At CCLC, we view early learning as a process requiring a balance of child-initiated and staff-initiated activities. We support learning in a play-based, developmentally appropriate environment that incorporates a variety of activities and multicultural aspects in a thematic style. Our proprietary Guided Discovery^TM approach is rooted in educational philosophy and theory as well as practice. It relies heavily on Erik Erikson's stages of socio-emotional development, Jean Piaget's theories of how children think and learn, and principles of physical development.

Guided Discovery^TM was developed with the vision of "guiding" children of all ages through the learning process rather than "showing" them how to learn. The core of the program is to help direct children to learn cognitively, socially and physically. Curriculum guidelines have been created for teachers in all of the age groups. These guidelines are in place to ensure that children are learning by "doing" rather than by watching a teacher, and it encourages teachers to provide as many hands-on activities as possible for all children. The program also allows children to participate in a holistic learning approach with the teacher interacting down at the child's level. The focus is always on the process of learning and not the end product. A print-rich environment is provided in all classrooms to foster language development.

We have also incorporated the criterion developed by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), the country's premier standard for quality in early childhood education. Almost 70% of our centers are already accredited by NAEYC and our goal is 100% accreditation.

Learn more about our Guided Discovery^TM programs for:

• Infants
• Toddlers
• Junior Preschool
• Preschool
• Pre K
• School Age

Learn more about Early Foundations Curriculum.