Mills College Children's School
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Mills College Children's School
Website for Mills College Children's School: http://www.mills.edu/campus_life/childrens_school/index.php
November 2007
Any recent reviews on Mills K-5?
I'm considering it for my 2008 Kindergartener...
anon
My son started kindergarten this fall, and we chose Mills College
Children's School (after the same lengthy search that many go
through). I am more than pleased with his experience--it's a
wonderful school, and the best of what I wanted for him. He is
nurtured and loved by the wonderful K/1 teacher, and he's growing
and learning daily.
I would be glad to answer specific questions by email if you
would like.
Heather
My daughter is currently in the 1st grade at Mills and my son
attends the Geranium pre-school there. My daughter also attended
pre-school there, went to a public school in Oakland for K and
returned this year. WE LOVE IT!!! THe K-1 Teacher is
incredible, offering a student-centered and inquiry-based program
that emphasizes social-emotional learning, problem solving,
literacy development, developing mathematic literacy and
conceptual knowledge of math. She offers a good balance of
structure, with opportunities for students to learn through play,
make choices, as well as engage in small group and whole group
learning activities. We left a good public school in Oakland b/c
we did not agree with the educational philosophy (i.e. too much
Open Court, too many worksheets). Our daughter is absolutely
thriving at Mills and progressing socially and academically in a
way we didn't observe at the public school. Another added bonus,
Mills is very diverse- as a multi-ethnic family this is important
to us. In her class, about half of the students are students of
color or mixed ethnicity. The staff is wonderful, as are the
other families. If you care about pedagogy and social emotional
learning, I cannot recommend Mills more highly.
Brightstar
I looked at over 20 schools, public and private, and Mills stood out as 1) practicing
what they preach (you can really see the philosophy in action), 2) having incredibly
well-trained, thoughtful, and skilled teachers (if you have to teach children and
supervise student teachers you need to be at the top of your game), 3) a wonderfully
small and nurturing community, 4) a beautiful school site and campus. We are
thrilled with our choice for our kindergartener and feel so grateful this gem of a
school exists.
happy K-1 parent
We just started at Mills this year and we're very happy. The new
K1 teacher, Theresa Lozac'h, is truly wonderful and the entire
staff seems committed to not only helping the children learn
academics in a creative way at their own pace, but also to
developing friendships and a sense of community. Our son is
having so much fun, he doesn't realize how much he's learning.
Feel free to email me offline if you have more questions. Best of
luck!
Whitney
Oct 2007
Re: Lonely 2nd grader is the only African American in her class
How about Mills College Children's School? I think there are
openings in 2nd (it's a 2/3 classroom), but my son is in K so I'm
not sure--you could call to find out. It's a racially diverse
school in every class, not to mention being a great school in
many other ways. We love it there!
http://www.mills.edu/campus_life/childrens_school/index.php
Happy MCCS parent
October 2005
There are no posting on the website about Mills' elementary
program. Looking for any and all comments about what the school
is like and how it would be for a 'spirited' (intense but
basically happy) child.
Mills?
I have heard fabulous things about Mills Elementary School, but
it is extremeley competetive to get in!
Kristen
My experience with the Mills Elementary School is slightly dated,
but here it is: About three years ago, there was a very
polarizing crisis at the School (initiated after the arrest of a
former student teacher there--some of this was in the
newspapers). We were among the 1/3 of the families who were so
unhappy with what subesequently happened, that we decided not to
return our children after that academic year. Best as I could
tell, roughly another third were unhappy about how the
administration handled the situation, but decided to stay anyway
(various reasons I think: the difficulty of changing schools, the
relatively low tuition, etc., etc.), and the rest basically
decided not to get that involved, or were fine with the admin's
decisions.
As far as I know, the administration of the school has not
changed (though I hope they learned some lessons from this
crisis). Also, FYI we had been generally happy with the teachers
prior to this issue, but disappointed in them after. The school
may still be under enrolled, so depending on how you look at it,
your child will either get a good deal of attention from teachers
or will have an inadequate variety/number of peers.
