1) Ask the teacher or program director if there are certain times or days set aside for visitors.
Let the teacher know ahead of time when you plan to visit, so the teacher can set aside time
to talk with you.
2) When you arrive, ask where you should sit and what the teacher would like you to do.
3) Tell the teacher how long you plan to stay. Let the teacher know if there are certain activities
you would like to see, even if the classroom schedule may not always allow this.
4) If you are seated in the classroom, try to lend a helping hand if the teacher encourages you to
do so. Becoming actively involved in a song, an art activity, or snack time can help you get a better feel for the program.
5) If you see something that is puzzling or causes concern, wait for a chance to discuss it with
the teacher privately. Try not to jump to conclusions before hearing an explanation.
6) Keep your conversations with other adults short during program activities. It can be very
distracting to the children if you talk over their heads.
7) Avoid asking teachers personal questions about the children in the program. Teachers should
not share this information with other families without parents' permission.
8) Be flexible and understanding if the day you observe turns out to be unorganized. Teachers
have no way of predicting sickness, fire drills, spilled paints, crying children, or a number of
other things which may make the classroom appear unorganized. If this is what you observe
on your visitation day make another appointment for another day.
9) Make notes and jot down questions as you observe them or immediately afterwards. This
will help you get your thoughts together later. If you observe several programs, it will help
to keep track of the differences between programs.
10) After you have left the classroom and have had some time to think about your observation,
make some notes to yourself which sum up your thoughts and feelings while the observation
is still fresh in your mind. It is a good idea to have an observation sheet for each program to
help you organize your observations and compare programs.
11) Take time to thank the staff as you leave. Comment on one or two positive things you saw.
This is especially important if your child will be entering the program in the future!
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