Preschool?

Question

I have three children who live with me that are in preschool. One is my biological daughter and the other two are my fiancee's sons. We didn't get custody of the boys until most of the preschools in town had filled up, but there was a court order that the children were to be in preschool. There was only one open slot at the school in town, so my daughter went there because my fiancee wanted to keep his boys together. They have been through a lot and one of them will be starting Kindergarten next year and the third boy is in Kindergarten and he had to be in tutoring because last year when their mom took them away she didn't put them in school. Anyways, the only place that had two open slots was at a church. Now, don't get me wrong, I'm not anti religious or anything. I'm not even anti-Christian. But my daughter is already writing her letters and numbers and she brings home something she did every day, and the other two kids rarely, if ever, bring anything home. I will continue..

The other two rarely bring anything home, and they don't seem to be learning much. And my daughter when I go to pick her up her class is always doing something fun. Once when I dropped the boys off there was an old scary looking woman who was singing the peanut butter and jelly song, no music or anything and the other children looked kind of bored and some even looked scared. Another time I walked in and they were reciting bible verses. As I said, I'm not anti religious, but don't you think that if they're going to go to preschool they should be learning about things pertaining to SCHOOL? Jesus is great and all, but if I want these people to teach the kids about Jesus then I will take them to their church on Sundays. Am I wrong for feeling this way? They dont' seem to be improving at all and I have 5 kids here total so I don't have a lot of time to work with them individually. And if I'm not wrong, is there any way to approach these people without sounding like the Antichrist?

Steve, I didn't go to preschool and I did fine, but schools are getting harder now. Kindergarten is more like what I learned in first grade.

I already have them on the waiting list to get into my daughters preschool, but I doubt I'll be able to get them in there. And I understand the concept of preschool shopping before the enrolling process, but again we didn't get them until late in the school year, and unfortunately we didn't know what was going to happen before then so...

Don't be so snide about it. Thanks. Have a nice day.

Okay and also I was trying to hold this little tidbit back because I didn't want people to think that I was trying to push my beliefs on the children or that maybe that was the reason I didn't like this school, but I'm a Pagan, not a Christian. But I was raised Christian and a lot of my family is Christian. I have no reason to be anti Christian.

Answer 1

From what you've said, it does appear to be a substandard school.

Keep looking around for other schools -- something may open up. Meanwhile, you will have to supplement their education at home so they will be adequately prepared for kindergarten.

However, be sure to keep them enrolled until you have another place for them to go, so that you won't be in violation of the court order.

Like all schools, some are good and some are not.

Answer 2

A GOOD private (or Christian) school will lag behind a GOOD public school for the first few years as far as apparent knowledge imparted to the children. By the time the children reach 8th or 9th grades, the private school kids will pass the public school ones.

Academics aside, even if the academic opportunities were significantly better at the public schools, you need to consider what else is being taught (and not taught) there. If your daughter stays in public school, be overly watchful over her and what she is exposed to at school and by the school - know that if she's five years old now, by the time she's in 6th grade, they will have convinced her that it's none of your business with whom or when she decides to have sex - and the school will provide birth control for her as well as abortion on demand and make sure she knows that you WILL NOT BE NOTIFIED AT ALL. A church school will not do this to your family.

Edit:
Lastly, since the boys are coming out of a divorce situation, the reenforced stability and love of an extended church family may well have a more important long lasting effect on them than whether or not they learn their numbers and letters this year. The emotional instability thrust upon children in our society by divorce can and does too often create a long term detrimental effect upon them. They really have more important needs to be met than straight academics.

Answer 3

Well, isn't this why we all do our research on the preschools/kindergartens before we enroll our children in? The teacher is probably someone who can't really think of anything fun and would like to do "The best for the world" by spreading the religion around.

At any rate, the guy's right. All preschools are different. Too late for any advice now, but maybe you could compensate with that at home?

Answer 4

My son went to a church sponsored pre-school, but they put their emphasis on kindergarten preparation. There was Christian influence, but the purpose of the school was to learn the alphabet, social skills, etc. Any pre-school that isn't teaching those things, I would have a problem with since you can send your child to sunday School for free, but you spend your money to start a child's education. If i were a parent in that situation, I'd keep pre-school shopping.

Answer 5

My son went to a church for preschool. He then entered Kindergarden a year early and is now a banker in Oregon.

All schools are different.