UCI Early Childhood Education Center / Tutor Time Newport Beach

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High Gravity_IHB

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I have a 2.5 yr old and I am looking for day care in the south Irvine/Newport Beach area. I am considering UCI's ECEC and I was wondering if anyone here has any experience or stories about that place. The director and teachers there seemed nice but the facility wasn't very impressive. I was very impressed with the facility at Tutor Time Newport Beach but I am a little concerned about the adult/kid ratio.
 
It looks like they offer a variety of daycare and preschool settings. Maybe if you didn't like the ECE center you could check out Verano Preschool or University Montessori. I don't have any experience with it myself but I found you this link in case you want more info. Hope this helps: <a href="http://www.childcare.uci.edu/veranopreschool.html">UCI Childcare Services - Verano Preschool</a>
 
[quote author="SoCal78" date=1224043893]It looks like they offer a variety of daycare and preschool settings. Maybe if you didn't like the ECE center you could check out Verano Preschool or University Montessori. I don't have any experience with it myself but I found you this link in case you want more info. Hope this helps: <a href="http://www.childcare.uci.edu/veranopreschool.html">UCI Childcare Services - Verano Preschool</a></blockquote>


Thanks for the info. Unfortunately, my kid isn't potty trained which is a prerequisite at Verano. It's my fault for not being more proactive re potty training.
 
No worries. It is not your fault. Sometimes it is just a long, tough road to potty training no matter how diligent you may be. (It is a big hurdle in the SoCal78 household as well so I totally understand.)



P.S. I wonder if the University Montessori will take care of the potty-needs since they accept kids as young as 3 mos. old. Good luck.
 
No stories about Tutor Time, but I have had a good experience with Child Time in Eastbluff (Near Jamboree and the 73, on the other side of the back bay). Aren't the student/teacher ratios mandated by California law?
 
[quote author="Strom" date=1224049770]No stories about Tutor Time, but I have had a good experience with Child Time in Eastbluff. Aren't the student/teacher ratios mandated by California law?</blockquote>


I believe the legal limit is 12 to 1, Tutor Time is 8 to 1, and UCI is 6 to 1. I visited Child Time in Eastbluff which some of my coworkders recommend, but I thought the classrooms were very old looking and the restroom with the row of tiny toilets and the round communal metal sink looked like toddler prison. The only thing I liked about the Eastbluff Childtime is the access controlled front gate. How are the teachers at Child Time/Eastbluff?
 
[quote author="High Gravity" date=1224051667][quote author="Strom" date=1224049770]No stories about Tutor Time, but I have had a good experience with Child Time in Eastbluff. Aren't the student/teacher ratios mandated by California law?</blockquote>


I believe the legal limit is 12 to 1, Tutor Time is 8 to 1, and UCI is 6 to 1. I visited Child Time in Eastbluff which some of my coworkders recommend, but I thought the classrooms were very old looking and the restroom with the row of tiny toilets and the round communal metal sink looked like toddler prison. The only thing I liked about the Eastbluff Childtime is the access controlled front gate. How are the teachers at Child Time/Eastbluff?</blockquote>


I've had a very good experience, but have only interacted thus far with teachers in the infant room, and the next-step-up toddler room. The teachers have been very responsive to my requests, seem to be really good with the kids, and are always willing to take the time to talk about my child's development.



You're right, though - the toilets are a little strange...
 
My kids go to the Newport Montessori on Orchard/Cypress. We love it there. In the classrooms for 2-3 yr olds, they actually help with the potty training.
 
Hey, would you guys mind telling me more about the schools your kids go to. I am interested in knowing what type of programs they are... such as if they are academic (do the kids do paperwork with reading, writing, and arithmetic?) or is it more like hands-on only... or both? I have been touring preschools and having trouble finding one that offers both types of learning. Thanks in advance.
 
We send our kids to Newport Montessori- they take kids from walking age through 1st grade. I have a 4 yr old son and a daughter in the 1st grade.



The school does a great job with academics and making learning fun. My daughter has homework weekly (also the kindergarteners have homework). For 1st grade, it's about 7 pages of work. As an example, there's spelling words (2 pages), there are a couple pages of reading and writing using those words that are new, and 2 pages of math. The first graders are doing carry-over math right now (ex 58+17). I don't remember doing that as a 1st grader.



My son is 4 and is quite good at reading and math. What I like about the Montessori method is that the teachers recognize each child's pace and teach accordingly. My son along with a few others are doing the kindergarten books but he is not physically in that classroom.



What I also like about the school is the after-school activities offered at to the school. As a working mom, I appreciate the programs offered like tumbling, dancing, something called Play Ball (more like a gym class), computer tots, piano, etc. These are outsourced companies that come to the school. These are all extra programs offered ususally after the school ends (or during naptime). These progrmas allow my kids exposure to all these actvities, and I don't have to drive them around after school doing similar things.



They teach Spanish and French 1x a week.
 
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