Picture of Cheyenne Campus Child Care center and staff member Shontai Beltran
By Alexsis Neuman
If you’re college bound and need a safe place for your child to stay while you’re in class, you’re in luck. Children between 2-6 years of age can attend the Campus Child Care Program. It is much more than your typical daycare, it is a comprehensive learning program funded by the college. It is a better alternative to most daycare centers simply because of the attention each child receives. Before admittance into the program, the child is assessed according to the Child Observation Record guidelines, by both teacher and parent.
The initial assessment given to each child is graded upon 58 developmental indicators. This helps the staff and parents recognize the plan of action that the child needs to be successful. If a child needed a specialist, the program directors would bring one in to work with him or her.
The program is divided into two classrooms, set up the same way on both the Cheyenne and West Charleston Campuses. Due to budget cuts, a third location has yet to be set up at the Henderson campus.
The 2-3 year olds are in the classroom group known as the “Busy Bees”. They are taught more than the basic skill of memorization. For instance, instead of a child asking for “a doll”, she is taught to ask for a “red haired, chubby, doll”, using more of her observational skills.
The 4-6 year olds are in “The Groovy Giraffes”. They are taught to have responsibilities in order to prepare them for healthy social habits and future educational duties.
Approaches to learning are built around the main curriculum subjects: language, literacy and communication; social and emotional development; physical development, health, and well-being; and arts and sciences.
Snack and nap times are part of the daily activities, as well as group exercises. Playtime consists of fun things like: painting, riding tricycles, and planting things in their garden. The children go through a daily process known around the classroom as “Plan-Do-Review”. Planning-time is where the children get to plan out what they want to do for the day. Do-time is when the children get to work on those plans and clean up. During review-time, the children meet up and talk about how their plan went and what they learned for that day.
Ron Barakat, site manager for the program at Cheyenne campus, has over 20 years’ experience in early childhood development. Along with his staff, he proves that a good program will engage a child in order to learn, which is far more beneficial than having them recite the alphabet and nursery rhymes. They are taught through interactive lessons and often have guest speakers like the librarian who comes to read to them with her puppets.
The faculty and staff of the program strive to remain very open with the parents, and with one another. Weekly meetings occur between the site manager and the head teachers. Once a month, both campuses come together for a meeting to discuss how they can possibly better the program. Parents are encouraged to add their inputs. The program offers a chance for them to watch their children through an observational window. Following, parents can write a short review of something positive they witnessed during their children’s time in the classroom.
Campus Child Care embraces the diversity of families that come into the program. Students, staff and faculty are welcome to enroll their children, with students receiving the highest priority. It is also open to the public, and drop-ins are welcome, according to enrollment guidelines.
Coyote Student News at the College of Southern Nevada 