Let Children Be Children

Recently, I engaged in a conversation with a young educator that asked me, what do you think is wrong with this child?  I looked at the educator and said, "Oh, he's just sharing all of his personality with us."  We observed the child 'looking for things to do.'  I advised the educator that when a curriculum promotes positive development in young children, even children that are looking for things to do can be entertained and learn through the manipulation of the appropriate materials.  Young children just really want to explore nature, receive nurturing, and share their personality with their families and caregivers.  I encourage all educators to simply, Let Children Be Children.

Organized, Clean: The Attraction

When an environment is clean and organized, it delight's the eye of young children!  Families are then able to see the evidence of learning.  

Early Childhood Education Communities: From Enrollment to Education Process

Once you have made a decision to enroll your child in an early childhood education setting, we know that you must interview the programs you're considering, but once you've decided on a program, what should you expect?
Do you remember the questions that you asked the provider when you were shopping?  Those are the exact expectations that you should see.  Each family enrolls with different expectations for their child(ren), however, at minimum, you should expect to see examples of the answers that you received during your interview.  Programs that educate children by using regular assessments of children are programs that place a huge emphasis on the developmental components of their program.  Additionally, it is important that families have many opportunities to communicate with the educators that work directly with their children.  Educators should be mindful of the type of information shared with families during pick up times, and families should be mindful of appropriate times to communicate about certain topics.  The saying, there's a time and place for all things is certainly relevant when communicating in a professional environment about children.

Trying to Determine if the Program is Educating or Babysitting:
The education of young children can be a challenging task for many.  However, when you make a choice as a parent/guardian to enroll your child in an early education community, you are giving an early educator the opportunity to educate your child, using their philosophy of education and the company (or public setting) chosen curriculum (framework that educators use and follow).  In programs where educators are given 'canned curricula,' the children are often being 'generalized.'  The educators follow a chosen format that the company has chosen, with pre-formed ideas about the children's development, hence forcing the educator to lose sight of each child's developmental needs, rather meeting the company's standards for marketing purposes.  In other words, just because some children may enter kindergarten knowing how to read or perform basic arithmetic, by no means does it mean that all children should know how to perform those same actions.  While human development can be predictable, it isn't form fitting. Educating young minds involves educators picking up on children's habits such as an every day 4:00 meltdown period, or an everyday 2:30 table flip over picnic.  While many would see these times to be very troublesome, an educator is seeking to find solutions or alternatives to those periods of time is a good sign that the children are indeed learning.  Educators that mention development in the children's daily sheets, provide tips and even help with those difficult transitions such as biting from an educational standpoint, there is a high probability that you have chosen a high quality facility that uses developmental assessment as the primary basis of their practice.

The Reggio Difference:
Young children thrive in programs where their development is seen as the primary basis of the program's practice.  When families enroll into a program that is based upon the philosophy of Reggio, children are placed in a natural environment (environmental friendly as well), where they are allowed to simply, be children.  Young children are very precious, and their creations are precious.  In Reggio programs, each production by children is protected and honored.  These statements are not to undermine non-Reggio programs.  There are many programs that have the ability to accomplish these goals, but many programs lack the ability to both display the learning process in pictures and words, and many also lack the ability to allow children to undergo the full learning process, more they often force 'topics' on children that are often not age appropriate, as well as not fully thought through to maximize the learning process.

All in All: 
If your family wants to educate your young child(ren) in a professional setting, completely research the facilities that will best suit your family.  Make a sound decision based upon the developmental aspect and overall teaching methods/skills of your child's teachers.  Choose a program whose staff are happy and have a solid philosophy of education.  Keep in mind that programs with 'canned curricula' are more likely to generalize your child(ren).  Promote individualization!

When creating environments for young children, it is vital to ensure that materials chosen for their projects are prepared prior to their arrival to ensure that children obtain the knowledge gained, working with educators who have aligned their activities with developmental milestones. Above are some of the activities that young children were could engage in that may boost their development.

Cozy Cove and Literacy: Even our Children Need an Escape

When children need a few moments to simply relax, the area should have several components:  away from other centers and enough space for one or two children to 'escape' and regroup.  These work well at home, and in early childhood educational setting.   

The Happy Escape! 

The language and literacy area of an early childhood education classroom is very important.  It should be inviting and contain books that are age appropriate, easily cleanable or replaceable, and made of materials that are harmless. In fact, all areas should contain those basiccomponents.  In order to completely satisfy the developmental needs of young children, it is vital that educators facilitate the environment, interacting regularly.  At Bancroft Academy, our reading philosophy is:  There is always time to read!  Stop, drop, and read!!  In the home environment, young children need the ability to 'escape' as well.

“The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more you learn, the more places you’ll go.”— Dr. Seuss, “I Can Read With My Eyes Shut!”

Young children need every single opportunity to be both creative and independent.  I envision a day where, as a community, we serve children because they are pillars in our community-they are born with their own likes and dislikes.  They know what makes them feel good, and not so good.  This pillar of our community deserves to be treated with dignity and respect.  Bancroft Academy is deeply rooted in the belief that all young children are individuals; deserving of caretakers and educators that give each child the individual attention that they desire.  

Happy Saturday!

Families Want to Know How We're Teaching it, and Here you Have it!

Today's ECE Classroom, the Teaching of Letters:
Many parents, now in their 30s, are often wondering how children are learning to remember important information, like number and letter recognition.  We aren't exactly sending home 'worksheets' anymore, although parents could use them at home.  The children today are using objects like those seen above, to help children recognize letters and numbers.  We may use pipe cleaners, popsicle sticks, and even large rocks/coloring to create letters.  Children have been using paper, pencils, stencils, and letter blocks, and many other strategies to identify letters over the years.  Today's early childhood educational classrooms are so drastically different from the ones that we remember writing letters by completing 'handwriting practices.'  We encourage our educators to have many opportunities for young children to learn these concepts.  Activities such as those shown above, having a 'sign-in board' for children to practice their names, and even using nontraditional devices such as ipads have helped children identify letters and numbers at a faster pace than through the use of traditional practices in the past.  The faster pace allows today's educators to teach additional material/information at a faster pace.  We Salute Educators!  We encourage all families to Think Out of the Box as it relates to today's educational system.  Have a Happy Monday, All!

Simple and Inexpensive Activities for Young Children

Spring and Summer are just around the corner.  Children are especially amazed with the two seasons perhaps because of the fun water activities, vacations, and so many other fun 'things.'   Students attending Bancroft Academy will have the benefit of engaging in activities using nontraditional materials.  

A Hula Hoop and Tshirts

Buttons, Rocks, Cookie Sheet and Popsicle Sticks

Natonya's Top 16 Questions to Ask Any Early Childhood Educator

Before enrolling your child(ren), please make sure that you ask these questions.  

Questions to ask before enrolling your child(ren) in a child care program: 

 By:  Mrs. Natonya Walton 

If your family is searching early childhood educational services, contact Mrs. Walton today!  

waltonprivategroup@gmail.com or via telephone at 770-905-6698.  Bancroft Academy wants to serve you!

After serving many many families over the past 15+ years, I have found that many websites list the questions that families should ask before enrolling your child(ren), but the questions listed families need to think about before enrolling their children in an early childhood education community.  When I conduct tours for families, I typically ask the family to sit and discuss their needs.  I have always found it necessary to meet each and every family's individual needs, regardless of the number of children in the classroom.    

1.  The educational background and experience levels of the caregivers.  (Communities where the educator's educational level is the bare minimum, you will risk your child being taught important concepts inappropriately, handwriting, reading, mathematical skills, science concepts, etc.)  Just because a provider has chosen to practice and LOVE children, it is not an indicator of high quality early childhood education.   

2.  The length of time that the director has been leading the program.  (Is the director able to make decisions at the school level, or is there a 'higher authority?'  How many directors has the program had over the past 2-3 years?) This is important because the educators in the classrooms are only as strong as their leader.  If their leader has been inconsistent, the staff therefore are also inconsistent. 

3.  As for the curriculum, ask who develops the curriculum (corporate, director, curriculum specialist, etc.) ?  Programs that allow educators to either develop or assist with the development of their lesson plans, have more long-term educators.  Programs that receive a curriculum and implement, tend to compliment educators that may not have the ability to create lesson plans (perhaps because of their level of education).  This disconnects the educator from their children because the 'off-site' curriculum specialist will never know your child(ren).  In today's practice, there is a full initiative for educators to develop lessons specifically designed for your child(ren).  The environments that practice this tend to have stronger educational results.  

4.  What is the health and sanitation score?  (superior or approved?) This area is very critical and if you see demerits on the school's posted health and sanitation certificate, you need to ask what those demerits were.  Some items are unavoidable, and even really clean/good schools have had violations.  However, if the violations were issues related to the kitchen area, the bathroom areas, the diapering areas, or the 'off limit' areas from children, you may need to consider other options.  

5.  Do the educators look happy?  Did they smile?  If you were allowed to enter the classroom, were you greeted?  If there was something that made you uncomfortable, did the educator address the situation?  Did the educator use appropriate language?

