Imagining
that I want to open my on Family Child Care Home, I would first reflect on what
my setting would look like, what elements I think I might want to include, and
the various ways that I will strive to ensure that every child and family feels
welcome and respected.
Martha’s
Family Child Care and Learning Center will be my Center’s name. It will be designed on a learning center
format (for
example, drawing and painting, music, pretend play, reading, and writing,
exploration and practical living).
The children will range from toddlers to pre-schoolers. I was inspired by the tour of
Adriana’s Home Care Center featured in the media segment to include a Parent’s/Family
Center in the entrance of my center.
This will be an area designated for the Parents/Family. It will be complete with a bulletin board that
families can use to post bulletins and announcements. In addition, I will post
information such as daily schedules and menus.
There will be literature in Spanish as well as English. There will be a book and magazine rack that
contains a wealth of information about services provided in the local community
and surrounding areas.
Objects
in and areas of the environment will be accessible to all children regardless
of ability, needs, or background.
I will select
multi-cultural materials to use in my Center and ensure that the materials are free
of biases, stereotypes, and misrepresentations regarding diverse cultures
(Derman-Sparks & Edwards, 2010). I
will use art to enhance awareness of multi-cultures and use children’s
literature to integrate multi-cultural themes in the classroom. I will use grouping for learning, developmentally appropriate
practices, and literacy routines; in addition, I will have classroom designs
that continue to encourage reading and writing through learning centers and
engaged learning activities. The
walls will be covered with alphabets, numbers, and plentiful images of children,
their families and their communities. There will be pictures, posters, and other materials that reflect children
and adults with varying abilities in natural situations (Derman-Sparks
& Edwards, 2010). There will also be lots of the children’s work
on display. There will be a word wall
(including Spanish words) at the children’s eye level. Culturally rich literacy materials will be in
all the learning centers,
along with lots of varied writing tools and materials. Table-top toys and other play accessories that depict people
will be representative of the various cultural and ethnic groups both within the
center and the community in general.
Teachers will
share unbiased books that expose
children to various life experiences of cultures, ethnic groups, and varying
abilities other than their own.
The Center will
serve meals “Family style”. Children,
staff, parents and
volunteers will eat together, sharing the same menu, and
socializing in a relaxed atmosphere.
Meals provided will include foods that are unique to
the cultural and ethnic backgrounds of children and families served
in the program and community.
All of the toys and play areas will be
labeled for print recognition. The labels will be written in English and
Spanish. They will have words and
pictures to go along with them all over the center. Props for the pretend play and practical
living areas will be culturally diverse and authentic (e.g. dolls, clothing,
cooking utensils, household articles, furniture).
I will use a pictorial classroom
schedule. The schedule will be mounted
at the children’s eye-level, where both the children and teacher can see
it. In addition, a calendar will be kept
and used as part of the classroom routine.
Each day, a review of the activities that have already happened, those
that will take place next, and other that are planned for the next day will contribute
to a sense of different time levels (past, present, future).
Resources
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.
(Executive Producer) (2011). Welcome
to an anti-bias learning community.
[Video webcast]. Retrieved from
https://class.waldenu.edu/webapps/portal/frameset.jsp?tab_tab_group_id=_2_1&url=%2Fwebapps%2Fblackboard%2Fexecute%2Flauncher%3Ftype%3DCourse%26id%3D_4066646_1%26url%3D
Martha,
ReplyDeleteYour Family Child Care Home sounds wonderful and where all children and families would feel welcomed and respected. I think it is vital to have methods in place to establish communication as there is a wealth of information to share with families and bulletin boards work great. Having a good rapport with families will facilitate family involvement leading to greater learning and better outcomes for the child.