Where kids are safe, happy and learning everyday!

CURRICULUM

The Center implements an interactive, hands-on curriculum that encourages children to learn by doing.  Concrete experiences using all five senses - seeing, hearing, touching, tasting and smelling - are the norm, not the exception. Well-trained teachers guide children through activities that are appropriately challenging and developmentally sound.  In addition to the core curriculum offered to all students, children may enroll in supplemental enrichment activities in physical fitness, music and the creative arts.

MORE THAN JUST THE THREE R's
Research tells us that even before an infant is born, she is being “wired” for future learning.  Very young children are finding out who they are, developing a sense of self-worth and building confidence.  Most importantly they are learning how to express themselves and interact with other people.  The Creative Curriculum®  is based on established research and updated regularly to include new findings from the field of early childhood education.  It is the framework for all programmatic initiatives at The Children’s Center. When used as intended, teachers and children are engaged in an ongoing cycle of observing, guiding, learning and assessing children’s progress. All lesson planning and decision making takes into account the ways children develop and learn, the learning environment, and the activities children use to enhance learning.  Teachers are responsible for developing lesson plans and guiding children through interactive, hands-on learning experiences in language arts, mathematics, science, technology, social studies, world geography, art, and foreign language. At the same time, teachers will introduce concepts such as cooperation and fairness into all aspects of classroom life to help children with social and emotional development.

TOOLS OF THE TRADE
Young children learn best through concrete, rather than abstract, experiences.  Children who attend The Center will grow and learn in a facility designed to accommodate the curious minds and active bodies of young children.  Special attention has been given to creating a safe physical environment where kids can be kids as they explore the world around them.  At the Children’s Center kids can climb on, crawl through and touch what they see as they move about the school. The Center’s well-resourced classrooms will be furnished with blocks, toys, musical instruments, books, dress-up boxes, play kitchens, arts and crafts supplies and computers.

IT'S A GREAT DAY AT THE CHILDREN'S CENTER
Specific daily schedules vary according to the ages of the children in any given classroom, but the general schedule of events - the regular flow of things at The Center - is about the same for everyone.  Here’s what you can expect on a typical day:

• Arrivals and Gathering Time

• Group meeting

• Choice time – small groups

• Exercise/playtime/outside time

• Lunch – served in classroom family-style.

• Story time

• Rest/quiet/nap time

• Exercise/playtime/outside time

• Choice time

• Group Meeting

• Departure to Home

CURRICULUM IS APPROPRIATELY CHALLENGING AND DEVELOPMENTALLY SOUND
Trusted research and long-standing theory helps teachers understand what skills a child can be expected to learn at each phase of growth and development. Using the cycle of observing, guiding, learning and assessing children’s progress teachers and children will work together to move along a continuum of age appropriate skills.

By the time a child is three years old he can do a pretty good job of dressing himself in the morning – although he sometimes needs help getting his arms into his coat. He is ready to be guided toward mastery of the skill. One concrete way to help is to demonstrate “the flip,” to help him get his arms in the correct sleeves. A three-year old is physically able to bend and retrieve the coat, can understand language and follow directions and with a little practice will soon master putting on the coat correctly. This is what we mean when we say the curriculum at the Children’s Center encourages age-appropriate skills development.

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