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Newton, MA
Burr Cooperative Nursery School

Parents at this school would recommend this school to other parents.

Review this preschool

Telephone: (617) 332-0886  · Website: www.burrcoop.org

• Summary
• General Info
• School Philosophy
  & Day-in-the-Life
• Curriculum &
  Teaching Approach
• Quality of
  Teaching
• Home/School
  Connection
• Discipline,
  Health & Safety
• Ages, Schedule
  & Tuition
• Application &
  Admissions
• Kindergarten
  Placement&Tips

General Approach to Learning

	Play-based
	Play-based with some structure
	Predominantly teacher-led instruction
	Montessori
	Waldorf
	Co-op
	Reggio-Emilia

source:

Director's Comments

Our Free Play Time is the most important time of the day. Children are free to select from a wide range of activities and learning areas and to play in large or small groups or at times by themselves. Teachers help facilitate and extend play and encourage social interaction and development as well as problem solving skills. We also incorporate age appropriate circle time activities and work on transition skills in order to prepare children to move onto Kindergarten. We have one mixed-age classroom which enables children to work at their own pace and to both follow and mentor other children. As part of the cooperative experience, parents help in the classroom once every 4-6 weeks and also serve on the Board of Directors or on a support committee.

Social Skills & Work Habits

OVERALL RATING (4.9)
This school has increased my child's:
Ability to listen and follow directions
Ability to sit still for longer periods of time
Ability to be a part of a group of children
Self-sufficiency and independence
Awareness of others’ feelings
Cooperation with other children

source:

Curriculum and Teaching Approach

	PLAY-BASED	PLAY-BASED WITH SOME STRUCTURE	MOSTLY TEACHER LED	NOT FORMALLY IN CURRICULUM	CONDUCIVE ENVIRONMENT
Language					Yes
Oral language			-	-
Nursery rhymes, poems, songs			-	-
Storybook reading			-	-
Emerging literacy skills			-	-
Cognitive Development
Math and number sense			-	-	Yes
Time & space	-		-	-	Yes
Sci. reasoning/physical world				-	Yes
Music	-			-	Yes
Visual arts			-	-	Yes
Physical activity			-	-	Yes
Other subjects taught

source:

Parents' Comments

Parent #1
They do have structured learning time but only accounts for about 40 minutes each day. They have learned some spanish words and are learning sign language.

Parent #2
While BCNS is formally a 'play-based curriculum' there are specific developmental goals and over the course of the year the children actively learn how to write their names, the days of the week, simple mathematical concepts (how many friends are three and how many are four?), basic concepts about the world around them (the weather, plants, animals, seasons, etc.), fine motor skills, etc., etc., The teachers do a fantastic job weaving these things into both organized/coordinated activities, play stations, and work with specialists brought into the classroom.

Parent #3
Free play is a very important part of each day, as well as teacher-led circle time. Outside specialists come in to do music and to read.

Parent #4
The curriculum meets the needs of all children in the classroom by:

1) a combination of structured and unstructured activities each day
2) free-choices that vary every day in the classroom--some activities are always available, while others change on a daily basis
3) because of mixed age classroom, teachers are always adapting every lesson to allow children to access the information from "the place they're at"--it is not a one-size fits all curriculum by design