Specialties
Childswork Learning Center is a non-profit pre-school and childcare center located in Southeast Portland, Oregon. Since 1984, our early childhood education center has served a diverse population of children and families, focusing on the development of the whole child with respect and compassion.
Our curriculum is a natural extension of our community's view of children. We view children as unique and competent learners, capable of investigation and problem-solving. As such, we provide a play-based, developmentally appropriate environment in which we build an emergent and constructivist curriculum with our students. In an emergent curriculum, investigation topics "emerge" from our students. We observe children in order to identify interests and select topics as a class. In supported small and large group settings, we explore concepts in a hands-on manner. Our investigations are shaped by the students' decision-making; children truly learn how to learn. Our teachers use their strong knowledge of child development to support children's learning and play. Teachers observe and structure the environment to encourage wonder, discovery, and meaningful learning. Childswork's curriculum was also founded on the inspirational work of Jean Piaget, Lev Vygotsky and Loris Malaguzzi (of Reggio Emilia). Their influence is still alive and well in our classroom today. Childswork adheres to the Oregon Early Childhood Foundations which are woven into our curriculum.
History
Established in 1984.
In 1984, Childswork was born. At first, Childswork consisted of one half-day class on the Tucker Maxon Oral School Campus integrating deaf and hearing children. Over the first 18 years, Childswork expanded to include more classrooms, more students and more teachers on the Tucker Maxon Campus. In the year 2000, Childswork opened additional classrooms at the Holgate Center and in 2001 expanded to the Lambert Center and eventually to Abernethy Elementary School in 2004. In 2005, Childswork discontinued its lease with Abernethy and began a relationship with St. Stephen's Church, leasing space for two classrooms. Eventually, in 2006, this led to the long-term lease with St. Stephen's Church which enabled Childswork to consolidate all of its classes into one building and expand its before and aftercare program, enrichment classes, and camps. In 2021, Childswork moved to two locations in Southeast Portland where Childswork operates today.