The KOLTS Program

(KOLTS) is a training facility for students enroled in Early Childhood Education at the King Campus of Seneca College. We offer a variety of year-round programmes for children. Full and half day, full or part week care, and before and after school care are available. The Lab School accepts children ages 8 months to 12 years. In addition to Seneca College employees and students we accept children from the surrounding community.

Philosophy

We believe that parents are an integral part of any successful early education programme. Through parental involvement we are better able to meet the developmental and personal needs of children. As early education professionals, we can serve as valuable resources for families concerning most areas of child development. Therefore, we believe that families and child care centres can and should work together to provide an environment that facilitates the growth of each child into a physically and emotionally healthy individual.

Ours is a developmental philosophy based largely on the work of Erikson and Piaget. We believe that…

• Children develop sequentially from one stage to the next.
• Children must be provided with opportunities that will challenge them and aid in their progression from one developmental stage to the next.
• Children learn by direct experience.

Our programme provides children with a large variety of materials, equipment and activities that allow for success and encourage advancement of intellectual, physical, emotional and social development.

A child´s basic needs must be met in an environment that is nurturing, comfortable and specifically structured to meet each individual´s unique physical, emotional and developmental needs. It is important that we work closely with parents to provide a secure environment that benefits each child. 

Things We do to Help Ensure Quality

The Lab School follows a set of guidelines that we think go a long way towards helping us ensure a high quality programme for everyone involved.

Staff

KOLTS hires only qualified Early Childhood Educators (ECEs). We believe that professional ECEs are essential to provide the kind of high quality programme that groups of young children deserve. All staff members have current first aid and C.P.R. certification.

We require all staff members to participate in personal and professional development activities regularly. An essential part of development activities involves group or team work. To this end the Lab School closes for up to three Professional Development Days each calendar year. During these days, the staff meet to pursue a variety of activities as a team (first aid and CPR certification, group skill workshops, ethno-cultural training etc.).

Connection between Classroom and the Lab

KOLTS implements the programme, curriculum and guidance methods that the King Campus ECE students study in the classroom. The Lab School serves as a primary field placement experience for these students. There is an adult classroom located in the Lab School. ECE students use this classroom for most of their practical and observation courses.

Observation Rooms

Each of the childrens´ rooms in KOLTS has an adjacent observation room with one-way windows. These observation rooms have audio monitoring equipment that allows users to hear detailed interactions in the areas used by the children. In addition, each of the childrens´ rooms has a fixed video camera. When a VCR and TV are hooked to the connections in the corresponding observation room, events can be taped for later viewing. The cameras are directed towards areas of each room less easily viewed from the observation windows - connecting a TV in an observation room allows for an unobstructed view of the entire room.

The Observation Rooms are used by…

• Parents - who enjoy watching their children without disturbing their play. Many drop off their children early so they can watch as they settle in the morning. (For others "ducking into" the observation rooms at the end of the day allows them to watch while their children are unaware of their presence).
• ECE students, faculty, and visitors - to unobtrusively observe interactions, programmes, children, etc.
• KOLTS Stafff - who use the video capabilities to tape their programmes. (Self-evaluation, problem-solving and curriculum and programme development are much easier using these tapes).

Parent Involvement

Parental involvement is a key ingredient in maintaining the quality of our programme. We do not wish to be mere custodians of the children. We strive for a dynamic, interactive, open environment where staff support family interests in raising happy, healthy, curious children.

At KOLTS we have an open-door policy. Parents are always welcome at KOLTS. Beyond their daily exchange of information with staff, we invite parents to...

• Join the children and staff for outings.
• Have lunch at the centre with the children.
• Spend as much time as they can, at the centre, with the staff and children - going on walks, sharing a meal or snack, or at any time during the day if their schedules allow.
• Attend parent meetings.
• Share personal interests including hobbies, talents, careers, cultural backgrounds, favourite recipes.
• Join staff, faculty, and students for family get-togethers and celebrations.
• Hear guest speakers on topics of interest.

Parents are an integral part of any successful early education programme. KOLTS´ early education professionals work in consort, with parents and serve as valuable resources for families. Early education centres can and should work with families to provide an environment that facilitates the growth of each child into a physically and emotionally healthy individual.