About the Nonprofit
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Children & Company is a cooperative preschool that was originally founded as Faulkner Ridge Nursery School on August 27, 1971. We are licensed by the Maryland State Department of Education. We encourage participation from families of all cultural backgrounds. Because we are a co-op, we can maintain a low staff to student ratio, with two teachers and a parent always in the classroom.
Children & Company was originally established by a group of parents who were not satisfied with other programs offered to preschool aged children. These parents did much reading, thinking, and discussion about better ways to run a nursery school. They found the philosophy most compatible with their thinking to be the “free school” philosophy of providing children with the space, time, and empowerment for personal exploration.
Children & Company offers programs for 2-, 3- and 4-year-olds. Our educational approach centers on the premise that “children’s play is their work.” We believe that children learn more effectively when their activities are self-chosen, self-directed, and connected to their own life experiences.
At Children & Company, each child is able to make choices and follow his or her own interests. The atmosphere of free exploration allows each child to develop his/her creative potential.
We acknowledge and respect a child’s need for security in his/her environment. A child needs to trust in adults who provide caring guidance with few, but firm limitations. A child needs a sense of belonging, fostered by whole class and small group activities, as well as a predictable routine in the school day. Routine provides a dependable framework within which children will feel comfortable as they play, learn, and explore.
Our preschool is a cooperative run by its members. We believe that children benefit greatly from active parent involvement in their education. Parents also benefit from the opportunity that our school provides for observing their children at “work”, building a partnership with the teachers, and learning from their experiences with other parents.