Our vision is to provide children, in all their diversity, with knowledge and strength to interact, learn and build a better society.
Philosophy
The CDL provides a rich learning environment while offering a setting for teacher training and educational research.
Mission
The mission of the CDL parallels the three-part Teaching, Research, and Outreach mission of the University of Georgia. As a laboratory school, we support this academic mission by:
- Connecting teaching and learning meaningfully to the outside world
- Serving as a facility for pre-service teacher training and HDFS internships
- Providing an environment that promotes educational research and development
- Sharing information and training others
Our Team
Our teaching teams are highly educated and dedicated. They value early childhood education and provide engaging learning experiences for young children.
History
In October 1927, a grant from the Rockefeller Foundation was awarded for a nursery school on the Georgia State College of Agriculture campus. In the fall of 1928, the nursery school, which was established in the Division of Home Economics began to operate. The nursery school had the distinction of being the first permanent school of its nature to be established in a southern university and the fourth such school in the nation.
Accreditation
Accreditation means that your child’s program meets NAEYC’s 10 standards of excellence in early childhood education. Programs that meet these standards provide a safe and healthy environment for children, have teachers who are well-trained, have access to excellent teaching materials, and work with curriculum that is appropriately challenging and developmentally sound. These programs are continuously working together with families and the community to improve themselves and to provide the best possible educational opportunities for children.
Curriculum
The curriculum of the Child Development Lab is based on the principles that
- every child is an individual with a unique personality
- each child develops at his/her own pattern of growth
- children learn through play
Ages Served
| Classroom | Ages @ the beginning of the School Year | # of Teachers | Group Size |
|---|---|---|---|
| Infant Room 226 | 8 weeks | 2 | 8 |
| Infant Room 228 | 8 weeks | 2 | 8 |
| Young Toddlers | 1 year old by September 1st | 4 | 16 |
| Older Toddlers | 2 years old by September 1st | 3 | 18 |
| Preschool | 3 years old by September 1st | 3 | 18 |
| Multiage | 3 years old and 4 years old by September 1st | 3 | 18 |
Inclusion
Early childhood inclusion embodies the values, policies, and practices that support the right of every infant and young child and his or her family, regardless of ability, to participate in a broad range of activities and contexts as full members of families, communities, and society. The desired results of inclusive experiences for children with and without disabilities and their families include a sense of belonging and membership, positive social relationships and friendships, and development and learning to reach their full potential. The defining features of inclusion that can be used to identify high quality early childhood programs and services are access, participation, and supports.
Joint position statement of the Division of Early Childhood (DEC) and the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC)
