Our Philosophy ...
Children's Center of North Harford
Serving Families Since 1971


Each year at Children's Center we expect to maintain the standards of first-quality Nursery and Kindergarten readiness education which has developed over the past years.

We expect, and are striving to create an environment and program which will facilitate the growth of each child at his/her own rate  in the in the areas of social, physical, emotional and intellectual development.    Our program is based upon a child-centered philosophy, realizing that each child is an individual, growing at his/her own rate and on his/her own level and emphasizes the continuum of development which occurs within the individual child during their Three, Four and Five Year Old Experiences.

Through our staff, our facility, and our supportive parent-staff involvement, we aim to provide the best possible learning environment to foster the growth of each child enrolled at the Center.

Brenda Marsden
Brenda Marsden, Director
Children's Center of North Harford
707 Highland Road Street, MD 21554
          410-836-0444          ccnh707@zoominternet.net            
                               Children’s Center of North Harford
               Educational Program/Philosophy

I.  Purpose of CCNH educational program
   A. To educate the whole child in ways that are appropriate to his/her
        level of development and sensitive to individual characteristics
   B. To provide and promote an educational program which ensures the
       development of the whole child and establishes a foundation for
       future learning.

II.  Educational Program Goals
    A. To help children acquire a positive self-image and find joy in
         learning
    B. To encourage children’s independence and decision-making abilities
    C. To promote children’s competencies as thinkers and communicators
    D. To nurture and promote each child’s uniqueness as an individual
         with particular strengths, interests, and preferences
    E. To help each child begin to grow into a competent member of the
         society of which (s)he forma a part
    F. To provide a curricular continuum throughout the Three, Four, and Five
         Year Old years which fosters appropriate developmental growth of
        children, and recognizes that development is the dynamic, continuous,
        and inside-out process of growing through predictable stages of
        maturity in uneven patterns or rhythms.

III. The Developmentally Appropriate Curriculum at CCNH
       A. Definition of developmental appropriateness: “having two dimen-
            sions – age appropriateness (a proper sequence of growth and
            change that occurs in children during the first nine years of
            life) and individual appropriateness (each child is a unique person
            with individual personality, learning style, and family background).”
            National Association for the Education of Young Children.
       B. The developmentally appropriate environment is an environment
            in which curriculum is congruent with the emerging cognitive,
            physical, and psychosocial abilities of the young child
       C.  CCNH educational program is approved by the Maryland State
            Department of Education, is based upon a child-centered
            philosophy, and includes the following curricular areas: 1) Art
            2) Music 3) Physical Education 4) Language Arts 5) Pre-reading
            and pre-writing skills 6) Science 7) Social Studies 8) Math
       D.  CCNH curriculum provides for each child’s present needs while
             building on his prior knowledge, establishing appropriate develop-
             mental challenges throughout the Three, Four, and Five Year Old
             programs, and establishes a foundation for future learning
       E.  The CCNH curricular continuum  enables children who learn at
             different rates and in different ways to work at different
             levels on different activities
       F.  CCNH curricular program recognizes that learning is continuous,
            not limited by persons, places, or time
       G.  CCNH curriculum recognizes that learning is integrated, not
            compartmentalized, and holistic, not fragmented by domain
       H.  CCNH curriculum recognizes that children’s learning is most
            meaningful when it is concrete, active, and experiential.
            Children’s learning is most relevant when it stems from their
            own interests and relates to their own life’s experiences.

IV.   Roles of Teacher and Parent: A Partnership in Learning
       A. Teachers roles as facilitators of developmentally appropriate
            environment
        1. Teachers recognize that each child is an individual who comes to
            school with his own personality, interests, needs, maturity,
            abilities, background of knowledge, and modes of learning.
        2. Teachers structure the environment so that children learn through
            interaction with peers and observant, attentive adults who provide
            models, present challenges, and help children interpret their
            experiences.
        3. Teachers establish a predictable, stable, and nurturing environment
            in which each child feels valued, safe, and secure.
        4. Teachers observe children and use the insights to plan a program
            based on direct experiences and interaction with materials and
            peers.
        5. Teachers mediate children’s learning through the provision of guided
            activities, and facilitate children’s learning by arranging the environ-
            ment for their self-directed play (recognizing that play is the
            primary means by which young children learn how to learn).
        6. Teachers use a variety of strategies to encourage and support
            children as they work alone and together to make their own dis-
            coveries, take risks, and learn through trial and error.
        7. Teachers believe that each child has potential, accept each child as
            (s)he is, and help all children begin to realize their unlimited
            possibilities.

         B. Parents Roles
         1. Parents are responsible for providing the emotional support and
             individual guidance that their child will need as (s)he is growing up.
         2. Parents concern for their child is, and should be, deep and personal
             in order to provide for the child’s security within her/his family
             group.
         3. Parents recognize and provide guidance for their child to become
             a part of the social network that includes not only her/his family,
             but also, her/his school, community, nation, and world.
         4. Parents recognize that in order for their child’s school experience
             to be most effective, a cooperative partnership between the home,
             school, and community must exist, and that their child’s self-
             esteem is enhanced when parents participate in their school ex-
             perience.

  V.   Results of Teacher and Parent Partnership
        A. Teachers and Parents have the welfare of children in mind, and
             all have special contributions to make to the child’s growth and
             development.
        B. The child can be seen as a whole person, not segmented between
            home and school.
        C. The child’s experiences can be brought together and seen in per-
            spective so that Teachers and Parents, planning together, can
            help her/him develop her/his capacities as fully as possible.
        D. A seamless space between home and school is formed, Teacher/
             Parent communication is initiated and sustained, and Teachers
             and Parents share in promoting children’s healthy development,
             educational success, and safeguarding the welfare and rights of
             all young children.