T.E.A.C.H. Missouri Scholarships

Are you interested in earning college credits towards a degree in Early Childhood Education?

Do you want to start classes this Fall 2010?

Would you like a scholarship to help pay for tuition and books plus other perks and a bonus?

Then NOW is the time to contact the T.E.A.C.H. MISSOURI Scholarship!! We have funding NOW for all those interested in starting college and working towards a CDA, Associate Degree or Bachelors Degree in Early Childhood Education.

Already in college and took classes in spring or summer 2010? Contact us about enrolling NOW and being credited for the classes you just completed.

If you are serious about your education, we want to help you NOW.

Who is eligible for the T.E.A.C.H. MISSOURI is a scholarship?
All teachers, directors, on site owners, assistants, group home and or family home child care professionals who:
Have a desire to earn college credit towards a National CDA Credential or an AA/AAS or BA/BS degree in early childhood care & education
Work 30 hours or more a week directly with the children 0 to 5 years old each day in a licensed child care
Are 18 years or older and have a GED or high school diploma
Make under $14.50/hr as a teacher or assistant or $16/hr as a director or owner

For more information and applications, visit our web site at
www.moccrrn.org/teach-mo.html NOW! Don’t delay, apply today!

Making it FUN!

How about planning some fun themed days this summer? Read on for some great ideas!

Before the Fourth of July, the children can help you make stars and stripes decorations. Weave red, white, and blue crepe paper through the fence and place streamers on the posts to blow in the wind. Cover cardboard stars with aluminum foil and hang from the ceiling indoors.

Plan a lunch outside serving picnic items. Put a few drops of red or blue food coloring in softened cream cheese and spread between slices of bread. Cut the sandwiches into a star shape with a cookie cutter. Serve blue lemonade (just a drop or two of blue food coloring) and of course, have cake or apple pie for dessert!

A 9x12 inch cake can be decorated by using candy red hots for stripes and silver balls for stars. Have children make paper flags using stars and dots which can be purchased at an office supple store. To make the red and white strips, they can stick the dots in rows. Just remember, that you can show them what our American flag looks like but let them be creative to make their own flags.

“Beach Day” is another fun theme day. Mix water with sand in the sandbox. Provide styrofoam cups and various empty cans and jars of all sizes. Pack the wet sand into the jars/cans and let the children come up with wonderful sand castles!

Next, place a sheet on the ground to represent the ocean. Put on some surfing music. While the music plays, the children can “surf back and forth across the ocean.” When the music stops, the surfers are “caught,” unless they are back on the beach (off of the sheet). Surfers must move continuously back and forth across the ocean, they can’t always stay close to the beach. If the surfer is caught, they wait on the beach, and whoever “surfs” the longest wins.

Sandy paintings can be made by placing sand in medium sized margarine containers. Mix a few tablespoons of tempera paint with the sand. Give each child a baby food jar and a spoon. Let them spoon the colored sand into layers inside the jar. The sand should come to the top of the jar. When the painting is finished, place a piece of cotton on top before putting the lid on. This will keep the sand from shifting when the jar is moved. For a finishing touch, cover the lid with aluminum foil or paint it with tempera paint.

Two fun variations of musical chairs can be played on hot summer days. The first variation is called Beach Blanket Bum. Place towels on the ground, side by side. Have one fewer towel than the number of children. Have the players walk around the towels to music and when the music stops, the last person to be laying on a towel is the “Beach Blanket Bum.”

On a really hot day, help the children play “Musical Icy Tubs”. Place dish tubs of icy water in a circle. Have one fewer tub than the number of children playing. When the beach music stops, they actually sit in the icy tub, and the person who does not get a tub can push the button to the CD player for the next round. Keep playing until the last person has to sit in the single tub. This is really fun on a day that you let them bring swimming suits.

Another idea for a Summer Splash Day is to have a wet sponge throw. Set up some empty cans and plastic bottles as targets. Soak some sponges in water. Have the children line up behind a marker and see if they can hit the targets.

Also try barefoot painting on a long strip of butcher paper.

Have a wash day and wash everything from doll clothes to swing sets, all outside, of course.

The theme days are limitless. A wonderful book that has these and many other themes like “Winter in July,” is the book Summer Sizzlers and Magic Mondays by Edna Wallace. These ideas work well for summer school-age programs as well.

Written by Pam Raffurty, Director

Source:
Wallace, E. (1994) Summer Sizzlers and Magic Mondays. Nashville, TN: School-Age Notes.

Keep Children Safe in the Sun: Following Licensing Rules

Sunscreen is an over-the-counter medication. The FDA monitors it and labels it as an over-the-counter medication. This means that if a provider chooses to put sunscreen on children, the following licensing rules at centers need to be followed:

19 CSR 30-62.192(3)(A) The provider is not required to administer medication but may choose to do so.

19 CSR 30-62.192(3)(B) All medication shall be given to a child only with the dated, written permission of the parent(s) stating the length of time medication may be given.