Another fact you might want to consider is that the school is a
laboratory school pretty much controlled by the education
department at Mills. As parents there, you will find that you do
not have much power or say. We got the feeling that the main
'clients' were the graduate students in the education department,
who are student teachers at the school, and who bring in
considerable revenue to the college. In key decisions, the
politics climb the ladder all the way up the education department
and further up to top level college administration.
Another personal observation is that the theories of education
there are practiced in a very rigid and inflexible way, again due
to the connection with faculty at the education department.
Though there are facets of the theory that I appreciated, you do
get a sense that they have the 'bible' on education and they
don't want to hear anything to the contrary. This may or may not
become an issue for you depending on your child.
Anyway, hope this helps. I know there have been other posts on
BPN about the School that you apparently missed finding (both
positive and negative).
anon
We loved the Mills College preschool, where our children started
as infants, but the elementary school has been beset by many
troubles. The adult-child ratio is phenomenal, given the many
(wonderful) student teachers, but is SO small --
4-5th graders are in a shared classroom of
often only 12 students. Children learn in mixed classrooms (K-1,
2-3, and 4-5) which is stimulating the first year, but then I
think it is not good for the second. There is significant
student attrition as children get older, and so the school,
needing to fill seats, often ends up admitting troubled
students in 4-5th grade who have been in and out of many other
schools. It is a laboratory school and the clear priority is the
education department's ability to provide learning for their
students.
Anon
Feb 2007
Mills College Childrens School is great for very young
infant/toddlers. The ratio is 2:1, the college students are
wonderful with the babies, and your baby can be held in
someone's arms for extended periods of time if that's what's
required/desired by your baby. No sitting around in dirty
diapers, crying, or being left alone.
But, the older preschool classroom isn't as academic as I'd
like. My child is very ready to start reading at 4 1/2, but the
kids just play all day, or do crafts. Most importantly, as
the prices increase the diversity that used to exist is no
longer. No socialeconomic diversity, which in turns limits
ethnic diversity. Also, school's out for 2-3 months in the
summer, and an entire month in the winter (with no offer of
supplemental childcare). This was very stressful for our family
(again, a message that seems to undermine the working mother).
Additionally, the hours are very limited, with the latest
pickup time at 5:15p, which is an odd time being that most
people get off of work at 5pm.
Summary: infant/toddler program = great; older preschool =
overly expensive supervised play.
Sam
We are in our second year at Mills' preschool and are truly
happy with our decision to send our sons here. We have found a
very warm & loving community, amazing classrooms, and
incredible teachers. The parents' community is active,
supportive and continuing to develop its role. The student
teachers are excited and energetic in their teaching. The
classrooms are well balanced in terms of gender, family
identity, & diversity.
I appreciate that I can spend time in the classrooms or join
the circle at the end of the day. Parents are allowed to come
in to share a special skill - spanish, gardening - with the
children. Daily, we receive information and feeback from the
teachers about our child's day & activities. Photographs are
taken regularly and shown to families during parent-teacher
conferences, in meetings or in the classrooms. Parents are
expected to volunteer a certain number of hours per year, but
there are many many different opportunities from time in the
classroom to admin. tasks to shopping for food/snacks.
The school is play based, child led. The topics that are
developed in the classroom are determined by the children.
This year the 4-5yr. class delved into space, the human body,
pets & trains. The student teachers also bring projects to the
classroom - a study of topics of their choosing but which is
reflected in the play they find in the children such as
butterflies, fantasy play, competition, oceans and more.
Mary
As the parent of two children who have attended and thrived at
the Mills College Children's School pre-school, I wholeheartedly
recommend it for families who are looking for a developmental and
play-based program. If you are looking for an academic
pre-school, Mills is not a good fit. The teachers create
wonderful opportunities for children to play and explore- this is
not just supervised play. They offer a hands on and engaging
curriculum that I could never come up with on my own. The
child-teacher ratio is excellent, the teachers and leadership
have been very responsive to any concerns, and the physical
environment is wonderful. Children benefit from indoor and
outdoor classrooms, as well as access to the entire Mills campus.
