The UH Child Care Center strives to educate young children of students and staff in a safe, diversity-friendly environment that will prepare them for the rigors of schoolwork.
‘The Child Care Center was created by students, for students, and we have been in operations for 35 plus years,’ said Nadeema Akhtar, a master teacher for the center.
In the 1970s, many students said adding a childcare center to the University was essential. President Hoffman appointed a Child Care Student Group and with the help of the Board of Regents, the center was built in February 1975.
CCC’s mission and philosophy is to educate children early in an environment that is safe for children, faculty and staff. They teach in an environment that fosters respect for all types of cultures and diversities, such as celebrating different ethnic cultures with Black History Month, Eid and Diwali events.
UH CCC’s goals is to provide children with positive self-esteem, develop safe and healthy habits, and strengthen skills such as reading, writing, math, problem-solving, among many other things underlined in its curriculum.
‘We see every child as a unique individual and develop appropriate practices for all children,’ said Tiffany Mays, lead teacher at the center.
UH CCC is also accredited by National Academy of Early Childhood Programs, a division of National Association for the Education of Young Children.
Throughout the program, the child only moves through three classrooms separated by age ranges. This is done to make the transitions easier on the children and to keep familiarity with the staff.
The child center offers many enrichment programs such as foreign language workshops in Spanish, French and Arabic. Moore’s School of Music professors and students also teach and perform for the children.
During the summer, CCC offers coaching services and lessons for children who want to learn how to play soccer, baseball and basketball. These sports are taught by some of the University’s kinesiology students.
Project IMPACT (Improving Mankind Parent and Child Together) brings health care providers, such as nutritionists, dieticians and other specialists to educate parents about their child’s safe and healthy upbringing. Topics range from child seats, CPR, first aid, child proofing your home and healthy lunches and exercise.
The center also has its own private butterfly garden and plans to celebrate Earth Day by having families plant flowers and trees together. The children will also engage in a picnic, recycling convention, and learn about the Earth the entire week.
‘We wanted to promote healthy activities for our children,’ said Akthar.
Check out the University’s Child Care Center at http://www.uh.edu/ccc/index.php.
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