Choosing a Preschool to Match Your Child's Temperament (continued)

With its focus on arts and expression, the Waldorf environment would benefit a child with a difficult temperament who is emotionally sensitive and has a difficult time forming bonds with others. Active children would also respond to the emphasis placed on physical activity. Cautious-minded children would benefit from staying with the same teacher and group of students for the first several years of education. “Temperaments in the Waldorf classroom provide the teacher with tools for forging an inner connection with each child, making the child feel that his or her teacher knows with wisdom what is behind each decision made in the classroom”, says Patrice Maynard, spokesperson for the Association of Waldorf Schools of North America.

Reggio Emilia is based on emergent curriculum, where the curriculum is developed collaboratively between teachers and students. Emphasis is placed on constructive thinking skills, and the planning and design of projects; it is the process, not the end result, that is important. “In a Reggio classroom the environment is considered the “third teacher”, says Linda Ensko, director of a Reggio Emilia school in Manhattan. Children with an easy temperament might benefit most from the abundance of discoveries and connections that children make in the classroom environment.

Because public school preschools deal with a wide variety of temperaments, where easy children are held up as role models, it's best to establish communication with classroom teachers, and to discuss the temperament of your child if you have any concerns.

So, consider temperament when choosing a preschool; it may just ensure your child's foray into education is a positive experience.