Kober House, First Floor

Robbin Hawkins ‘99 teaches a class of 3- and 4-year-olds at the Early Childhood Center. Founded in 1937, the ECC is both a school for young children and a laboratory setting where SLC students learn about child development and the art of teaching through hands-on participation.

1. The teacher Robbin Hawkins has taught at the Early Childhood Center since 1998. Her main goal in the classroom “is to create an atmosphere that encourages independence and self-motivation.” When the children are confident and comfortable, learning happens naturally, she says.

2. Wooden blocks The room is stocked with simple toys—blocks, drawing supplies, play dough, and puzzles—that can be used in myriad ways. These open-ended objects invite exploration and creative play, which the ECC maintains is the richest way for children to learn.