El Cerrito Preschool Cooperative

Play, Learn and Grow at ECPC

play-based education

Now Touring for Fall 2020 and 2021!

If you are interested in learning more about our play-based cooperative, come take a tour! Tours will be given from October through January (and as needed) and enrollment begins in January 2020 for the Fall of 2020.

Email admin@ecpckids.com or call (510) 526-1916 with any questions and to schedule a tour.

We’re re-opening ECPC in September 2020 with a modified outdoor schedule and we have a FEW SPACES LEFT! The safety of children, staff, and families is always our primary priority, and especially so during the pandemic. We’ll be using the following health and safety guidelines:

  • All classes will be held outdoors only
  • All pods will be limited to 12 students with 2 teachers (and no parent participation during the pandemic) with no cross-contamination of materials between pods
  • Children and teachers will have their temperatures checked and will wash hands upon arrival
  • ECPC will be following extensive daily cleaning protocols and thorough hand-washing
  • All staff members will wear face masks or shields at all times

During the pandemic, ECPC will be operating on a limited schedule with the following options:

  • AM Pod 1 (12 students): M/T/W 8:30am – 12pm
  • AM Pod 2 (12 students): Th/F 8:30 – 12pm
  • PM Pod 3 (12 students): M/T/W 1pm -4:30pm
  • PM Pod 4 (12 students): Th/F 1pm -4:30pm

Hear what ECPC parents and alumni have to say about their experiences on Yelp, Berkeley Parents Network, and Nextdoor:

On Choosing a Preschool:

I was very VERY overwhelmed by the process of selecting a preschool for my 3 year old daughter. She had never been cared for by anyone other than myself and my mother, let alone experience in a day care setting. I have to admit that I ended up taking the path of least resistance, and sent her to the preschool where my best friend’s son had started just a few months earlier. 

Luckily, this was a GREAT choice. The first few times we visited ECPC, for awesome annual events like Messy Art Day, and later for our enrollment tour, she cried every time we had to leave. Once she started school, she jumped in without missing a beat–her transition was so smooth I could not believe it. She loves going to school.  – Kate L.

On the Co-op Life:

 It sounds like a lot at first, but it is a truly gift to your child to work at the school. You get to see them play, watch the dynamic of the teachers, the daily activities, get to know the other children and parents. Aside from the 1/week participation, you have 1 monthly meeting and a family job that you can choose according to your availability. It is so empowering to really know the school and everyone involved in it. It gives a sense of security to us parents and to our kids too. – V.P.

On a Play-Based Philosophy:

 I didn’t know much about the play-based philosophy prior to signing up, but it has proven to be a perfect fit for our children. There is a certain tone of warmness, community, and openness that is very appealing. Kids are free to constantly play and explore according to their own instincts and desires. Since it’s a co-op parents are expected to contribute quite a bit, but it has been an honor to have been there, participating once a week, so that I may witness the growth, play, and fun. Highly recommended! – Suzan S.

 Some parents are iffy about sending their kid to a hippy, play only based school, but really if you understood the logic behind it then play based is as educational as Montessori or traditional.  It all really depends on your child.  For us, I feel like they will end up learning and now is the time to let them play and learn that way instead of sticking them in front of a book and desk. – Esther

The play based curriculum has allowed my son to grow in ways that were unimaginable at his former school, a montessori. From the gigantic sandbox to the huge structure in the tan bark to a new art project or two everyday to the games room to loft room, the physical infrastructure is second to none. The teachers are world class. Every morning my son runs through the gate a smile bursts on his face as he is ready to play and learn. The community that is fostered through parent participation and the co-op style is an experience that I wish every family could have. Not only has my child grown, but I have grown as a parent. I cannot wait to send my younger daughter to ECPC. – Jacob M.

 

On the Teachers:

PM teachers Nga and Jenny are wonderful, committed educators who have build a supportive learning environment where children are free to play and explore as they choose. Nga and Jenny also make all the parent participators feel valued and a part of the team. I am so very satisfied with my child’s preschool experience. I recommend a taking to tour to anyone who is remotely curious about ECPC and our co-op model. –  Kate L.

Incredible teachers that you’ll love because of how much they love your kids. Magic. – Tim C.

