Child Development Dayhomes NEWS

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1 THE MONTHLY PUBLICATION HIGHLIGHTING INFORMATION FOR DAYHOME EDUCATORS AND PARENTS Annual Holiday Dinner December Event Date: Thursday, December 7, 2017 Time: 6:30pm - 8:30pm Location: Kensington Community League ( Ave) All educators, families and children are welcome. Please RSVP to by Friday, December 1, Upcoming Stat Holidays The office and dayhomes will be closed on: Christmas Day: December 25, 2017 Boxing Day: December 26, 2017 New Years Day: January 1, 2018 January Workshop Income Tax Workshop for Educators Date: Tuesday, January 9, 2018 Time: 6:30pm-8:30pm Location: Child Development Dayhomes Office ( St) Facilitator: Ian Griffiths, CA Attendance Records Due: Monday, December 18, 2017 Educators, please ensure all the times for the month have been entered on TimeSavr Parent Feedback Survey on CDDH Website Let us know how we are doing. Take the Parent Feedback Survey here. Page 1

2 Festival of Trees Date: November 30 - December 3, 2017 Location: Shaw Conference Centre Cost: Adult ($10), Youth ($5), Child ($2) Website: Candy Cane Lane Community Events Date: December 8, 2017 to January 2, 2018 Time: Dark to midnight Location: 148 St between 100 Ave to 92 Ave, Edmonton Website: Free hot chocolate. There will also be sleigh rides available. Donations for the Edmonton Food Bank are appreciated. Beauty in Early Childhood Programs We see reflections of sensitivity to beauty or aesthetic sensitivity in such human characteristics as perception, imagination, observation, and creativity. These characteristics can be fostered and are intentionally addressed in some early childhood programs. These are the observations of Ruth Wilson in her article Beauty in the Lives of Young Children, which forms the basis for the new Out of the Box Training Kit by the same name. In the article, Wilson spells out 18 ideas for incorporating beauty into the life of programs. A few examples: -Add plants, river rocks, and other natural materials to the indoor environment. -Use tablecloths, curtains, and attractive rugs to enhance the decor of the room. -Provide child-friendly workspaces where projects can be continued over time. -Create a Wall of Beauty by displaying objects and/or representations of beauty. -Introduce children s books with stories and illustrations depicting the beauty of various places and different cultures. Source: Exchange Everyday, August 25, 2015 Page 2

3 Culture Corner We are very lucky to live in a country which shares many cultures and traditions. December holds several cultural celebrations and there are a few highlighted in this newsletter. We welcome all educators and families to share their traditions with us so we can better understand the special & unique traditions families hold. History of Christmas Christmas is both a sacred religious holiday and a worldwide cultural and commercial phenomenon. For two millennia, people around the world have been observing it with traditions and practices that are both religious and secular in nature. Christians celebrate Christmas Day as the anniversary of the birth of Jesus of Nazareth, a spiritual leader whose teachings form the basis of their religion. Popular customs include exchanging gifts, decorating Christmas trees, attending church, sharing meals with family and friends and, of course, waiting for Santa Claus to arrive. Christmas is celebrated on December 25. History of Hanukkah The eight-day Jewish celebration known as Hanukkah or Chanukah commemorates the rededication during the second century B.C. of the Second Temple in Jerusalem, where according to legend, Jews had risen up against their Greek-Syrian oppressors in the Maccabean Revolt. Hanukkah, which means dedication in Hebrew, begins on the 25th of Kislev on the Hebrew calendar and usually falls in November or December. According to the Talmud, one of Judaism s most central texts, Judah Maccabee and the other Jews who took part in the rededication of the Second Temple witnessed what they believed to be a miracle. Even though there was only enough untainted olive oil to keep the menorah s candles burning for a single day, the flames continued flickering for eight nights, leaving them time to find a fresh supply. This wondrous event inspired the Jewish sages to proclaim a yearly eight-day festival. The Hanukkah celebration revolves around the kindling of a nine-branched menorah, known in Hebrew as the hanukiah. On each of the holiday s eight nights, another candle is added to the menorah after sundown; the ninth candle, called the shamash ( helper ), is used to light the others. Jews typically recite blessings during this ritual and display the menorah prominently in a window as a reminder to others of the miracle that inspired the holiday. This year, Hanukkah begins the evening of December 12 and ends the evening of December 20. History of Kwanzaa Dr. Maulana Karenga, professor and chairman of Black Studies at California State University, Long Beach, created Kwanzaa in After the Watts riots in Los Angeles, Dr. Karenga searched for ways to bring African-Americans together as a community. He founded US, a cultural organization, and started to research African first fruit (harvest) celebrations. Karenga combined aspects of several different harvest celebrations, such as those of the Ashanti and those of the Zulu, to form the basis of Kwanzaa. The name Kwanzaa is derived from the phrase matunda ya kwanza which means first fruits in Swahili. Each family celebrates Kwanzaa in its own way, but celebrations often include songs and dances, African drums, storytelling, poetry reading, and a large traditional meal. On each of the seven nights, the family gathers and a child lights one of the candles on the Kinara (candleholder), then one of the seven principles is discussed. The principles, called the Nguzo Saba (seven principles in Swahili) are values of African culture which contribute to building and reinforcing community among African-Americans. Kwanzaa also has seven basic symbols which represent values and concepts reflective of African culture. An African feast, called a Karamu, is held on December 31. Page 3

