Daycare

Debbie asked me what to look for in a daycare.. seeing as how I work there.. I'm pretty sure I know what to look for.. lol.

I'm going to try to be in depth as much as possible.

What is the ratio of staff to children? One of the most important things to ask about is how many kids are in the class. By looking up local state licensing laws, you can find that out to know for sure. One thing about daycares is some will fill to max capacity, while others will try to shimmer it down a bit. Our state law (in KY) is 1 teacher to 10 two year olds. One thing the center I work at strives for (and keeps as long as I've been here) is 1:8 with their twos. That is a major plus for staff and parents. The lower, within reason, ratio the better. (Understanding, of course, that daycares do have to make some money in order to keep it's doors open. You shouldn't expect 1 on 1 care in a daycare.)

How are the teachers trained? Again I speak only in KY (cause I know the laws here) we are required to have 15 hours by state law. Our daycare requires us to have 20 hours... In order to maintain excellence and keep above the learning curve, we have to have more. Does your daycare ask the staff to go above and beyond the law in order to provide the children with more?

Do any teachers there have a CDA? CDAs are national, and basically state that the teachers owning them are trained in the children above and beyond. It is much like having a grade school teacher with a masters VS a bachelors.. both are good, and the bachelor teachers may even be better, but more training never hurt anyone.

What are the policies on discipline? Do they do Time-out? Do you agree with Time-out? Do they only redirect? What is concrete for any time of removal from play? How often do children get removed from the daycare totally for discipline problems? What are the policies on Biting and such like that? In all honesty, all daycare providers should have a readily available copy of their parent handbook for you to read over and ask questions about at your viewing.

Is there ample SAFE space for all children to play? A play ground.. does it look safe? Ask how the playground molds to the state requirements. What about on rainy or snowy days? Where do the children play then? Look for a gym or open space indoors that is well equipped AND offers a variety of activities for those rainy days.

Ask to see the POSTED licensing information. All daycares are required to post the inspections on them. They are required to post all write-ups from state and all state investigations for the last year. Ask to see where they are posted. READ THEM! Ask questions. All of those posted will also have the daycares response to them. READ THE RESPONSE! Does it line up with your feelings on it?

Check the "no brainer" child proofing. Are the outlets covered? Are there any cords dangling dangerously? Look around the rooms your children will be in and SEE if there is anything that you would not allow at your house. The greatest tool is to LOOK all around you... never taking for granted that things just are.

What are the toys in the rooms and how do they educate children? Different age levels have different appropriate toys. When you are touring, ask about the toys. Does the shelves seem well stocked of toys? What is the teaching methods for the different rooms? How are the toys further developing my child's brain?

Ask about curriculum and such I have had more than one person say to me over the years "I didn't know two year olds were taught lessons!" Every minute of every day is a teaching experience for each child. Starting at birth, a child is learning and seeing. One of the most important things for me in my classroom (and yes, I consider it a classroom just like a school teacher) is that my children are challenged every day to learn something new. I teach Montessori style in a traditional daycare. It is perfectly acceptable and shows just one of the different teaching methods when parents come to look around. Children should not just be "sat" for... daycares really shouldn't be just overpriced babysitters. For paying as much as you are, do you really just want someone to watch your kid try to eat a stuffy?

Again with that, it's all age appropriate. I don't try to teach my two year olds complex math. We call math counting to 25 and learning to identify their numbers. But at the 4 and 5 year old level, right before school, if they were merely counting to 25 and learning to recognize number... that would NOT be age appropriate. All lessons should be done on the kids level.

How does the center encourage parent/teacher/director relationships? Does the center offer time for the parent to come in to talk to the teachers? Parent nights at school? Open door policy? Can parents just drop by randomly to observe the child's classroom? How dose the center deal with this?

Watch the teachers, talk to the teachers It is hard to visit with parents touring the place. That is understandable from a teacher perspective, but really, it is worth it to step aside and, while watching the kids, take a moment to talk to the visiting parents. Parents don't be afraid to ask questions.

I had a parent in once quiz me on the stuff going on in my classroom. It impressed her! I smile to this day thinking of her and her questions and exactly how they were answered.. it was the defining point to put her child in our center.

Look for schedules and postings How do the staff record the happenings of their day? What does the parent receive at the end of the day to outline all the happenings of their child's day?

Don't be afraid to talk, and talk a lot Directors may seem like they don't want to talk, but really, talk their ears off. Ask any questions you can think of! Ask, ask and ask some more. This is your child, don't be afraid to fight on their behalf to find them the best place possible to be away from.

That is really all I can think of when looking! Feel free to ask more specific questions if you need to!

