At Wonderschool, we celebrate the incredible child care providers who bring creativity, love, and dedication to their work every single day. One such provider is Michelle Cook, a former preschool teacher who transformed her passion for education into a thriving home-based child care program. Michelle’s journey is one of resilience, family support, and a commitment to building strong partnerships with parents.
Michelle began her career in corporate America, but after being laid off, she took the leap into education as a substitute teacher. What started as a temporary role quickly grew into a passion, especially for special education. She later became a preschool teacher at a charter school—but found the classroom setting too limiting for her creativity and vision.
“I wanted parents and children to have a memorable experience of building a foundation for early childhood,” Michelle explained. “I wanted learning to be fun.”
With that goal in mind, she launched her own home-based program, where she could shape a space that felt like both a school and an extended family.
Michelle’s program truly embodies the idea of a family business. Her mother and daughter both work alongside her in supportive roles, and this year she also brought on her former co-teacher from six years ago as a full-time team member.
“It’s not just my mom and daughter—it’s family and trusted colleagues working together. It feels like one big happy family,” Michelle shared.
That sense of family extends to the parents, too. Michelle keeps a garden in her backyard, where families can pick cucumbers, tomatoes, and peppers. Parents know they’re welcome to grab fresh produce and share in the space, creating a community beyond traditional child care.
One of Michelle’s greatest strengths is her ability to partner with parents, especially in moments that can feel overwhelming. She recalls supporting a family whose child was non-verbal and recently diagnosed with special needs.
“I told the mom, ‘You don’t have to do this alone—I’ll hold your hand through it,’” Michelle said. “In a smaller setting, parents aren’t intimidated to ask for help. They know they have someone on their team.”
By combining her professional experience with compassion, Michelle builds trust that empowers parents and ensures children get the individualized care they need.
For Michelle, Wonderschool has been a game-changer in handling the business side of child care. She relies on the platform to:
“I love it,” Michelle said. “It helps me with the business part so I can spend more time with the children.”
One of Michelle’s proudest moments came when her program received a special guest: the Governor of Michigan. At first, she thought it might just be a member of the governor’s team, but to her surprise, the governor herself walked through the door.
During the visit, the governor read a story to the children, participated in activities, and even responded to a child’s pre-recorded questions who couldn’t attend that day. “It was such a heartfelt moment for that child’s mom,” Michelle recalled. “She hugged me and said, ‘I can’t believe you remembered her.’ Of course I did—she’s part of the family.”
Michelle believes the visit was a powerful moment of representation for home-based providers. “So much of the child care system focuses on centers and schools. Having the governor visit showed that home-based programs like mine offer the same quality—and the same joy—as larger settings.”
For Michelle, her child care program is about more than education—it’s about creating a supportive, joyful community.
“We still live in our homes, but at the same time there’s so much learning and playing happening here,” she said. “It’s an extended family, and it’s fun. I really love it.”
Her story is a testament to the power of blending family, community, and professional expertise—and to how Wonderschool providers are changing the face of early childhood education across the country.
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