Early Childhood Education Lab School: The Program

The Early Childhood Education Lab School provides young children an environment that fosters appreciation of self, others, and the world around them. It promotes self-motivated learning through discovery and hands-on involvement with their surroundings. Emphasis is placed on meeting individual needs while encouraging respect for others.

While enrolled at QCC's Early Childhood Education Lab School, children will engage in individual, small group, and large group activities. Experiences are designed to help children develop basic skills, to encourage a working understanding of concepts and to simulate greater facility in language use and communication. Children are challenged to solve simple problems and to practice developing skills in an environment filled with manipulative, creative, and dramatic sensory materials. Behavioral limits are set to provide children with a sense of security; actions are redirected, feelings are discussed, and self-respect is preserved.

The Early Childhood Education Lab School combines exploration and discovery, opportunities for making choices, and an atmosphere of order, predictability, warmth and mutual trust. Most important children gain feelings of confidence and competence through their interactions with people and materials.

Typical Daily Schedule

The times indicated in the schedules provide a general structure needed for program continuity. Times may vary somewhat to accommodate group needs, weather conditions, and walking field trips. Each week, a detailed curriculum is posted. The teachers, children and parents/guardians generate ideas for the curriculum. Themes may provide the basis of curriculum ideas and may be integrated throughout the classroom. The following interest areas are available to the children: art, sand/water, science, manipulatives, language arts, blocks, workbench, writing area, dramatic play and the outdoor learning environment.

Classroom 1 and 2, Monday through Friday 7:15 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

7:15 - 7:55 a.m. Center opens, hand washing, greeting, combined classrooms for Indoor creative learning experiences
7:55 - 8:00 Transition classroom 1 children
8:00 - 10:15 Creative learning experiences (indoor/outdoor areas open)
Snack offered 8:45-9:30
10:15 - 10:30 Clean up, toileting, transition to outdoor creative learning experiences
10:30 - 11:15 Outdoor creative learning experiences
11:15 - 11:30 Transition indoors to group time
11:30 - 11:45 Group time
11:45 - 11:50 Hand washing and transition to lunch
11:50 - 12:30 p.m. Lunch
12:30 - 12:45 Toileting, hand washing, tooth brushing, prepare for rest
12:45 - 1:30 Rest
1:30 - 3:15 Indoor creative learning experiences
Snack offered 2:00-2:45
3:15 - 3:30 Clean up, transition to group time
3:30 - 3:45 Group time
3:45 - 3:55 Toileting, transition to outdoor creative learning experiences
3:55 - 4:55 Outdoor creative learning experiences
4:55 - 5:00 Clean up, departures
5:00 Center closed

The School, which also serves as an educational site for students in the Early Childhood Education program, is licensed by the Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care. Additionally, the Children’s School has been accredited by The National Academy of Early Childhood Programs (a division of the National Association for the Education of Young Children) since 1990.