Sonja Bindus | Courtesy
Parents in the Hillsdale area have a wide variety of options when it comes to choosing the education for their preschool-aged children.
More than five preschools are located in Hillsdale, each of which offers a unique educational and developmental program. Among these are Mary Randall Preschool – a laboratory school that offers a theme-based curriculum, and Countryside Montessori Preschool – a preschool based off the Montessori philosophy of education, providing a child-centered approach.
Affiliated with Hillsdale College, Mary Randall is a tuition-based program that serves members of the community as well as faculty of the college.
“Mary Randall is a bridge between the college and the community,” director of Mary Randall Sonja Bindus said.
Originally named Hillsdale Nursery School, Mary Randall was founded in 1929 in the basement of Mauck Hall. Like the college, it has a deep history of promoting a liberal arts education, even among children, according to Bindus.
“Mary Randall is a staple of education,” Bindus said.
Mary Randall’s theme-based curriculum has been developed over time, according to Bindus, and is unique to itself.
“We have a special program because we’re the ones who created it,” Bindus said.
It provides children with a solid base of math, science, phonics, motor development, and social skills, according to Bindus. Each activity is looked at developmentally and planned with a specific goal in mind. This approach is beneficial to children because fulfilling these objectives gives them a sense of accomplishment. The thematic approach also helps young children achieve higher levels of learning, according to Early Childhood News, a professional research resource for teachers and parents.
“We set kids up in situations to learn how to be a student,” Bindus said. “They learn the structure of the day, and most importantly, how to be away from home.”
As a laboratory school, Mary Randall stands out from other preschools in the area. College students are able to participate in the preschool program by volunteering or registering in one of the many early education courses offered.
“College students learn how to build a curriculum, and this is unique to Mary Randall,” Bindus said. “Because we have so many students helping out, we are able to do so many activities typical classrooms can’t do.”
Mary Randall is a multi-age classroom, with children ranging from two years and nine months to five years old.
“This is an important aspect for us because it provides students with an opportunity to learn from each other,” Bindus said.
Another local preschool – Countryside Montessori – is dedicated to a child-centered approach to education. Countryside adheres to the Montessori philosophy of education, which according to Public Broadcasting Services, focuses on letting children learning at their own pace. According to PBS, many parents choose Montessori schools because they believe it helps their children acquire leadership skills and independence in general.
According to Diane Smith, director of Countryside Montessori, education takes place in an environment specifically prepared to answer the needs and curiosities of a child. Independence, self-discipline, and free choice are important components in the Montessori classroom, where the child directs their learning and progresses at their own pace, according to Smith.
“When a child learns at their own pace, they are motivated to learn, they find a joy in learning, and they have a firm foundation,” Smith said in an email.
Countryside encourages interaction with a real environment, allowing the kids to grow food in a garden and feed chickens and other animals in the barn located at the preschool.
“The children understand that what they are doing is real, it is important and that they are contributing to the class,” Smith said in an email. “Doing all these tasks independently with self discipline always takes people by surprise.”
Countryside’s curriculum focuses not only on this critical hands-on application, but also on practical life, sensorial skills, language, mathematics, and cultural studies.
Countryside seeks to create an environment that is calm, happy, quiet, and where children are able to learn and are free to direct their learning, according to their website.
Many parents have found a similar environment at Mary Randall.
Andrea Martin, a local parent, has had her son enrolled in Mary Randall for two years, and said her expectations have been surpassed.
“The genuine warmth and caring of the teachers — that’s my favorite thing,” Martin said. “It’s contributed to my son’s sense of belonging. He knows he’ll be missed if he’s not there.”
According to Martin, the teachers and college volunteers have done a good job of creating that environment.
“That environment is more important to me than how he does on a test,” Martin said. “I’m less interested in the content of curriculum than what he’s learning on an emotional intelligence level.”
Martin said that when they are walking around town, students will recognize her son and stop and greet him by name.
“That’s what is most valuable,” she said. “The love and attention he receives at Mary Randall is incredible.”
According to Bindus, the staff of Mary Randall hopes to continue serving the community and college by providing an exemplary educational program for young children.
“Mary Randall is a legacy of this community,” Bindus said. “It always has been.”
