The Carroll Community College Child Development Center (CDC) has traditionally been a center for the care of young children while parents who are students, faculty, or staff work during the day. Parents of young children in the community have also utilized the CDC.

About 50 children ages two-and-a-half to five are registered at the CDC and attend at various times throughout the week with flexible hours available.

In January, 2010, the CDC relocated to the college's K building and doubled its size. This allowed the CDC to create a lab school component for early childhood education students and professionals in the community.

Students and professionals observe the children at play and study their interactions to better understand this age group.

Recently, the lab school has experienced a surge of interest from college students and from the community which has resulted in an expansion of scheduled visits.

The new College Nursing Sorority brought a group of students for a visit to the lab school. The students observed developmental traits in the children and demonstrated medical equipment that is used when examining children.

EMT students came to the lab school to learn how young children handle emotionally-challenging situations. Students used their observations to better understand how to help children cope with family medical emergencies.

Local Early Childhood Education high school students came to the lab school to study how the classrooms were organized, and a college mathematics class played number games with the children.

The lab school is occasionally used by scholars to gather data to test research hypotheses.

"The lab school allows us to provide an environment to demonstrate best practices for careers in working with young children," said Director Nancy Gregg. "We also model educational leadership and professionalism to the larger community," said Gregg. She added that other community colleges have reached out to learn more about the facility and its operation.

"At our lab school, teachers are learning from parents and children. Parents and children are learning from teachers. College students who want to become teachers are also learning a great deal," said Gregg.

"The lab school is a rich environment which mutually benefits college students and young children," said Associate Professor and Early Childhood Education Discipline Coordinator Marlene Welch.

"Children can benefit from the observations made by students," said Welch. "Conversely, students will become better-educated through the lab school experience. It is an extension of classroom learning. Parents who make time to observe the classroom can understand their children better as a result."

Welch added that the lab school offers real-life situations which allow observers to practice critical-thinking and decision-making skills.

Gregg added that she strives to achieve the highest quality instruction at the center. Currently, the center is in the process of accreditation by the Maryland State Department of Education.

For more information about the lab school or to schedule a visit, contact Gregg at 410-386-8470. For more information about Carroll's Early Childhood Education program, contact Welch at 410-386-8525.

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