Programs
Summer Camp 2022
June 6th - July 29th, 2022
Summer Camp is back at the ELRC for 2022! Our ELRC Explorers will engage in project-based explorations of the world around them through science, technology, engineering, arts, and inquiry.
Camp is open for children ages 3 through 5 (must be 3 by June 1, 2022) and all children must be fully potty-trained prior to attending camp. Camp is limited to 60 students.
For more information, please click here: 2022 Camp Guide
Ready to sign-up? Use this link to register and secure your spot! Questions? Feel free to email the ELRC Program Coordinator, AK Warmus or call (901) 678-2120.
The Montessori Track
Montessori I Pre-Primary Classroom for age three through kindergarten
Our teaching practices and many of our extraordinary materials were developed by Dr. Maria Montessori, physician and educator, and one of the most highly original thinkers of the twentieth century. Her philosophy of education, and our demonstration of it, emphasize respect for young children, independence of spirit, freedom of choice, community feeling, beauty and order in the environment, and the joy of learning.
Montessori was one of the first educators to assert that children learn experientially, through movement and sense perception; accordingly, our curriculum depends on children's independent, "hands-on" exploration of the classroom areas: Practical Life, Art, Sensorial, Math, Language and Geography & Culture, which includes Science. Children ages three to six are grouped together to suit the specific needs of their stage of development. Children are admitted only at age three and it is be considered a three-year-long program.
The Reggio Emilia Inspired (RI) Track
The Reggio Emilia inspired (RI) collaboration was developed for use in the preschool and kindergarten classrooms. The method focuses on the idea of a self-guided curriculum, where the students learn the curriculum through exploration and projects to tailor the learning to their interests. The curriculum emerges based on children's observation and experiences of their world.
The teacher guides the children's interests into a project where outcomes are determined by the children. Many learning abilities can be satisfied by the collaboration process. The product becomes part of the process rather than the ending of a project. This upholds the mission of our laboratory early childhood school for the University of Memphis.
Learn more about Reggio Emilia >
First 8 Pre-K Classroom
In partnership with First 8 Memphis, The Early Learning & Research Center is proud to announce the addition of a needs-based pre-kindergarten classroom opening for the 2020-2021 academic year. This classroom is a free program for qualifying families of pre-kindergarten children. In order to qualify, children must be age 4 by August 15, 2020 and meet household income eligibility requirements. Priority enrollment will be given to children of full-time students, faculty, and staff at the University of Memphis.
To apply, please click here.