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San Francisco, CA
Cow Hollow School

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

Review this preschool

neighborhood: Presidio ·  Telephone: (415) 921-2328  · Website: www.cowhollowpreschool.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

Parents of 2/3-year-olds are partners in the classroom by supporting the teachers a few days each month. Parents teaching alongside teachers and a low adult-child ratio affords parents an opportunity to closely observe, learn from and with their children, and guide their experiences with support and direction from experienced teachers. As a result of this unique setting, partnership and experiences, learning, teaching and parenting are enriched and transformed.

Social Skills & Work Habits

OVERALL RATING (4.7)
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	-	-	-	-	n/a
Nursery rhymes, poems, songs	-	-		-	n/a
Storybook reading	-	-		-	n/a
Emerging literacy skills	-	-	-	-	n/a
Cognitive Development					n/a
Math and number sense	-	-	-	-	Yes
Time & space	-	-	-	-	Yes
Sci. reasoning/physical world	-	-	-	-	Yes
Music	-	-		-	Yes
Visual arts	-		-	-	Yes
Physical activity	-	-		-	Yes
Other subjects taught	Outdoor Experiences, Exploration and Discovery: Playing in nature with a discussion of what belongs in nature/what doesn't are experiences that honor the child's sense of wonder, curiosity, and belonging. The teachers guide children as they 'learn to see' the beauty and drama of the natural world so that they my gain an appreciation for, and develop a relationship with, nature beyond the houseplant and sandbox. Symbolic and Dramatic Expressions: Through symbolic and dramatic play children experiment with different roles and personalities. We provide a variety of costumes, props, puppets, dolls, and fantasy environments for the children to use for improvisation, exploration and creation. Project Work: We dedicate a significant amount of time each day to expanding upon the children's long-term interests and projects. Children are encouraged to think deeply, ask questions, and explore materials and activities related to their projects. The ongoing process is documented, studied and valued.				n/a

source:

Parents' Comments

Parent #1
Cow Hollow Preschool's inquiry-based, project-oriented curriculum is built on play, socialization, and skill development according to the natural patterns of preschool-age children. Through child-directed, teacher-supported investigation and in-depth project work and exploration, children learn to: hypothesize, predict, problem solve, negotiate and co-create theories.

Parent #2
Cow Hollow is a child-directed program where teachers initiate long- and short-term projects based on the children's interests. The approach encourages critical thinking and problem solving skills, and the children love what they're learning because their experiences are based on their own enthusiasm of a topic. Field trips, visiting guests, discussions, etc. all help put their learning in a context and creates real meaning for the children.

Parent #3
This school has a project approach to learning. Once an interest is identified in the classroom, the teacher may ask questions to encourage finding answers and exploring the subject. Within this, verbal, visual arts, physical activity, spacial, scientific reasoning, mathematic elements are discussed.

Parent #4
The school does a wonderful job of including all ccurricular areas.

Parent #5
This year a parent with a fantastic musical background (doctorate in musical education, opera singer) took over the music program. She is amazing and has inspired a love for music in all the children. When she comes for music the kids are so excited because they love her and she has really made a connection with the kids. As to the curriculum, I was initially concerned about what "free play" meant and worried whether this was just another word for chaos. But I've realized that this is how kids at this age learn best. At the beginning of the day, the teachers let the children know what their choices are and what will be happening that day. There are stations set up that focus on various things: art, writing, sensory play, make believe, etc. Children can also go in the garden or for walks with an adult. I've seen that the children flourish when they are engaged in activity of their own choosing versus being told that it's now time to do x or y. Being able to be part of the Presidio is a plus, and the school has made connections with other preschools and an adult center for seniors. The project based curriculum also focuses on what the children are inherently interested in -- one class studied water, another studied skunks, another focused on gardening. And each week, the teachers built on the children's natural curiosity to use that project to inspire art, logical reasoning exercises, writing skills, etc. I was skeptical, but I'm a convert now.