We are a multi-ethnic family and in contrast to the other
poster, we have witnessed a recent growth in the the ethnic
diversity of the school (it is more diverse than most pre-schools
of its caliber). And, even with its recent increase in tuition,
its pricing is very competitive with other high quality
pre-schools in the area. I have experienced it to be a wonderful
parent/family community, where everyone greats each other and is
involved in the education of their children. As a working
mother, I am thankful that other parents (and they are not the
majority)have significant time to contribute to the school
because they do not work. Without their efforts, Mills would not
be the wonderful place it is for our children.
Brightstar
My husband and I both work full-time so preschool was a
necessity. We visited numerous schools when my daughter was
ready for preschool and then kindergarten. We wanted
diversity, developmentally appropriate academic instruction,
social emotional development and a secure environment. We
found all of those things at the Mills College Children's
School. My daughter started preschool in the Geranium mixed
aged classroom. It was a difficult transition for her but the
teachers were extremely nurturing and consistent and eased her
through the separation. The self-directed learning facilitated
in the classroom allowed my daughter's interests to guide her
learning helping her to become confident and excited about
learning in the school setting. This year my daughter is a
kindergartner in the K1 classroom at the elementary school and
my son is the younger preschool classroom. We all love both
settings. There is diversity in both classrooms and a strong
school culture of inclusion. The facility is beautiful. The
student teacher ratio is amazing. My daughter is learning to
read and is actively engaged in music, art, theater, science
and math. This year Spanish was added to the afterschool
curriculum which thrilled us as Latinos. We looked at a wide
range of schools but none compared with the Mills Children's
School.
Josefina
This is our son's second wonderful year in the morning preschool
program at the Mills College Children's School (MCCS). It's a
laboratory school, so there is always one head teacher in the
classroom, along with several graduate-student teachers. The
student teachers change each semester after completing their
investigations. These transitions are addressed openly in class
and have not been a problem for our son. The school is
developmental/play-based, but it is hardly a supervised-play
situation without structure. Group discussions and activities
draw from the children's interests and issues that arise each
day. Children are encouraged to pursue their interests and take
them as far as they can in the classroom. My son comes away
energized about his time at school and feeling really validated.
There is circle time, clean-up time, gardening, time to explore
the Mills campus in small groups, and more. My son's class is
diverse, and the school follows an anti-bias curriculum. They
work on ''decentering,'' so children consider what's good for the
group, not just for themselves. There is a committed
attentiveness to and validation of the children's emotional
states and needs, and an inspiring emphasis on group
problem-solving. I have found the MCCS community to be inclusive
and supportive, and I have noticed a common respect among parents
whose lives may differ greatly from one another. A huge thumbs up
for the MCCS morning preschool.
Very Satisfied MCCS Mom
After reading the last parent review of the Preschool at Mills,
I felt compelled to share our very positive experience with the
preschool at Mills. We have three children (the youngest is
still too young for preschool) and my son is now in
kindergarten and was in both the Blue Room and Green Room at
Mills. My daughter is four and is currently in the Green Room
(Older preschool). My children have very different temperaments
and interests and both have had a fabulous experience at Mills.
When evaluating preschools, I visited over 20 preschools
looking for the right setting for my son and saw a wide range
of environments. I was primarily looking for a setting that
would allow my children to develop socially and to gain the
confidence that they would need to thrive in kindergarten. I
was also looking for an environment that would be stimulating
and would foster a life long love of learning. Mills has
provided this and much more.
My son is thriving academically and socially and I attribute
much of his success in kindergarten to his time at Mills. The
kids spend a great deal of their time playing and are able to
make choices about how to spend their time. They have several
circle times throughout the day and also have a more focused
work time early in the day. The teachers create a rich and
varied environment that offers many opportunities for the
children to build their literacy skills, explore, create, learn
and think. I feel that the approach to literacy is both age
appropriate and fun and also encourages creativity. For
example, a favorite activity has been story telling, where
children create stories (both individually and in groups) these
are sometimes brought home as homemade books and at other times
are acted out at circle time.
