Twinklele Toes Learning Center Observation

For the sake of confidentiality, I will be referring to the director I observed as MotherHen, and the facility as Twinkle Toes Learning Center. The center's hours of operation is Monday through Friday 6:00 AM to 7:00 PM. It is quality rated, has a maximum capacity of 25 children, accepts children ages of infant, toddler, preschool and school age, and also participate in the subsidized, after school and summer child care program.

Upon arrival, the first thing that was noticeable was how colorful and inviting the outside of the facility looked. In order to enter the building, the door bell must be rung and a member of staff must identify you before unlocking the door. Once inside of the building, signing in the log book and hand washing were the next steps before classroom entry. Mother Hen was behind the front desk filing documents and greeting each parent or guardian and child/ children as they signed in. She was attired in scrubs and crocks, her hair braided and pulled back in a ponytail. Mother Hen has dark brown skin and eyes, full cheeks, small narrow nose and thin arch shaped eyebrow.
During the first part of the day Mother Hen prepared letters for the parents and guardians which listed upcoming activities and events, what was needed and how parents could participate and get involved, statements for those who had a balance due was also calculated and prepared during this time.
Since Mother Hen wore many hats at Twinkle Toes Learning Center as director, owner and teacher, she stepped into the toddler room to assist with the sign language and spanish lessons in the toddler room. She partnered up with the main teacher for that class and split the class up in to so that the children could have more one on one teaching for these
lessons.

The words that were being taught in spanish matched the words taught in sign language, so as a part of the lesson plan, they worked together to create a song and dance using the sign language and spanish words taught. The children seemed to learn more during this activity that when just watch the language videos during carpet time. Once this activity was completed, Mother Hen returned to her director duties. She wanted the teachers to start using the topic of giving in their lesson plans in preparation for thanksgiving and christmas and notified the teachers of this.

Using log in and out sheets from the past the director made a report on the attendance of the children. This was done to be able to detect areas that needs improvement. By preparing a report concluded that some parents were leaving there children in care longer than they are suppose to. As a result, she attached reminders to the already prepared letters addressing this issue and stated the total hours in which a child is allowed to be in their care per day, anything over that said amount time went against the by laws of the facility. In order to encourage timely pick ups and drop offs she also came up with the idea of having a Parent Appreciation Gala at the end of the year recognizing the parents/ guardians who are on time with the drop of and pick up of their child/children at least 90% of the time as well as awarding an them for other areas in which the have excel during that term.