Home Hot Topics Articles Directors' Choice Awards About Us / Contact Us Activities & Curriculum Activities for Outcome-Based Learning Arts & Crafts Music for Learning Recommended Reading Sharing Boards: What Do YOU Think? NEWSlink Current National News Conference Calendar Topics In Early Childhood Education Art and Creativity in Early Childhood Education Job Sharing Board State Licensing Requirements Stay Connected! Each month we'll send you an email filled with articles and ideas for your classroom. Subscribe Now Date: 6/30/2003 9:21:00 PM Author: Daycare Provider Subject: The situations I observed could not be r... The situations I observed could not be reported. Even though I disagreed with the way the things were being handled, they were not against the requirements of our state. In our state ratios for infants are 4 to 1, and toddlers are 5 to 1. If one person ends up with 4 very young infants in their care (2 of them 5 months, 1 of them 4 months and the other 6 weeks, this was an actual case) that person will have a hard time giving those children what they truly need. In this group 3 of them were very difficult to get to sleep and the fourth could wake the dead (and anyone who finally fell asleep) with her scream. As for the education, our state requires a high school diploma and then attendance of workshops, reading current literature, and on-the-job training. You do not get all of the training you need at a workshop or by reading. On the job training is great, if the trainer is qualified. In the one scenario, there were 8 babies all in seats of some kind and there were 3 adults. They were not over ratio and there is no law about putting babies in "containers". In the other case, the caregiver did not talk or smile much, but that is something else that you just can't report. I see and have seen many things I disagree with, but others think is okay. But, in these situations reporting would not do anything. Most of these things could be changed the instant someone walks in--I worked with a lady that was completely different when parents or someone in authority was in the room and when she was alone. The parents thought she was great. But in reality she was cruel, verbally abusive, intimidating, --and it took me over 2 years to convince others, finally she was sent packing. But not until she had worked with entirely too many children (one child still talks about her "rules" after 3 years and she is only 5). The scary thing is: our state gave her a liscense for home day care AND she is a foster mother! And I know that one of the people who filled out a questionnaire about her for the foster care system was the one who finally got her fired, so I know she didn't give her a glowing review. Like I said before, I know that there are many great places, and I do my best to make my room great, but we still have a long way to go. Name: Email: Subject

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