When my son started in the Blue Room, I was a SAHM and loved
having lunch with the other families that picked their children
up at noon. I found the group to be inclusive of all members of
the community and not in the least judgmental. For the last
year and a half I have been working and have a part-time nanny
who covers the holidays and picks my daughter up at 3:30pm. The
other mothers have been wonderful in including her in their
play dates after school and I have felt supported by the Mills
parent community in my decision to return to work. There is no
question, that the Mills schedule does require working families
to plan for the long breaks and the many holidays. Many of us
who work have additional childcare to accommodate for the
extended breaks in the schedule a number of the families have
hired former student teachers whose breaks coincide nicely with
those of the children.
Diversity was also an important variable for our family and of
the schools we considered, Mills was the most diverse. We are a
mixed race adoptive family and are pleased to be part of a
community that includes parents and children of various
ethnicities, gay and lesbian parents, international families
and families formed through adoption.
A happy parent!
To share a different experience about the older preschool at
Mills Children's School regarding the parent review on Feb 19th.
I am not sure how academic one expects children at 4 1/2 to be.
Our boy who entered the older classroom fully capable of reading
chapter books. Still his intellectual development has been
greatly stimulated by the program not only academically (if being
academic means being able to read and write--yes, from answering
the sign-in questions he has learned to write rather well) but
more so by being inspired to explore the world. In the past
months he has studied topics including space, pets, human body,
dinosaurs, and many others, and has gained vocabularies and
knowledge about the topics but more so great interests in
learning, as he now defines school by what they're studying (even
though he plays A LOT with friends). We feel that more precious
than the ability to read and write is the intellectual curiosity,
and certainly the program is doing wonderful things to stimulate
our boy. When I went to the program to participate a celebration
of Chinese New Year, I noticed that the teacher set up a
worktable for the children to try different formulas to ''shine''
old pennies to go with the red envelopes. Not only the children
were learning about a different culture but also were having a
chemistry lab. I am not sure I would call the program supervised
play, as learning comes in more than one form.
Mills mom
My son has attended Mills since Kindergarten and he is now finishing
up the 1st
grade. I have to say our experience has been more than wonderful!
My son's ability to make real life applications of his academic
learnings is amazing.
At many schools children are learning by rote, pure memorization
without real life
application of problem solving skills in mathematics, reading, science,
and in social
relationships. But with the Mills philosophy and curriculum, my son
considers the
world around him and applies his skills on a global scale. The class
sizes are small
and the attention given to enhance and maximize each child's learning
is excellent.
They offer Spanish twice a week, Music, P.E., Art, and Theatre Arts
taught by
professors who also teach college students on the Mills campus (top
notch
teaching). And these are all addtions to their academic curriculum.
I have found my communication with the Director, the head teachers and
teachers
assistants have been very open and welcoming. My son attends the after
school
program, that he always asks to stay later when I pick him up. The
after school
program is small in size an so the peer relationships the children are
able to build,
and the availability of the teachers to be attentive to really meet the
children's
academic and ''fun'' needs is priceless.
My son loves the Elementary School and so do we! The number to the
office is
510.430.2118.
gerri
The children's school on the Mills campus has ben an incredible
experience for my
daughter who is mid-way through second grade now. She started there in
kindergarten, and we couldn't be happier. Her weekly curriculum, in
addition to
literacy and math, includes science in an outdoor classroom, music,
art, and PE. The
setting allows for the children to know each other well from
kindergarten through
5th grade; they not only socialize together when opportunity allows,
but they really
take care of each other. The 5th graders are great role models for the
smaller kids.
MCS is a lab school whose curriculum is based upon the constructivist
model;
meaning that it focuses on the many ways that children learn in a
socialized setting.
To me and my daughter it means that there is a joy of learning, as well
as a joy in
teaching visible in the teachers. It builds confidence and pleasure in
becoming a
lifelong learner for both the kids and the terrific educators. I can't
say enough good
things about this gem of a school!
Polly
For all who read the 2/12/07 posting:
Our I/T Program maintains a 3:1 (not 2:1), ratio for children aged 5 to
27 months.
