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Visiting the Program
When visiting a program be sure to.....
*Go without your child for the first initial visits
*Allow time to observe the classroom as well as speak with the teacher or director
note:this may need to be done on two separate days
*Visit during the programs active time of day-usually the morning
*When observing the classroom remember to "watch" quietly and sit at your child's level so that you can see how things look from his/her perspective-not yours!

Here are some things you might want to think about..
*Are the hours suitable for my needs?
*Is the program in a convenient location?
*Is the program affordable?

Teachers/Providers
The nature of interactions between adults and children is the best indicator of quality for any child care program. In high quality childcare programs teachers will interact with children frequently and will show interest, respect, and understanding of children's work and their behavior-even when they are not cooperating!

Things to look for...
*Values around differing cultures, languages, or genders.
*Are the teachers actively engaged with th e children and showing interest in what they're doing?
*Do the teachers appear to enjoy being with the children?
*Do the teachers often speak to the children at their eye level?
*Do the teachers speak in a calm, respectful, and positive tone of voice?
*Can the teachers explain what a typical day would be like for your child?