The Holway Early Childhood Centers, The Barn and Rockwell, serve as a laboratory schools for the entire university community as a large component of our Connect Learning experience.

Lasell students bring an enthusiasm and enrichment to our Centers where they share their classroom experiences with the children.

The Barn	Rockwell

Our Mission

We believe that young children learn through play experiences, intellectual challenges, and their social interaction with both peers and educators*. Young children need to explore at their own pace and in their own style while given ample and appropriate choices and experiences throughout the day.

We strongly believe that children have Multiple Intelligences (Gardner, 83). Children have a natural predisposition to learn in different styles and methods. Some children are visual learners while others are very tactile. Some children are more musically inclined while others are very analytical and mathematical. We strive to present each child with the opportunity to find which intelligence best suites them while challenging them to explore others as well.

Our Curriculum

The curriculum, therefore, offers a balance between planned and educator-initiated activities. Supervised free play allows children to explore areas that interest them and thus to contribute their ideas to the program. Children can best master and integrate information through direct personal experiences and free play, while using a vast variety of materials.

Children need to be nurtured by warm, responsible adults who are knowledgeable in child development. This allows children to develop as healthy, happy and competent individuals. Our role as laboratory schools requires a highly educated and experienced staff. In addition, we provide ongoing support for staff development as we encourage educators to continue professional growth through in-service programs, graduate work, workshops and conferences.

Along with these important basics, we add the following:

•  Provision of appropriate developmental learning materials and activity areas, both indoors and outdoors
  
  
• Aesthetically pleasing and inviting rooms
  
  
• Impeccable health standards
  
  
• Parent communication and involvement
  
  
• Staff selection procedures that ensure educators who will nurture children's self-esteem and enhance their social, emotional, physical and cognitive development while applying the theory of Multiple Intelligences
  
  
• A strong support system for educators

 Our programs provide for all of the above, as it is our belief that all are necessary for quality early childhood education.