October 2008

Top Tips for Co-oping Parents and Classroom Volunteers

By Amy W. Egan, MA, and Gabriele S. Nicolet, MA, CCC-SLP

You’ve enrolled your child at a cooperative nursery school – or you simply want to volunteer in her school. How do you get the most from this wonderful opportunity?

What Is a Cooperative Preschool?

A cooperative preschool may be owned and/or operated by parents and staffed by early childhood educators. Parents may be asked to participate in a variety of ways in the life of the school, including serving on the board of directors, participating in fundraising, doing weekly laundry, cleaning classrooms, planning classroom activities, assisting with field trips and – in most cases – helping in the classroom. Some schools offer different levels of co-oping and a sliding fee schedule based on how often parents co-op.

Cooperative preschools usually have a parent education component. In fact, most co-ops stress this part of their program as one of the most important. Because parents are so integrated into the classroom and into the running of the school in general, co-op nursery schools place a high priority on educating parents about early childhood development and how young children learn best.

Co-op nursery schools typically provide some degree of preparation for parent co-opers, but this brief training may hardly prepare parents for the first time they step through the classroom door, coming face to face with the cacophony of noise and activity generated by an industrious group of preschoolers. Classroom volunteers often learn on the job and hit the ground running. What to do? Where to fit in? This setting can make the most confident adult feel a bit like a fish out of water. Here are a few tips to keep in mind when taking the plunge as a co-oper or classroom volunteer:

• Support the teacher and find out what she expects. Some teachers may want parents to lead a group art activity from setup to cleanup. Others may need help with children in the bathroom or assistance cleaning up the room during transitions. Being clear about the expectations will help everyone have a smooth day.
  Be professional. On their co-op or volunteer days, parents are effectively teachers, representing the school. Co-opers and volunteers see everything that goes on in the classroom: the good, the bad – and the ugly. Parents should always alert the teacher to any challenging behaviors that they observe (i.e., developmental concerns, biting, hitting). It’s equally important not to break confidentiality by talking about challenging behaviors or incidents with other parents. The teacher, often with input from the school’s director and/or a child’s parents, should take the lead on deciding what information to share with other co-opers or volunteers about the needs of a particular child or a particular incident.
• When unsure ask. No question is too silly. Ask where supplies belong when setting up or cleaning up. Ask for help when unsure if a child's behavior or play is okay or perhaps needs to be redirected a bit.
• Co-opers and parent volunteers should try to position themselves strategically around the room. Always keep one eye on the teacher. In a room full of moving bodies, it’s best if the adults can maintain sightlines to each other so that they can communicate quickly if necessary and will ensure that the co-oper or volunteer is aware of transitions on the way. When possible, co-opers should keep their backs to the wall.
• Resist the temptation to chat with the other adults in the room. Classroom volunteers often get to know the other parents and teachers very well. However, in the classroom, parents really need to stay focused on the children and the teacher. This is parents’ work time not play time!
• Be careful not to talk over the teacher. In preschool, children are learning how to accept directions given to a group (from someone who is not their immediate caregiver). Support the teacher by gently (and silently, if possible) shepherding stragglers, but try to avoid repeating the same direction aloud to the group. Instead, use gestures and eye contact to silently encourage children to follow the directions that the teacher has given. This goes for circle time, too. Silently redirect children who aren’t paying attention rather than give verbal reminders when the teacher is trying to speak to the group. A tap on the shoulder or a point toward the teacher, or simply sitting behind a squirmy, child may be enough to help him pay attention to the teacher.
• Simply being present is helpful. Sit near the children and watch their play. If adults are close by, they can head off potential trouble before it blows up into bigger trouble. Be available to support children if they need help, but don’t assume they can’t work out little problems on their own. Remember that an adult’s presence alone is calming.
• Avoid becoming the center of children’s play. Resist the urge to be an entertainer. The preschool classroom is the children’s space, and they need to be able to use it independently.
• Be prepared for the reality that children often have a tough time when their own parents co-op or volunteer in the classroom. They have to share Mom or Dad; they can’t have their undivided attention. Prepare your child for this day by talking about what will happen and why. Explain that your job in the classroom is to help take care of all the children and help everyone have a good day. Ask the teacher for guidance, too. Be explicit about behavioral expectations. (“You can come and play in Mommy’s group for a few minutes, but you can’t stay with me all day long.” “Other kids will be allowed to sit next to Daddy, too.”) Some parents find it helpful to use a signal with their child to “check in” with each other throughout the day, like giving a thumbs up or blowing a kiss. This can help reduce a child’s anxiety about having Mom or Dad around but not available. If possible, plan a little special alone time with your preschooler after school.
  

Being part of a cooperative nursery school community can be a real highlight during those brief years when children are young. A co-op nursery school can feel like the elusive “village” in a day and age when many families don’t know their neighbors well and their extended families are far away. Having the privilege of a front-row seat (on the carpet, of course) for a child’s first school experience, and being an integral part of that school community, is a unique opportunity – one that neither parent nor child will forget in the years to come.

Tips for Parents in the Classroom

Do:
Watch the teacher.
Keep the children in front of you when you can.
Talk to the teacher about expectations she has for you.
Alert the teacher to any concerns you may have.
Ask for help.
Enjoy learning new things about your child and yourself as a parent.
Have fun!

Don’t:
Talk while the teacher is speaking to the group.
Chat with other parents while co-oping.
Make plans without checking with the teacher.
Talk to other parents about children’s classroom behavior.

Amy W. Egan is a behavior specialist and early childhood special educator with the Ivymount School’s Center for Outreach in Education (CORE) and a coauthor of Is It a Big Problem or a Little Problem? When to Worry, When Not to Worry and What to Do. Gabriele S. Nicolet is a speech-language pathologist with CORE and has a private practice specializing in children ages 5 and under. She can be reached at gabriele.nicolet@gmail.com. For information about CORE call 301-469-0228.