Early Childhood

Children are always throwing out sparks of knowledge, curiosity, and inquiry and adults must be ready to catch those sparks.

Vacay at the J features outdoor activities with music, games, arts, water fun, and more. Every JCC member is invited to bring a friend!

Phung Huynh is hopeful for the future.

As an art professor at Los Angeles Valley College, she is constantly inspired by the next generation. “I feel so lucky for that,” she says. “There’s an exciting new group of artists coming up right now.”

As an educator with previous experience at Pasadena’s Art Center College of Design and Scripps College in Claremont, Huynh continues to encourage budding talent. “I’m getting older,” she says. “I need to give a platform for younger and emerging artists. I try to do that as best as I can and support others.”

What are the experts saying about families teaching from home? In the New York Times, Jennie Wiener, Professor of Educational Leadership, shares, “This is going to be messy and that is o.k.” Dennis Shirley, a professor at Boston College, shares tips on teaching at home, “Involve your children in drawing up colorful schedules that are posted prominently in the home. Set the schedule and stick to it. Avoid negotiating about what comes next.” Fenya Galev and Chelsea ...

Working with young children has special advantages during this challenging time. Despite limitations that COVID has imposed on most schools, and the challenges it has created for me as a preschool director, the kids still manage to make me laugh with their constant (funny) questions and carefree attitudes. Their smiles remind me of the good in the world. The difficulties of our current reality can’t be diminished by easy platitudes, but our little ones remind me that there are silver ...

Whether your child is in fact a baby, or just “your baby” and entering middle school, junior high or (gasp) high school, transitions can be hard at all ages. Truth be told, the transitions are often harder for the parents. Happy to reach these monumental milestones, parents typically feel proud as their children start at new schools. Nevertheless, we also experience waves of bittersweet emotions as our “babies” grow up. Likewise, generally, children can be excited to ...