Early Childhood Education

Mission Statement

The mission of the TJCC’s Early Childhood Education Program is to provide a safe, child-centered , Jewish environment where each child will explore their world through discovery of self, community and the environment.  They will develop trusting and respectful relationships with their peers and teachers as they learn through play in a nurturing atmosphere.  Each child will be encouraged to create their own experiences at an individual developmental level through self-directed and teacher-facilitated activities and interactions.

About ECE

We provide an enriching, multi-faceted early childhood education program for children from six weeks of age through pre-kindergarten.

• For the youngest children, beginning programs concentrate on developing a sense of trust and curiosity while encouraging exploration. Active time on the floor, stroller rides and quiet time within the arms of our caring staff is both nurturing and stimulating.

• Our toddler develop an awareness of others and group activities are introduced. A play-based curriculum encourages language and social development through the use of songs, finger plays and stories.

• The two-year-olds are naturally interested in developing autonomy so there are more choices throughout the day. Stories are longer and children are encouraged to participate by commenting and questioning. Gross motor skills develop through dance, physical education and playground activities and fine motor skills are developed in the classroom with a variety of manipulatives, paint, play dough and other media.

• Three- and four-year-olds are active with problem solving where the correct answer is far less important than an opinion. We promote the understanding of one-to-one correspondence as math becomes a logical way to understand the world. Communication takes on new forms as children begin reading environmental print, writing recognizable words, creating poetry and discussing the author’s intentions in a favorite story. There are imaginative activities where the children act out situations from real life and strive to find their own solutions.

Wellness in ECE

All children in our program will develop knowledge, attitudes, skills and behaviors necessary to achieve optimal wellness and become committed to lifelong learning.  This in turn leads to healthy individuals, families and communities. We include all aspects of wellness such as social & emotional, physical and nutritional.

For more information on our Nationally Accredited Early Childhood Education Department, please contact Charlotte Gould or Wendy Edmonds at 520-615-5437.