Early Head Start

Throughout the last two weeks of observation and interacting with the professionals, children, and families at Sheltering Arms I was able to learn about the benefits of their Early Head Start (EHS) Program, which was in an infant classroom (six weeks to fifteen months). I was enlightened at how the program stands true to the original beginnings of the Head Start program. The traditional Head Start program was a place where children could come for hot meals, food and care with personal hygiene while they are educated in a early childhood setting. The EHS program at Sheltering Arms is designed for low income families, they provide child care for them at a low and affordable rate. Families in the EHS programs are given an opportunity for assistance with receiving formula, diapers, and food when needed for infants and toddlers as well as a full day in the ECE setting. The teachers and staff offer a safe, encouraging environment for families as well as children, home visits are done, parenting classes are required, volunteer time in the classrooms is required along with daily tips and help with maintaining the healthy growth, development and care of the children.
      In conversations with families I learned that they were very happy with the care, concern and help that they received from the center and many of them had more than one child go through the program. They were so happy with the success of their first child's experience they put their new babies on the waiting as soon as they knew they were pregnant. I was able to observe how the teachers interact with families and care for the children. Some of the teachers and children had such a bond that would cause the child to cry when the teacher left out of the classroom. Even though I was only observing I felt as though when children respond to adults in that way they are in good care. Because the center offers continuity of care the children would have these bonds up until they turned three.   
     The insight I gained as I observed that includes advocacy efforts is how effective parent education. Programs like EHS are a great avenue for reaching out to parents who may not know better while raising their children. I was enlightened by how the teachers in this small classroom chose to be advocates for the children in their class and speak up to the parents about how to care for their children. While I was their one of the teachers explained how they are having issued with the babies bottles not being cleaned properly, so they place hand outs in each child's cubby along with a brand new bottle cleaner and small bottle of dish washing liquid. This gestures was used in an attempt to not single any one out, but simply educate.
     I learned that there is still a high demand for passionate and caring teachers. Many times I see where teachers are only there for a pay check leaving our youth in situations where they are not challenged or helped the way they need. if the teachers I observed felt that way these families would suffer. In my attempt to continue my journey learning and exploring advocacy I plan on being a voice for those families and children who need people like me who wants to see them successful and prosperous in their lives.

Interacting with Professionals/Administrators and Advocacy

Throughout my continued observation and interactions with the administrators and professionals these last two weeks I was able to learn about to set up parenting classes and use the information table as a means of displaying items that would be helping in reaching out to families. My advocacy campaign is about educating families so the effects enlighten and prepare their children for a successful future. The Family Support Coordinators and Director all agreed that the center needs for improving the care that the children and increasing the interest level would stem from the results of an effective outreach program for parents. I brought these issues to them by sharing some observations that I made about how I noticed some of the parents interacting with the children, how the children were being brought to school and the actions of some of these children who parents needed a little boost or extra help with parenting.
I think that the best thing for me to do to continue my journey on parenting outreach is to learn about the companies policies on how they help families within the centers and outside in the community. I want to learn how the company does outreach and if not a direst way, I would like to talk to someone that could help me with stretching the campaign out so that more parents are willing to come get help. I would like to make parent education something that is not seen as a judgmental thing, but a helpful thing that he children need as well as a parent.

