Ages, Stages -- Early Childhood Development as a Fluid Process
Their age will not tell me about this developmental milestone. Rather the number of times they begin their sentences with, "Pretend I am..." will. When they add scene and mood to their scenarios and incorporate suggestions and ideas of others into their play, THAT is the developmental milestone I am looking for...
Co-oping is not the same as volunteering
Parent education leads the mission of every cooperative model school. This begins with the engagement required to land on our feet running each year with new groups of parents and extends to training sessions to co-op in the classroom and on administrative committees.
Parent-teacher conferences at a parent cooperative
I had moved away from the casual, shared conversations for a more organized check-in with documentation. I placed a heavy burden on myself to collect, document, and hammer out every detail in advance of parent-teacher conferences. In truth, I just needed to sit down with the parents to learn and share.
Other People's Children
Deciding to become part of larger whole is a big commitment. Every parent must consider this before they take that leap to join a parent cooperative. Understanding and accepting other people's children is the biggest and best take-away a parent cooperative will give to their member parents.
A Parent Cooperative. Everything I Need.
Signatures tucked away and hidden under freshly painted and repaired baseboards. A carefully engineered rain drainage system buried under 10 tons of specially-selected and shipped sand in the sandpit. Gentle and informed support during difficult times. We leave our marks, we shape and care deeply for the environment, we take care of each other.