Whether you are a new parent or not, perhaps one of the most difficult decisions you will make is selecting a good place for your child to stay while you are at work. There is good reason for this: you are choosing the people who will be caring for your child. Choosing day care is a big decision and you should take your time to make the right choice. A good place to start is with other parents. Where do your friends and neighbors send their children? Ask about their experience and recommendation.
Once you have found a few centers, you will need to contact the owner or director of the center. This is usually done by phone. You can get a feel for the center’s environment by listening carefully to the answers to your questions. Keep the phone conversation brief and just ask a few questions about scheduling, availability of space, staff to child ratios and prices. Make an appointment to visit the center.
When you visit the center, you will be given a tour of the facility. If you child is old enough, bring him or her with you, if possible. This will allow your child to see the day care and you will get his/her input. Observe the children and the activities that are going on around you. Ask about the daily schedule. It may be posted in the room, or you may be given a copy. There should be a good mix of large and small group activities, free choice time and outside play. Look for a balance between active and quiet activities.
Ask about the certification and training of staff members. What type of training have they received? Does the lead teacher have a college degree? Ideally, you want a well trained and stable staff. Ask about the staff turnover. How long have most of the workers been with the center? Day care is notoriously low paying and some centers have a high rate of staff turnover. This may be a concern if your child becomes attached to a caregiver and she leaves.
Watch the teacher and aides interact with the children. They should be engaged in learning activities with the children. If they are cleaning the room or talking in a corner, this may not be a good sign. Caregivers in the baby and toddler room should be on the floor interacting with the babies. Ask about staff to child ratio. Each state has guidelines for how many children are allowed per caregiver. This number differs by age. Generally, a lower ratio is better because it allows the caregiver to give each child attention.
Look at the building. It should be a safe and clean environment for children to explore. The toys, floors, tabletops and bathrooms should be clean. Regular cleaning and disinfecting of all equipment helps prevent the spread of germs. Keep an eye out for safety. There should be outlet covers, safety gates and smoke detectors. Dangerous objects, such as knives and scissors should be kept out of reach.
Inspect the playground area for safety as well. The surface of the playground should have a material to absorb impact, such as wood chips. Does the equipment look well maintained? Also be sure the playground area is fenced in to keep the kids safe while they are playing. While you are looking at the playground, look for fun as well as safety. There should be enough room and fun things to do for the number of children in the group.
Ask questions about the policies of the day care center. Ask about the illness policy.
When are sick children sent home? When can they come back to school? It’s important for the center to have a clear policy to avoid the spreading of illness to other kids. Most centers will require a physical and copy of immunization records. This will need to be completed before the child can start attending the center.
Ask about the discipline policy. How does the center handle discipline? The center should have a written policy and you should be given a copy. Read it over carefully and be sure it meshes with your beliefs about discipline. Look for a center that uses redirection, communication skills and conflict resolution, rather than just time out for discipline. Ideally, they should be teaching the children how to solve problems within the discipline philosophy of the center.
译文:
如何为你的孩子选幼儿园?
不管你是不是一对刚刚才“新鲜出炉”的年轻父母，你们都有一个非常困难的问题摆在眼前，那就是：在你们俩工作时，为你们的宝宝找栖身一个好地方。作这样的决定有许多较好的理由：你可以找来可以细心照顾宝宝的人。如果你的决定是幼儿园——那是一项比较重大的决定，你必须多多考虑然后作出最好的选择。又或者在作决定前问问其他作过父母的人。你的朋友或是邻居在工作时都把孩子送到哪里？询问他们的经验和意见。
你们会找到好几家幼儿园，这时你们需要和这些幼儿园的所有人或是负责人取得联系。开始这些联系多半是通过电话。你们可以向负责人问一些问题，认真聆听他的回答，从中来对那里的环境有一个大致的了解。电话中的谈话可以简短一些，主要把问题放在孩子的日程安排、可供空间、员工与孩子的比例以及费用方面。最后约定时间参观幼儿园，以有更好的了解幼儿园。
来到幼儿园，负责人都回带领你们参观那里的建设。如果可能你的宝宝挺大了，你也可以带他（她） 一块去。 带宝宝一起去，他就可以看到幼儿园是什么样子，亲身体会那里的感受。你可以在孩子的身边观察他。向负责人询问日程表。它一般都会贴在教室门口，或者你也可以得到一分它的复印件。日程表里要安排一些大型或者小型的活动，自由活动时间和外出活动时间。并且在活跃的活动和安静的活动两这中取得平衡。
你可以请工作人员出示资格证书或培训证书。他们接受过哪些方面的培训？只要的教师是否具备大学学位？你想要的最理想的工作人员是受过培训的可信赖的。询问职员的人员变动情况。幼儿园的人员大多在此工作了多久？大家都知道幼儿园的工资报酬很低，一些幼儿园人员变动的相当频繁。当你的宝宝十分亲近照顾他的工作人员但他却离开那里了——这可能会变成一个十分棘手的事。
你可以在一旁多加关注老师与孩子之间的互动。老师们必须作到让每一个孩子都融入学习活动中。如果老师只是负责清理教室或是在角落里闲聊，那就是一个不好的信号。在婴孩或是幼儿室里的工作人员应该在那里和孩子们一起玩，相互亲近。询问员工与孩子的比例。每个地方都有正式的规定——一名工作人员负责几个孩子。这个数字是根据孩子的年龄来定的。
观察幼儿园的楼房建筑。这些楼房必须环境安全、整洁，可以让孩子放心使用。玩具、楼面、桌面、浴室也要保证干净整洁。幼儿园要定期为所有设施清洁、消毒，防止细菌传染。始终留意安全与否。幼儿园还需要遮蔽排水口、另设安全出口和烟雾探测器。危险物品要始终放在孩子够不到的地方，例如刀子、尖刀等。
另外你还要检查操场区域是否安全。操场表面应该铺有减少撞击力的材料，例如木屑。那些使用设备是否保养良好？还有一点幼儿园要确保操场区域设有篱笆，这样孩子们才可以安全的在里面玩耍。当你看着操场上的孩子，既希望他们玩的开心更加希望他们玩的安全。这里要有足够一群孩子门的充足房间以及好玩的玩具。
你要询问幼儿园的政策规定。询问如果孩子生病时会如何安排。什么时候生病的孩子会送回家来？什么时候能够回到学校？这项规定是十分重要的，他能够避免疫病在孩子中蔓延传染。绝大多数幼儿园会要求你出示孩子的身体免疫记录复印件。这项工作需要在孩子送来幼儿园前完成。
询问幼儿园的纪律政策。工作人员又是怎么管理纪律的？幼儿园要有一份明文规定的政策，并且发给家长一分复印件。仔细阅读这份文件确认它是否也符合你心目中的“纪律”。如果孩子犯了错，幼儿园必须从重新定位、语言技巧和解决冲突方面来帮助孩子，而不是仅仅用时间来惩罚。最理想的方案是，老师应该教导孩子们如何在中心制定的纪律规定下来解决现有的问题。