PLNU's Early Childhood Learning Center (ECLC) is a campus laboratory school under the direction of the Department of Family & Consumer Sciences.
The ECLC has the unique opportunity of serving the PLNU campus and Point Loma community by meeting the needs of children and their parents. At the same time, the center serves as the location for observations and demonstrations of teaching methods and other experiences for students preparing for careers with children.
A Laboratory in Human Relationships
Through the ECLC, you'll participate in observations and demonstrations, and integrate what you are learning in class with real-life situations. Our program consists of a teacher-prepared environment with a variety of experiences that invite children’s active participation. Some examples of these classroom choices include a writing center, process-oriented art, listening centers, science exploration, sensory activities, block building, dramatic play, puzzles, games, books, math readiness activities, and language- and print-rich activities. Children are free to select any or all of the available activities each day. Adults and students circulate among the various centers to scaffold, guide, and direct their learning.
Preparation for Graduate Programs and Careers with Children
In addition to this individualized approach, a time is set aside each day for group involvement. These group activities are devoted to helping the emergent child develop language and print readiness. During them, teachers use various methods of meeting the learner through storytelling, puppetry, creative dramatics, songs, fingerplay, use of rhythm instruments, cooperative games, movement to music, and discussions.