Albany Student Voice

After seven years of planning, a congressional grant by Congressman Sanford Bishop and the U.S. Department of Education funded through Title III, ASU opened its Early Learning Center. After the flood of 94' ASU lost its Hazard Training Laboratory. The Laboratory was a school at ASU that taught children up to seventh grade and at the same time provided psychology and education majors with hands on experience involving the interaction of children.

As a goal to rebuild what was lost ASU opened its Early Learning Center on Aug.1. The objective of the center is to develop the whole child by providing a learning environment that helps them grow. The center offers classes for 2- 4 year olds with an after school program for children 5-12 years of age. It consists of three classrooms with two teachers for each class.

"With the student teacher ratio the small class size allows more hands on experience between the teachers and their classes," first year teacher, Paula Williams said. The classes are built to the height of the child's age. For instance the bathrooms and the sinks in the 2 year- old classrooms are the height of an average 2-year old.

The Centers' coordinator, Mrs. Lucas, said the center is a way to strengthen a child's mind. With the centers curriculum based on Creativity, Montessori, High Scope and Bank Street enabling the children to learn at a hands on level.

Maui Bigalow, parent of a 4-year old at the center said the centers curriculum is on a higher level than the private school her daughter attended. Not only is the curriculum of the center well established but its play area is as well. The play area includes the gathering room which allows the children to play indoors and participate in musical movements, the playground and an outdoor canvas.

The outdoor canvas allows the children to express their artistic skills with paint, crayons, chalk, etc. The canvas also washes off so the children can continue their artwork daily.
To better ensure the daily safety of the children the center consists of a state-of-the art security system.

Scanner identification cards are distributed to all parents to enforce security measures and assure that trespassers don't enter. Future plans for the center are to extend age groups and classroom to as high as seventh grade like the Hazard Laboratory and to further work toward allowing all departments at ASU to benefit form observing and working with the children.

The Center is currently working with the ASU nursing department to promote wellness and good health and for early childhood majors to observe the students activities through the centers observation room. The Early Learning Center opens from 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. monday through friday and closed on all major holidays. The weekly fees for attendance are $95 for 2-year- olds, $90 for three-year-olds, $85 for four-year-olds and after school care fees are $50.

Article Tools