Welcome!
The Neighborhood Co-op (Co-op) is a parent-run community preschool co-operative in Austin, Texas. We seek to nurture, support, and teach our children through a combination of free play, storytime, songtime, art and community.
Our Philosophy
We are a co-operative 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 promote an environment rich with opportunities for children to play, explore their unique interests, and 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.
