but I do know some things about Goddard. When looking at preschools for my granddaughter we looked at 2 Goddard schools. They were like night and day. They are franchises and even though there are Goddard rules some just do a better job with cleaning, teaching and hiring. One Goddard school we looked at had very young teachers and they looked like rock stars! piercings, crazy hair colors etc.
We went with Primrose schools and haven't been one bit disappointed. If you have one near you I strongly recommend you check them out.

Whether you decide to go public or private for school, call some of the private schools in your area and ask if they have any suggestions for a preschool. There are a handful of students that came out of Challenger that were accepted to my daughters private school. Only 2 out of 4 were accepted from her preschool. There are a couple of preschools where no students were accepted from, but maybe they never applied.

I am certain they know exactly what school they accept more students from.

By the way, I don't like what I have read about Challenger here in our area, so I would have never sent my daughter there.

Our daughter goes to the Goddard School in Chesterfield and we LOVE it! She definitely has learned so much and really enjoys going to 'school' every day. She loves her friends, teachers and has fun while learning each day. Every month they do computerized testing and you'll see results on how your child is doing. We feel very strongly she is getting a great education and will be more than prepared for the next level. Good luck!

Are there other schools in the area to check out? I would go to more and then decide.

I'd also ask the schools for references. That's a biggie!