More kinder questions!

[Lousli]

I have an older thread somewhere about placing my daughter in kindergarten next year. Even though she is 4, with a November birthday, we feel she has both the academic and socail skills needed after 2 years of preschool.

We have an open enrollment option in our district, and I am trying for a magnet school that is focused on the arts and sciences. We visited the school and felt pretty good about it. It was listed as our first choice.

On a whim, when asked about a second choice, I listed a Waldorf methods charter school attended by our neighbor's children. There were only 12 spots available, so I assumed it would not even be a choice, that we wouldn't get in. Well, last week they called and told me that they had a policy that parents needed to visit before they would enter you in the lottery. I liked what I saw when I went to visit today.

So now of course I have 2 schools that are nearly polar opposites, and I need to decide which approach/philosophy/experience would be best for my child (assuming she is accepted to either one of them). How on earth does anyone make this choice? I'm going nuts!

[boongirl]

Put both school names on paper in a hat and pick one?

On a more serious note, make a list of all their pros and cons and compare them. Have your significant other, if you have one, help. Then, see if one stands out.

[ChristaN]

Did your dd visit the schools with you? Sometimes the intuitive feel of the child can be very helpful. I remember visiting preschools/centers with dd when she was about 18 months (I needed some minimal childcare while completing grad school). The one that I initially thought would be best, didn't do it for dd. She turned to me and said, "You leave, I cry!" So, we went with the one with which she fell in love and kept asking about -- "when do I get to go to X school???" It turned out to be a great fit and the one that I initially liked was shut down a few years later due to some severe safety violations.

The other thing that I would consider is your dd's personality. With a Waldorf approach, although I have never had my kids at one, I would expect it would be a better fit for a child who is independantly motivated and does not do well under pressure. Brainstorm about what type of child would do best in each setting. Ask the schools that question too -- "what type of child/personality/learning style does best in your school?" Don't take a, "every child does great here" type of answer. Ask to speak with current parents and ask them that, too. Ask them about their children so that you get a feel for what the current students are like. Then think about your dd and which description fits her better -- is she more like the kids who are happy at school A or school B?

Sometimes life is made harder by having too many choices!