Preschool teacher to child ratios? Classroom size?

Around here, it's common for 24 3 yr olds to be in a room with only 2 teachers. That seems crazy to me. Are my expectations wrong? Should I expect them to be able to handle that?

This is an example from one of the schools we are on the waiting list for. FYI for the 2 yr old class is 1:7 (2 teachers in a classroom of 14). That seems crazy to me too. I mean, I find it hard to handle 2. How do they handle so many kids? Do kids do well in these environments?

 

I don't know. I know that when I walk into daycare to get my kids, it's usually very chaotic and hectic. Of course it's usually during playtime at the beginning or end of the day so I have never seen them sit and color or eat lunch or any structured activity, which I know they do, I just don't know how well it's controlled. Gosh, now that I'm writing that and you pointed it out, I wonder if it's mass chaos all day in the 2 year old room!
Anyway, it's the state law and I know that my kids did do okay in this environment, I know they are sometimes pretty cranky in the evenings and takes a while for them to wind down.

 

when Berkley was in Montessori, the class was 3-6 yrs old and 2 teachers; approx 22 kids in the class.
The boys aren't in Montessori but an accredited preschool and have about 15 kids in their class, all 3 yrs old and have 2 teachers.

 

Our preschool classes are 12 children with a teacher, an assistant teacher, and usually a parent volunteer. The classes run 2-3 yr olds, 3-4, and Pre-K. I think Pre-K has a different ratio, but I'm not sure what it is. When I have volunteered, it's not too chaotic. Most of the time, they are involved in an activity, so it's not like it's just free play the whole time. When it is free play, that's enough people to cover the kids. I'm really not sure what other preschools have. We liked the first one we looked at and didn't bother to keep looking.

 

It depends on the type of school, and amount of time, and time of day. During peak (i.e. lunch times) there are more teachers in my girls room. Less in the early morning or later afternoon. Somewhere between 1:6 and 1:12, depending on time of day I would say.

ETA: for 3 year olds

 

The law here in CA is 1:12 (2-6 year olds). The school my son attends is 1:8 with 24 kids in the class (2 teachers, an assistant that is qualified as a teacher).
The school I worked at for 10 years before having kids we had 1 classroom with 43 2-6 year olds and 4 teachers. Also an active director. It was the best school. We had a great environment and lots of fun. If it didn't go downhill after myself and another teacher left, I would be going out of my way to send my kids there.
Just remember that the kids at school are not the same kids you know at home. KWIM?

Cari

 

My twins preschool has 10 children with 2 teachers, and a floating teacher that sometimes helps as well. They are in a toddler class with 2 1/2 to 3 year olds. Twenty four kids with only 2 teachers sounds crazy to me too...I don't think I would feel comfortable that. Good luck!

Amy

 

At my daycare, the infant room (0-18M) is 1:3 w/10 kids total, the toddler room (18 - 30M) is 1:5 w/15 kids total, the preschool room (2.5Y-4Y) is 1:8 w/16 kids total. These ratios are the same as the ones mandated by the city of Toronto. I'm not sure about the ratios and totals at my daycare for the older kids, but Toronto's regulations for 4 year olds is 1:10, for 5 year olds 1:12, and for 6 to 12 year olds it's 1:15.

I haven't spent any time in the toddler room as we haven't been moved up yet, but I find that even with the 10 kids together in the infant room, there is a lot less screaming than there is with just my two at home. They do a really good job of keeping things sane there.

 

We had 8 kids and 2 teachers in our 1 year old class, 12 kids and 2 teachers in our two year old class and then it jumps to 16 kids and 2 teachers for 3 year olds.

 

2 teachers for 20 kids seems to be the most common here for 3 & 4 year olds, I don't know about younger than that.

 

Our girls will hopefully start preschool at the Methodist church down the road.

The two year old
10 kids with a teacher and an aid

The three year olds
12 kids with a teacher and an aid

The four year olds
14 kids with a teacher and an aid



Chris

Mom to Samantha and Emily born 12/31/2005

 

For my boys' preschool, there are 32 kids in the class (ages 3.5-5) with 4 teachers (8 to 1 ratio). For the first half of the year there was also a student teacher.

 

My kids 2-yr old class has 3 teachers for 12 kids -- we actually chose the preschool because of the teacher:child ratio. The school also has 2 floaters that pretty much lived with the 2s in the fall. For 3s, same ratio. I think 4s only have 2 teachers for 12 kids.

 

The 2yo class had a ratio of 2:12. The 3yo class has a ratio of 2:20. I think the kids do surprisingly well when they are with a large group like that. I'm sure there is plenty of chaos but I get the impression that it's organized chaos. I think there is a lot of peer pressure to behave in school and I've watched my boys follow the teachers instructions like little automatons. It's kind of weird, really...

 

My DD's school has 2:12 for the 3 yr olds and 2:14 for the 4 yr olds

 

The preschool I'm looking at has a 3 kids to 1 adult ratio for 2 year olds and 5 kids to 1 adult for kids 3+

This is a co-op, so many of the adults are parents. 2-3 "teachers" per class, the rest are parents.

 

I don't know what's common or the law here, but my girls are in a class of 18 3-year-olds with 3 teacher. That's 6:1, pretty good!

 

DD is in preschool and it it 10:1. She is happy and doing well.

 

Our is one main teacher, two assitants and 16 children. Basically 1:5 ratio. It's a 3 and 4 year old program.

 

When my oldest was in a 2yo program it was 1:6 (usually 12-13 kids, 2 teachers). In her 3yo program it was 1:10 (usually 20 kids, 2 teachers, but there were also older kids in that class 3-6 yo). Both were private schools, don't know whether that's a difference.

 

I know our ratio at work is 1:15 or 2:30 for 3 year olds and 1:18 or 2:35 for 4 year olds.

As for how kids do in that environment, I think it depends entirely on how the caregiver manages his/her classroom. The morning teacher in my boys' class is GREAT at this and she gets time to interact with each of the kids in groups of 3-4 while the other children play in groups of 2-3 in centers and table activities. They get to do a lot of focused activities because she manages her time and classroom very effectively. She plans the day carefully and offers activities during transition times, like games while lining up or songs while moving from centers to the tables.

Their afternoons are entirely different. The teachers try to let the kids have "free play" without any limits as to how many can play in an area, etc. They don't provide activities or redirection so the kids pretty much take it as a free for all. When they move on to another activity, they yell at the kids to clean up or line up and expect 15 3 year olds to willingly comply instead of planning ahead for a smooth transition.

So anyhow...I'm digressing here...but wanted to give examples of how it really depends a lot on how the caregiver manages the classroom.