What is a cooperative preschool anyway?

There are many choices a parent can make when deciding on a preschool for their child. I personally have taught in a few different settings. Last year was my first year teaching in a cooperative preschool, and it has been a game changer! 

What exactly IS a cooperative preschool?  A parent cooperative preschool  is organized by a group of families with similar philosophies who hire a trained teacher to provide their children with a quality preschool experience. The teacher is responsible for planning, and implementation of the curriculum. Parents administer and maintain the preschool on a non-profit basis. Parents assist the teachers in the classroom on a rotating basis and participate in the educational program of all the children. Each family shares in the business operation of the school, elects a board, votes on all aspects of the preschool including curriculum, field trips, class events, etc. Parents also attend regular membership meetings, the time between varies from co-op to co-op, but is generally once a month. 

A co-op is a very different kind of early education experience. Parents don't just drop their child off at the door. They are an integral part of every aspect of their child's learning. Most co-op preschools also educate parents on early childhood education, a key difference from other preschool options.  Parents have a hands on role in their child's preschool experience, and have a voice in all matters regarding the classroom. A licensed teacher works side by side with the parents, and both teacher and parent work closely with the children to ensure a fun, safe place for learning.  Parents have the unique opportunity to not only spend quality  time with their own child, but to observe other children around the same age. Parents can learn useful ideas, and share their own experience and expertise with other children and members. 

Belonging to a co-op preschool is a commitment like any other. Parents time and energy are key components to a successful school. Parents are the co-teachers, fundraisers, treasurers, janitors, maintenance workers- just about everything!   Providing snacks, doing laundry, making playdough- these are just a few things parents who choose co-op learning do, along with interacting with the students and helping the teacher as needed. Jobs are designated, or volunteered for, and each parent is responsible for doing those jobs. Good communication between members and with the teacher is very important to make sure everything runs smoothly. 

So is co-op learning for you? Co-op participation is very rewarding,extra time spent with your children, bonding and forming relationships with other families, and the peace of mind that when your child does go to kindergarten, you have given them an amazing foundation. If you are ready, willing and able to co-teach, clean, play, fund raise, prepare food, be around other preschool age children, meet new parents and learn some great things- then a co-op is definitely for you! 

There are some basic questions a  parent should ask when choosing a preschool for their child. The following list offers some tips  to help, no matter what your early educational choice may be! 

• What is the philosophy of the school and teacher?
• How do they discipline children and resolve conflict? 
• What are their goals in terms of childhood development? 

Make sure that the school's values match yours. Remember, preschool is designed to give young children a foundation for learning, building social skills and self help skills. School readiness skills are important, as are developmentally appropriate practices.

• How long has the school been around? 
• How long has the teacher been there?
• How long have the current families have been there? 

Also important to ask:

• How much are the children sitting in teacher/parent led activities?
• Is there a balance between child centered and teacher/parent centered activities?  
• Are the materials age appropriate?

And questions that are unique to a co-op preschool, such as: 

• What exactly are the commitments in terms of work days, night meetings, fund raising, and tuition? 
• What are the penalties if these commitments are not met? 
• What are the policies around parents' leaves of  absence, illness, pregnancy?
• What sort of flexibility is offered when life changes occur? 

Make sure you are comfortable with these terms- don't be afraid to ask what kind of leeway there might be. 

Plan a visit with your child.  Any co-op should allow a visit, whether it's a set day and time, or as a drop in. Make sure that you are comfortable with the play area and classrooms and that your child seems comfortable as well. Talk to the other parents. You will be working with them! 

I hope this has helped answer any questions about what a co-op preschool is all about. It truly is an amazing, unique experience! 

Let them PLAY!!

Hello!!

Welcome to It's a Preschool Thing! This is my blog about all things preschool including best practices, philosophies, classroom ideas and more.

My name is Ms. Dawn and I have been teaching preschool for 16 years.  I am blessed to absolutely LOVE what I do! The absolute joy I feel when I connect with a young child is hard to describe. The excitement I feel when a child makes a discovery makes going to work something I can't wait to do. I am helping these small humans learn to navigate their world. I am teaching more than ABC's and 123's- I am fostering empathy, building problem solving, teaching self help and critical thinking skills, encouraging a love of books and reading, providing a safe place for explorations, and building a community.

I have had the opportunity to work in many environments- from private preschool, to Head Start, and now in a cooperative preschool- and each experience brought it's own joys, frustrations, and learning experiences. One constant is that each year brings new personalities, new ideas and a whole lot of fun!

Volcano science

Preschool should be all about the fun- the simple joy of learning through play. Young children are developing at a rapid pace. Physically, emotionally and academically, changes are occurring every day. What may look like "just playing" to an adult, is actually a preschooler learning to navigate this big world, drawing on life experiences and putting it into a context their developing brain can understand.  Play is a preschooler's work, and is a very important part of the whole learning process.  Play stimulates brain development, creating necessary neural connections, while observing young children at play you can almost see those synapses firing, all of those connections being made! Studies show that play is vital in the development of cognitive skills, young children learn classification, grouping, making plans to achieve goals and interacting with others. Motor skills are developed through play, from running and jumping, to fine motor skills like pinching and grasping- important pre-writing skills.  Play enhances language skills, talking, singing and  word play help to learn and master letter and word sounds.  Play helps children develop social and emotional skills, learning to take turns and work with others are things we all have to do every day!  

 One example is when your preschooler plays with blocks. They are like little engineers, experimenting with balance, structure, space, and even gravity. Have you ever watched your child attempt to build a simple tower, only to have it fall down at a particular height? Perhaps you have noticed that they tried different ways of placing the blocks until they finally construct a tower that stays up. Believe it or not, this is the basis of the scientific method  of experimentation, observation, and cause-and-effect to solve the problem of the tumbling tower. Block building teaches basic math concepts such as  shape, size, area, even geometry and  measurement.  Best of all, blocks are an open ended activity that allows young children to use their imaginations!

Another example is dramatic play, otherwise known as "kitchen/housekeeping." This interest area has endless possibilities!  In my classroom our dramatic play area has been a flower shop, restaurant, coffee shop, pet store and  grocery store just to name a few. Dramatic play encourages role playing, the use of materials/props, make believe and social skills and interactions.





Art projects are more than just "parent pleasers." I provide different types of paper, crayons, markers, tape, glue, safe scissors, yarn, paint and so much more to encourage open ended creativity  as well as  developing small muscle control and hand/eye coordination.  We do class art projects as well, but my focus is on the process rather than the product.  Your hippo has six eyes and is orange? Great!

The students in my class are busy! Buy exploring, busy getting messy, busy learning through hands on experiences- there is no time (or educational value at this age) for worksheets! 

These are just a few examples of interest areas in my classroom, stay tuned for more!  Coming up, more about the interest areas and the skill sets they promote in my class, and how to get ready for that first day of preschool.  

Helpful Links:

NAEYC- supporting developing artists

Don't be a DIP! Use DAP

The Importance of Play