Information sessions/tours cover the tenets of our philosophy, examples
of our
play-based curriculum, calendar challenges and many other aspects of
our
programs. (It is great deal of information to take in all at once,
remember, and then
be comfortable with once the daily routine is in full swing.)
Our unique lab school/teacher training facility enables us to maintain
exceptional
ratios of children to adults (5:1 PS). Being an integral part of the
Mills School of
Education we adhere to the academic calendar of the college. Following
the
academic year, we have consistently offered four three-week PS sessions
in
summer. Ultimately there are 2-3 weeks (not 2-3 months), of summer when
child
care is not available. The colleges Winter Break can be a challenging
time for
families. Among many things, parents are urged to consider if the hours
of our
programs and our calendar fit their needs, and to decide if they are
comfortable
with our philosophy before making enrollment decisions.
We stress the importance of choosing a program that not only meets the
child's
needs for the many aspects of growth, but that also meets the family's
needs
around personal philosophy, daily flexibility and psychological
comfort. Even a
cursory walk through our lobby offers a substantial view of the
literacy-rich
environment of our classrooms.
Gale
I highly recommend Mills College Childrens School which has a
fantastic preschool and elementary school. My children are
there/went there and absolutely loved it - the teachers and
administrators are memorable, knowledgeable, and dedicated.
The facilities are top-notch. The curriculum is broad and
fulfilling. In the morning, my kids can't wait to go to
school.
My younger sister who is a college senior had done some summer
jobs in childhood education and had interviewed at several
places - she commented that Mills just stood apart - clean,
bright play space, thoughtful activities and variety, fun play
space outside for each classroom, great teacher/child ratios.
Many parents have heard of it and some think that it's
impossible to get in and don't apply. We are non-college
affiliated - and thought let's just apply and see if it
works...and it did! Email me if you have any questions!
cassindy
Jan 2006
I would love to read a recent review of Mills College preschool
and infant program. I am considering Mills for my 3 year old
and 1 year old. The most recent posting is from 2003 and
mentions administrative issues.
John
This post is a bit of overkill since I'll confess to my
comments being in the most recent archive, but now I speak from
the position of actually attending a different school.
We left Mills after being accepted into another school closer
to home. The new school has an outstanding reputation, and it
was based on the belief that we would be in a comparable
environment that we reluctantly changed.
Sadly my instincts have been confirmed -- nothing can compare
to Mills. If you are fortunate enough to be accepted, your
child will have such an advantage over his peers. Sure, most
schools will prepare your child academically for kindergarten
and beyond, but in my experience it is very rare to find a
place that puts as much emphasis on developing your child's
emotional side. I can't say enough that IMO there is no better
preparation for life.
Susannah
March 2005
I just went to a tour for the Mills College
preschool program. Has anyone been or currently has there child
there? Please give me any feedback.
Shelly
I cannot begin to say enough good things about the
preschool at Mills. There are very few preschools in the
East Bay that offer the same education. I speak from the
experience of having done thorough Oakland research 3
years ago, as well as a recent exhasutive tour of Berkeley
Schools prompted by a move. We have decided it's well
worth the drive to stay at Mills.
Our 2-1/2 year old son has been in the infant toddler since
September and has blossomed. (As parents we've learned
a lot too). Of course there are the obvious advantages like
great child teacher ratios, moderate tuition and a beautiful
facility. But what I didn't realize until we started is that what
they are teaching goes way beyond the usual ''play-based
developmental curriculum''
The emphasis (at least in infant/toddler room) is on coping
skills. My son is learning how to identify emotions,
experience them, and then find a way to move on to a better
place. He is also learning to empathize with other children's
feelings and come up with ways to help them feel better.
They are teaching children how to interact, respect one
another, and look for solutions to disputes on their own. I
can think of no better preparation for Kindergarten (not to
mention the rest of his life).
If you're concerned about the student teachers leaving after
a semester, our experience was not a big deal. The new
teachers are on their way to becoming just as well loved
and the originasl are still nearby in other classrooms .
My only complaints (apart from the new commute) would be
there isn't the strongest of parent communities and next
year there will be two 3 week breaks, one in Auguest and
the other around the holidays.
