Is she better off somewhere small or skilled?

amother

Cobalt

Mon, Jan 01 2018, 11:02 am

dd turns 3 this summer she's home with me this year. I am looking for a playgroup for her for next year. School starts the following year for kindergarten. My choices are a either a Morah with a big group 25 kids, that teaches like a classroom and teaches many skills. or a Morah that has not more than 15, usualy about 15. She has some birthdays april - july but she also has children turning 3 in nov. -feb. that will likely go to another morah before they start kindergarten.Ds went to her. he turned 3 in december. She was very warm and he came home so happy. She knew what he liked and disliked and on small things went a little more out to make him happy. She doesnt teach alot. He learned the basicws about the yomim tovim alot of mitzvos, like kosher giving tzadaka, sharing. Aleph through yud and very basic parsha. Not very skilled base. My ds is very smart and picks up what he learns quickly. sime of what he learned was new and some he knew more on the subject than what was taught. My dd is a little imature she doesnt know so much. Shes also very shy and will need time to ajust.Being in a smaller group will be good for her. But on the other hand She is not social Some 3 yr old groups work on social skills and the morah seems to know how to help them make friends. Does she need that? I'm not sure if this morah knows how to do that Or Is she better of with a small group and a caring morah

amother

Azure

Mon, Jan 01 2018, 11:17 am

Children learn to be warm an caring from seeing adults being and warm and caring. Feeling secure will allow her to blossom.
If you think she’ll be behind when she enters kindergarten, you can re-enforce skills the summer before.
Plus, a lot of kids forget in the summer what they learned because it’s not practiced.

simba

Mon, Jan 01 2018, 11:24 am

amother wrote:

Should I worry she will come to kindergarten knowing less than most?

Maybe call up the pre-school you plan on sending her to the following year and ask them what skills are expected by kindergarten and re-enforce those at home and in the summer. I believe they learn how to cut, color and glue.
I would not worry about it.

keym

Mon, Jan 01 2018, 11:30 am

When I read the title I thought you were asking about elementary school which is always a balancing act. Large experienced school versus small fledging and likely unexperienced school.
But playgroups I wouldnt see it as a question. Small and warm. Mention to the teacher that youre concerned socially so the teacher could help facilitate play.
But truthfully 3 yr olds are all about playing, sharing, learning to switch from activity to activity. Any "academics" are incidental from being around.

cbg

Mon, Jan 01 2018, 11:34 am

keym wrote:

And hygiene

Chayalle

Mon, Jan 01 2018, 1:44 pm

It sounds like your child would do better in the smaller, warmer group. Especially if she is less mature and shy, a very skills-based, structured group could overwhelm her. I also think that if you had a prior, positive experience with the Morah, there's every chance that you will be happy there this time around, too.

BTW I don't necessarily agree that small = better in all situations, but in your case, you list very compelling reasons why this could be good for your child.

I always look for a competent Morah, and competent means many different things for different people...For example, I sent DD to a larger group for 4-year-old playgroup (in Lakewood most schools start at 5) because I consider the Morah to be very competent, and she is capable of providing solid attention to each child, even in a group of 20. There are Morahs of small groups who are not as capable.