Beyond selecting the perfect preschool or early education center for your child, parents must consider the preschool teachers as well and carefully select a school based on the education providers within.

Depending on the preschool, it may be a bit more difficult to judge a center based on its teachers, as they may have large class sizes and multiple instructors. In that case, it is important to get a feel for the preschool as a whole and try to meet as many teachers as possible.

However,if you are considering a preschool with a small number of teachers, or a teacher assigned to one specific age group, here are some important qualities to look for as well as some red flags.

Educational Experience

One of the most important factors to consider when selecting a good preschool teacher is their teaching experience. It may also be nice to know what they earned their degree in and how long they have been with that particular preschool. In general, the more teaching experience thebetter.

Interaction with children

If possible, bring your child along with you when you visit a preschool.Introduce them to the preschool teacher and see how they interact.Also, it’s a good idea to visit during a live session so you can see how the teacher interacts with children, manages discipline and how they conduct the classroom.

Look for patient teachers with a high energy level. If your child appears to feel comfortable around them, then it’s probably a good fit.

Listen to your gut

Apart from how they interact with children, how do they interact with parents? Make sure that you feel comfortable around them and that they are someone that you would want to leave your child with. Often this is the most important deciding factor, so go with your gut instinct and use your best judgment.

Weigh your options

It is easy to like the first teacher you meet and ignore all other options – try to avoid this. First select your top 3 to 5 preschools and schedule a time to meet with their teachers. Keep mental notes of each teacher you meet, along with your overview feel for the preschool, and make a well-rounded decision based on all candidates.

Additionally, it is always a good idea to chat with other parents and hear what they have to say. One of the best ways to begin a conversation with other parents is to use the discussion forums on Preschool Finder.