The Child Development Center is a laboratory preschool and infant toddler center where University students, young children, and their parents are empowered to construct knowledge about the world.
The California State University, Stanislaus Child Development Center (CDC) is an instructional facility established to teach university students about child development—theory and applications, program design and evaluation, and research. Students from varied disciplines such as child development, communication studies, education, music, and psychology participate at the CDC each semester. By participating in laboratory courses, students learn to observe children and record their behaviors, assess children’s development, plan and evaluate developmentally appropriate activities, and design and implement research projects.
The CDC offers 15 paid internships to CSU Stanislaus students. Interns also earn academic credit each semester. CSU Stanislaus has the only child development laboratory in the CSU that employs students as head teachers, instructional aides, and administrators. As students complete coursework and gain experience, they compete for increasingly challenging positions. Interns at the CDC gain experience teaching young children, supervising college students, and sharing administrative duties. All college student participation at the Child Development Center is coordinated with university courses to provide supervised practicum experiences.
Fieldwork, laboratory and salaried experiences at the Child Development Center are applicable for California Child Development Permits and meet California Department of Social Services Community Child Care Division licensing requirements. For additional information regarding the internship program, contact Dr. Jennifer Esterly, Director.
