Flagstaff's future in early childhood education

Taylor McCormick May 9, 2023

A sign gives directions to the Early Learning and Development Center located inside of Flagstaff Middle School, May 3. As of now, there is only one classroom and seven students enrolled with plans to expand in the next few months. (Photo by Taylor McCormick)

FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. — In May 2022, Northern Arizona University's (NAU) President José Luis Cruz Rivera collaborated with the teaching department on the Early Learning and Development Center’s (ELDC) plans after solidifying its location. The program opened March 27 and will function as accessible childcare for NAU students and faculty and a research lab for the College of Education. 

By incorporating this program, the future of education looks toward empowering the minds of young children and supporting educators in doing so. The ELDC teaches using an inquiry-based approach, where mentor teachers make note of the children’s interests and plan the curriculum accordingly.  

As a lab, it collects research from the students through photos, videos, peer interactions, group contribution and work and art samples. These are then used to track the effectiveness of their approach     

ELDC Director Rebecca Cirzan said the program is unique to how teaching is changing at the early education level in relation to other schooling and childcare approaches.  

Director of the Early Learning and Development Center (ELDC) Rebecca Cirzan poses for a portrait in front of artwork the students made in the ELDC in Flagstaff Middle School, May 3. (Photo by Taylor McCormick)

“If we demonstrate for the community and other educators, what it looks like to really invest in children's learning from not a top-down approach, but from building their own interest in curiosity,” Cirzan said. “Children are going to be more engaged; they're going to be critical thinkers, they're going to be able to brainstorm and problem solve and develop that internal interest for learning rather than just developing a rote approach to learning.”  

Cirzan said the program helps demonstrate exemplary practices compared to traditional style learning and Montessori practices.  

“I think it’s going to deepen student’s knowledge about what else can be done in education and how it can actually work in real life,” Cirzan said. “A lot of the students we get understand what this is, but they’ve never seen it in real, live action because no one is doing it out there or there’s very few places doing it. I think we’re going to see more interest from early childhood education.”  

Victoria Damjanovic, the pedagogical liaison for the ELDC, helps ensure the students receive the necessary resources to be successful in their learning, regardless of needs.  

“When we look at a child coming into the program, we talk to families, see what their needs are and then we see if we have the resources available to support them,” Damjanovic said. “So, if a child has sensory issues and needs headphones, we make sure they have that. If they need speech and language services, we’re working with Speech and Language Pathology at NAU so that they’re going to come in and provide speech and language for the children.”  

Damjanovic said she hopes that education majors and practicum students can come in and witness how children learn in this new lab setting firsthand, giving them their own ideas on how to engage with their student’s learning in a meaningful and exciting way.  

Sophomore early childhood education major Sydney Ekberg-Rogers said she is interested in seeing how the ELDC will be carried out and shared her goals in relation to the program.    

“I think being a part of the early stages of this is so important and it has so much room for growth and success that it could really give me a new perspective on my future and how I teach,” Ekberg-Rogers said. “I want to make a difference in children’s lives and make them have a helpful and happy experience in their early education. I want to give them a safe place to grow and gain confidence.”  

Ekberg-Rogers said she is passionate about finding solutions for children with special needs so they are not isolated from their peers and are provided with the same learning experience.  

Sophomore early childhood education major Zoe Clyde shared her stance on the ELDC as a member of NAU’s Association for the Education of Young Children that helped put together the first classroom for the program. 

“Early learning is crucial as it creates the stepping stones for young children to start their journey to learn,” Clyde said. “I think the ELDC provides an amazing opportunity for student teaching placements and for practicum students to get hands-on experience with early childhood teaching.” 

The classroom in the Early Learning and Development Center contains dolls, furniture and other objects to promote childhood learning in Flagstaff Middle School, May 3. (Photo by Taylor McCormick)

The program promotes the idea of social-emotional growth and learning through problem solving, interactions in collaboration and decision making, adding to its distinctiveness. This allows students to have a safe environment to share their thoughts, feelings and emotions in a healthy way to nurture meaningful learning and understanding in various situations.  

Of these situations, Cirzan expects that discussion on social justice issues will show up more often in the classroom setting. She stated the program encourages exploration around tough topics and hopes other schools adopt this innovation into their practices.  

“One of the beautiful things about our program is because we’re focused on children's interests, when topics come up, we don't shut them down.” Cirzan said. “We take the time to sit, ask questions, comment on what they’re learning and have honest conversations about what they may be interested in. That could be work around equality, work around trash or recycling, that could be work around gender roles as well, too.”  

Currently, seven children are enrolled in the program with a maximum of 25 being expected by fall. Of those, they expect half to be children of NAU students and faculty members. While the program opened late March, plans to expand the ELDC are alive and clear.  

“Right now, we’re serving children 3 to 5. Our next phase is that we’ll want to serve children, 1 and 2,” Damjanovic said. “With the eventual goal, we want to be a standalone building on NAU’s campus and we hope to have two classrooms for every age group from birth to 5.”  

The Dean of Education Ramona Mellott spoke highly of the ELDC’s opening and what it will mean for NAU’s reputation for education.  

“We are known for our education programs in the state and this definitely continues to enhance that reputation that we have as the place to go if you want to study education.” Mellott said. “We want to not only maintain it but strengthen it and continue to help prepare the best teachers for young children of all ages because we know how important education is.”  

Cirzan makes it a point to guarantee that early childhood educators are being compensated for their work, especially with it being rare because of limited funds in most childcare because of private pay.  

“It’s really important for us to show that they are teachers just like K-12 teachers and that they should be compensated for at a similar level, if not better,” Cirzan said.  

Cirzan outlines the ELDC’s strategic five-year plan to expand by being able to supply workshops and resources for educators and start a Family Engagement Committee to strengthen the family aspect of their mission statement in addition to opening the program to more age groups and moving on campus. A long-term goal of hers is to have a children’s museum opened in connection with the program to display the results of the program.