I started at the daycare last week. The first day I was given a bunch of paperwork to fill out and told I needed to get a drug test. Then I was given a swipe card so I could easily get into the room that I am helping in.
I went in to the two and a half to four year old's room. I got to see large group time where the children were learning about the sense of smell. They smelled different things such as lemons, baby powder and syrup. They had snack time and one more group meeting. Then I helped with the outside playtime.
On Tuesday, I was there during free play, which happens when the children first come at 1:15pm. I helped watch the water table. The teacher's had prepared an activity with different sizes of ice blocks. The ice had holes drilled into it and the children were given watered down food dye and tiny medicine droppers. They could put the dye on the ice and in the holes to see the different colors it turned.
I also went on Thursday. To help with leaning about different senses they had a flower shop set up in the class room. Also, during group time they had the owner of a real flower shop com in a talk to the children about the different colors, smells, and feels of the flowers.
This week I went only on Tuesday. I was also there during free play. This week the flower shop was turned into a train station. The study idea was about different types of transportation.
Today I went into the daycare to turn in all of my paper work and form from the drug test in. The secretary took them back to the office them came back out and said "okay the only things we need from you now are a physical and a TB test." I was surprised to hear this because I was not told this before. So right now I am a little annoyed not just because of the seemingly crazy amounts of things to prepare for this. Also, the fact that they didn't tell me everything.
I can understand why they would need all this paperwork filled out as you are working with young children, but they should have told you about all of this up front. I do think that it's strange that they allowed you to interact with the children before performing a TB test. They even gave you a swipe card to get in before you had completed a drug test, physical or TB test. It seems to me that having you come in a week before your first day with the children so that you can complete all the paperwork and whatnot before you actually start volunteering.
ReplyDeleteIt sounds like you enjoy working with the little kids though, so I feel that all the paperwork must be worth it. It also sounds like a very nice daycare, with all the different activities and even having a flower professional come in to talk to the children. I don’t recall ever having a flower shop or train station set up at my old daycare.
The daycare seems really amazing; it is so nice that they are actually providing learning experiences and structured play instead of unorganized free play like many daycares seem to. The kids will be so much further ahead when they begin school for all the experiences they are being provided with at the young age of 2-4. It is also probably very reassuring to know that all the staff and volunteers go through such extensive testing and paperwork. It also seems like a really good idea that they have what seems to be a pretty serious security system. I agree with Jess that it is a bit odd that they gave you a swipe card before you finished all the paperwork and testing. It seems crazy that you need a physical to volunteer at a daycare but props to them for requiring the drug and TB tests. It would have been the considerate thing for them to do to tell you all about these things upfront though. Good luck with getting the tests finished and the rest of your hours because it seems like it will be a good experience.
ReplyDeleteThe daycare is very nice. The rooms are set up so well for many different activities that all have a purpose. It is not just free time all day. The children are constantly moving and doing something new. The name of the center is actually The Ben and Maxine Miller Child Learning Center; the main idea is that it is a learning environment. The teachers work very hard to come up with new and exciting lesson plans. I am very glad I found this place to do my volunteer hours at. It is very enjoyable and being that I would like to teach at a young level (around Kindergarten) I can learn from the teachers and students more about what I want as a profession. Should be a great experience all around.
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