Hi folks.
The idea of opening a preschool might seem hassle free and low on investment. Not true. Having small children in your care is a HUGE responsibility even if they are with you for only a couple of hours every day. When deciding to take the plunge, you will be faced with a long list of issues that need to be addressed and planned for. This list will include (but is not restricted to) some of the following:
1. Selection of appropriate location and building for the school
2. Ordering child friendly furniture and teaching learning material
3. Planning and writing the curriculum
4. Preparing material that will be used for school promotion
5. Creating systems to facilitate school operations including logistics and administration
6. Arranging for transport
7. Staff selection and training
8. Writing Policies and Procedures etc...
The list is long, and as mentioned earlier, not restricted to just the points above. This is just the beginning.
Pressure points? For me at No. 1, 2 and 3....it's the Curriculum. Why? Simply because the curriculum is the heart and soul of your enterprise. You could put in all the money in the world to do up your preschool to look like something out of a fairy tale, but if your students are not engaged in a manner that leads to structured learning, the purpose of your enterprise is lost.
These are some the challenges you will face when designing and executing a curriculum:
1.Unless you are an experienced Early Childhood Education trained person, chances are that you'll falter when it comes to designing the curriculum. Unlike popular belief that Early Childhood Education is just a downward extension of formal schooling, nothing could be further from the truth. The areas of development in preschool are very different from that in later stages.
2. It is expensive and time consuming to develop.
3. Ensuring that content delivery is of the quality you desire is not easy and training must be ongoing.
So, even if you get this done, there are all the other things on the list that you need to arrange all by yourself. In this respect, it is easier to opt for a franchise because somebody has already done all your home work for you. They have spent time and money tying up every last thing that you will need to set up and run your school.
You will have the backing of a brand name that they will promote. In addition there is constant hand holding and support in all areas of operations including teacher training. Of course, you have to pay a fee and royalty to your Franchisor, but then don't we pay money to service providers on a day to day basis? Of course we do!
Happy decision making!
Playpen Team
