Meet Our Administration
The Early Learning and Development Center
Preschool & Childcare
Providing quality preschool and childcare since 1981
Philosophies of ELDC
Program Philosophy
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We recognize the primacy of the family in each child’s life and strive to respect and support each family in raising and educating their children. We strive for open communication with families to help us understand the significant events in each child’s home life and to share with families the significant events that occur while children are in our care. We strive for a diverse staff that care about young children and have the necessary tools to provide a developmentally appropriate environment in which children can learn and grow. We try to help the staff in their quest for excellence, with ongoing training and professional support.
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Education Philosophy
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The educational philosophy of the Center is based on the Piagetian model. This is known as Genetic Epistemology. It is that children learn in developmentally appropriate stages. For example, a child of two years may be taught colors by rote memory if it is presented to them often enough for a long enough period. A child of three years who is developmentally ready, however, may learn this information in ten minutes, when it is presented to them. These states of developmental readiness, Piaget taught, are GENETICALLY determined.
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Curriculum Philosophy
At The Early Learning and Development Center, we believe given adequate social skills, conflict resolution skills, a strong foundation for empathy, and an introduction to academic concepts, children are much more successful in an academic environment in later years. We use learning goals from The Creative Curriculum, anecdotal notes, Brightwheel, and a portfolio system to track the children’s development and set goals for them based on individual and group needs.
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Our preschool lesson plans are done weekly and are structured around a study based on the interests of the children. Our toddler lesson plans are also done weekly and focus on guided themes that correspond to the children's interest and their developmental milestones. Activities are provided throughout the day to meet a variety of learning styles. An equal amount of structured and non-structured time is offered to the children so they are given every opportunity to build new skills and gain further understanding of the world around them by using the environment as well as teacher support to do so.
During other times of the day, art and/or science projects are facilitated in small groups to provide an opportunity for children who learn best through one on one instruction. By creating these opportunities children participate in activities that not only help develop social skills but also around literacy, gross/fine-motor work, and cognitive development.