INSIDERS TIP: Im sure by the time you read this your
application will be long gone, but if you have a 3 year old
boy, your best bet is to apply for the downstairs preschool. I
know that there are enough sibling boys coming in the fall
that those of us in the infant toddler program were told are
chance are limited for our sons to get in to Geranium.
Good luck and feel free to email if you have any other
questions
Susannah
We had our son in the Mills College Children's School
(preschool) last year and have the following
observations/experiences.
This is not an academic environment, but rather a "play-
based" setting.
However, the grounds of the college and the playgrounds
of the school are beautiful and children are taken for walks
around campus regularly.
Incidents of aggression are not handled appropriately.
We had a parent approach us angrily because apparently our son
had screamed loudly when her daughter took a toy away from
him. The parent told us that our son had screamed in her
daughter's ear "for no reason" and we needed to apologize.
Upon further investigation, it was clear that her daughter was
the aggressor. In another instance, we observed our son being
attacked by another boy with a shovel in the sandbox. We
clearly saw the attack, our son crying, but were prevented from
going to comfort our son by the head teacher who said
patronizingly, "now let us handle this." Later we found our
son had a large cut on his head. We also were told that they
have never, ever asked a child to leave the school due to
aggressive behavior because "all the children are part of our
community."
If you decide to enroll your child, be aware
that "preschool" includes children well over 5 years old and
similar age lags are present in all the grades, so be sure to
get your child in the age-appropriate class. Be warned that in
these multiple age classrooms, you really want to be sure your
child is not the youngest, unless your child is exceptionally
advanced, big and strong.
There is no specific snack time, children are supposed
to eat when they are hungry. For snack they offer a few
crackers, or you can bring a snack from home for your child.
The student-teachers are very temporary- lasting a
semester each.
Anon
I know that no school is right for everyone, but
the observations detailed in previous posts are so radically
different from our experience as the parents of a shy child in
the infant toddler program, that we have to respond:
Our son entered the Mill's program with tremendous anxiety
about leaving his parents. He was very dependent on
having an adult nearby and not particularly physical. If it were
up to him, he'd have spent the entire day on his teacher's
lap. At any other school that is probably what would have
happened, until everyone was exhausted and forced him to
buck up and get over it. No one would have talked to him
about he was feeling, and not only let him know it was okay,
but also teach him how to cope with these emotions and
move on to the next place.
In just the six months we've been at Mills, he has thrived.
He can come into the classroom, get settled and with a kiss
and hug goodbye runs off to find things to play and often
invites others to join him. There are still days when it's hard
to go to class, and when that happens his teacher is there
not only to hold him and talk about missing his parents, but
also to guide him beyond the sadness and start thinking
about having a good day.
The lack of structure doesn't work for everyone (parents and
children alike) but all of the teachers are really good at
helping the children find activities to keep them entertained
and learning.
As far as the outdoors is concerned, I haven't met a child
who doesn't look forward to the walks around campus and
to the outdoor classroom by the creek. When a child wants
to be inside there are lots of comfortable areas set up for
napping, quiet time and play. However, if as a parent you're
not okay with your child being outside and getting wet and
dirty, read no further. This isn't the school for you.
Yes, it's play based, a curriculum that's not for everyone, but
it is effective. We know children who have gone through the
entire program at Mills (preschool -5th grade) and emerged
as some of the most creative, engaging people I've ever
met. One girl is now at the top of her class at a public
middle school. Play based works, especially when it is
combined with Mills' emphasis on teaching coping skills.
At Mills they are teaching
children how to interact, respect one another, and look for
solutions to disputes on their own. I can think of no better
preparation for Kindergarten (not to mention the rest of his
life). If he's got this stuff figured out, learning to read will be
a breeze.
Also, from painting to play dough there is always something
crafty to do EVERYDAY. Its not organized and there often
isn't anything to take home, but it's always something my
son looks forward to. The preschooler's art work is also
used by older children as an introduction to abstract
expressionism.
In our son's
class there are two years olds who reason articulately with
very persuasive verbal arguments and others who hardly
utter an intelligible word. Each is embraced and
encouraged. My son is the only one in his peer group who
isn't toilet trained, is not very physically coordinated, cries a
lot, and took a very long time to be able to sit at the table.
