Mae Carden founded Miss Carden's School for Young Children in October 1934. During the following years, she developed a distinctive method of teaching reading and spelling based on phonetics. She also wrote student readers and teachers' manuals for all the elementary grades and trained the teachers in the school in her unique method of teaching. In this period she developed a comprehensive, sequential curriculum for the elementary grades, which covered the usual subjects, but in a unique, integrated way. It stressed both mastery of content and the development of analytical thinking and problem-solving skills. The curriculum Miss Carden developed was also rich in art and music appreciation, artistic and musical activities, and drama. The school grew quickly and prospered – its halls filled with happy, intelligent and confident children until 1949 when Miss Carden closed the school to focus on further developing the Carden Curriculum and on sharing her teaching materials and techniques with private and public schools across the country.

At Carden Schools® teaching in the tradition of Mae Carden, each child is encouraged to grow and develop his own personality in an atmosphere of understanding and wholesome guidance. The Carden Method® provides the opportunity for the unfolding of the mind and capacities of the child. It assures each child a harmonious adaptation to his environment in an atmosphere of happiness,

Carden Schools® are independently owned and operated. Each Carden School® preserves its own individuality while following the guidance of the Carden teaching techniques and the use of the Carden educational materials.