Why We Are Here
OUR MISSION
The Crayon Box Children’s Learning Center provides a service that supports the overall mission of Andrews University and the community families in Berrien County, Michigan. We are dedicated to:
• Reflecting the love for children, exemplified by Jesus Christ
• Providing consistent, dependable child care for Andrews University employees, Andrews University students, and the community
• Increasing productivity of The Crayon Box parents as they serve our local community, including Andrews University, by providing a safe, nurturing and educational environment for their children
OUR PHILOSOPHY
The Crayon Box Children’s Learning Center is part of Andrews University, a Seventh-day Adventist institution. The Center comes under the jurisdiction of the Michigan Conference of Seventh-day Adventists. It is not the goal of the center to instruct the children in any particular religious doctrine, but rather to love the children and their families in such a way that they experience something of what it means to be a child of God.
We believe that every person is a unique creation and beloved by the Creator God. Therefore, we will consistently try to treat every member of every family with whom we come in contact with love and respect and teach the children entrusted to us loving, caring ways to relate to each other.
We believe that God is just. Therefore, we will strive to be trustworthy ourselves and to teach the children to be fair in their relationships with others.
We believe that God allows us to freely choose how we will live. Therefore, we will give children safe choices and allow them, insofar as it is possible, to experience the natural consequence of their decisions.
We believe that God endows every person with creative potential and intends that people be responsible stewards of the rest of creation. Therefore, we will seek to provide every child with opportunities to explore his or her creativity, to learn for the purpose of understanding, and to develop the ability to think logically, organize coherently, plan constructively, and evaluate with humor and hope.
We believe that God forgives us. Therefore, we will strive to teach forgiveness by both precept and example to the end that teacher, students, and parents learn to forgive themselves and each other and live life more fully and not hampered by the fear of failure but with confidence and courage.
The Crayon Box Children’s Learning Center is a member in good standing with both the Michigan Association for the Education of Young Children (MIAEYC) and The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC).
STATEMENT OF SPONSORSHIP
The Children’s Learning Center is a non-profit, non-discriminatory institution founded, sponsored, owned and operated specifically by Andrews University. The Center is licensed by the State of Michigan Department of Human Services (DHS). The policies governing the center are determined in part by the administrators of the center, under the direction of the Department of Human Resources of Andrews University. Licensing rules for Child Care Centers for the State of Michigan are strictly adhered to. All funds earned by the Children’s Learning Center will be reinvested into the Center.
PURPOSE
It is the purpose of the Children’s Learning Center to provide a warm and caring environment for the children to grow and feel included and valued regardless of gender, ability, ethnicity, language or background. Your child will be challenged to build cognitive skills in Math, Language Arts, and Science. Self-esteem and personal relationships are emphasized as children meet peers and adults. The spiritual nurture of your child is a privilege we take seriously.
We also provide an experience with young children for Andrews University students as they pursue degrees in various disciplines. Under the supervision of qualified staff, these students have the opportunity to observe, test, plan lessons, and develop teaching skills. It is our purpose to model a quality early childhood program.
CULTURAL COMPETENCE PLAN
The Crayon Box represents diversity across global, racial, economic, gender, religious and generational lines. Our classrooms are filled with the beautiful diversity of children and staff from many different backgrounds, nations and languages. Successful programs for children respect and incorporate each child’s contemporary culture. Children must not be expected to sacrifice their own cultural identity, but rather to take pride in themselves, their families, and their culture. Cultural identity should not restrict individual growth, development, and/or success; the task of an individual is not to have to “fit into” a culture but to use the cultural context as a vehicle to reach full potential. Our classrooms feature books and toys that show people of different ages, abilities, genders, ethnicities and non-traditional roles and families. The Crayon Box serves meals that represent different cultures, including the cultures of children in our center. We celebrate the richness of diversity at The Crayon Box and it is the purpose of the Children’s Learning Center to provide a warm and caring environment for the children to grow and feel included and valued regardless of gender, ability, ethnicity, language or background.
PROGRAM GOALS
Our goals are to have children learn about themselves, others, and the world they live in. Whether they attend a part-day or a full-day program, children come with important questions. They may look at us wondering, “Are you a trustworthy adult? What do you think of me? What do I think of me? How will you treat my family? What’s the world like? Will you be someone who helps me figure it out?”
A. We want to provide for your child:
• The opportunities for being with other children in a setting conducive to the development of wholesome social relationships; appropriate play experiences that contribute to the developmental needs of the children.
• The opportunities for meaningful “learning activities” that are based on the child’s individual needs, interests, special needs, and abilities, that will build important foundations for the future reading skills and other academic pursuits.
• To help children to maintain a Christian attitude throughout their school experience.
• For all children to feel included and valued regardless of gender, ability, ethnicity, language or background.
B. We want to provide for the parents:
• The opportunities to meet with and work with other parents and teachers who have as their common concern the interests and needs of each child.
• The care for the child while the parent pursues her/his own work, school or interests.
• The opportunities to grow in the understanding of child development through a planned educational program.
• To show the positive benefits of Christian education.
C. For the community:
• To help meet the needs of the community for an early childhood educational facility.
• To contribute to the wholesome growth and development of the future citizens of the community.
• To provide a setting where people of various religious and ethnic backgrounds can work together for a common interest.
• To share Christianity with others.
GOALS FOR THE CHILDREN
We feel that some of the most important things a child can develop while here at The Crayon Box are:
1. Good Self- Concept:
a. Creativity
b. Verbal expression
c. Confidence in self
d. Joy of laughter
2. Good Interaction Skills:
a. Communicating
b. Sharing
c. Trusting
d. Realizing that showing your feelings is OK
e. Learning good manners
f. Caring for others
3. Self- Preservation Skills:
a. Dealing with emergencies
b. Reacting to strangers
c. Learning information about self
4. Self-Help Skills:
a. Dressing
b. Personal hygiene
c. Cleaning up after self
5. Respect for:
a. People
b. Property
c. Environment
6. Spiritual Awareness:
a. God’s love for individuals
b. God as Creator
c. Stories from the Bible
7. Scholastic Skills:
a. Fine-motor - cutting, drawing, writing
b. Math - shapes, counting, numbers, size, order, etc.
c. Language and literacy experiences
d. Early Science experiences