Wednesday, September 9, 2009

Overview

In brief, we are a mama-run community childcare co-op for children with birthdays in general ranging from mid-2006 to mid-2008. If your child is outside the range, we encourage a classroom visit so we can decide on an individual basis.

Becca is our teacher and one of us volunteers to help her each day. We guide her in setting curriculum goals, and she develops a balance of learning and free play. We are an e-mail-based group.

Co-op runs from 9:30 am–1:00 pm Monday, Wednesday and Friday. We currently operate in 18-week sessions. Each mama is responsible for hosting once every six weeks, which can be scheduled anytime throughout the 18 week session. (In the event that we are without a teacher, two mamas will work each coop day until we hire a new teacher.)

A day in the life of co-op:
  • 9:30-9:45 Kiddos Arrive / Table Activity
  • 9:45-10:00 Circle Time
  • 10:00-11:00 Snack / Outside Time
  • 11:00-12:00 Art Experience / Activity Exploration
  • 12:00-12:20 Lunch
  • 12:20-12:40 Inside Play
  • 12:40-1:00 Outside Play and get ready for pick up.

Our Philosophy

We are a cooperative of young children and families who practice community-based childcare. We value child-led, play-based learning experiences for our children, and we value the creativity and spontaneity of each child. We strive to immerse our children in an environment that is rich with opportunities for play, rich with opportunities for them to explore their unique interests and to practice developing skills. We support the children in open-ended, self-directed play and art activities that allow them to progress at their own rate, according to their own style. We value both teaching and learning from our preschoolers, and we believe that learning is a process not a product.

We include children and parents with a wide range of different temperaments, learning styles, and ways of communicating, and we believe that this diversity is a strength of our community. We believe in the supportive, transformative power of community-building, and we support each other during both the joyful and the challenging times in young family life. We share meals when a new baby is born, we offer to help when someone in the community is sick, we celebrate the accomplishments and good fortunes of each family as a part of our larger co-op family.

We guide our teacher in setting curriculum goals, and she develops a balance of learning and free play. We want to lead our children gently, empathetically, intuitively, and patiently. We want to foster respect for our children as individuals, while also emphasizing grace and courtesy as they learn about social practices and structures. We are working to create a culture that honors nature, community, and a healthy childhood.

Location

Our co-op meets at the First Cumberland Presbyterian Church on Woodrow Avenue in central Austin.

A map can be found
here.

Co-op Costs

Co-op costs approximately $16.00 per day per child. This includes our teacher's pay, room rent and art supplies.