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Published on 07/14/1997 All articles from this issue

A school organized for maximum fun

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By Sara Whittier Boadwee

Other Voices

It was a rainy day, and the large yellow room felt crowded with bodies in damp sweatshirts and rubber boots. I was a visitor, with my 18-month-old daughter, at the Parent Observation class (also titled "Parent Education Through Parent-Child Participation") offered by the Mountain View-Los Altos Adult Education program. The kids seemed to be having fun with their art projects and puzzles, though some stuck closer to their mothers than I thought ideal. (After 1 1/2 years of full-time parenting, I was ready for some independence.)

If we signed up for the class for 2-year-olds in the fall, my daughter and I would participate one morning or afternoon a week in a sort of pre-nursery school. I would go with her, then attend a parent education class while she navigated the last hour on her own.

Everyone who had taken the class said it was wonderful. Being a closet elitist and skeptic, I had to wonder, "What's wrong with it?" Fortunately, I hushed this inner voice in time to sign up. Now, two years later, it's hard to believe we're finishing the Threes class, and how right everyone was.

Whether the kids were smearing paint on slimy real fish and printing them on paper, riding the train together on a field trip, or trying to sit in place for a whole story, teacher Nancy Brown always had everything organized for maximum fun. In a class of 18 active toddlers and their chatty moms, she somehow kept everyone on track with her warm smile and loving words. As she led the parent discussion group - whether the topic was children's learning styles or the seemingly endless juggling act all mothers perform - Nancy encouraged us, challenged us and made us laugh.

Nancy Brown and Joan Somers have been teaching Parent Observation for more years than most of their young students can count, and many parents take Nancy or Joan's class with their children.

One sunny day soon, my daughter will take her last ride on the tire swing, sing her last song at circle time, and join her pals around the table for a final snack. I'll think of the things I'll always remember, like watching her decorate her first jack-o'-lantern and helping her carefully put a Valentine in each classmate's bag. In the coming years, when she's off delivering Valentines on her own and negotiating turns on the swing for herself, her memories of teacher Nancy's class will surely blur. But those times will be inside her, like an unforgettable song, saying that school, play and friends are something wonderful.

Sara Whittier Boadwee is a two-year Los Altos resident and full-time mom.