At San Marcos Parent-Child Workshop (SM PCW), instead of reprimanding children with “don’t run,” they encourage them with phrases like “walking feet,” as parent Ana Requena-Johnson explains. This approach extends to other behaviors as well. For example, “sand stays down” replaces a simple “no throwing sand.” Requena-Johnson and I laugh as she explains this to me. She acknowledges that it may sound silly, but using positive reinforcement is an integral part of the school’s curriculum.
On Saturday, May 4, San Marcos Parent-Child Workshop is hosting its Spring Music Festival. The event, held at the historic Stow House, helps support the school and the salaries of the faculty. Attendees can expect musical performances by UCSB’s acapella group Vocal Motion, Art of Funk, the 80’s band Joystix, Polynesian dancing by Hula Anyone, and Patrick Bybee.
There is also a list of fun activities like a bounce slide, a MyGym obstacle course,goat petting and tractor rides, and a special appearance from The Santa Barbara Bubble Guy. There will also be crafts with Art from Scrap and the Grace Fischer Foundation. Vendors like Home Plate Grill, Sunstone Winery, M. Special Brewing, Rincon Brewery, and Anna’s Cider are providing local foods and alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks for purchase. There is also a silent auction.
The school, established in 1959, provides early childhood education to children ages 2-½ to 5. It’s a co-op preschool, so parents volunteer once a week which helps keep tuition costs low. SM PCW encourages a “play-based” learning model, meaning that kids primarily learn through activities involving gross motor, fine motor, sensory, and cognitive skills. “We are not giving worksheets to preschoolers,” said Requena-Johnson.
Children are encouraged to choose how they want to play. “We leave it up to them, then we can further it along.” At the preschool, this often means asking kids about the creations they’re working on and showing interest in their expression.
Seeking a nurturing environment with a strong sense of community, Ana Requena-Johnson and her husband found the perfect fit for their son Benjamin at SM PCW. She shared that gatherings like the biannual camping trips facilitate stronger bonds outside of the classroom between the parents and children alike.
What truly sets SM PCW and other cooperative preschools apart from standard schools, is their focus on parent involvement. Parents learn alongside their children, attending a weekly class led by program director Suzy Granziera in collaboration with SBCC. These classes cover essential topics in early childhood development. Parents can also talk to one another and share their own struggles or even offer advice to each other.
This is the second year SM PCW has done a fundraiser of this caliber. Requena-Johnson shared that everyone is welcome to attend, and the community’s support is greatly appreciated.
The festival is from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 304 N Los Carneros Rd, Goleta, California. Tickets are $10 for children, $20 for adults, and $40 for the family pack which includes up to five people. To purchase tickets visit, smpcw.org/festival.
