Ans: At Makoons we believe that each child should develop at their rate and this includes toilet training. In an ideal world, all children would be completely trained by the first day of school, but we understand, and are sensitive to the fact that for some children, this is not a fair request to be made. If your child is resisting the toilet training process and it is close to the beginning of school, please do not force the issue. Once your child is comfortable and settled in the program, we would be more than happy to help your child if he or she is beginning to show signs of readiness.

Ans: Most young children are used to being the centre of attention at home and rightly so!

Outside of the security of their home environment there are many skills to be learned that cannot always be taught at home. Being part of a school environment from an early age allows a child to develop not only social skills but also helps them to build a solid foundation from an academic standpoint. For a child to be able to walk independently into a classroom at the age of two is an amazing achievement! The skills to be taught at this age are endless … how to line up with their peers to walk from the classroom to the gym, how to handle the prospect of not being first in line or having to wait to play with a toy, sitting in a circle with good ‘listening ears’ etc. can take a lot of self-control for a little one.

We begin our Handwriting without Tears program in our Toddler and Preschool Programs so that the children are already being introduced to the concept of letters at their level of understanding. Knowing how to hold a pencil correctly, using scissors proficiently, writing their name are just some examples of basic skills we concentrate on. Our nursery children are well prepared for kindergarten; the high success rate of our students applying and gaining acceptance into larger private schools is an excellent indicator.

Ans: Each child develops at their rate and within the kindergarten time period the range may be varied without necessary concerns. The child’s ability to click into reading or writing independently can happen at any time between the ages of 4 and 6. In our experience it is like a light bulb being switched on and then they are off to the races! We have excellent teachers who can provide the children with an enriched learning environment where both collectively and individually the children can build on their skills. Some children move forward faster than others in certain areas of the program and that’s okay. This is not a race but a time where the scaffolding needs to be carefully built in conjunction with each child’s needs.

Our kindergarten children have two years to prepare for grade one and during this time we ensure that they are exposed to a fun, well-balanced, and engaging curriculum so that they are independent readers moving forward.

Ans: We can quickly assess if your child will meet with success regardless of their ability to communicate in English based on emotional maturity and level of confidence. For younger children, being in English- speaking programs with their parents who can help communicate to them in their mother tongue may be the best start so that the children gain experience and more understanding of basic vocabulary before being left in an independent program.

Ans: First of all, discipline is such a harsh word, especially when we are dealing with young children who are experiencing many situations for the very first time. We are here to teach and that includes helping the children make the right choices with their behaviour and how they conduct themselves in a group setting. Our expectations for a toddler and that of a kindergarten student are very different as maturity plays a huge role in the outcome of any given situation.

We do not believe in ‘time outs’ unless a child needs some time to themselves to calm down or just have a break from the rest of the class. Our teachers have the ability to anticipate situations and therefore are able to redirect a child if they can see he/she is not ready to make the right decision with their behaviour. We also tend to look at our programming and set up of the classroom if a child is having issues. Many times if there are concerns with behaviour in a classroom, it may be due to children being bored or frustrations due to activities being too advanced for their skill level. Therefore, we must be creating an environment that will help them to succeed in all areas of the curriculum.

We all make mistakes and being able to ‘try again’ is a wonderful way to practice making the right decision and empowering a child to become a better member of the classroom and society as a whole.

Here at Makoons we are very fortunate not to have children exhibit major behavioural problems due to small class sizes, consistent expectations and experienced teachers who can make a difference in helping children gain the tools needed to be a positive member of a group.

Ans: We have an enclosed Outdoor Learning Garden in almost all our centers, here at Children’s Garden that consists of a canopied seating area, garden beds that are child friendly and artificial grass surface. This area is used during the spring and fall months as an extended classroom space. The children may have snacks outside, storytime, a music class etc.

Ans: Due to our low student-to-teacher ratio, the need for extra help in the form of parent volunteers is not required. Most families selecting Makoons for their child are making the decision based on their wish for their child to be completely independent during their time with us.

Most children tend not to veer very far from their loved ones when in a new environment and it can ultimately affect their involvement in the program. If you are looking for a school where you can share your child’s time at school then a co-op based philosophy may be a more suitable environment for you and your child.

Ans: Our tuition schedule requires a large percentage of installments to be paid in full prior to the first day of school. Should a child start school and it is agreed upon by both the school and the parents that the child is not quite ready for an independent program then a full refund will be given,

However, if the school feels confident that based on regular attendance the child will succeed with the transition and the parent is not willing to give it time then there are no refunds of any processed installments.

Ans: sure sign that your child is ready for preschool is that you can envision them enjoying all of the activities a school has to offer. At this time you are the only one who knows your child the best and taking the time to view as many schools as possible is an excellent way to ensure that your child’s needs will be met.

The Main area of concern for parents, and especially for teachers, is whether or not a child is ready for a morning or full-day program at school. A child who displays signs of being constantly upset, of not being able to redirect and in constant need of adult support is a child who may not be ready for a Toddler, Preschool or Kindergarten program. In order to determine what is best for the child, the following steps will be taken:

The teacher will communicate his/her initial observations/cause for concern to the child’s parent verbally. A follow-up email will be sent to the parents by the teacher, within 1 to 3 working days, after the conversation detailing what was discussed and possible strategies going forward.

The child will be observed for at least two full weeks of programming by the teacher and Headmistress. The teacher will observe and record behaviours in his/her logbook on a daily basis. Also, the Headmistress may take videos of the child in order to show the parents what is specifically occurring in the classroom.

Once all strategies have been exhausted, the Headmistress will call a confidential meeting with the teacher and parents. A final time period of observation will be decided upon in order to make sure that the ultimate goal of ensuring the child is ready and has the emotional maturity to continue in the program can be reached. If the child proves to not be ready for the program, the Director will give a full refund of tuition and the child will be given priority placement for the following school year.