Berea College Child Development Laboratory

Berea College Child Development Lab is a family centered program and we believe that all children and their families should receive high quality care and education regardless of race, culture, ethnicity, socio-economic status, gender, religion or individual and/or family abilities and preferences. We believe the proper care and education of young children involves the direct participation and involvement of families. We view all families and children as equally valuable and worthy.
We believe our purpose in caring and educating young children is to instill values in children that will lead to independent, capable adults. We believe that each child is special and unique, having his or her own pattern of growth. As Maslow states, A musician must make music, an artist must paint, a poet must write, if he (she) is to be ultimately at peace with himself (herself) We believe all our children have the right and the ability to find this peace.
In providing quality care and education for young children and their families our program ascribes to the principles of developmentally appropriate practice as outlined by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) (Bredekamp & Copple, 1997) and the Division for Early Childhood (DEC) (Sandall, Hemmeter, Smith and McLean, 2005). In order to meet these principles our program strives to provide:
1. opportunities for children to develop an understanding of self and others that is characterized by warmth, personal respect, individuality, positive support, and responsiveness
2. a curriculum that encourages children to be actively involved in the learning process through experiencing a variety of developmentally appropriate activities and materials, and a curriculum that facilitates children in pursuit of their own interests in the context of life in the community and world
3. opportunities for parents to be well-informed and feel welcome as observers and contributors to the program
4. a program that is sufficiently staffed by well-qualified individuals who understand the principles of child development and recognize the needs of children throughout the course of development
5. a program that is efficiently and effectively administered
6. a safe and stimulating indoor and outdoor environment that encourages exploration and learning
7. a program that is attentive to the nutritional and health needs of children
8. child care and early education that is continually evaluated for quality
9. a program which provides support for the optimal development of young children with special needs through high-quality, comprehensive, coordinated, and family-centered services and supports
10. respect for all children and families
We believe that children who are provided with a safe, healthy learning environment; consistent, responsive care givers and teachers; and a developmentally appropriate curriculum will benefit greatly in all aspects of development. We believe a good educator and caregiver is responsible to his/her students and their families, respects diversity and individuality, approaches children and their families with kindness and patience and believes in themselves as well as others.