19 CSR 30-62.192(3)(D) All nonprescription medication shall be in the original container and labeled by the parent(s) with the child’s name, and instructions for administration, including the times and amounts for dosages.

19 CSR 30-62.192(3)(E) All medication shall be stored out of reach of children or in a locked container.

19 CSR 30-62.192(3)(F) Medication shall be returned to storage immediately after use.

19 CSR 30-62.192(3)(H) Medication shall be returned to the parent(s) or disposed of immediately when no longer needed.

19 CSR 30-62.192(3)(I) The date and time(s) of administration, the name of the individual giving the medication and the quantity of any medication given shall be recorded promptly after administration. This information shall be filed in the child’s record after the medication is no longer necessary.

For Family Homes, these rules are the same, but the #’s are: 19 CSR 30-61.185(3)(A), (B), (D), (E), (F), (H), and (I).

License Exempt rules also support the above. 19 CSR 30-60.060(10)(A) through (G)
Although you are not required to administer sunscreen, rules do require that you protect the children from over-exposure to the sun. If you choose not to use sunscreen, you must demonstrate other ways that the children will be protected from the sun, such as shaded areas, hats and protective clothing, or changing the time of day that the children go outside.

It is the child care facility’s responsibility to protect the children in their care from the sun. Remember that if you choose to use sunscreen, you must follow all the licensing rules for over the counter medication to protect yourself from licensing violations.

Let's Get Messy!

I recently reviewed two books that are full of wonderful ideas for getting messy and having fun! These activities would be great for all ages, including school age children.

Both written by Nancy Blakey, the titles are: Lotions, Potions, and Slime: Mudpies and More and The Mudpies Activity Book: Recipes for Invention. Many of the activities would be good to do outside, but they could be used inside on rainy days.

Most children love messy activities, but children who have sensory issues may need to have the activities adapted by using gloves, wooden spoons, or other modifications.

Bubble Solution: The sheer volume of this recipe contributes to the fun of blowing bubbles! You’ll need 12 cups cold water, 1 cup liquid dish soap, 2 ounces glycerin (available from you pharmacy)

Pour the water into an empty one gallon container. Add the dish soap and glycerin, and shake gently to mix. Try blowing bubbles using foam cups with a pencil hole poked into the bottom, six pack rings, wire hangers bent into circles, jar lid rings, plastic berry baskets, or funnels.

Nest Pickings: What makes a nest? The children will be so surprised! Supplies: Onion bag, or any wide-webbed bag, wire hanger, foil, feathers, leaves, straw, yarn ,cotton, small twigs, moss, or strips of fabric.

Have your child pull the hanger into a diamond shape. Cut a small hole a the top of an onion bag for the top of the hanger to slip through, and let the children weave the nest pickings into the webbing of the bag in any configuration. Hang it outdoors in the spring and watch the birds choose their nest materials. Small groups of children could work together, and several could be hanging in the yard. What fun it will be to watch the birds create their nests from found materials!

Oobleck: Read the Dr. Seuss Book, Bartholomew and the Oobleck to the children, and then make Oobleck together.

You’ll need 1 box (1 lb.) cornstarch, 1½ cups cold water, 1 tablespoon food coloring, a plastic dish pan or a big bowl.

Mix the ingredients in the container with your hands until mixture is smooth.
Once it’s made, have kids try this: Squeeze the Oobleck in your fist. Now open up your hand. Draw a finger down the center of the solution in the tub. Pound on the Oobleck, then touch it gently with your palm. What happens?

If you touch Oobleck gently, it is soft and yielding like liquid. When you squeeze it or pound it quickly, it is hard and crumbly. Why? Cornstarch is ground up into such fine particles that the molecules line up like little plates. When you pound the Oobleck, the cornstarch plates are rigid. The kids will have so much fun with this mixture!

Sources:

Blakely, N. (1994) Lotions, Potions, and Slime: Mudpies and More! Berkeley, CA: Tricycle Press.

Blakely, N. (1994) The Mudpies Activity Book: Recipes for Invention. Berkeley, CA: Tricycle Press.

Written by Pam Raffurty, Director

Department of Social Services Market Rate Survey

It is time again for the Department of Social Services to conduct the Market Rate Survey. Every two years the federal government requires states to conduct a survey to determine the average fee child care providers charge for providing care. The survey collection period will be from July 1, 2010 through August 13, 2010.

This survey is sent to all child care providers who are licensed with the Department of Health and Senior Services, Section for Child Care Regulation. Participating child care providers will have the opportunity to either complete the survey by mail or to complete the survey online at http://www.dss.mo.gov/cd/childcare/index.htm (select 2010 Child Care Market Rate Survey). If completing the online survey, a Departmental Vendor Number (DVN) is required for tracking purposes. All responses are confidential.

