Columbia Children's Center logo

Santa Maria, CA

805-922-KIDS (5437)

Philosophy & Goals

We believe that children have the right to a nurturing, safe environment where they can feel comfortable and secure. We believe that children have a right to develop to their maximum abilities and that teachers have the responsibility to provide opportunities for this development to occur.

We recognize that each child is an individual and that each child must be allowed to develop at his or her own pace. We accept and respect differences between children including developmental and physical differences and differences in racial and ethnic heritages. Every child regardless of sex, race, religion or ethnic origin must have the same opportunities and advantages as every other child.

We believe each child has the right to develop a positive self-image - to feel good about who they are. We sincerely hope that in treating each child with love and respect, they in turn will learn to treat others with that same love and respect.

We believe that children learn best through active participation with their environment and that the teacher's job is to provide a variety of opportunities and experiences to promote growth in all areas. We strive to thoughtfully plan activities that meet the developmental needs of differing children and which follow sound early childhood developmental principles.

We strive to provide an enriched environment, which fosters the development of the emotional, social, cognitive and physical growth of the young child. The philosophy of the program is to develop a positive self-concept and attitude toward learning, self-control and a sense of belonging. We strive to provide exploration of music and movement, creative art, science and nature, objects and events, dramatic play, literature and language and health and nutrition. It is the goal of CCC to provide experiences for children to know the community and social roles and to understand and respect social and cultural diversity.

Our Goals

  • To develop child centered learning
  • To encourage growth
  • To help children learn through play
  • To build community
  • To teach respect for oneself and others
  • To provide security
  • To prepare the child for Kindergarten
  • To teach responsibility