Our Program

About the center

This full-day, developmentally appropriate, hands-on early education program is available for children of FIU students, staff, faculty, alumni, and the neighboring community. The program serves children who have achieved bathroom independence between the ages of 2 through 5 years old, Monday through Friday.

A Kindergarten and Voluntary Preschool Kindergarten program are available within the hours of the full-day program.

Curriculum

Children are viewed as individuals and encouraged to develop emotionally and academically at their own rate of growth, working towards their maximum potential in an environment designed to foster nonviolence and diversity. The staff observes each child's developmental needs and level of interest. Working towards their maximum potential, the children are nurtured by being exposed to many content areas such as: art, music, action songs, finger plays, puppetry, movement, science, dramatic play, indoor/outdoor play, writing process, language, emergent literacy, math process and developmental tasks.

Pre-printed materials, workbooks and other forms of programmed instruction are not considered developmentally appropriate and are not used at the center. Emergent literacy, writing and computation skills are part of the learning process and are not drilled. Children are presented with numerous opportunities to become caring lifelong learners.

Licensing and inspection

The center is licensed by the Florida Department of Children and Families (DCF) - C11MD036.

Regular inspections are performed by the Department of Children & Families, State of Florida Health Department, and the State Fire Marshall. The program, facility, and staff meet or exceed Florida Standards for Child Care Services.

Accreditation

The center is accredited by Cognia. Based on a set of rigorous research-based standards and evidence-based criteria, the accreditation process examines the whole institution–its policies, programs, practices, learning conditions, and cultural context–to determine how well the parts work together to carry out the institution’s vision and meet the needs of every learner. Accreditation isn’t about passing a one-time inspection. Rather, accreditation recognizes education providers that demonstrate and sustain their commitments to continuous improvement and better learner outcomes.

Hours and location

  • Center calendar

    CCLC at FIU follows FIU's academic calendar for holiday closings. In general, CCLC is typically closed during the following dates:

    Type of Closure

    Day

    Semester/Spring breaks

    • August (2 weeks)
    • December (2 weeks)
    • January (1 week)
    • March (1 week)
    • April (1 week)
    • June (1 week)

    Holidays

    • Labor Day
    • Veterans Day
    • Thanksgiving (2 days)
    • Martin Luther King Day
    • Memorial Day
    • Independence Day
  • Sample classroom daily schedule

    Schedules vary slightly by class

    Time

    Activity Content

    7:45 – 8:30am

    Family play

    8:30 – 8:45am

    Transition to classroom

    8:45 – 9am

    Getting together, forming community, calendar

    9 – 9:30am

    Finger plays, action songs, social/emotional language development

    9:30 – 10am

    Bathroom, morning snack, story telling

    10 – 11am

    Art experience, independent play, developmental tasks

    11am – 12pm

    Music, movement, science, outside play

    12 – 12:30pm

    Lunch

    12:30 – 12:45pm

    Clean-up

    12:45 – 1pm

    Rest time set-up, bathroom, books

    1 – 3pm

    Rest and relax

    3 – 3:30pm

    Bathroom, afternoon snack

    3:30 – 5pm

    Afternoon activities, outside play

    5 – 6pm

    Playtime

Teacher-child ratio

Appropriate group sizes and ratios of teaching staff to children are maintained as per Florida Department of Children and Families (DCF) and Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) Accreditation Standards.

Teacher-child ratios:

  • Toddlers (2-year-olds) = 1:04
  • Preschool (2.5- to 3-year-olds) = 1:06
  • Pre-Kindergarten (4-year-olds) = 1:08
  • Kindergarten (5-year-olds) = 1:10

Classroom staff

Classrooms are made up of both teachers and support staff.

  • Teachers
    • Professionals holding either bachelor's or master's degrees in early childhood or elementary education with a specialty in early childhood
    • Florida Department of Children and Families Director's Credential Certificate held by several teachers
    • Valid State of Florida Teaching Certificate held by several teachers
    • Teaching staff combined has 75 years of tenure at the center
    • Completed Florida Department of Children and Families 45-hour training certification, certifications in CPR, first aid, and fire extinguisher training
    • Several teachers have served on a SACS Advanced Quality Assurance Review Team as well as presented at local and national conferences
  • Support staff
    • Employed by the Children's Center
    • Teacher aides are often FIU students majoring in child development, early childhood/elementary education, and other related fields or hold a bachelor's degree
    • Completed or working towards Florida Department of Children and Families 45-hour training certification
    • Hold Certifications in CPR, first aid, and fire extinguisher training
    • Offer support to the teachers and children throughout the day
    • As the teaching staff work cycle ends each day, teacher aides assume responsibility for children

Parent involvement

Research has shown children do best when there is a connection between home and school. Children feel proud when parents show interest in their school and gives the child a sense of belonging. Parents at CCLC at FIU have the opportunity to be active in the following areas:

  • Advisory board
  • Annual program evaluation
  • Classroom observation room
  • Classroom visits
  • Classroom participation
  • Share talents with children
  • Parent/Child Activities
  • Parent family meetings
  • Parent workshops
  • Family socials
  • Referrals
  • Parent resource room
  • Center Lending Library
  • Computer access

 

  • Parent classroom involvement
    • Classroom observation - MANDATORY parent involvement
      • Parents (father/mother, or both, legal guardian) mandatory classroom observation
      • 2 visits per year minimum
      • 2 hours per visit
    • Classroom participation
      • After initial adjustment period
      • Always welcome
      • Join child in classroom activities
      • Arrangements made with teacher

     

  • Parent Advisory Committee (PAC)

    The Parent Advisory Committee is comprised of parents of currently enrolled children and is representative of various groups served, including students, staff, faculty and community. The PAC was established to advise the CCLC at FIU director, staff and the CCLC Board of Directors on policies procedures and program issues from the parent's perspective. Keep an eye out during the Fall semester for your invitation to apply or nominate.

Advisory Board

The Advisory Board is charged with oversight of policies and provide operational guidance.

The board is comprised of representatives from FIU, community professionals active in the field of education and PAC representative.

Contact us

Children's Creative Learning Center
11200 SW 8th Street
Miami, FL 33199

305-348-2143
Fax: 305-348-1830
cclc@fiu.edu

Office hours

Monday – Friday: 8:30 am – 5 pm

Hours of operation

Main building, Directions

  • ClassroomMonday – Friday: 8:00 am – 5:15 pm
  • Drop Off: Monday – Friday: 8:00 am – 9:00 am
  • Pick Up: Monday – Friday: 3:30 pm – 5:15 pm