We haven't had any complaints.
In
the infant toddler room (the older classes have an organzied
snack time) here the teacher /child ratio is nearly 2:1. Each
child has a specific caregiver who is responsible for helping
a child with all their transitions during the day (in other
words student teachers are intentionally assigned particular
children to mentor. Children are free to hang out with
anyone they please, but naturally there is a bond with a
particular caregiver. While this may be perceived as
''playing favorites'' it's actually the way the program is
designed.
I know for us, it has been really important for our shy son to
know he has someone looking out for him, His caregiver
has helped him blossom from a clingy boy filled with
separation anxiety, into an outgoing and friendly kid who
loves to play without an adult and invite others to join him.
What the teacher's lack in experience they more than make
up with creativity and enthusiasm. Their investigations are
provoking an interest in science through explorations of dirt,
worms and the creek, and an appreciation of literacy
through reading and teaching letter writing and story telling.
My understanding of the philosophy here is that children
won't really learn to deal with conflict if an adult is always
intervening and punishing. Instead children are shown how
to deal with issues and encouraged to sort things out on
their own using language. The teachers are constantly
modeling correct behavior and helping guide children
through an incident and often help them find ways to play
together.
Also I want to stress that in our experience, hitting and
biting are not tolerated at all, and the agressor in this
instance will not only know that the behavior is
unacceptable, but also be required to care for the victim.
In the infant toddler room there is no formal snack
time. This has helped our picky eater learn to identify when
he 's hungry and be able to tell someone about it, which has
really helped this mom Children often decide to eat tat the
same time, and the whole group can sit happily together at
the table and clear their plates when they are through.
At minimum snack has been crackers AND cheese, and is
often bagels and cream cheese, fruit, pasta or cereal with
milk.
In the older preschool snack is formal and often made by
the children. In the last week they had french toast, ants on
a log and cornbread.
The fact that the student-teachers are very temporary- lasting a
semester each. can be really hard and is a definite flaw in the program. This results in a lack of
continuity and it is
a shame for those children who formed a bond with a
particular student-teacher.
Susannah
My boy has been there for 3 years.
He is currently in the older pre-school class.
It is a play-based setting and does not a formal curriculum. But
your child will be learning a lot of things. Most of the
kids leave reading at least simple text if not reading, period.
And can do some simple adding and subtraction. But more
importantly, the kids leave ready for kindergarten. They are
ready for kindergarten not just because of 123's and abc's but
because of their social development.
Art is offered everyday. I know because I do the "drop off". The
kids are not forced to do art. The playground is just about
always available unless it is pouring rain. The kids get a chance
to pick what they want to do. My son tends to spend more time
indoors than outdoors.
The children often make their own snacks. The snack is posted
everyday in a log for the parents. Fresh fruit is served most
everyday. In fact, each
family takes turn bringing in fresh fruit every week. Sometimes,
they bake muffins or breads. They make quesadillas, pizza, etc.
My boy loves cooking which is where he learned how to add
and subtract.
The school is racially diverse. If you look at the class picture
and/or the names under the pictures, you will see the diversity.
My boy came into the school with a major speech delay. We never
felt labeled as "not normal". We were informed about this issue.
The teachers helped us greatly with this issue. They went far
beyond the call of duty. Due to the speech delay, his social
development was delayed. In fact, it's something we are still
working on.
The student-teachers, overall, are great. Some have no
experience. Some have a lot of experience. But nearly all of
them are excited to be in the classroom. It is not a case of the
student-teachers having "favorite children" It is a case of the
kids having a favorite student-teacher. During snack time,
circle time, reading times, from my observations, kids are always
asked to come and join in. When the student-teachers leave after
their semester, the kids are sad but the relationship does not
end. We still exchange emails with student-teachers from our
first year. My son will even drop notes and drawings into their
boxes. This goes along with one of their songs about making new
friends and keeping the old ones.