Our twins are in the afternoon program, and their teachers are Nga and Jenny. I don’t know how these ladies do it, but they both have the unique talent of connecting personally with parents and kids in a way that makes you feel like you’re family. They know each kid in the program as if they were their own, and they understand what each child needs in order to thrive at the school. No kid is pushed into doing anything that they are not ready for. They are allowed to play with others, or play independently, and explore their surroundings in whichever way is most comfortable for them. Through their gentle, caring and patient approach, Nga and Jenny helped our children to come out of their shells, start talking more and sharing their passions with the teachers and parents. Within a few months our kids were starting to make friends and not rely on each other as much in play. Now at the end of the year they have so many new friends. We all adore Nga and Jenny, and can’t thank them enough for everything they do for ECPC.  – Dana L.

 

Virtual Touring for Fall 2022 starts in October

If you are interested in learning more about our play-based cooperative, come take a tour! Virtual Tours will be given in October and November (and as needed) and enrollment begins in January 2022 for the Fall of 2022.

Email admin@ecpckids.com or call (510) 526-1916 with any questions and to schedule a tour.

Hear what ECPC parents and alumni have to say about their experiences on Yelp, Berkeley Parents Network, and Nextdoor:

On Choosing a Preschool:

I was very VERY overwhelmed by the process of selecting a preschool for my 3 year old daughter. She had never been cared for by anyone other than myself and my mother, let alone experience in a day care setting. I have to admit that I ended up taking the path of least resistance, and sent her to the preschool where my best friend’s son had started just a few months earlier. 

Luckily, this was a GREAT choice. The first few times we visited ECPC, for awesome annual events like Messy Art Day, and later for our enrollment tour, she cried every time we had to leave. Once she started school, she jumped in without missing a beat–her transition was so smooth I could not believe it. She loves going to school.  – Kate L.

On the Co-op Life:

 It sounds like a lot at first, but it is a truly gift to your child to work at the school. You get to see them play, watch the dynamic of the teachers, the daily activities, get to know the other children and parents. Aside from the 1/week participation, you have 1 monthly meeting and a family job that you can choose according to your availability. It is so empowering to really know the school and everyone involved in it. It gives a sense of security to us parents and to our kids too. – V.P.

On a Play-Based Philosophy:

 I didn’t know much about the play-based philosophy prior to signing up, but it has proven to be a perfect fit for our children. There is a certain tone of warmness, community, and openness that is very appealing. Kids are free to constantly play and explore according to their own instincts and desires. Since it’s a co-op parents are expected to contribute quite a bit, but it has been an honor to have been there, participating once a week, so that I may witness the growth, play, and fun. Highly recommended! – Suzan S.

 Some parents are iffy about sending their kid to a hippy, play only based school, but really if you understood the logic behind it then play based is as educational as Montessori or traditional.  It all really depends on your child.  For us, I feel like they will end up learning and now is the time to let them play and learn that way instead of sticking them in front of a book and desk. – Esther

The play based curriculum has allowed my son to grow in ways that were unimaginable at his former school, a montessori. From the gigantic sandbox to the huge structure in the tan bark to a new art project or two everyday to the games room to loft room, the physical infrastructure is second to none. The teachers are world class. Every morning my son runs through the gate a smile bursts on his face as he is ready to play and learn. The community that is fostered through parent participation and the co-op style is an experience that I wish every family could have. Not only has my child grown, but I have grown as a parent. I cannot wait to send my younger daughter to ECPC. – Jacob M.

 

On the Teachers:

PM teachers Nga and Jenny are wonderful, committed educators who have build a supportive learning environment where children are free to play and explore as they choose. Nga and Jenny also make all the parent participators feel valued and a part of the team. I am so very satisfied with my child’s preschool experience. I recommend a taking to tour to anyone who is remotely curious about ECPC and our co-op model. –  Kate L.

Incredible teachers that you’ll love because of how much they love your kids. Magic. – Tim C.

