关于 the Phyllis and Richard Leet Center for Children and Families
The Northwest Missouri State University Phyllis and Richard Leet Center for Children and Families is an educational setting for community children, and a teaching and research Laboratory for University students, 教师, 和工作人员.
The Leet Center is accredited by the National Association for Accreditation of Young Children (NAEYC).
Leet Center serves approximately 90 families with children from three through five years of age (preschool and Pre-K), kinderg艺术en (extended care), and first through sixth grade (熊猫俱乐部). Promoting high quality early care and education in a model setting is a primary goal.
Project-Based Play
The Laboratory School has followed a constructivist model since 1991, using Project Construct as our curriculum model. This curriculum is child-initiated, providing opportunities for the children that support and enrich their development, 学习, and growing independence. The Laboratory School’s curriculum is child-centered, 基于兴趣的, and hands-on to encourage each child’s growing independence. Children’s interests guide the selection of themes and projects for exploration. The Missouri Early Learning Standards provide the framework for planning play-based 学习 centers and large group times around the children’s topic of interests. Each room is designed with interest centers (blocks, 表演游戏, 教具, 艺术, 感觉, 图书馆, 音乐 & movement, computers, etc.) and children choose from a variety of developmentally appropriate activities throughout the day. Each classroom includes a balance of child- and teacher initiated activities designed to actively engage children in 学习 throughout the day and promote their creative expression. Assessment is an integral p艺术 of curriculum planning. Monitoring and documentation of children’s p艺术icipation within the 学习 environment is on-going and formally shared with families twice a year at parent-teacher conferences.
The classrooms are rich in language/literacy opportunities and experiences. Such opportunities include but are not limited to: stories, 手指游戏, 诗, labeling of items in the classroom, scaffolding interactions through play-based 学习 center, family style dining, and special times for children to share ideas and thoughts. Through special times during the day to share things from home; p艺术icipate in executing specific jobs that contribute to the smooth functioning of a school family; and encouragement to pursue topics of interest, our curriculum promotes the development of emotional intelligence, problem-solving skills, and a strong home-school connection for children to become life-long learners.
