Cooperative Nursery School Urbana, IL

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about the co-op

OUR PROGRAM

The Cooperative Nursery School offers several programs that are unique, family oriented, and that strive to help your child grow. To be a part of these programs, toilet training is not required.

GOALS OF THE COOPERATIVE NURSERY SCHOOL

Emotional and social development
A preschool program helps children learn about themselves, both as individuals and as members of a group. If children are to grow into fully functioning adults, they need to have confidence in their abilities to master new challenges and to understand their social and physical environment. Co-op fosters such confidence-building by encouraging children to:

experience a variety of materials
assert their own ideas and thoughts
do things on their own
make choices and decisions that are accepted by adults
recognize their own feelings and develop appropriate means of expressing them
recognize and accept the feelings of others
develop strategies for resolving conflicts with others,
including modifying their own behavior in order to work within a group
share responsibility for the care of materials and equipment

Physical, aesthetic and cognitive development
A preschool program should encourage children to exercise their curiosity, to explore and learn about their world, and to organize their knowledge. This process lays the necessary foundation for the development of general intellectual capacities. Co-op accomplishes this by helping children:

control bodily movements through the use of a variety of media
(musical instruments, dramatic play, large physical equipment, etc.)
learn physical limitations in a safe environment
develop an interest in everyday events
do thoughtful planning - set goals, think, work, follow through
discuss information and draw conclusions; understand the consequences of events
increase understanding of number and shape concepts
develop aesthetic appreciation - awareness of color, line, form, rhythm and sound
articulate problems and work out solutions

ADVANTAGES OF A CO-OP

Co-op can be successful in attaining the above goals because of its high adult-child ratio. This situation provides more opportunity for language development, the ability to choose from a greater variety of activities, and the opportunity for special activities that require a one-to-one relationship. It frees the teacher from housekeeping chores, so that he or she can concentrate on the children and their needs. The children are known to the teacher and to each other within the context of their entire family, and they can learn to become familiar with and care about other families.

Parents in Co-op have an opportunity for involvement in the broad education of their children. Participation in Co-op also enables discussion and exchange with other parents and the teachers regarding child development, family/child relationships, parenting skills, and the larger community and its resources.

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