N. E. Miles Early Childhood Development Center

History

The College of Charleston (CofC) offers a unique experience for young children and university students at the N.E. Miles Early Childhood Development Center (ECDC). Our nationally accredited program has served as the demonstration program and laboratory school for the College as part of the School of Education, Health, and Human Performance (EHHP) since its founding under the administration of President Theodore Stern in 1974. Our building is named for Dr. Nathan Edgar Miles, a CofC alumnus and pediatric opthomologist whose generous bequest made possible the total renovation of our building which was re-dedicated on November 1, 2002.

The importance of high quality early childhood education is well documented in the research literature and receiving increased attention from media and legislators. Major indicators of quality programs include highly qualified staff, low adult-child ratios, and a rich and diverse learning environment, all of which can be found at ECDC. Our inclusive program accommodates approximately fifty-five children aged two through kindergarten each year.

Our director, Dr. Candace Jaruszewicz, is a tenured associate professor. Our four lead teachers have master's degrees in early childhood education. Five graduate assistants (GAs) form the core of our assistant teacher staff each semester, complemented by up to 20 undergraduate and graduate teaching assistants (TAs) from a variety of majors, primarily early childhood education, elementary education, and special education.

We enjoy a close working relationship with many departments, faculty, administrative and support staff from CofC, the Charleston County School District (CCSD), and other early childhood programs in the LowCountry and across the state. Our center welcomes many visitors, observers, practicum students, volunteers, and researchers each year.

Mission

ECDC's three-part mission is to provide

A demonstration preschool for research, observation and practicum purposes.
Quality care and early education for children ages two through five from the College and neighboring community
An active model of child advocacy in the Charleston community.

The faculty and staff at ECDC believe the purpose of early childhood education is to provide children opportunities to explore their interests and abilities and acquire skills they will need to become life-long self-directed learners and citizens. We believe that in an increasingly global environment, our children need to understand and practice tolerance and respect for others. We believe these values are learned in a community that celebrates both the things we share in common and the differences that make us each unique and interesting human beings. We believe that every child has special needs, so all children are accepted and welcomed at ECDC and fully included in all dimensions of our program. We work with families and specialists as appropriate to make accommodations and adaptations as needed.

Philosophy

Our philosophy is based on the belief that learning and language are socially constructed. The child acquires knowledge about the world through play, the manipulation of materials and equipment, and the development of respectful and meaningful relationships with other children and adults. We consider the child an active participant in the learning experience.

We believe in shared responsibility for the education of young children. Families are our partners. We value parental input and often plan classroom activities around ideas, traditions, language, and the expertise and interests represented among our families. We respect children and their families as partners in the learning environment.

We believe the role of the early childhood teacher and all the adults who interact with our children on a daily basis is to:

identify and support children's interests
observe their growth and development
plan and facilitate activities appropriate to their interests and developmental levels
monitor, assess, interpret, and document their learning
respect and include families in the learning process

1 Society for Research in Child Development, Inc., (2003, July/August). Child care quality matters: How conclusions may vary with context, Child Development.

2 Fiene, R. (2002). 13 Indicators of Quality Child Care: Research Update. Presentation to Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation and Health Resources and Services Administration/ Maternal and Child Health Bureau, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

3 Swiss psychologist Jean Piaget's body of work described the theory of cognitive development, a process whereby children progress through a series of four idiosyncratically distinct developmental stages. As they process experiences, they actively construct ideas and schema about the world through a process known as constructivism. Piaget's theory influenced others, including Lev Vygotsky who extended the theory to emphasize the important role of social interactions in the constructivist process, and Lawrence Kohlberg, who applied this theory to moral development.