Bright Horizons Preschool- Thoughts on their curriculum?? (Austin, Bee Cave: credit, daycare)

[FalconheadWest]

There is a new Bright Horizons opening in Bee Cave, and I need to get more information about them. Has anyone had any experience with their curriculum in other markets? Is their Kindergarten a good program? I just took my "very bright" child out of Primrose today because they didn't know what to do with a 3 year old (almost 4) who scored in the 98th percentile on their Bracken Assessment test.

Any insight would be helpful. And just know, I'm not interested in hearing about other schools outside the area as it doesn't make sense to drive an hour to other parts of town to drop off and pick up. I'm only interested in schools in the Bee Cave area.

Thanks!

[Trainwreck20]

We have had kids in both BH and Primrose, and they are more alike than they are different. The 4/5 year olds can go to the 'private' kindergarten class at BH (space permitting), but having had a kid go through public kindergarten after the BH kindergarten, the BH is not as demanding; however, that is by design, I think, as kids that age vary greatly when it comes to structured learning. Our 4 (almost 5) y/o is learning words, all sorts of science concepts, etc. just in the first few weeks of the K class, but she is also very ready for structured learning. Other kids are probably not absorbing as much, but there is no grading system or no class-wide goals that apply to all the kids.

I will say that the director for that new BH is our old director, and she is great - easily one of (if not the) best we have dealt with over the years; however, it may sound like you are looking for more of a Montessori type environment (I say 'type', because there is a wide variety of schools that call themselves montessori, and there are significant differences).

And just my two cents (which you are free to disagree with, ofc ) is that even if they are ready for more 'intensive' teaching, it does not appear to hinder their future development or learning if they are not immediately put into a structured learning program.

[FalconheadWest]

Thank you so much for your feedback. This BH will not have a Kindergarten, which is disappointing. He doesn't need structured learning, per se, but he needs to be kept busy. He would get in trouble when bored. He's 3 and can write his entire name. His letters are actually readable, most of the time. I do have an interview with Sharla at BH tomorrow morning. They don't open until January, so I'm not sure what to do with him thru December as I have to work.

My daughter did Kinder at Primrose and was then bored to tears at Kinder last year, and still mostly bored in 1st grade this year. Her teacher taught 2nd grade for 10 years, so has been able to push her and keep her involved instead of tuning out. I was hoping for the same type step ahead for him as boys tend to need more of that advantage then girls.

Which location are you referencing so I know where this director is coming from?

[Trainwreck20]

Sharla was the director of the 'Motorola' BH on Escarpment and Davis for at least 8 years, I guess, since she was there when our 8 year old started at BH. The 4 y/o kids do a lot of letters/name writing in the kinder prep classes, but more focused in the kinder class, with some 'homework' - generally, activities to do on the weekend - looking for words in signs, finding numbers around the house, or other 'fun' type activities. It might get more demanding later in the year.

I heard the new BH does not have a kinder class because they did not get enough 'early' enrolled - but now they have a huge demand but no physical space because it is filled up with the younger kids? Something like that. There are only 12 kinder kids in the one we go to, and I think they cap it at 14.

The AISD Kindergarten (Mills Elementary) really allowed some of the kids to flourish; some were reading on a DRA 10 or 12 (or more? it wasn't my kid, so not sure exactly ). That is middle way through 1st grade (or higher). It was interesting to see the wide range of aptitude at that age and I did have some sympathy for the poor teaching trying to cover that huge range of kids.

[FalconheadWest]

Originally Posted by Trainwreck20

I heard the new BH does not have a kinder class because they did not get enough 'early' enrolled - but now they have a huge demand but no physical space because it is filled up with the younger kids? Something like that. There are only 12 kinder kids in the one we go to, and I think they cap it at 14.

It's hard to get early enrollment when they're not opening at the start of a school year. Maybe the "art studio" could be made into a Kinder classroom. I'll see tomorrow.

[Eastcoasting]

I know it's not in your target area but I just took a look at the Austin Waldorf School and while they don't have pre-K you might want to contact them and ask for suggestions about area resources for your son.

Them Waldorf's loves them a good convo about educating!

Just a thought.

[FalconheadWest]

Waldorf is definitely out of the target area. It's quite a drive, especially in the mornings and trying to avoid The Y.

I met at Bright Horizons for an hour and a half this morning. It's a very nice school. If they can get 4 kids interested in Kinder for next Fall, they'll shuffle things around and try to implement it. I think that's great!

My son loved the rooms. He played for all that time and wasn't bored once. He even played on the touch screen whiteboard and knew how to make it work. I was rather impressed, but still need to go back in a couple of weeks to meet the teachers.

[Trainwreck20]

but still need to go back in a couple of weeks to meet the teachers.

One thing I like about BH is the serious attention that they pay toward continuing education for their teachers and their oversight to make sure that the principles are followed.

If they can get 4 kids interested in Kinder for next Fall, they'll shuffle things around and try to implement it. I think that's great!

Ha! If they can't get that, there is something else wrong! I think I had two co-workers that wanted to get them in for this year, but ofc that isn't going to happen...

[FalconheadWest]

Originally Posted by Trainwreck20

One thing I like about BH is the serious attention that they pay toward continuing education for their teachers and their oversight to make sure that the principles are followed.

Ha! If they can't get that, there is something else wrong! I think I had two co-workers that wanted to get them in for this year, but ofc that isn't going to happen...

One thing is that they are more expensive then Primrose and Montessori in the area, which both have Kinder, but not as expensive as Lupine Lane and a couple of others. Many people don't like to pay for Kinder when they get it free if they waited the extra year, but a child like mine isn't going to do well "bored" without being challenged.

I did ask how their teachers are trained as I was told they watch each child and help focus the child to activities they excel in. A "Regular" daycare teacher doesn't know how to do that. Meet the teacher is in a couple of weeks, so we'll see. They described the teacher to me, and she sounds full of energy.

[Trainwreck20]

They are NAEYC accredited, so you can find out some of what they do via the NAEYC web site:
National Association for the Education of Young Children | NAEYC

In particular, go to their 'position statements' page for various information. Each center that is accredited gets audited on some regular basis, so it prevents too much 'drift' from their official practices. While I don't think that every daycare should meet NAEYC, I do like that the tenets are codified somewhere and are followed regardless of the specific teacher or director.

Funny that it is more expensive than Primrose; it is the opposite over here in SW Austin - BH is the cheaper of the two. Most kids that do either BH or Primrose Kinder end up also doing the public school Kinder, but some (more often the girls) do jump into 1st grade.