The Learning Experience 'develops child as a whole'

Photo by Jack Reynolds
Some of TLE's teachers are formal educators,
though many are just "good with children."

“This looks chaotic, but it isn’t,” said co-owner and director of The Learning Experience in Manahawkin, Colleena Lieter. “This is organized chaos,” she emphasized.

Lieter was referring to a classroom of happy-go-lucky, 2-year-old children, known as “twaddlers” at the academy of early learning, who appeared to be running the show. On taking a closer look, it was easy to see the order amidst the madness.

While some children sat listening to their teacher reading a Dr. Seuss story, others counted the number of dishes in the pretend kitchen, and the rest practiced Spanish with the help of an assistant teacher. Down the hall, 6-week-old infants painted with pudding, and 3-year-olds used sign language to express their gratitude with each other. Clearly, these were children light years above their expected age level – a goal Lieter and her twin sister, Shaleen Riker, were looking to afford their own children before they decided to open a childcare center in Stafford.

Impressed with the philosophy of TLE, yet unsure of how to run a business, Lieter and Riker decided to open a franchise. They finally received a Small Business Administration loan in 2006, and were able to open the building in Manahawkin in October 2010. Currently, 113 children between the ages of 6 weeks and 5 years are enrolled at the school.

“We develop the child as a whole, starting with infants, and give them a solid foundation. There’s so much structure, and routine, and positive guidance. As long as the kids are busy, they’re happy. It’s planned out perfectly,” said Leiter, who also works nights and weekends as a nurse in the maternity ward at Southern Ocean Medical Center and said she has been there when many of the children were born. “I really can’t say enough about the franchise. Teachers have so many materials at their disposal, so they love to work here,” she added.

Some of the on-staff teachers are formal educators, though many of them “just work really well with children.”  Anyone hired at TLE receives extensive training, which even includes a 14-step diaper changing schedule.

Photo by Jack Reynolds
A lot of learning at TLE takes
place through play.

“People don’t work here because they’re looking for a job. You work here because you really love working with children,” Leiter noted.

TLE’s curriculum, created at the corporate level by a team of expert educators, focuses on developing the cognitive, social and physical needs of each child who attends the school, based on different learning styles. The program is broken up into separate classes according to chronological age and developmental stage. Parent-teacher conferences are conducted twice a year to address any concerns and keep parents abreast of their children’s development at school. By the time they leave the center to attend kindergarten, 90 percent of the children are reading, said Riker. Most of the children are done potty-training by the time they are 2 years old.

Math skills, art projects, manners and etiquette are also addressed. The children even learn sign language and are encouraged to help others inside and outside of the classroom as a means of philanthropy – a basic principle the children seem to pick up easily, though many of their parents admitted they did not know what the word even meant. When Superstorm Sandy hit the local area, the kids donated many of their own toys to local shelters. The children have even earned “stars” or “paw prints” for helping their peers on a daily basis.

The children’s families are encouraged to join the fun and get acquainted with the school’s programs through special events held at the center, including “breakfast to go” and “parents night out,” which gives the adults a chance to get to know one another. Homework helps keep parents aware of the sort of education their kids are receiving throughout the day. The school’s “open-door” policy even allows family members to check on their kids at anytime.

“We have an automated electronic security system called Child Safe ’N Secure,” said Leiter. “You must have a key fob to get into the building and into each of the classrooms. There are exits in every room, but as long as we’re expecting a kid’s parents or grandparents, they’re certainly welcome to stop in.”

Photo by Jack Reynolds
TLE's "Make Believe Boulevard" includes a ball
pit and winding slide, as well as a pretend fire
station, diner, general store and garage.

Supplied with fresh meals prepared on the premises and given free rein to express themselves through play, most of the children who attend the school “don’t want to miss anything” and are sad to go at the end of the day, said Leiter. With an inside ball pit and winding slide found in “Make Believe Boulevard,” a large room set up to look like a miniature town complete with a diner, general store, garage and fire station, it is easy to see why Leiter and Riker believe TLE is a wonderful place to grow up.

“These are our customers, and they’re happy. So we’re happy about that,” said Riker.

Before- and after-school care is provided for children up to 9 years old. Transportation is provided for children who attend schools within the district.

Costs are competitive with local daycare centers. For more information, visit http://manahawkin.tlechildcare.com/index.php, or call 609-978-2900 Monday through Friday between 6:30 a.m. and 6:30 p.m.

This article was published in The SandPaper.