Early Childhood

At the CDECC each child is allowed to develop at his or her own pace. We view children as unique learners who need the opportunity to acquire knowledge in ways that are meaningful to them. No two children will learn the exact same way, and no two children develop at the same rate.

Our philosophy is based on the fact that children learn best by being active participants in constructing their knowledge. For this reason, they are given every opportunity to play and explore in a stimulating environment. They are encouraged to explore the properties of water by playing with objects and seeing which ones sink or float. They learn about art by watching a visiting artist mix colors and then trying it themselves. They learn what the terms rough and smooth mean by using their fingers to compare the texture of flour to oats.

Country Day's campus provides our Early Childhood Center children the luxury of acres of land on which to play and explore in a safe and stimulating environment. Through play, they learn what is real and what is not, they develop symbolic thinking, they learn to interact with others, and they lay the foundation for all the cognitive changes that will rapidly occur. Children who are given opportunities to explore through play learn to question, figure out answers, and problem solve. This in turn will generate excitement and enthusiasm about learning - a goal of our program.

What we love the most about Country Day's Early Childhood Center, though, is the dedication of our teachers. They are the heart of our Center, and they have created an atmosphere that is filled with warmth and enthusiasm. In addition, our teachers are experienced, knowledgeable, and continually developing themselves professionally. They are interested in the lives of their students, serious about the work they do each day, and they believe in the uniqueness of each child-- striving to match activities with individual needs.

Children are placed within a classroom based on their age but also their needs. Our Center has classrooms build around various ages with one, two, three and four year old rooms and no hardline cutoff date for when your child enters each class. Our program is flexible and enrollment options range from two days a week to five days a week, with part-time or full-time availability. Extended-care is also available for parents who need to have more flexibility.

Please contact us for a private tour if you are interested.

Sincerely,

Whitney Brooks