My son has attended this co-op preschool for about a year, and he gets so much out of it. I love that it meets on Saturday mornings, which means his dad can attend with him. It is so awesome to see pics of my two guys building ramps together or cuddling during story time, and my fella really loves seeing our son grow and change along with the other kids in the class.
The second thing I adore about our class is the talent: our teacher, Monica, is actually an opera singer, and she brings her beautiful singing to every circle time. Anyone who's heard a group of parents droning along to a song knows what a blessing a gifted teacher can be. Monica also provides a very laid back, attachment friendly style. When my son was scared of one of the circle time routines, she altered the practice to help him adjust, and she came up with clever ideas to help ease him into the routines of preschool. We also have a gifted "parent educator" who doesn't cram education down our throats but offers ad hoc support, tips and understanding.
Third pro is the mixed ages. Any kid 1 - 3 years old can enroll. The bigger kids learn sibling skills and get to show off for the littler ones, and the younger ones get to copy bigger kids. It's a fascinating process to observe how fast the little ones learn.
Finally, I love that I feel comfortable and at home in our class. The class doesn't operate along gender lines, which makes it feel queer friendly. The other parents who attend with their kids are friendly and open. Our teacher has a lot to do with that atmosphere.
Cons? As I see it, this preschool's only flaw is that the co-op is perhaps too laid-back about organizing, which means we hover on the brink of under-enrollment.
In short, I couldn't recommend our Saturday preschool more. Even though my own son is close to aging out, I hope the class will continue for many more years because it is so wonderful. read more