For our week 2 blog assignment this week, we needed to describe our ideal setting for a Family Child Care Home as if we were to open one in our homes currently. We need to include what the setting would look like, what elements would be included and why, and the ways in which you will make every child and family feel welcomed and appreciated in your home care center.
To start, I believe in the words of Bj Richards as stated, "I believe that our world would be a better place if all children grow up in anti-bias homes and child care settings. Children must feel safe, loved, and nurtured to develop the basic trust they need for healthy development," (Derman-Sparks & Edwards, 2010, p. 52). These words paint the picture of what I want and wish for the field of ECE and children in our society. By creating a family child care home setting, I would plan to emphasize the importance of the aforementioned information and focus on providing children with the tools, strategies, and opportunities to "develop a strong and positive self-concept and empathy for others through healthy intellectual, physical, social, emotional, and more development," (Derman-Sparks & Edwards, 2010, p. 52). The focuses or goals of my program would be on the aforementioned important factors, as well as fostering and maintaing positive teamwork relationships with children AND families. Additionally, the program would set a goal to create a welcoming and nurturing community of learners for all children and families of varying diverse backgrounds.
The setting itself would take place inside my home, creating a cozy, welcoming, nurturing environment in which children can feel comfortable and safe to learn, play, and grow. There would be a welcoming area in which the parents can check in or check out and the children can store their belongings and play with others to socialize and start their day. This would be a welcoming area in which everyone, parent and child, feels comfortable to begin the day on a positive note. From there, we would enter into the living room area in which we could host a circle time or morning meeting to welcome one another to a new day of learning together. Connected to the living room would be a spare room which would be a rest area and a comfort area to go to when a child is having a difficult time. I am modeling this after my Aunt's family child care home setting in which I assisted for many summers growing up, as well as from this week's example from Adrianna Castillo. There would be rooms and areas for play and exploration, as well as resting and peaceful areas when the child needs time to calm down and start fresh.
Adrianna Castillo created a wonderful home care environment in which she fostered positive and nurturing relationships with all children and parents. She shared that "families are so important to your program," (Laureate Education, Inc., 2011). In regards to my setting, I would set up, design, and maintain it so that it will be warm and welcoming, inviting all to partake in our activities and events taking place. Families will feel welcome to participate in various activities taking place during our daily routines, as well as for special events. Additionally, families will be able to share traditions and materials or information about their language, traditions, culture, and more with our center. Items can be shared and placed on display; traditions can be discussed and celebrated; language can be utilized and learned. Every single child and every single family will feel equally as welcome as the next, regardless of their diverse background or ability.
In regards to materials and resources utilized at my family child care home, I would follow the belief and understanding that "all child care environments, including family child care homes, can provide excellent anti-bias education materials," (Derman-Sparks & Edwards, 2010, p. 52). Moreover, it is imperative to utilize diverse materials and resources in this child care setting, even if it is not taking place in a public center or school building. Derman-Sparks and Edwards (2010) explain, "An environment rich in anti-bias materials invites exploration and discovery and supports children's play and conversations in both emergent and planned activities. It alerts children to which issues and people the teacher thinks are important and unimportant. What children do not see in the classroom teaches children as much as what they do see," (p. 43). Therefore, multicultural dolls, varying food and kitchen materials from many different countries and cultures, and much more would be represented in this setting for play, exploration, literature, and discussion. Families would be invited to come in and partake in lessons and the curriculum in ways that share about their cultures and beliefs for children to continue to learn more and grow. We would ensure the concepts of acceptance, tolerance, and understanding through multiple diverse texts, pictures, videos, songs, discussions, and more.
Lastly, the family child care home would be a place in which the parents felt like family. Our relationships would form a foundation to model for the children how nurturing and supportive relationships for an individual can be. Families are important to the effectiveness of a program and without their support, you will not be able to function effectively or appropriately. As Janis Keyser explains, "We cannot figure out what's going on with children without that partner of the family…teacher cannot do the quality care that we want without that input," (Laureate Education, Inc., 2011).
References:
Derman-Sparks, L., & Edwards, J. O.
(2010). Anti-bias education for young children and ourselves.
Washington, DC: National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC).
Laureate Education, Inc. (2011a). Strategies for working with diverse children: Welcome to an anti-bias learning community. Baltimore, MD: Laureate Education, Inc.
Laureate Education, Inc. (2011b). Strategies
for working with diverse children: Building on children’s strengths.
Baltimore, MD: Laureate Education, Inc.
Hi Ashley Richards,
ReplyDeleteYou did a great job putting a quality early childhood environment into play. I enjoyed reading your post. I feel that it is very important for the children in your care to feel as if they belong and like family! I also feel that we do our job best when we meet each child where they are and build on their strengths.
Ashley,
ReplyDeleteIt sounds like we have very similar ideas on what we would like to do in a child care home. The warm and welcoming environment that you have explained would be a great place for children and families to come together. Nice job!
Rachael
Ashley your idea Family Childcare Center sounds like a place where children can learn and develop. It would definitely be a place as a parent that I would send my child. Creating an anti-bias classroom is a way in embracing diversity. I like how you consistently use a welcoming environment for children and families. You did a subperb job putting it altogether.
ReplyDeleteHi Ashley
ReplyDeleteYour idea about opening up a child care center sound great. I believe it will be a place where the child are going to learn and develop. I like when you mention about welcoming the children and their families into the environment.
Ashley,
ReplyDeleteYou have a really good Child Care Home here. I would love to be a child in your home lol. You make a great point about helping children learn empathy for others. Empathy is one of the biggests parts of anti-bias education. Thank you for sharing!
~Jalice