This entire experience has been such an eye-opening experience to be able to constantly reflect on my journey this summer.
I have learned so much and been through a lot. Even though I have been working at this place for four summers before this experience, this has truly been a different experience from what I have had in the past. I have learned to deal with different situations, went through a director change, helped bring families in, received a grant, made a parade float, and changed the program that we once had before.
I was extremely empowered to love the business side of education and have fell in love with being at a place with the children, but dealing with the management and business side of the daycare. This has been a truly amazing experience for me and I am sad it is over half way down because I have loved this summer so much.
I have worked over 50 hours each week to make sure our summer day camp is the best held day camp possible and have put my heart and soul into this problem.
This class came at the perfect time because I was able to reflect and look back on everything that I have been through and work towards more. I have looked at community involvement and we are still in a push to continue that to this day. This class has helped me understand how important that is.
Sunday, July 14, 2013
Behavior Problems
I had the opportunity to attend one of our field trips this week with the kids and I was extremely excited.
We started off the field trip like we normally do by stating our expectations and making sure they were very clear. When we take them off site, we need to have the behave as best as possible and as well as we have to make sure they are safe.
On this certain field trip, we would not keep our voices off, hands to ourselves, and were very disrespectful to the one leading the trip. I was truly embarrassed. This was the first field trip in about five years that it was like this. I was extremely disappointed in them, but I had to find an appropriate way to handle it and figure out exactly why this happened.
I talked with them immediately as we got back onto the bus and let them how disappointed I was in them and talked about the time that our tour guides give to us and you just wasted their time as well. I made them sit silently on the way back on the bus to reflect on their behaviors and about 50% of them fell asleep :)
I knew there had to be a reason behind it, but I had to figure it out. They went on the field trip the next day and did an excellent job so it was a one day thing of exhaustion. SO GLAD!
We started off the field trip like we normally do by stating our expectations and making sure they were very clear. When we take them off site, we need to have the behave as best as possible and as well as we have to make sure they are safe.
On this certain field trip, we would not keep our voices off, hands to ourselves, and were very disrespectful to the one leading the trip. I was truly embarrassed. This was the first field trip in about five years that it was like this. I was extremely disappointed in them, but I had to find an appropriate way to handle it and figure out exactly why this happened.
I talked with them immediately as we got back onto the bus and let them how disappointed I was in them and talked about the time that our tour guides give to us and you just wasted their time as well. I made them sit silently on the way back on the bus to reflect on their behaviors and about 50% of them fell asleep :)
I knew there had to be a reason behind it, but I had to figure it out. They went on the field trip the next day and did an excellent job so it was a one day thing of exhaustion. SO GLAD!
Sunday, July 7, 2013
4th of July Parade!
Every year in Waverly, we have a HUGE 4th of July parade that I can remember going to as a child when I didn't even live in Waverly. This year about a week before the parade my boss got an idea that we should do it and I fully supported that idea because we haven't done a float since I have worked there and I have been there for five years. This is an incredible way of advertising, but also a great time for the community to know we are here and we support the community in any way that we can.
We worked from last Wednesday--figuring out our idea, beginning to design the products, finding a trailer and a driver, buying all of the materials, and then finally putting it all together. It was truly a task because we had to complete our daily work, but also work very diligently on the float.
We pulled ten to eleven hour days painting, decorating, and shopping to make sure everything got done for the big day. On the morning of the 4th, we arrived at 8 AM to put everything on the float and finish any final touches before kids arrived at 10 AM for a parade start at 11 AM. We had about 15 kids and 10 staff members that helped in the parade. We had the kiddos throw candy, but all the staff handed out brochures, crayons, and bubbles (with our logo and phone number on it). We wanted to stand out and give the kids something else other than all candy, plus it was a way to get our name out.
We have already many compliments from members in the community, thanking us for doing a float. We will wait to see in the next coming days if our advertising worked after we have a holiday weekend. Hopefully it will help A LOT!
Such a great experience!
We worked from last Wednesday--figuring out our idea, beginning to design the products, finding a trailer and a driver, buying all of the materials, and then finally putting it all together. It was truly a task because we had to complete our daily work, but also work very diligently on the float.
We pulled ten to eleven hour days painting, decorating, and shopping to make sure everything got done for the big day. On the morning of the 4th, we arrived at 8 AM to put everything on the float and finish any final touches before kids arrived at 10 AM for a parade start at 11 AM. We had about 15 kids and 10 staff members that helped in the parade. We had the kiddos throw candy, but all the staff handed out brochures, crayons, and bubbles (with our logo and phone number on it). We wanted to stand out and give the kids something else other than all candy, plus it was a way to get our name out.
We have already many compliments from members in the community, thanking us for doing a float. We will wait to see in the next coming days if our advertising worked after we have a holiday weekend. Hopefully it will help A LOT!
Such a great experience!
Halfway Point!
This blog post is to reflect on my journey as we are about halfway through the summer....crazy to believe!
So far this summer has been truly an incredible experience. It has been a stressful one, but one that I am extremely proud of where we have come from and where we will still go for the rest of the summer. Honestly this experience has really made me understand community needs and figuring out how to fill them and loving the business side of a daycare/summer day camp.
We have achieved so many great things while allowing the children to have an amazing time building relationships and having a great summer.
We have gone on field trips daily, received a grant, went through a new director change, added new staff, and added many new families. We are constantly working to better out program with the community idea in mind.
I can not wait for the rest of the summer, but it also makes me sad to be closer to being done because even though I am working so much, I am thoroughly enjoying this entire experience.
So far this summer has been truly an incredible experience. It has been a stressful one, but one that I am extremely proud of where we have come from and where we will still go for the rest of the summer. Honestly this experience has really made me understand community needs and figuring out how to fill them and loving the business side of a daycare/summer day camp.
We have achieved so many great things while allowing the children to have an amazing time building relationships and having a great summer.
We have gone on field trips daily, received a grant, went through a new director change, added new staff, and added many new families. We are constantly working to better out program with the community idea in mind.
I can not wait for the rest of the summer, but it also makes me sad to be closer to being done because even though I am working so much, I am thoroughly enjoying this entire experience.
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