On one hand, the onset of Spring brings blossoming tulips and magnolias here in the north-east, heralding the approach of warmer, longer, sunnier days. On the other hand, it brings the much dreaded admissions decision season as pre-schools and kindergartens in the city begin the process of informing parents whether their child was admitted or rejected or wait-listed. The season becomes joyful if the news is good, and can become colder and greyer than winter if families get a rejection letter. The admissions season begins in early fall, or even late summer, as embarking on school tours and completing application forms seem to take up every waking moment of parents of toddlers as they strive for that "best" preschool for the beloved apple of their eyes. I can only remind families that there is no one "best" school. Rather, the school that is right for your toddler is the one that works best for you as a family. As a former Director of Admissions of an Upper West Side Independent Nursery/Kindergarten school I was interviewed a few years ago on how to shop for preschools. The points I made at that time still hold good and are available at the following link. As parents of toddlers prepare to launch into next year's admissions season they might want to take a deep breath and read these pointers:http://www.kwwl.com/story/8011505/shopping-for-preschools
Amita Gupta
Dr. Amita Gupta is Professor Emerita of early education and a former Department Chair at The City College of New York – CUNY with extensive cross-cultural experience in teacher education, school administration and classroom teaching. As an early childhood specialist Dr. Gupta has worked in the field of ECE for 35 years teaching in India and NYC PreK and K classrooms, teaching graduate courses in early childhood education at CUNY, and supervising teachers in early childhood classrooms in NYC public and private schools. Dr. Gupta’s research interests focus on international and comparative education; postcolonial theory; and the impact of globalization on teacher preparation and parenting beliefs. Dr. Gupta has been an invited keynote/plenary speaker at international conferences in Slovakia, Denmark, UK, China, Singapore, India, Qatar and Indonesia among others. As a Fulbright Senior Researcher she has also collaborated with educators at universities in Sri Lanka and the Maldives. Dr. Gupta is a consultant for culturally responsive professional development in schools and other institutions. Dr. Gupta has published extensively including the following books: Investment in Early Childhood Education in a Globalized World: Practices and Parental Philosophies in China, India and the United States. Palgrave Macmillan, 2019. (Co-authored with G.Tan & G. Wilgus). Diverse Early Childhood Education Policies and Practices: Voices and Images from Five Countries in Asia (Routledge, 2014). Early Childhood Education, Postcolonial Theory, and Teaching Practices and Policies in India: Balancing Vygotsky and the Veda, 2nd ed (Palgrave, 2013). Going to School in South Asia (Greenwood, 2007). Early Childhood Education, Postcolonial Theory, and Teaching Practices in India: Balancing Vygotsky and the Veda, 1st ed (Palgrave, 2006).