As the semester and 2019 come to an end, I would like to thank all of our families for sharing their most precious children with us this year. Because of your kids, my days are filled with joy and laughter. It is a gift that cannot be bought and a gift that is extremely appreciated.
In a world where there is so much uncertainty and negativity, it is a privilege to be a part of something that is so positive and supportive each day. Itās uplifting and reinforces everything that we hope children learn from us. Empathy, forgiveness, support, encouragement, and most of all unconditional love.
I am extremely grateful to Marlene, Jamie, Jennifer, Jocelyn, and all of the teachers and all of the students. They are the best collective staff a Director could wish for. They are literally here for children and families, every moment, every day. In your absence, they provide the comfort, safety and love that children need and they do the best possible job that they can for each individual child. It is very special, and very important work that they do and I know that you appreciate how much they give of themselves each day.
As we move into 2020, my wish for you and for my staff is that you enjoy your children, and your families and each moment that should never be taken for granted. I hope that you are present in your childās presence and I hope that you appreciate the phenomenal gifts that you have been given. I hope that you cherish the time that you have with your little ones; creating new traditions, making new memories and appreciating the joy that you bring to each other.
Stay safe, stay warm and enjoy your break,
Mary Beth
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Curriculum in the Classroom:
Infant Four - Transitioning to a New Classroom
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UCDC has a uniquely compassionate method of helping children transition to a new classroom. This process creates a minimally stressful transition. As in everything we do, the childās well-being is paramount.
The process begins before children ever see their new classroom. Each teacher from the new classroom visit them in their current classroom. In a familiar space, it is fun for the child to get a visit from a friendly person! After several visits in their own territory, the children are then ready to venture to the new classroom.
On day one, the child's current teacher takes the child to their new classroom. The same teacher will complete the entire process. The teacher stays in the classroom with them, providing a safe ābaseā from which to explore. The second day is similar, except the teacher will leave to briefly observe from the booth. The teacher tells the child she is leaving, and will come back. She observes, noting whether they seem comfortable. This allows the child to seek out their new teacher if they are uncomfortable. The bond that began during the previous weekās visits strengthens.
The third day, the teacher takes the child to their new classroom and helps them settle in before saying goodbye. The child plays in the new classroom and returns to their old classroom for lunch. On day four, the child is usually excited! They are told what to expect; they will play, eat lunch, then come back to their old classroom for nap. On day five, parents still drop the child off in their old classroom, where their teacher tells them they will take them to their new room and they get to stay all day in their new classroom. The child will pack their belongings and "move in" to their new classroom. Parents will pick them up in the new classroom! The process is complete!
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Curriculum in the Classroom:
Toddler One - Self Help Skills
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In the Toddler 1 classroom, we have been working with the children on self-help skills and independence. Toddlers naturally want to be independent and do things on their own. In the classroom, we have been helping the children become more independent by allowing and encouraging them to take responsibility for themselves, whenever possible. It can be faster and less messy to do things
for the children, but they learn so much more from doing things for themselves with adult support. When children practice self-help skills such as feeding and dressing themselves, they practice their large and small motor skills, gain confidence in their ability to try new things and build their self-esteem and pride in their independence.
A few things we have been working on that families can also work on at home are listed below:
- Self-feeding and Family Style Mealtimes: We encourage all children to practice feeding themselves using a spoon, fork and occasionally a knife and then provide children plenty of time to practice. We let the children be as independent as possible during mealtimes. We have the children serve themselves from serving bowls and encourage them to try. The teachers provide help and encouragement when needed so they donāt get frustrated.
- Independent Dressing, Toileting and Self-Care Skills: We also encourage children to dress and groom by themselves; the teachers provide minimal assistance based on individual child needs. We encourage the children to pull up pants and underwear after diapering and bathroom time, wash their hands independently and help put their arms through sleeves. We also challenge children with such skills as zipping and buttoning pants and coats and putting on shoes and socks after dramatic play.
