Parent Education
Parent Education is a valuable component of Woodinville Family Preschool. As a member of our preschool, each parent/caregiver is also enrolled in continuing education classes at Shoreline Community College. Our parent educators are hired by Shoreline Community College to teach these courses as well as teach the children in the classroom. We have the unique opportunity to provide these parent education classes as part of our daily routine. Parents/caregivers participate in both in discussion groups with their parent educator and in the clinical or lab setting where they interact with the children. Our preschool classrooms are designed to be learning laboratories where parents/caregivers practice the skills they are learning in parent education classes. In the Infant Classes, both discussion and clinical aspects take place simultaneously each week. In all other classes, half of the caregivers supervise the children’s activities while the other half participate in parent education.
Parent Education Clinic
In all classes, caregivers attend school one day per week. For the multi-day classes this means one-third of the caregivers attend on each of the class days. During the clinical portion of the day, caregivers supervise the children as they are learning through free play and other parts of their preschool routine. This provides parents/caregivers with an opportunity to practice the principles of child guidance they are learning and to observe their children and their peers. Good supervision means letting the children learn by experiencing the materials provided and using them in their own way and taking time to observe before interjecting. To create a positive learning environment for the children and a comfortable role for the parents/caregivers, limits are consistent throughout the preschool. These specific Guidance Principles are taught in each of our classes.
Parent Education Discussion
Every other week, a portion of the parent/caregiver’s day at preschool will be spent participating in a parent education discussion with the parent educator, learning about topics listed on the course syllabus as well as discussing any issues relevant to the parents/caregivers in the group. In preparation, parents/caregivers are asked to complete specified reading and other assignments.
Like the children’s curriculum, the parent education curriculum is also developmental. It is designed to meet most of the needs and concerns of the parents/caregivers at the approximate times that they generally arise. Parent education resources are selected based on current theory and research in child development and related fields. Quality parent education seeks to recommend specific practices with research-demonstrated, positive results.
Evening Membership Meetings
Attendance at occasional evening membership meetings is a requirement of preschool membership, once per quarter for single-day classes and twice per quarter for multi-day classes. All-school membership meetings include school business as well as a variety of child development topics presented by educational speakers. Meetings specifically for the multi-day classes are led by the parent educators and cover topics and issues more relevant to those classroom operations and/or the developmental stages of the older children. If it is unavoidable to miss a membership meeting, make-up opportunities are available.
Parent Education Curriculum
The parent education curriculum is written sequentially in order to cover the issues arising as a parent/caregiver of a child growing from birth through Pre-K. Following is the specific focus of each class: