Observation #4 at Red Deer College Childcare

         This observation was the most fun and playful of all the observations. The day started out slow, but as the day moved on it became faster paced. We started the day off by playing. The room at the Red Deer College is from ages two to six. The kindergarten kids that go to childcare in the morning and then to actual kindergarten in the afternoon. There are two childcare rooms that mirror each other. There were four childcare workers in the center. At childcare they offer breakfast to the kids, but it is not mandatory. 

          After some of the children ate we played some more. It was a very fun observation because there was a lot of interaction with the children. After playing, it was time to practice the the children's poems and songs for when their families came to their Christmas concert. Afterwards it was time for the children to go outside. The instructor's used very effective methods in getting the children to listen and follow instructions. 

         To get the children's minds away from playing and to come to practice their own poems and songs the teachers banged on a drum three times and the children automatically began to pay attention and tidy up. Instead of making a huge fuss, the teachers would tell the students to do one thing at a time and then wait until everyone was ready for the next step. A great idea that the teachers had was to tell the children to set their snow stuff out around the room before they went outside and before it was time to rehearse their songs and poems. 

         I thought this was a great call on their part. The Red Deer College Childcare teachers children to be self sufficient through child play. It was an all around great morning. My favorite part of the day was when a boy from kindergarten remembered me from when I observed in that classroom.