~Hawk

Woah

I am so excited about the month of december. I am getting ready our Advent calendar for the class room as well as a whole month of advent related things. I have researched Hannukah and Kwanza, talked to my boss, and have everything ready to celebrate the top three religious ceremonies for the USA. Now if I could just get the two other two year old teachers off my back. They want to do everything I am doing, their own way, and want me to follow their way, while not doing anything at all. I have done all the researched, emailed them the stuff, printed a copy for myself and am all set. I get a text today about how they don't care for this advent calendar and want ME to find a new one... I'll be damned if I am going to find a new one. HAH!

I am also started a second blog on this account for my montessori stuff. I am going to keep Long Journey Home adoption related, and hopefully get some new content in here.

I haven't created the Montessori blog yet... I am giving that addy to my parents at school... and you are all welcome to read it as well and give ideas. I base all my teachings in my classroom off of homeschooling... and with it being a religious daycare I teach at, I will be bringing religion into the mix.

Enjoy.

Contest

http://www.goodhappenings.com/?p=571#comment-9734

Laurie is holding a pretty nifty contest over her way! Go check it out!

Schooling

So today was a very interesting Summit training session. I enjoyed most of what I dealt with and truly came to learn a lot about the Montessori method.

As of right now, I have no method in my 2 year old classroom. We are traditional, Creative learning.. which is a way to say "we have a routine, but that's about it". I am trying to structure this now that I know my kids (even though I am getting 3 new ones and having 2 transition up to the 3's on Monday) so I decided to step back and regroup.

I have always used the A Beka approach to teaching before. That was the "method" used at my last daycare centre. Now I am the sole teacher and I must adapt my own method. So I started my research back in August of the different methods... and completely wrote off the Montessori cause I have never heard good things about it. I have been attempting child lead, but alas, it's not working all that great for me as my children lead me directly to messes. :)

That said, I am researching Montessori and hope to be able to make a post about it later when I have a bit more information. But what I do have now is amazing.

What is your favourite type of child learning for preschool/early childhood education?

101 Questions

Okay, not 101, but a few.

I am pondering over closed VS. Open adoption. I read DEBBIE'S blog daily and after waiting for a Russian adoption she opted instead for an open domestic adoption. I read a few other blogs she links out religiously and I often wonder... "Open VS Closed".

I don't want to seem closed minded... not at all. Open adoptions seem uncomfortable to me... I'll be perfectly honest. I have wanted closed adoptions from the begining, which is why foreign adoption seemed so right to me... it was where I was being called. And now I am in a different seaseon with my life and find myself looking at open adoptions, domestic adoptions and adoption through the foster care system... all of which have been shown to me by people who I look up to in the adoption world.

That said... I often wonder... Why open? Why the need to have the birth mother so close? What if the birth mother doesn't want to BE that close? Is open good for the kids bonding times? I mean, if they KNOW this other woman was their mum, that's one thing, but to be in monthly or whatever contact with her, couldn't that confuse the kid? Does confusion become greater as the kid gets older, teh feelings of resentment over "Well, why did you choose not to keep me but kept them?" (I know a woman who gave up her 8th kid, but kept the other 7.) Couldn't that cause confusion for the kid over parents VS PARENTS?

I sound horrible, I know that, but these are all honest thoughts in my head, and dammit this is my blog. If you don't like my honesty, go away :)

that all said, I'm sure I'll add a million more questions to this over time, and as our adoption gets closer (HAH! I've come to think it'll NEVER happen :( ) I'm sure I'll have a million more questions.

thanks,

Hawk

It's been time enough

It's been time enough now I can look at this blog and smile. Adoption is on hold at the moment, and foreign adoption is looking bleaker, but alas, it will happen when it is time.

But, until then, I didn't want to abondon my blog completely... but I didn't know what to do with it. this is my adoption blog... it was never meant to be anything BUT my adoption blog... but now.. it's going to be an over all children blog.

I will still post questions and concerns about adoption I have, as well as bringing up other things. I teach preschool for heaven's sake... if nothing else I can give a little insight to how I teach as well as great things to do with your kids.

So, here's to hoping this blog becomes something greater than it's been since May... here's to hoping I can get on the ball!

~Hawk

Been a while

Been a while since I posted anything... why? I dunno. I haven't posted on any of my blogs lately. I suppose I need to get with it eh?

Life is going okay. Getting ready for prek graduation.. where the 2's will sing 4 songs and then the 3's and pre-k will sin ga few songs together and then the pre-k will sing a few songs all by theirself. I am so excited because 3 of the songs we are singing we are signing as well. I have been using Signing Time! for over 3 years now and I am excited to say that it has worked amazingly!

I dunno what else to blog about at this point. I suppose I need to start blogging about such things as what I know about childcare... who knows.. perhaps someone will come round and read it someday! lol.

Later

Hawk

It's been a while

and I doubt I have any readers left... if I had any in teh first place.

A lot has changed and time is flying by.

I am still pursuing the dream of adopting a child from Russia.
A lot has changed and hopefully I will be able to catch up blogging! I still read daily the blogs I love adn have added so many to my list (mostly from Debbie's side bar! She is a wealth of blogs!).

~Hawk