Whole other outlook

The experience at the Daycare was a whole other outlook for me since working with children is what I want to do. I loved my experience at the daycare, even though I did have some hard times with certain things, but overall it helped me realize how children of different ages all interact with each other. My profession is going to be a teacher. Hopefully teaching grades between K-4 is where I hope to teach. Between my job as a Nanny for the past 4 years, as well as substituting grades from K-4 and this internship I am lucky to experience 3 different experiences working with children. Being a Nanny I feel as a second mother, substituting is doing what I love and that is teaching children, and finally the daycare, being able to help the children learn what they need to to carry with them into Kindergarden.

During my last couple of days it is going to be hard to leave the daycare, since most of the children know who I am and come to me with whatever problems they have. Its hard because this is what I love to do, work with children and you can become attached to children that you have spent a great deal of time with.

Progress!

I have finally made progress with one of the little boys name Anthony. I'm not sure if I have mentioned him in a previous post, but basically Anthony is 2 yrs old boy who seems to be the "problem child" in the classroom. He is the youngest child in the class and doesn't speak yet. His only way of communication is to either yell, scream, or bite. And trust me he has done them all to me. I seemed to be drawn to him because I felt like it was a challenge to see the progress I could make with him every time I came to work. Finally yesterday I made progress! All the children were eating snack and Anthony kept getting up from the table and he left his mess there. All the teachers kept telling him to throw it away and to clean up but he wouldn't. Than I took him and sat him in his chair, knelled down to his level and nicely told him, "I would appreciate it Anthony if you could clean up your mess from snack. You would be helping the whole class if you did and you would be a big helper." So while stomping his feet all the way to the trashcan he threw his trash away. I praised him, told him he did a great job and gave him a high five and he was happy and proud of himself. The other teachers were shocked because Anthony always gives them trouble. Being a Nanny I know what trouble is, but you can't just yelled at the children or order them. You have to treat them with respect in order to gain respect. They need to feel like they belong, and for Anthony being the smallest child in the class he feels out of place. You can tell because he goes off on his own and does his own thing. I'm very happy that I made progress with him, and hope to make more with my last few days there!

Busy Busy

Sorry I haven't gotten a chance to write! Been super busy, along with the Internship. Last week I was finally put in charge of a group of the children. I taught them a lesson, and than gave them free time and worked on a puzzle with them. I still do odd jobs such as washing the dishes, and making snacks. I'm enjoying my time with the children, and it will be strange when I am done and won't see them anymore. Teaching the lesson last week was good experience for me, since this week is my first week to start substituting. I don't know where I make the time for all of this. I don't stop. I will be going to the daycare in the morning, that is if I get done this 10 page paper in a resonable hour tonight!! Hope you all have a good week!

Long Morning

As soon as I walked into the daycare this morning, coming back from my week on spring break I had many things that they wanted me to do. My first task was to make play dough! I haven't made play dough in a few years. I'm surprised I remembered how, even though I know it's easy. I am sitting here right now typing this post, with green dye from the play dough still on my hands.
After that I had to cut out the papers we needed for art time. Once I was done that I was able to interact with the children! All they wanted to do was go outside and play since it was such a nice day out. So that was all that was on their minds! It was impossible to keep their attention on their art projects because that was the last thing they wanted to do at that time. So I suggested to the teacher to take them out first, that way they could get it out of their system. And it worked! After the children came back in from playing outside for about 30 minutes, they were ready for the tasks they had to complete that morning.
There was one point where I wanted to pull my hair out, Once one child goes to the drinking fountain.. they all follow! Puddles of water everywhere, and once I cleaned one up, there was another one.
Over all it was a good morning, besides the water spill! I am feeling more involved when I walk through the door, since they had some jobs for me to do. Yet I still get to interact with the children!

Phase 1

The Gloucester County College daycare is an organization for parents who attend classes at the college to have a place to bring their children. As well as for parents around the community who work full time or part time.


Debbie Rabattino is the director of the daycare. There are two classrooms that make up the daycare. one for mentally challenged children and another for children who are developing normally.


In the classroom where children who are mentally challenged there are teachers there from a school called Bankbridge. The school is located around the corner from the college. A few teachers come to the daycare to work with those children to give them one on one help. In the other classroom where the children are developing normally there is one teacher who works there everyday. while sometimes there are teachers who attend the college and work at the daycare as a part time job.


My role at the daycare is basically a teachers aide. If the teacher is late I would start the lesson that is planned for that day. Sometimes I would take half the children to the other side of the room and teach them a different lesson. This is a field that I love to work in because I am going to school to become a teacher. It feels great when I am in front of the classroom, whether it is teaching them lesson or simply just reading them a book. I know teaching is my passion.


Each day they have a routine. Around nine o'clock is song and story time til nine forty five. On Tuesdays is when I mostly go and that is when Mr. Larry, who is the art teacher comes. He gives the children a project to work on. After art they have free play til around ten forty five. Which than is snack time, where the children can eat inside or go outside depending on the weather. Eleven forty five they sometimes continue to play outside or they come inside and they are taught a lesson, depending on what the theme of the day is.


I have spoken with Debbie, and what my goals are for the Internship. She has given me papers on the things they look for and evaluate with their students. The way they act with other students and teachers, how well they corroperate and listen to the lesson. Motorskills, problem solving etc. Overall I am enjoying my experience at the daycare, it is a chance to see the assessment of the different ages, and developments the children go through with their motor skills, working with others, and their creative skills.

Week 2

This week was a rough week. I started feeling sick during the beginning of the week. I went to the daycare on Tuesday morning. Every time I am there it seems as though there is always a different teacher there. Which is hard for the children because they are not able to follow the same routine everyday. I noticed they only follow directions for certain teachers. The teacher who was there on Tuesday was one I never met. I could feel the vibes that she thought that I was just going to get in the way. But I made sure to ask if she needed help with anything. I mainly felt the need to be in charge on one little boy named Anthony. He is only 2 1/2yrs old, and doesn't really talk yet. It seems as though because he is the smallest in the class he wants to make his presence known which is the reason he gets into trouble more than the other children. Towards the end of the morning, Debbie who is the person who runs the daycare was able to sit down with me, and give me the information they use to evaluate the children. They look at things such as motor skills, communication skills, etc. Which is a big help to me while I am there so I have a better understanding with the way they do their routines.

The next day I went to the doctor and found out that I had Bronchitis. Which of course I wasn't happy about. I didn't want to go to the daycare and get the children sick, so I was home sick for a few days. I am finally feeling better and planning on being back at the daycare this Tuesday!

First Week

I Started this past week at the Gloucester County Day Care. My first day was on Tuesday, I went in the morning around 8:30 to 11:30. There are two different classrooms, one classroom is for children who are developing normally, and the other is for children who have mental disorders. The owner put me in the classroom for the children who are developing normally. The room is run by a a set schedule. The is usually two teachers in the room that teach. The ages of the children run from two and a half to five years of age. My first day I helped keep the children in order, I read them a few stories so that i could get to know them. I also went on Thursday around the same time as Tuesday. I taught the children a song that day which was fun because they looked and listened to me like I was actually their teacher. This week should be more exciting!