New York, NY
La Escuelita

Discipline

OVERALL RATING (4.7)

Parents at this school, on average, believe that conflicts between children:
...are handled extraordinarily well in a way that not only gives me confidence in the safety of my child but also reassures me that my child (and his/her peers) are learning the early skills needed to socialize effectively with one another

source:

Director's Description to School's Approach to Discipline

La Escuelita utilizes social problem-solving to teach the students how to begin to resolve their own conflicts. For the younger students, the teachers guide the interactions to ensure all of the children have positive learning experiences. The 4's class students require little intervention but are always closely supervised when conflicts occur.

Director's Response to a Sample Discipline Scenario

Description of how teachers handle the following scenario: Child A and Child B are good friends and usually play together. One day, Child A decides to play with Child C and tells Child B, 'I don't want to play with you today. I'm playing with Child C instead.'


In the moment the teacher would encourage Child B to express how he/she feels to Child A and would facilitate conversation among all three children, to encourage all three children to find a solution to the problem of feeling excluded. During a group time (over snack, lunch or at circle time) the teacher would bring up the incident and involve the whole class to help all students learn about the implications of their words and actions.

Parents' Notes on Discipline, Health and Safety

Parent #1
La Escuelita does not have their own outdoor play space and utilizes a community space within the church for indoor space. They take the children to 'Hippo' playground in Riverside Park. The school is located in the basement of a church and does not have windows that let in natural light. Although this is a draw back, the teachers and staff balance this by having daily walks outside, trips to the park, and beautiful art on the walls of the classrooms.

Parent #2
La Escuelita uses a social problem technique to handle conflict. It is a wonderful skill for children to acquire. They gain confidence in handling their own problems without having to involve an adult. They also develop creative ways for solving problems.

Parent #3
I am not familiar with policies related to sick kids.

Parent #4
La Escuelita does not unfortunately have its own outdoor space, but the kids use nearby Hippo Park on a daily basis. While I know the directors are looking for an alternative space that has natural light and an outdoor area, this is NYC and this is easier said than done! I do not see the lack of an outdoor space as a major issue b/c they make good use of the park nearby.

Parent #5
Regarding conflict resolution: children are encouraged to use words and offer solutions until both children are satisfied with the conclusion. Teachers help them in this process. Regarding facilities: I ranked the facilities as '5' because they are literally in 'excellent condition.' However, they are not particularly plush or sunlit for anyone looking for those things. Also, there is a climbing structure in the class room and a gym on the premises, but no playground. The children use the excellent playground one block away called Hippo Park. In the questions that follow regarding the playground, I'm describing Hippo Park.

Parent #6
The outdoor activities occur in Riverside Park a block away. It has a wonderful playground specifically for children in the pre-kindergarten age group. In addition, the open field is fenced in and used for soccer training. They also have a big upper room that is used on days when you cannot go outside.

Health

OVERALL RATING (4.8)
Temperature and overall air circulation is comfortable
Healthy and nutritious snacks are provided More >
Toys and furniture are cleaned regularly

source:

Safety

OVERALL RATING (4.5)
Screen and identify all visitors
Parents may not bring sick children to school where they may infect others
Prescreening for criminal records

source:

Montessori? Waldorf? Play-based?

What school type is right for your child? Is one model better than another? What does the research say?

View an example from the Savvy Source guide to learn more.

At some point, all little boys (and some girls) become obsessed with trucks and "crashing." My son (read more)

Comment (1)

Share From Send A Link To Your Comments:

Take Our Expert Quiz

how is your toddler or preschooler progressing developmentally?