In the last part of this article we covered the physical aspects of the center itself, in this portion we will cover the harder to pinpoint, but overwhelmingly important aspect of the people in the center.
As a parent, grandparent, or other guardian, you may worry that when you investigate a new center and see the teachers interacting in a loving manner with the children that it is merely because you are there observing. What is the true relationship between the children and adults when no one is intruding? One way to gain an idea of this is to return for a surprise visit after the initial, scheduled visit and tour.
This is also a good way to meet more of the teachers than the director or authority that leads you through the center. These teachers may be college students working towards careers in education, mothers who are working in exchange for daycare hours, or simply people who need a little extra cash. For the most part, these are the people who will be talking to, playing with and disciplining your child. Some important questions to ask these teachers are:
~ How long have you worked here? (If every teacher is new, this could be an indication of high turnover or of relative inexperience)
~ What do you do in case of fire or other emergency? (Every staff member should know this. Contact information should be taken, children counted against the sign in and out sheet, and everyone should move to an assigned place. My center also has an agreement with the church next door that in poor weather we can bring the children over and use their sanctuary.)
~What is your favorite part of working with kids? (Most will NOT say the money, and the answer should give you a good idea of who they are and what has motivated them to choose an often hectic and regularly frustrating job.)
There are a few personal questions that you should ask yourself about the center.
~ Will I feel comfortable sharing my personal information and issues with these teachers? (Divorce, death of grandparents and loss of jobs are just some of the life events that are important for childcare providers to know, since children can pick up and react to the underlying emotion of these events.)
~ Are there male teachers at this school? (Male teachers are a great blessing for kids, but some parents automatically have worries about males around their young children. Purely to insure that no one has any cause to suspect him, my center does not allow our one male teacher to close alone, and if a child has a bathroom accident where they need help, he asks a female teacher to step in.)
Picking a center with the right mix of teachers can be a great thing for not only your children, but for you as a parent. I have had the opportunity to make friends with many of the parents that I serve, and learn about the things that excite them and frustrate them, and a person to use as a sounding board for the many issues that come up in parenting.
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