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Parent Cooperative Preschools
By Trisha Sanders
Parent Cooperative Preschools are different then other preschools. In this school model, families work together to create a learning environment for their children. Families are partnered with an educated teacher who leads the classroom duties, chooses the curriculum, models age appropriate language and shows families how to use different conflict management techniques.
Most traditional preschools will follow either a State or Federal guidelines allowing the ratio of 12 children to 1 adult. This can lead to a lot of highly structured activities, minimizing the free time children need to explore and grow their innate curiosity and imaginations. In parent co-ops, the ration is much lower with 1 adult to every 5 children. Having more adults available to each child allows the child to be heard, respected when they need help, and have their play validated as the adult and child play side by side.
Besides the time teaching in a classroom, each family participates in a “family job.” The jobs can range from helping with parties, gathering art and classroom supplies or keeping the yard and garden tidy. For the parents that desire more of a leadership role, becoming a Board Member can be a rewarding experience. As each parent co-op is a non-profit, the member-elected Board will make financial decisions that can keep the school community fiscally strong.
Building a Community
This is not a school in which you kiss your child goodbye as you both stand by his cubby, the nameless sea of faces whirling by. Friendships between families are created when working side by side in the classroom. In a typical school day families can talk over common themes of normal child growth with supportive peers and teaching staff. On the day of their parent’s work day, the two children arriving early find excitement and friendship because of their shared kinship of helping at the school. Additionally, throughout a school year, both teachers and families together can watch and cheer the growth of each individual child as she matures.
One guiding principle of a co-op preschool is to encourage the inner teacher in each parent. With a little help, any person can become an exceptional guide in a young person’s life. Professionally educated teachers model classroom language techniques and provide feedback to each family that helps them better understand the growth their child is undergoing. Situations and behaviors that might seem troubling to one parent can be dispelled when he sees a similar behavior exhibited by another child while in play.
But why a co-op? What will my child learn?
Every one of us wants children to face problems, to think them through and to learn to solve them. Play gives children the chance for this learning.
Most Parent Co-op Preschools follow a play-based curriculum. The increased number of adults help children have more freedom to explore concepts. Adults are more available to answer questions, to engage shy children and to lead play back into positive behavior when children stray. Carefully selected toys create educational concepts that encourage sharing, turn-taking and language development. Art is open-ended so that children can explore the act of creating, rather copying an adult standard. Children who freely create process-oriented art converse more with their peers at the art table. They talk over ideas, pass each other materials, and work through differences.
As for the increased number of adults in the classroom; children begin to see not strangers, but a large family-like clan. They see Bella’s mom as the women who shares great songs at circle time or Terry’s grandpa as the star soccer player. With proper clearance dads, moms, grandmas, grandpas can all work in the classroom. Children can get very excited when the special Family Member-as-a-Teacher day arrives.
Children also see their family members giving precious time and energy to support their school. While it can be an adjustment for some kids to see their own parent interact with other children, other kids find enjoyment helping the adults remember the specific tasks of classroom maintenance such as settling up for snack or putting away books.
Parent Co-ops are not for every family or child. Families must be willing to trade the lower tuition fee for an increased work responsibility. The teaching staff and Board depend on the commitment of each family to fulfill their duties. With paid staff at a minimum and a steady rotation of families in and families out each year, responsibilities must be clear to ensure a functioning professional environment. Some families may find the commitment to be too much regardless of the great tuition break.
But for the other families that choose a co-op preschool, the benefits are many. Children are happy and highly socialized in the positive environment. On a whole, they tend to look forward to their future schooling years and are comfortable speaking their ideas to a diverse group of adults and children.
I speak from experience here. My parents chose a parent co-op when I was little and I haven’t looked back yet. From 3 years old to a high school intern, college studies and beyond, I have always been a co-op kid. Sometimes the school can be so fun that you never want to leave.
Trisha Sanders is a teacher at Woodside Parent Cooperative Preschool. Her preschool teacher is still teaching at her old preschool site. Trisha checks in with her regularly.
