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King Street is a cooperative preschool, organized and run by a group of parents with similar philosophies. Our goal is to provide our children with a quality preschool experience.

Our Philosophy
King Street combines the best elements of a number of early childhood educational theories to arrive at a unique co-op preschool experience.

Child-centered
Our program revolves around, responds to, and addresses the real needs of our children. Our knowledge of sound child development theories and practices, as well as the observation of the enrolled children determines these needs. Our goal is to create an environment where kids do what comes naturally. At the same time we take the opportunity to assist a child initiating a project or who needs his/her ideas, suggestions, and observations affirmed.

Family-friendly
We believe that when families work together to provide a cooperative preschool, they create a vital sense of community and a healthy environment for children's optimal growth and development. School can become an extension of home when family members are encouraged to help shape curriculum by sharing their skills, interests, and experience. The co-op is run as a democratic, responsive, and participatory group whose members are accountable to each other and the larger community. Healthy family-to-family relationships are built as parents help educate one another, share classroom observations and concerns, and care for one another's children.

Play-based
We believe that playing is the primary learning experience for children. Our goal is to create an environment where children "do what comes naturally," which is play. We trust that the strongest, most powerful learning occurs in an environment where children are free to choose their own activities in a setting rich with a variety of materials and resources. While curriculum may be created around themes, we know that child-initiated and directed activities foster the child's greatest sense of competence, power, and control. Therefore, "emergent" curriculum relies on adults to act as resource people supplying tools and support for children in response to their expressed or anticipated needs. Extended free play time allows children multiple opportunities to engage in social relationships, and allows for individuality, enthusiasm, and imagination. Through play, an integrated approach to learning occurs as children absorb information relating to all areas of learning - sensory/perceptual, practical life, math operations, language/communication, and cultural/spiritual.

Problem-solving
This approach trusts that children have the ability to solve their own problems with the facilitation and support of a skilled adult to guide them through the process. For young children the goal is learning to use the problem-solving process, rather than always finding the solution. The philosophy teaches children to respect themselves and others, accept responsibility, think for themselves, express feelings, and empathize with others. Even very young children can use this philosophy successfully.

Anti-bias
Anti-bias philosophy maintains that diversity is positive, while oppressive behaviors are negative. Anti-bias curriculum is based on concept that it is detrimental for children to develop biases against people of different color, religious and ethnic culture, sexual orientation, ability, or economic class. An anti-bias approach provides an inclusive education, which is based on children's developmental stage as they build identity and form attitudes. In addition, curriculum goals include enabling every child to construct a confident self-identity, encouraging understanding and acceptance of the common humanity all people share. This encourages critical thinking and helps a child develop the ability to stand up for oneself and others when faced with injustice. These objectives, which are activist in nature, include helping every child learn and practice varieties of responses to different situations.