A wall-sized paper flag with red shoe-print stripes hangs in the hallway, dwarfing the Ohio-shaped finger paint creations nearby. Pictures of snowmen dance on the walls. Behind two sets of double doors hides the laughter of dozens of children. This is Building 9, home to Sinclair’s Early Childhood Education Centers.
Sinclair’s Early Childhood Education Centers are all about the kids. Barbara King, the ECEC director for 36 years, is proud of the program.
“We can provide a quality educational program for pre-kindergarten children of our students and provide a lab setting at the same time,” says King.
There are two education centers: the Early Learning Center and the Flex-Time Learning Center. The Early Learning Center serves parents who are on campus all day. The Flex-Time Learning Center is available for parents who need child care for only a few hours. Both centers serve children from ages three through pre-kindergarten.
Each learning center is divided into stations that have a different theme. Music, language, math, science, crafts and reading are just a few of the stations available. Each one has a variety of activities for the children to pursue at their leisure.
“They don’t have a time limit on anything. We call it an ‘open learning environment’,” says King.
The learning environment is not just for children. The ECEC also serves as a learning laboratory for Sinclair students pursuing educational degrees. Students have the opportunity to observe teachers in a real-world environment without leaving the campus. They can also serve as student teachers to fulfill credit requirements.
Rita Bhattacharjee participated in the student teaching program a few years ago. Now, she works in the Flex Time Learning Center. She says she likes working at the ECEC. She has been on staff for five years.
The learning centers are open Monday through Friday from 6:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. during the fall, winter and spring quarters. Fees are based on the credit hours a parent is taking. Community rates are available for non-Sinclair students. For more information, please call (937) 512-2234 or visit their website at http://www.sinclair.edu/facilities/cec/.