Spring Break
Early education is critical to life long education
Saeeda Y. Safi
Issue date: 9/16/02 Section: News
- Page 1 of 1
Just behind UMKC's Cockefair Hall, where the sounds and sights of higher education are conducted everyday, there is a different type of education taking place. It is the formation and the development of a young child's mind in its most impressionable years. The institution that provides this service is UMKC's Edgar L. and Rheta A. Berkley Child and Family Development Center.
Ashley Huff, assistant director, describes the center as a state-of-the-art laboratory school: "We work with the School of Education and their Early Childhood students to allow them experience in the classroom, classroom activities, and curriculum design."
Such elements of learning are what inspire community members such as Rheta A. Berkley to support the institution. Mrs. Berkley and her late husband Edgar L. had the center named after them due to their continual support of the center over the years.
The center itself is open to anyone from the community. UMKC staff and students also utilize the center. Though there are no discounts for UMKC members, the Center does provide scholarships, which is something Huff says they are excited about.
The students of UMKC are very important to making the center a state-of-the-art laboratory school. Huff says, "A lot of different disciplines require students to have experience with children." Medical and dental students need exposure to working with children due to pediatrics, and the Conservatory students also work with the Center in music education.
Not only do UMKC student's gain experience at the Center as needed for their respective disciplines, but the Center also needs the students. Huff said sometimes they call upon the students to come and assist with an area that has been built into the curriculum, such as a topic relating to medicine or music. This sort of collaboration provides an ongoing relationship between students of both ages.
The curriculum of the Center is designed by the school staff, while the students from the Early Education program help implement the established curriculum through classroom activities and classroom instruction.
There are currently about 90 students aged three months to six years in the Center, according to Huff. Sixty of the 90 students are preschoolers. Huff says the first three years of a child's education are very important, providing a healthy learning environment is essential at this stage. Such schools are usually described as daycares, says Huff, "But we are providing them with skills that will benefit their future."
The future of the children in our community is what the Berkley Child and Family Development Center concentrate on in conjunction with the School of Education. Huff said, "Our role as a lab school is very important to the community; we want people to continue seeing how important early education is, and how if effects a child's future."
For information on the Center or to reach Ashley Huff, please call (816) 235-2600.
Ashley Huff, assistant director, describes the center as a state-of-the-art laboratory school: "We work with the School of Education and their Early Childhood students to allow them experience in the classroom, classroom activities, and curriculum design."
Such elements of learning are what inspire community members such as Rheta A. Berkley to support the institution. Mrs. Berkley and her late husband Edgar L. had the center named after them due to their continual support of the center over the years.
The center itself is open to anyone from the community. UMKC staff and students also utilize the center. Though there are no discounts for UMKC members, the Center does provide scholarships, which is something Huff says they are excited about.
The students of UMKC are very important to making the center a state-of-the-art laboratory school. Huff says, "A lot of different disciplines require students to have experience with children." Medical and dental students need exposure to working with children due to pediatrics, and the Conservatory students also work with the Center in music education.
Not only do UMKC student's gain experience at the Center as needed for their respective disciplines, but the Center also needs the students. Huff said sometimes they call upon the students to come and assist with an area that has been built into the curriculum, such as a topic relating to medicine or music. This sort of collaboration provides an ongoing relationship between students of both ages.
The curriculum of the Center is designed by the school staff, while the students from the Early Education program help implement the established curriculum through classroom activities and classroom instruction.
There are currently about 90 students aged three months to six years in the Center, according to Huff. Sixty of the 90 students are preschoolers. Huff says the first three years of a child's education are very important, providing a healthy learning environment is essential at this stage. Such schools are usually described as daycares, says Huff, "But we are providing them with skills that will benefit their future."
The future of the children in our community is what the Berkley Child and Family Development Center concentrate on in conjunction with the School of Education. Huff said, "Our role as a lab school is very important to the community; we want people to continue seeing how important early education is, and how if effects a child's future."
For information on the Center or to reach Ashley Huff, please call (816) 235-2600.