Our twins are in the afternoon program, and their teachers are Nga and Jenny. I don’t know how these ladies do it, but they both have the unique talent of connecting personally with parents and kids in a way that makes you feel like you’re family. They know each kid in the program as if they were their own, and they understand what each child needs in order to thrive at the school. No kid is pushed into doing anything that they are not ready for. They are allowed to play with others, or play independently, and explore their surroundings in whichever way is most comfortable for them. Through their gentle, caring and patient approach, Nga and Jenny helped our children to come out of their shells, start talking more and sharing their passions with the teachers and parents. Within a few months our kids were starting to make friends and not rely on each other as much in play. Now at the end of the year they have so many new friends. We all adore Nga and Jenny, and can’t thank them enough for everything they do for ECPC.  – Dana L.

 

Play is Children’s Work

“Play is the answer to how anything new comes about”, Jean Piaget

Where once the model preschool or kindergarten lesson centered around a circle carpet and gaggle of curious toddlers, in recent decades desks, worksheets, a lecturing teacher, and even computers have been crowding into class time that traditionally focused on play. At its most extreme, some children are greeted by worksheets waiting for them at their desks. Though rare, there’s the occasional classroom devoid of toys. Indeed, academic preschool curriculum and others like it are “the exception rather than the rule,” said Sheila Smith, director of the early childhood program at the National Center for Children in Poverty.

But a growing body of research supports the very real benefits of exploratory and playful learning experiences. A 2007 study published in Science evaluated a play-based program, Tools of the Mind, against a non-play-based one. After two years in the play-oriented classrooms, children scored better on self-regulation, cognitive flexibility, and working memory. The self-control kids learn through interacting and playing with others has an academic payoff, too; it’s more strongly correlated with future academic success than either IQ or early reading and math skills.

Two forthcoming studies in the journal Cognition show the extent to which direct, teacher-initiated learning can limit and dampen children’s creativity and curiosity. In one study, when explicitly taught a singular way of playing with a new toy that had multiple facets, kids played with it for less time and fewer discovered its other features. However, another group of kids who were shown, as if by accident, the same feature of the toy were more likely to uncover new and different ways to play with it. A second study also showed that when children are instructed on how to do something, they tend to over-imitate or include superfluous actions.

Maybe the most important thing for parents to learn is that they can finally relax a little and let kids go back to doing what they do best.
“Learning from adults is fast tracking, rather than learning by trial and error,” said Daphna Buchsbaum, an author on one of the studies. And here’s where hyper-academics should take note: that fast-tracking can translate into limited problem-solving skills and diminished creativity, a dimension that some educators say we ought to be testing. In creativity tests, there’s no single correct answer, but many.
To that end, Tools and similar play-oriented classrooms provide a variety of activity centers with simple props that can be manipulated in a variety of ways. Instead of battery-operated toys, there are boxes, sheets, logs, and building blocks. “If you give them simple building props, they will make what they need. The simpler the materials, the more they can be adjusted,” said Deborah Leong, Tools’ co-developer.

Excerpted from “Let Preschoolers Play” by Joyce Tang for The Daily Beast. Published April 5, 2011.

Goodbye, Bev Bos

The ECPC community was saddened to hear of educator Bev Bos’s death. An advocate of play-based education through the Sacramento-area preschool she founded and her extensive writings and lectures, Bev Bos inspired generations of teachers and families at ECPC.

We send our condolences to the Roseville Community Preschool, which has posted information about the memorial service:

We will gather and celebrate Bev’s life and legacy on February 14, 2016, from 1-4 pm. The celebration will be held at Johnson Hall on the Placer County Fairgrounds. Please join us for this celebration and bring a dish to share.

In lieu of flowers, please consider contributing to Bev’s memorial fund.
https://www.gofundme.com/5nncfus4

Lecture: Healthy Brain Develpment

A large and growing body of research supports the importance of play and the power of play-based early education in children’s development. The Bay Area abounds with opportunities to hear directly from educators and researchers with experience in these topics.

El Cerrito Preschool Cooperative will endeavor to share relevant research and events that illuminate the school’s philosophy and methods, and why we’ve adopted them.

 

  • What: The East Bay Waldorf School is hosting a presentation on Healthy Brain Development in the Young Child by Waldorf educator and author Sharifa Oppenheimer. It is free and open to the public. RSVP to soni@eastbaywaldorf.org.
  • When: Thurs., Feb. 25, 7:00 pm
  • Where: EBWS, 3800 Clark Rd., El Sobrante