Growing Seeds Learning Community

Our mission is providing families, children and staff a learning community in which all participants develop through a spiral dance of observation, inquiry, reflection and documentation. We create an intentional environment where each participant is respected as a responsible contributing member in our community. We see the participants as co-researchers, co-learners and collaborators in the building of our community.

Portland, Oregon

Classroom Participation

As a Parent Helper, you will never be left alone with students. Teachers will always be responsible for making sure that existing agreements are upheld, assisting children with conflict management as necessary and managing the flow of the classroom. Please watch the teachers interact with the children and listen to the language being used.

Assistance in a Teacher- or Student-led activity

Participating in a regularly scheduled baking project or Rotating9 small group activity may allow teachers to more closely document children's learning, engage in a more labor intensive activity, or simply enjoy the greater than usual adult : child ratio.

Leading an activity that is significant to your family

When parents bring in and lead an activity that has significance to their family, they enrich the school's culture by becoming an active part in its creation. They strengthen the home-school bonds for your child, and they bring new enrichment ideas that teachers may continue to use throughout the year.

Story time

Parents can schedule a time to come in to read or tell a story to a group of interested students.

Visiting Expert

If you have a special skill or talent that you would be willing to share beyond your child's classroom, we would love to be able to call on you as a resource. Please let the Coordinators and the Director know if you would be willing to work with classrooms other than your child's.

Field Trips

As part of our unit studies, our preschool group will periodically take a trip away from the center. Field trips will require parent volunteers. All field trips will be posted 15 days prior to the event. Ratios for field trips are 3 children to 1 adult. Children and volunteers will be traveling by public transportation (bus or MAX) or by personal vehicles. If you wish to volunteer to drive, we need a copy of your valid Oregon drivers license and proof of insurance before the trip date. If your child weighs less than sixty pounds, you must provide a car seat or booster chair. All parents must sign a written consent form for each field trip prior to a child being able to attend.