5/25/2021

By: Kristin Horn, CCC’s Outreach Coordinator

“The best for the smallest”, was a saying I continually had in my head when preparing my classroom environment, thanks to an instructor who became a very important mentor to me.  As I brought new lessons into my classroom, I would ensure each part of the lesson was of the highest quality that I could afford. Each new item was intentionally placed in the most appropriate location in the room, ensuring that everything in our classroom environment had a purpose.  As for preparing myself for the classroom, I would arrive early enough to ensure I had some quiet time to center myself before the children and their families arrived, so that I could offer a calm and compassionate presence that each child so desperately needed.

Imagine if every child started their day with the best we could offer, starting with materials and furniture just their size, ample comfy and cozy areas that inspire conversations, a place that the children feel like they belong, and teachers that respect and value each individual child for their unique abilities. This is the start of quality within a child care program.

There are many measurements of quality, ranging from how your environment is set up to the way the program creates partnerships with families.

The NAEYC speaks to each quality and what it would look like in your program.