My son is definitely not big, strong, tall nor athletic. He will
be turning 5 in a month and he is 37 lbs. and 42 in. tall. Yes,
there are conflicts and he has learned how to handle them. The
teachers do a great job in this area. He knows that he should
not use physical action and to use words first. He does it most
of the time. Most of the kids in his class (the older preschool)
are between 4 and 5 years old. I do not know of any 6 years old
kids in the class and I know nearly all the Families.
Overall, this is a wonderful pre-school. It's hard getting
admitted due to the large number of applicants. But if you are
fortunate enough to get in, you and your child will have a
wonderful experience plus he/she will be ready for kindergarten.
Tom
July 2002
Re: Preschools that use the Reggio Emilia approach
Mills College Preschool & their other school, the Geranium
Cottage, use the Reggio Emilia approach. It's fairly competitive
to get a spot there, as they give priority to staff and students,
and then fill out the remaining spots using demographic criteria.
When I asked them about other schools in the area using their
philosophy, they told me that the Association of Children's
Services pre-school (I believe it's in or near the Fruitvale
district of Oakland) was started by Mills grads and uses the same
philosophy. I never visited A.O.C.S. because the schedule was way
too full time or long of days or something for our family, but I
did talk to a director on the phone.
My sister's degree is in Early Childhood Ed, and she says that she
thinks R.E. is the most kid-adaptive and developmentally
respectful approach. Unfortunately, it's hard to come by around
here! Good luck.
-- Ilana
June 2002
Does anyone have a young toddler who attends the Mills College
lab preschool? There is an old posting recommending it, but
I'm wondering if anyone has had recent experiences with it.
Thanks!
Christine
I have nothing but wonderful things to say about the Mills
College Children's School. My daughter has been in the
preschool for the last two years since she was 2 yrs. 4 mos,
and will be there for her 3rd year this fall.
The teachers are remarkably committed, and children there
benefit greatly from the Reggio Milia educational philosophy,
learning about the world around them and also learning
through their own emotional development, which is very
much supported by the school.
There's a downside, which could also be viewed as an
upside depending on your child's temperament. Because
it's a lab school there's a great student-teacher to student
ratio -- usually the head teacher is working with 4 or 5
student teachers, one of whom is there every day, and 16
children.
But those student teachers change with each new
semester. If your child has bonded strongly with one student
teacher, it may be difficult when that teacher moves on.
My daughter handled it fairly well, but there have been a
couple of very special teachers whom she still talks about
and whom she missed greatly when they were no longer in
the classroom with her.
All in all, though ,it's a great school
Lauren
January 2002
I'm interested in hearing from anyone with recent experience with the Mills
College Preschool, especially with the infant program. I'm thinking of
placing my son there this fall, when his is about 15 months old. Thanks,
Megan.
About the Mills College Children's School: It is still as fabulous as
the 1999 description on the UCB website. My daughter, now almost 3, has
been in the infant-toddler room since she was 4 months old. I can't
imagine better, more imaginative, more consistent and loving care. But
-- big caveat for the person who's planning to enroll her child next
fall -- each year there are only a very few openings in that room, and
people who work at Mills get priority. I think enrollment for next fall
is taking place just about now. Good luck! Sarah
October 1999
I do not know about the pre-schools in Montclair itself, but I have two
wonderful
pre-schools to recommend. The Mills College Children's School, located in the
Mills College Campus (a short drive from Montclair) is fabulous. It is a lab
school staffed by a Head Teacher and student teachers from the education
department.
The curriculum is play based and child centered, giving children many
opportunities
to "help" their teachers design the program. The teachers use the whole
campus as a
resource and enrich the curriculum by taking small groups of children on
nature walks,
trips to the library, the post office, the Greek theater, the music
building, the
soccer field, the many small ponds on the campus, etc... In addition to the
lab classrooms,
you can also inquire about Geranium Cottage, a pre-school classroom that offers
more flexibility in their schedule. The Mills College Children school also
has a
wonderful primary school, that goes from Kindergarten through third grade.
The school
is moving to a great new building, and is adding a fourth and fifth grades
next year. I know they are having several open houses so call them and inquire
about their programs: 430-2118.
Thomas
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