Park West Cooperative Nursery School, Chicago

We're a diverse group of teachers who are experts in early childhood education. We've dedicated ourselves to understanding and developing teaching methods that cater to each child's individual needs so they can grow in a positive way. We invite children to follow their interests, make choices, connect with each other, and come together as a group to share conversations, songs, stories and ideas. Under the guidance of trusted teachers, children explore the arts, science, numbers and literacy in meaningful ways and develop healthy ways to express their emotions, share their ideas and interact with their peers. We foster autonomy and exploration, individual and group problem solving, negotiation and collaboration. We develop close relationships with children and take their ideas seriously, allowing us to support optimal growth and development for each child. At Park West, we work closely with families, and collaborate with parents. By joining our cooperative, parents are actively involved in school operations, and they play an important role in daily classroom life by assisting regularly in the classroom.