Monday, May 20, 2013

Port Townsend Cooperative Playschool

A parent-run cooperative preschool affiliated with Peninsula College's Family Life Education Program.

Program Philosophy Children love being together! What's more, they benefit from the mental, emotional, and physical stimulation they get from being part of a group. The goal of Port Townsend Cooperative Playschool is to provide a nurturing and safe environment where each child is free to explore and interact with others. Our cooperative helps kids: Learn to work & play successfully with children their own age. Build warm relationships with adults other than their parents. Develop Self-Discipline and Self-Confidence Play with safe, age appropriate equipment that helps them to improve their physical coordination. Our cooperative offers parents a chance to get support, insight, and understanding from sharing the joys and challenges of parenthood with other parents. Class Times Class Times Children & Parents attend class one day a week from 9:30 - 11:30 AM During the first hour, all playschool parents stay with the children. During the second hour, the "snack parent" and the assigned helpers stay with the teacher and children while the other parents attend a group discussion led by a Parenting Education Instructor from Peninsula College. sas Please call the Membership Coordinator for information. Age Groupings 9 months to 3 years. eee Fees Registration: $25.00 per year; non-refundable Tuition: One Day $95.00 per quarter ( 11 weeks) Scholarships are available; contact membership coordinator for more information. eee On-line Forms Scholarship Application Handbook Activities We have a beautiful playroom that includes a play kitchen and a little library. Many parents have poured hours of love, energy, and hard work into creating and maintaining a space that is cheerful and stimulating, yet flexible enough to allow different children to pursue different activities at the same time. Activities include: Music Art Social Interactions Dramatic Play Large and Small Motor Activities Teachers *Erin Graham* Teacher Erin has worked in a variety of formal educational environments over the past 14 years, from center-based infant care to guiding youth on wilderness adventures. She studied Early Childhood Education at Peninsula College, and General Science for Elementary School at Western Washington University. Her experiences working closely with individual families have given her the opportunity to observe children in a variety of environments. Her experiences in formal education programs and child-care centers have given her opportunities to observe and participate in diverse educational settings and philosophies. She believes the best learning happens in “yes” environments where learners can explore freely and build an empowered understanding of the world. She practices positive guidance methods and uses a mixed bag of educational philosophies to create learning activities and experiences that challenge children while honoring their interests. “As a child my interests were neighborhood games, athletics, reading, and family projects at home. As an adult my interests are strongly related to the activities I experienced as a child. I am passionate about providing experiences that children can continue to build on for the rest of their lives. “ “The most effective teachers I’ve observed work as facilitators of independent learning in well-designed environments. I strive to create a safe learning environment where children can be in control of their own learning. In Playschool, this means giving the children as much choice as possible within the daily structure. As long as the children are safe, there is no wrong way to use the materials. I love watching children unabashedly explore and test everything they encounter, and I strongly believe this should be encouraged.” Mariah Watson Teacher Mariah Watson was born and raised in Southern Oregon. Growing up she babysat, volunteered in her church nursery, and helped with VBS. She went to college in San Diego and has a degree in Physical Education with an emphasis in physical therapy. She is a mother of three boys. She has been part of our co-op as a parent, a board member, and as a teacher. Before becoming a mother, she worked for the Port Townsend school district with special needs children. She has also worked with children at the YMCA summer camp, and for a number of years has assisted her husband who is an art teacher, and a children's book writer and illustrator. In this role she has often worked closely with children. Mariah enjoys making her classroom fun and inviting. She makes it her goal to provide an interesting variety of brain-building activities and experiences. She values the impact art has on brain development and provides the children with many opportunities to paint, craft and create using many types of materials. Mariah also loves to play and knows how to spark imaginations. She will play closely with your children and help them learn appropriate and positive play behavior. Mariah looks forward to working with you and your children. Parent Involvement The Playschool/Preschool is a cooperative. The benefits of this is lower cost, higher adult-to-child ratio, enhancement of the parent-child relationship, and Parenting Education through the Peninsula College. All Playschool Parents contribute a portion of their talents, time, and energy to keep the school functioning effectively. The Board runs the Co-op business, and all the parents participate in decision making, fund-raising, and planning events. Parent responsibilities include, but are not limited to: Assisting the teacher on a rotating basis . Preparing and serving snack for your child's class on a rotating basis. Attending and participating in parenting education discussion and meetings. Serving on the board, on a committee, or another Co-op job. Parenting Education is facilitated by an instructor from Peninsula College. Topics include child development, community resources, and other appropriate topics in parenting.		Location 1919 Blaine Street Port Townsend, WA 98368 Mailing Address P.O. Box 768 Port Townsend, WA 98368 *For more information* *Amanda Timm* Phone: (206) 347-0603 Email us at membership@ptplayschool.org Family Life Education Co-op Preschools Peninsula Pre-3 Cooperative space Crescent Cooperative Preschool space Forks Basic Beginnings Learning Center More Parent Programs Peninsula College Educare Center First Step Family Support Center Lower Elwha Head Start
		updated by cbrowne 2012-01-26