Related Resources: The Early Childhood Center

The Early Childhood Center works closely with the Child Development Institute, which provides a progressive perspective on child development and education through lectures, conferences, activities, and outreach programs for elementary school teachers, administrators, child development professionals, and parents. This outreach also enhances the experience of Sarah Lawrence undergraduate and graduate students.

Resources to explore:

• The Learning Child Series
  A series of documentaries produced for public television on the following topics: Values Go to School, From Pictures to Words, and When a Child Pretends.

• Play’s the Thing: Facilitating Play for Young Children
  A week-long summer program on the overarching importance of play in the life of a child.

Dozens of Sarah Lawrence graduate students—future practitioners themselves—work at the Early Childhood Center throughout the year. Learn more about their graduate programs:

• The Art of Teaching
• Child Development
• Dance/Movement Therapy
  

Defending the Early Years and Alliance for Childhood recently released a new report, "Reading Instruction in Kindergarten: Little to Gain and Much to Lose."

The report addresses such topics as developmental readiness to read in kindergarten; lack of research showing long-term gains from early reading; developmental gains from play-based programs; the importance of language-rich environments; best practices for children to become fluent readers; and policy and practice recommendations. 

Read the report and watch a brief video about its findings.

Sarah Curtis MA '13, a teacher and graduate of the Child Development graduate program, attended the ECC preschool and kindergarten when she was a child. 

The experience of growing up lies at the heart of her interests and endeavors, which include poetry, performing arts, and anything that informs her development as a teacher. Watch a TEDx Talk from Sarah entitled, "Cute is a Four-Letter Word.”