Sheltering Arms Early Child Care and Education Center

      The last two weeks have been very interesting. I have enjoyed learning from the staff at the Sheltering Arms Early Child Care and Education Center here in Union City, Ga. The center has sixteen classrooms and is licensed through Bright From The Start and NAEYC accredited. There are two Infant classrooms that have eight infants in each classroom from six weeks to fifteen months, one of them is an Early Head Start. There are four Toddler classrooms, two are Head Start and there are only eight children in each room, the other two classrooms have thirteen children in them a piece. The ratio for the infants and one year old is 1:4, the ratio for the two year old is 1:6, and the ratio for the three year old is 1:9 There are 5 Preschool and 5 Pre-K classrooms, and two of the Preschool classrooms are Head Start. The ratio for the Preschool classrooms is 1:9 and the Pre-K classrooms is 1:10. The curriculum is the Creative Curriculum that focuses on the whole child and learning through play. The Infant and Toddler teachers work as continuity caregivers, they stay with the same set of children as they rotate from the Infant classrooms to the Toddler classrooms. On average the teachers are the children's care givers in some cases from six weeks to age three before they transition to a preschool classroom. The Pre-K program is licensed and functioned by Bright from the Start.    
      The classrooms are very spacious and equipped with a variety of learning equipment and material. Each group of children have their own separate playground with the age appropriate equipment for each group. The playgrounds are easily accessible through the back doors of each classroom. The classrooms are separated by areas that include a water play and sensory area, science and discovery, block area, manipulative area, writing and art areas for toddlers, preschoolers and pre-k, book nooks, quiet or cozy areas(a place filled with books, stuffed animals that is also used for children to go who do not want to be bothered or may need to calm down), and a computer center for preschool and pre-k. The toddler, preschool and pre-k classrooms have child size restrooms, sinks, along with table and chairs. The center wide rule for entering the classrooms is "Wash Your Hands When You Enter the Classrooms," the children are encouraged to wash their hands regularly and brush their teeth at least once a day while at school. The teachers work collaboratively to make sure the ratio is acknowledge and that all children needs are met. The center also have a very notable inclusion program. I was able to speak with parents that had special needs children in the Head Start classrooms, they were very pleased with the services they received. The teachers were all very friendly and warm as I observed their classrooms.
     I had the pleasure of speaking with the Director, Mr. Mcnair and two of the Curriculum Specialist Mrs. Watson and Mrs. Powers. They all were easy to talk to and gave me more ideas to use for my paper. Generally the main concern for the center in the Wellness and Health area is encouraging more parents to participate in their Lunch and learn session, which happens once every month, the topics vary from how to cook a healthy meal to bonding with our child. The center have different speakers and guest that come out and teach the classes. The director's issue is that they never get enough parent participation, so outreach is a problem. The Curriculum Specialist explained to me that some of the things that they would like to give a voice to the children who parents refuse services for when their are expected special needs. They expressed that they would like to figure out a better way to reach the parents who refuse.
    Throughout my interviews and observations throughout the last two weeks I gained an insight on the need for teachers and administrative staff that work to help parents help their children. I realized that my original topic is to broad and needs to be broken down. I think I will talk about the need for parent education; how do we reach them and keep them involved and engaged? As I went through these last two week I was faced with so many children that could not speak for themselves, so I leave you all with this quote for the week, "Children may forget what you say to them, but they never forget how you made them feel." and " "Teachers are the ones who have the biggest influence on the lives of our future, what type of influence are you?"     
       
   

Advocacy Interviews

      The insight that I gained from both educators, the first is an early childhood caregiver for infants and toddlers, the second a teacher assistant for public early childhood education, is that the issues they both expressed are very similar even though there is a significance in the age levels. The issues that both types of teachers expressed are their concerns with issues of denial and rejection i families when early intervention can help and the lack of care that some children receive.
    These interviews persuaded me to choose the route of discussing becoming apart of the public early childhood education advocacy campaign. I was persuaded to take this route because I noticed that even the issues of denial and lack of care in child care parents still are more available, where as in the public early childhood settings families begin to become strangers to the learning process leaving a huge gap between home and school.
    As a part of my reserch and advocacy journey I would like to figure out how to close these gaps and stimulate family participation that is not forced or judgemental. I would to find out how to help early childhood programs create programs that allow parents to get the resources they need to become assets to their child's learning process.
Questions that I have for my colleagues are:

1. What are some of the issues you notice in your classrooms because of the lack of family involvement?
2. Do you think that this is an issue that is large issue that is swept under the table because of the excuses that are given becuase of demographics?
3. How can we work as a group or team to help parents and families understand the importance of their participation at home and school, even in families that may have language barriers and/or cultural differences?
   

ECE and Me!

Hi,
My fellow educators!! This blogging thing is new to me, but I have always been interested in it. my golden opportunity came when it became a requirement for my internship. I am near the end of my journey to pursue my bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education. I hope that this blog will be an asset to my journey in completing my degree program and my career as an elementary school teacher. I look forward to seeing what this blog that gives me your opinions and insights in the field of education will bring.
TTYS,
LekethiaW