The Scholarly Skinny on DayCare Education

After hitting the snooze button once, twice (okay, maybe three times), you get out of bed, and get ready for work. You wake up your children, dress them, feed them, then redress them, because they spilt their milk all over themselves. You help them comb their hair, brush their teeth, then change their shirt (again) because they got tooth paste all over it. You fight over which shirt to wear, and make it out the door just in time to drop them off at daycare so you can make it to work on time.

But what are you kids doing now? Sure, they're at daycare. But what are they really doing? Are they fighting? Playing? Running amuck? I'm sure all of the above apply at one point or another during the day. But did you know that your children are actually learning? Even at a very young age?

Childcare workers and teachers alike have all heard it. That dreaded label. "Oh, you work at a daycare? So you're just a glorified babysitter?" We wince, flinch, nay, cringe at the very sound of the word. We are much more than that. We are teachers.

Not only are we teaching colors, encouraging potty training and reading stories, we are teaching social skills, improving gross motor development, and touching on early literacy skills. We do more than wipe away tears and boogers, place bandaids on scraped knees, and kiss away boo-boos. We lay the foundations for fine motor development, language skills, and are teaching healthy daily living skills.

My classroom is not just a place for parents to dump their child, then expect me to watch them play, and make sure their child is playing well with others, making good choices, and more or less refraining from being a miscreant. Although some parents do. While this example teaches children early social skills and problem solving, it's not the basis for daycare. Let me give you a few examples of what it is we teachers actually do.

Today in my room, we went outside to play Simon Says. While this is a game, it also encourages gross motor (large muscle groups) development. We ran, skipped, hopped, climbed, and marched. This activity, lasting about twenty minutes, not only played a part in gross motor development, but also taught the children listening skills, and about following directions.

Last week, a child came up to me, crying, and told me of an injustice brought upon her (children can be so dramatic). Instead of me stepping in, and taking charge of the situation, I reminded her to use her words, and tell the other child that she did not like it. Allowing children to take charge of their own situations and injustices, helps them to problem solve, and take care of their problems in an acceptable manner, instead of hitting, biting and fighting.

Before and after meals, bathroom breaks, and being outside, children are expected and guided to wash their hands. This teaches them cleanliness, and teaches them about germs. There is a fun activity I have taught in the past, using GloGerm. GloGerm is a special lotion that glows under a black light. You give one child some lotion, making them the "germ bug." They then go around the room, and about their day as normal. Saying hi to friends, laying with toys, touching, and grabbing at all sorts of friends and objects. You then reveal your germ bug by turning off the lights and exposing them, and everything else they have touched, showing how germs can easily spread. Another way is to let all the children have some lotion, then show it to them under the black light. Next, have each child wash their hands the best they can, and show them their hands under the black light again to see how well they washed. Chances are, you wills till be able to see the GloGerm.

Daycare providers and teachers do much more than you realize. Children are learning through play, and we must play with purpose. So the next time you pick up your child from daycare, please refrain from thanking his or her teacher for "watching" them all day. Instead, thank them for teaching. The next time you hear of someone going into childcare as a profession, thank them for all that they do. We do far more than babysit.