Your response is critical. Information you provide on this survey may be used to determine subsidy reimbursement rates in the future. Your response will not only assist us in establishing the base market rate for child care, it will provide valuable public information about the child care market for Missouri’s public policy makers.

Look at the Whole Child to Solve Behavior Challenges

Children cannot always articulate their feelings, and their frustrations often show up as behavior challenges. Before a solution to behavior issues can be found, teachers must work to find the cause of the negative behavior. Put yourself in a child’s place, and see what his/her behavior might be telling you.

If I child shows:

Anger, defiance, refusal to participate...it might mean...I’m not able to do what you are asking—I have a delay in my brain/body.

Lack of attention to charts, books, big group activities...it might mean...Everything is blur to me, my brain is not seeing what you are telling me—I have a vision acuity or perception problem.

Not listening, not following directions, not responding to questions correctly...it might mean...I may not be able to hear you clearly-I have a language processing problem.

Hitting, shoving, taking items...it might mean...I cannot make my wants/needs known. Others cannot understand my words-I have a speech problem.

Self play, no friends, fear, outbursts, crying, attention seeking...it might mean...My heart is hurt, my emotions are not stable-I need a lot of extra TLC.

Refusal to do drawing, writing, cutting, or gluing...it might mean...I can’t do what you are asking me-I have a fine motor deficit.

Poor eater, eats too much, eats too fast, takes others food, picky eater...it might mean...My tummy REALLY does hurt everyday-I have anxiety, I’m hungry, I have hidden food allergies, or I just don’t feel right when I eat that food.

Cuss words, inappropriate sexual behavior, talking about sex, gestures...it might mean...Someone is sexually abusing me, I see things at home in real life or on TV that I shouldn’t see.

Doesn’t like outside play, doesn’t join in games, doesn’t use playground equipment...it might mean...My gross motor skills are not where they should be, I cannot keep up with my friends, or I cannot do what others can.

In constant motion, rough with others, intensely likes/dislikes touch, removing shoes or clothing, needs things in his/her hands a lot...it might mean...I have sensory issues—my body is telling me to do this behavior to quiet my senses—My body reacts differently than others.

Looking for the causes of behavior challenges can lead you to a solution and make the day much brighter for you and for the child. Sometimes the child may need more help than you alone can give. Some resources in your community might include: Family Services Division, doctors, counselors, psychologists, Child Abuse Hotline (In Missouri, 800-392-3738), First Steps, speech services, occupational therapists, Midwest Center for Autism Spectrum Disorders, Missouri School for the Deaf/Blind, and Workshop on Wheels CCR&R.

Written by Sarah Williams, Inclusion Specialist

We're on the Web! Are You?

You don’t have to be a technology whiz to effectively use the internet to promote your child care business and to keep parents informed.

The internet can be a fabulous tool for marketing your program, and websites don’t have to cost a fortune. In fact, many valuable sites, known as social media sites, are free! They are also easy to set up, and can be updated regularly to keep families informed about what their children do each day at child care.

Facebook is more than a way to keep in touch with friends. You can also create a profile for your child care program. Just create a new account, and invite families to become “friends” of your program. Families who choose to can receive updates you post as often as you like.

Share notes about upcoming events or daily activities. You can post photos of children in action throughout the day, and you can even upload videos if you choose (be sure you have a signed photo/video release from families before posting any images).

If you are concerned about privacy, never fear! You have the final say about who can see anything you post on Facebook. Under the “Account” button, click on “privacy settings” and make sure only “friends” can see your profile, pictures, and updates.

A great way to post more detailed updates regularly is through a blog. You can create a free blog site for your program using Blogger. Just click on “Create a blog” and follow the steps to choose a title, select from pre-made layouts, and get started creating your first post. (This blog uses Blogger, and our layouts are free templates from Leelou Blogs.)

Blogs are easy to update, and you can write longer, more detailed descriptions than on Facebook or Twitter. You can also post as many photos as you’d like so that families can feel in touch with their children all day long. Families who “follow” your blog can comment on posts and let you know their thoughts. Your blog can also be set so that only people approved by you can see what you post. Under “settings,” click on “permissions” to make the blog private.

You can also choose to include general information about your program on your blog’s home page, and consider the blog site your business website.

Twitter is another way to keep families informed about your program, and this site is also free. Twitter limits posts to 140 characters, so you’ll have to be brief! But one advantage is that parents can receive Twitter updates on their cell phones, and they’ll know instantly if their child is finger painting or digging in the sandbox today.

Find UCM Workshop on Wheels Child Care Resource and Referral online:
Website: www.ucmo.edu/workshop
Blog: http://workshoponwheels.blogspot.com
Twitter: http://twitter.com/UCMWOW

Written by Janet Robison, Training Coordinator