- Helping with Daily Chores: The teachers have been modeling and encouraging children to help with cleaning up the toys daily. All children clean up their own plates and carry them to the trash after each meal as well.
Self-help skills are worth the time and effort in the toddler classroom as well as at home. The secret to success is to give each child age-appropriate experiences and provide the appropriate supports to help each child be successful. The teachers offer opportunities for the children to develop self-help skills and give them ample time to work on these important skills every day. Lastly, we must remember that adults are important role models. We model self-help skills; children learn a great deal from watching their peers, teachers and family members every day.
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Our poinsettia fundraiser was a huge success thanks to all of you! As always, the poinsettias were gorgeous, thanks to J E Mussig Greenhouses Inc in Zelienople. We sold 145 poinsettias, which raised $816!!!
Thanks so much for your support on a very successful fundraiser!
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Just a Reminder
As a reminder, please use your ID to gain entrance to the building. This is a security measure for the safety of your children and it also helps the office staff as well. Thanks so much!
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Preschool Wisdoms
As the weather turns cold and snowy, we adults sometimes get cranky about it all. We wanted to hear the thoughts of the preschoolers in Preschool Two. Here's what they love about winter...
- "Rolling in the snow." - Tia and Maria
- "Ice skating" - Averie
- "Sledding" - Adelaide and Cecelia
- "Making a snowman" - Julian
- "Jumping through snowballs" - Sasha
- "Snowballs!" - Emily and Traiden
- "Running around in the snow." - Evan
- "Jumping in snow piles." - Walker
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We are so happy to welcome Anissa Johnson to our UCDC family! Anissa is the new Head Teacher in Toddler Two and we are very excited to have her join us here at UCDC. Please read on to learn more about our newest teacher.
Hello, my name is Anissa Johnson and I am the new Head Teacher in Toddler Two. I graduated from St. Vincent College with a Bachelor's Degree in Early Childhood and Elementary Education. I have over fifteen years of experience with children in many different settings including as an Assistant in the Toddler classroom at the Allegheny Valley Child Development Center, a Toddler Teacher at the Water Works Child Development Center, and a second grade teacher at the Winchester Thurston School, North Campus. My husband Mike and I have four teenage daughters ages 14-18. After being a stay-at-home-mom for 18 years, I accepted a part time job at the Carlow University School in the after school program. Right then, I knew I wanted to rejoin the workforce full time. I'm so happy to be at UCDC! In my free time, I enjoy traveling with my family and watching my girls compete in ice hockey, cross country running, track and field and volleyball.
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UCDC Philosophy Explained: Holidays
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The holiday season is a busy time! While it seems like everywhere you turn, there is a reminder of this, we do things a little bit differently here at UCDC. Although we talk to the children about their experiences with holiday celebrations and we join in on their enthusiasm, we don't celebrate them here as part of our curriculum.
Our curriculum is led by the child and their interests. For example, if they show a strong interest in the current weather, we may bring snow into the classroom to explore in our sensory table, read books about snow and have a "snowball fight" in the gym with puffballs. If they show a deep interest in construction, we may add props to our block area, add trucks to our sensory table and possibly paint with trucks as an art activity. We all know that holidays are also a strong interest for children, but due to our diverse population and young age of our children, we refrain from using this as a focus for our curricular planning.
As you navigate all of the holiday hustle and bustle, remember to try and slow down to enjoy the season without feeling obligated to "do everything." It can be overwhelming for the entire family! Children's schedules are interrupted which can be fun and inviting, but also can cause some stress and behavioral challenges.
Enjoy making memories with your children this holiday season!
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UCDC utilizes a child centered, extended family approach that is fostered by supporting the developmental needs of all children. We foster children's self esteem, creative abilities, sense of belonging and success by implementing a developmentally appropriate curriculum based on NAEYC and Keystone STARS standards, through a play-based approach to learning. We support families and partner with them to provide an environment that welcomes their collaboration and supports both cultural and family preferences.
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