About Us

PHILOSOPHY

Patterson Preschool is dedicated to providing a positive, child-centered place of learning.

Our program supports positive social interaction and cooperative play. We assist in each child's growing ability to resolve conflicts, share spaces and equipment, and to value similarities and differences. We respect the uniqueness of each child and honor and encourage the whole child's development: social, emotional, physical and intellectual. We strive to provide children with a joyful, rich and stimulating environment that ensures success and builds confidence.

We believe preschool can be a great first step away from home and that the preschool experience is a valuable learning opportunity for both child and parent.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

OUR TEACHER

Our teacher, Brynn Anderson, joined Patterson Preschool after two years of teaching young children in Honduras. Prior to that, she taught at several preschools in Eugene, including training other childhood educators at LCC. She has completed her E.C.E. degree, has ten years of teaching experience, and is bi-lingual in Spanish.

We appreciate Brynn for her diverse teaching background and experience, which reflects her general attitude of tolerance and inclusion, and for her respect for the individuality of each child and families needs.

"I hope to nurture and encourage childrens natural curiosity, imagination and to enhance their critical thinking skills. I enjoy the connection between home and school provided by the high level of parent participation in the co-op."

 

GOALS

1. To promote each child’s:

· Positive self-concept as an individual and as a group member

· Social development (cooperation, sharing, consideration of others, honoring differences, etc.)

· Appreciation of learning and self recognition as a learner

· Excitement for the learning process

· Enjoyment of school

· Positive emotional, cognitive and physical development

 

2.      To promote each parent’s:

· Development and confidence in parenting and group cooperation skills

· Understanding and involvement in the educational process

· Social network of families with young children

 

 

THE PRESCHOOLER

At Patterson, children are encouraged to find enjoyment in social interactions, participate in group times, make the most of self-directed choice times, explore materials, laugh, get dirty, question, be silly, sing, dance, and just have fun!

Our goal is to support a child's desire to play. We believe this is what is most important in early childhood and where a lifelong love of learning begins.

 

 

THE CLASSROOM EXPERIENCE

Children are encouraged to find enjoyment in social interactions, participate in group times, make the most of self-directed choice times, explore materials, laugh, get dirty, question and just be kids!

Our goal is to support a child's internally motivated desire to play.  We believe this is what is most important in early childhood and where a lifelong love of learning begins.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CONSISTANCY (The Daily Schedule)

A daily routine provides children with the comfort of knowing what to expect. As the year progresses children gain an understanding of their classroom and a trust in their environment, their peers, adults, and themselves.

· 9:00                           Arrival

· 9:00-10:00               G et settled, Free choice, Activities

· 10:00                         Clean up

· 10:15 – 10:35            Circle

· 10:35-10:40             Hand washing

· 10:45-11:00              Snack

· 11:00-11:00               Clean-up, brush teeth, wash hands

· 11:10-11:40               Outside play

· 11:45-12:00              End-of-Day story

· 12:00                         Departure

 

PARTICIPATION

Children are encouraged to participate in classroom activities such as circle and story times.  They are, however, given the allowance to follow their own needs if they are not disruptive to group time.  The goal is to acknowledge a child's independence and needs while teaching them to be respectful of others and the classroom routine.  The teacher strives to maintain a balance between the individual child and the group's well being.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CURRICULUM

The preschool day provides a large amount of self-directed time for the children to explore, create and socialize.  There are also monthly learning units that direct our activities and conversations.  These monthly units are flexible and enhance the main focus of the classroom, which is the interplay between children, adults, and the environment.

 

READERS AND WRITERS IN THE MAKING

Children take their first steps towards learning to read and write very early in life.  The environment and curriculum at Patterson Preschool supports this development of pre-literacy skills through active exploration and play.

In our classroom you will hear children singing; this is phonemic awareness.  You will see children using recipes for gooey peanut butter balls, children pretending to work at a post office, children finding their name on a toothbrush; this is exposure to different print and its uses.  In our classroom you will see dinosaurs moving through sand and planets hanging overhead; this is vocabulary enrichment.  And in our classroom you will see children listening to stories, telling stories, acting out stories; this is pre-literacy at its best!

We recognize that in this engaging and developmentally appropriate environment children will gain a love of learning and pre-literacy skills to support their development into strong academic learners.

 

CONFLICT

Patterson Preschool provides an environment which is active and stimulating.  When children are involved and enjoying their environment there is little need for discipline.  The teacher facilitates the children in their learning of appropriate classroom behaviors through routine, dialog and role playing as well as being active in the children's play.  The environment and the teaching methods work together to prevent the need for discipline. When conflict arises between children it is looked at as an opportunity to problem solve and enhance communication skills.  Again, the teacher is an active facilitator and model of these appropriate behaviors and is involved in the process.  Corporal discipline and time-outs are not used in our classroom.

 

 

THE COOPERATIVE EXPERIENCE

A co-operative preschool offers children a nurturing, family oriented environment as their first exposure to school.  Having parents in the classroom increases our adult to child ratio and children learn to accept guidance from other trusted adults. A co-operative preschool offers a great deal to its parents as well.  Parents gain a better understanding of their child's individuality through observing them with other children of the same age.  Parents directly take part in their child's education as well as learn more about the development of young children by observing a skilled teacher and associating with other parents.  Parent-members model problem solving, cooperation and commitment as they interact and work with other parents and children. The commitment of time and energy to the co-operative experience is not only rewarding and beneficial for the individual family but for many families, as that time and energy helps the preschool to thrive and continue to offer quality early childhood education to the community.

 

PARENT EDUCATOR

This is a parents opportunity to learn beside his or her children.  Allowing members to be parent educators supports parents involvement in their child's education.  Each parent educator works in the classroom with the teacher, learning aspects of child development and new ways to relate to children while facilitating the children's own learning and development.  Each family contributes approximately 18-20 days (2 days per month) during the school year as a parent educator.

 

SCHOOL ADMINISTRATION

At the time of enrollment, each family selects a job to do during the school year. To evenly distribute the task of operating the school, we have parent jobs, of which several are lumped together to form small "committees".  These jobs are critical to the preschool's operation and are an opportunity for parents to contribute their special skills and talents to the school. Please refer to the job list for a description of positions available.  Some of these may include word processing, organization, art, communication, accounting, etc.  We are excited to have you share your skills with us and to help you learn new ones.

 

FUNDRAISING

Fundraising is a crucial part of our cooperative.  Our fundraising efforts help to keep tuition low and participation builds community among families.  There are two fundraisers planned each year in which members participate. There may also be other fundraising opportunities during the year, we welcome your creativity and new ideas.

 

PRESCHOOL CLASSES

Our classes are designed to suit the needs of children 3 to 51/2 years old.  Groups are divided according to age and development.  Sept 1st is the cut-off date for meeting age requirements.  Our school years will include:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

*A registration fee of $70 is required at the time of enrollment.  This fee is non-refundable.

 

CURRICULUM

We believe in providing a hands-on, play-based, developmentally appropriate curriculum, based on current knowledge of early childhood education. Children can learn through their own play, grow at their own pace, and feel that school is a good place to be. We involve the whole child in the active learning process, and provide them with a rich environment. The preschool day provides a large amount of self-directed time for the children to explore, create and socialize, as well as some directed small group times to facilitate active learning.

 

 

 

“There is a garden in every childhood, an enchanted place where colors are brighter, the air softer, and the morning more fragrant than ever again.”                

                                   ~Elizabeth Lawrence