Professional Development Division

Since 1972, The Children's Center at Caltech (CCC) has been offering high quality child care and education for children ages six month to six years. In 2000, our research lead us to adopt STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) curricula as a focus of our early childhood program. As leaders in STEM Early Childhood education, we launched ECSTEM in 2011, and host an annual conference bringing together educators, policy makers, researchers and other vested community stakeholders to address the needs of our youngest citizens.

Due to the overwhelming demand for tours of our facilities, and requests for professional growth workshops, we have formed a Professional Development Division (PDD) that arranges tours, on-site visits and workshops at the CCC.

Spring Workshops at The Children's Center at Caltech

Making Math Meaningful
What we know from research is that we are all hardwired with innate mathematical abilities from birth. In this workshop, you'll discover how early math skills lay the foundation for future academic success, enhance critical thinking, and promote problem solving. Come away feeling more confident in your own math abilities and with practical strategies to integrate math into your classroom seamlessly, making math fun and meaningful for young children.

Saturday, March 15th, 2025 (9-12pm) Presenter: Melissa Samples, STEM Curriculum Coordinator

Musical Pathways to STEM

The workshop will awaken, develop, and refine innate musicality through STEM based music and movement activities for early childhood years. The session will encourage to build a strong foundation for future development of language, social-emotional, and motor skills for young children by introducing ear-training, singing games, solfege, finger plays, song-tales, echo songs, folk dance, playing patterns on non-pitched percussion instruments and pitched barred instruments.

Saturday, April 26th, 2025 (9-12pm)
Presenter: Dayita Datta, Music Specialist

Engineering Design Process

The Engineering Design Process is tool children use in their daily lives. In this workshop, you will follow us through a diverse curriculum tied together by scientific inquiry and art while providing young children opportunities to exercise their problem solving skills.

Saturday, May 17th, 2025 (9-12pm) Presenter: Jose Osorio, Lead Teacher

If interested in an Educator Tour of The Children's Center at Caltech, please call the office at 626.395.6860 to schedule your visit, then please fill out the educator tour form and mail to us at the address below.

For questions regarding Educator Tours or the PDD Workshop Series, please call 626.395.6860 or email ecstem@caltech.edu

Please complete the registration form and mail along with payment to: The Children's Center at Caltech, 1200 E. California Blvd. MC 1-133, Pasadena, CA 91125; Attention: PDD