My daughter is somewhat ahead of her age group with communication--she has lots of words and we encourage verbal communication in our home. In short, she speaks very well, and it often catches adults off guard. From her first day at First United, she came home repeatedly telling me that the teachers yelled at her. The first couple times it happened, I just mentioned it to the teachers through the app they use to communicate, asking them what happened. They didn't really have much of an answer other than to say they use a firm tone when needed but never "yell" at the kids, and that they find raising voices to children unacceptable. I was unsure of that, but gave the benefit of the doubt. A couple days later, my daughter started imitating the teachers to try and explain to me that they were yelling at the kids during nap time. My daughter made a loud, angry sounding voice and parroted, "[Child's name from her class]! Lay down NOW!" and "Be quiet!" There is a kid named [Child's name] in her class. She didn't just make this up. So at this point I know something is going on. She is 2.5, she doesn't even know how to lie yet. If she did I would have had more doubts from the beginning. I mentioned it to the teachers again, at this point hoping they get the gist that I know for a fact they are, in fact, raising their voices and intimidating children, and now that this is something parents are becoming aware of, they hopefully will stop doing it. Nope. Last night, my daughter woke up in the middle of the night from a nightmare, screaming and sobbing "I'll lay down! I'll lay down! I want to lay down! I want to listen! I'll be quiet!" My heart broke into a thousand pieces at this. We do not yell at my daughter to lay down at home. The ONLY place she could have gotten this is at that school. I wrote a long message to her teachers through the app, telling them what was happening and that I believe my daughter. I'd all but made up my mind to withdraw my daughter from this program. I asked for a meeting to discuss these problems--we had tried to schedule a meeting the first two times, but with my schedule and their inflexible hours (they're only there from 9:00-ish in the morning until around 3:00, and that does not work for my schedule) it never happened. All my bad feelings were solidified in my mind when I got a message from the program director, Teresa, through the app, essentially calling my daughter a liar, and that the school "stands by the teachers."
I can't in good conscience recommend First United to anyone, because there just is no accountability here. It seems that their teachers will treat your kid however they want, and you will be told to either deal with it or leave. We chose the latter. My daughter is now her happy, vibrant self again after three weeks out of First United. read more