6.  Were the children happy if you were allowed to see the children?  Were their noses and faces clean?  Did you see good hand-washing, including hand-washing for the children?  

7.  If it was a time for teacher interactions with children, were the children engrossed?  

8.  Were the educators FA/CPR trained?

9.  Ask about the 'benefits of the educators'?  Does the program offer benefits, are educators forced to work when they are sick?  Is there an educational plan for educators, costs covered by the program or governmental programs?  

10.  Does the program practice primary care giving?  (where a specific educator handles the educational plans for a group of children, and when you need information about your child, that individual will provide information, as well as record developmental documentations.  

11.  Do children in the program go outside daily?  What happens when your child(ren) are sick?  

12.  Are children that have illness sent home promptly?

13.  Is illness monitored in the program?  Who does this?  How are families notified about illness in the environment?

14.  Are meals balanced and healthy?  Are menus updated seasonally?

15.  Is the art work of children displayed at the children's eye level?

16.  What is the star rating that is posted?  Ask if the same teachers that were present for the assessments related to the stars are still employed. 

17.  Will your child have a developmental portfolio upon graduation from the program?  

HAPPY SEARCHING!!! 

Designing, perhaps, the greatest architectural structure.

Young children are often assigned tasks where they are given parameters to work within.  Those 'parameters,' often administered by classroom teachers.  When children are allowed to finish their projects, and talk about their accomplishments with friends and family, they appreciate their work!

Creative Minds

Love of Learning

Have you visited a traditional early childhood education program lately?
All communities have at least one person caring for children on a daily basis.  Below you will find examples of the types of activities that educators use to facilitate learning at Bancroft Academy, allowing the children to enjoy their experiments and large projects.  Encourage children to use materials in their own way.  When children are trusted and shown how to use materials safely, their creations can be so very valuable, priceless!

Children, Free them and allow their brains to grow intelligence and a love of learning.

Children's Learning Materials

Greetings All!

Families of young children have one huge obligation to ensure that the materials they supply their children are not only fun for the children to learn a new skill, but ensuring that the materials (inside and out) are healthy and non-toxic.  We encourage families to review all materials that you place in your child's hands (or on their bodies).  Some toys could be toxic enough for young children to experience not only symptoms of not feeling well, but some could even face tooth, gum, or even brain damage.

Eco Friendly toys are crafted daily.  Make sure that your home and early childhood education community (where your child attends), also purchases toys that are safe, eco-friendly, and easy to clean on a regular basis.

Tell us about your experiences with children's materials and your efforts to make sure they are safe at all times:

Did you know?

Your little ones appreciate it when they are allowed to give life to things that you wouldn't normally consider letting them play with.  Yard time could be one of those fine experiences!  Let me know about your experience.

Bancroft Academy Interest Information

If you desire to obtain more information about the comprehensive early childhood educational services that we offer, please do not hesitate to review the following link.  We are currently taking applications, and gearing up for our Summer Session.  Happy Browsing!  

Bancroft Academy Interest Information

Contact Information for Natonya Walton

Natonya Walton
Contact Information:  waltonprivategroup@gmail.com
770-905-6698

Wondering how to begin the transition?  Many families would much rather choose schools and programs for their children, that take a special interest in protecting our earth and its resources.  We would like to offer a variety of resources borrowed from a "Green School" in Kenosha, Wisconsin.  As you will see, these sites are very universal.  Enjoy!  

ORGANIZATIONS

Green Care for Children

Oregon Environmental Council - Eco Healthy Childcare

White Hutchinson Leisure & Learning Group

Go Green Rating Scale for Early Childhood Settings

GreenGuard

Environmental Working Group

Childproofing Our Communities

Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry 

Children's Environmental Health Network

HealthyStuff.org/Chidren's Products

Healthy Home/Web MD

Healthy Schools Campaign

Healthy Toys

Washington Toxics Coalition

Healthy House Institute

Energy Star

Welcome!

Greetings!  

Thank you for visiting my blogspot.  This is an area where you can find sound educational information about your little one...
Parenting can be difficult, and finding the right place for your child to share experiences with other children can be one of the most difficult decisions that a family can make.  This blog may certainly help you. 
Calling all Families, of all types....of all make ups.... all are Welcome!  

My name is Natonya Walton.  I studied Family and Consumer Sciences and chose a career path in early childhood education.  I have worked in several southeastern states and have met many families that crave networks, systems, and people that can help make good decisions through research, practice, and what makes our loved ones happy!  As a 15 year veteran in the practice, I have earned the ability to make sound judgements on certain practices, but still learning daily.  

Enjoy your time!