Saturday, July 11, 2015

WEEK 2- Creating Affirming Environments

Week 2- Blog 6358

If I were to open a Family Child Care Home I would like to have a home with several rooms. For the childcare area I would like to have at least three rooms that have a specific purpose (i.e. separate room for snack time, naps, and play room). In addition, I want to be sure I separate my home living space from the Family Care Center. My nap room will include sleeping mats and a comfy chair, my play room will have a couch and several learning resources and toys where the children can play with on their free time. I will have toys that play music, have different textures, and a playhouse with play food, and dress up items for the children to explore.
            In the Day Care area I will have several colorful posters on the walls, some which will include an alphabet, number, and seasons posters. In addition, I want to have pictures of the children displayed on the wall. It is important to make the children and families feel welcomed and a part of this classroom/ child care center. I will also have a wall or binder dedicated to parents that include a classroom calendar, monthly lunch menu, permission slips, and weekly newsletter. In addition, I will also keep in contact with the parents about how their children are doing in the class. According to Derman & Sparks,  [it is important to] try to get around to all of your families every two weeks through phone conversations or email” (Sparks & Edwards, 2010). I will either make an initiative to email or call my students families if I am unable to talk to them face to face.
            A Family Child Care Home that I want to create will feel very welcoming and will be a second home for both the families and children I teach. I will want to focus on social skills and teach children through play rather than academically. Nowadays, children are being taught academically at such a young age and do not learn the social skills needed like how schools used to be in the past. Children at a young age should be exploring and learning by teaching themselves through play and the experiences they encounter.

References:
Sparks, L., & Edwards, J. (2010). Anti-bias education for young children and ourselves.    Washington, DC: National Association for the Education of Young Children.


2 comments:

  1. Elizabeth,
    Your Family Child Care Home will look very similar to mine. I think this week video on Adriana Castillo helped us to see what's important to see in an Anti-Bias Early Childhood Daycare Center and how we can make our center welcoming, attractive, comfortable for children, inclusive of all families to meet the four core ABE goals that will sustain healthy development and learning. I think she has inspired us all and will certainly be useful to us. Great post! Caroline.

    Reference

    Laureate Education, Inc. (2011). Strategies for working with diverse children: Welcome to an anti-bias learning community. Baltimore, MD: Author

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  2. Elizabeth,
    I also wanted separate space for the daycare but hadn't thought about how many rooms I would actually need! I appreciated the welcoming environment you painted for me but also seeing Adriana Castillo's environment and how "homey" a child care area can be. Everything was visually stimulating and open for language and communication of all kinds.
    Laureate Education, Inc. (2011). Strategies for working with diverse children: Welcome to an anti-bias learning community. Baltimore, MD: Author

    Danielle

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