4 -Bonnie (Wei) Wang Congratulations! To the following educators celebrating their anniversaries with Child Development Dayhomes in the month of December Urszula Hadyna Ragini Seemrith Ling Feng Mohaddisa Mukhtar 21 years 10 years 6 years 5 years Komal Ahmed Alim Ivy An Veronica Green Gabriela Camacho 4 years 2 years 2 years 1 year Healthy Treats Holiday and Christmas Inspired Snacks Veggie tree from Betty Crocker (broccoli florets, cherry tomatoes, yellow peppers, cauliflower & pretzel sticks) Santa Crackers from Martha Stewart (round crackers, cream cheese or ricotta cheese, pepperoni, celery sticks, capers for eyes & nose) Banana Snowmen from Spoonful (bananas, apple slices, grapes, pretzel sticks, carrot pieces & chocolate chips) Ride Transit Program The Ride Transit Program offers a monthly transit pass to eligible low-income Edmontonians at a subsidized rate of $35/month. For more information visit: Page 4

5 Veronica Green Educator Spotlight Veronica Green has been a part of Child Development Dayhomes since December of Ronnie (as the children call her) is dedicated to teaching the children through the interest of the children. Currently the children in care are all about building. Veronica introduced building not only with blocks but with cups, scrap wood pieces, mirrors, and an assortment of recycled materials. Her program is very much Reggio inspired in the sense of creating a calm environment using natural materials, following the lead of the children in care, ongoing observations of learning and consistent documentation with families and the agency. Every month I visit, I am excited to hear from the children what they have been doing at Ronnie s house. Veronica, you have been an inspiration to four awesome kids, their families and to me. We cannot begin to thank you enough for all your hard work and dedication. Being an Educator can sometimes be very stressful, but in the end the smiles, the hugs, and accomplishments they achieve are well worth it! -Jennie (Child Care Consultant) Page 5

6 Educator Survey Feedback We conduct annual surveys to staff, families & educators so we can continue to grow and provide the best service possible. Here are some highlights from our Educator Survey: In what ways do you feel that the agency supports you as an educator? -Encouraging us to be ourselves and also to keep learning about new childcare methods -Organizing training workshops -The agency has been supporting me since the day I started my dayhome by giving some tips on how to set a very productive playspace, continue educational support through workshops set up by the agency -They give me ideas to improve my work Are there specific supports you would like to see from the agency? -Help with programming -Hands-on training opportunities during the day -Staff to cover time when at appointments What form of written communication (documentation) are you using in your dayhome? (see graph on the right) Child Development Dayhomes Response: We offer in-home workshops with our pedagogical mentor who can customize informative visits based on what you would like to learn more about including emergent curriculum, provocation ideas, child guidance, etc. Please call Lindsay at to book a visit! Dayhome Educators can use an in-home backup care provider for emergencies as well as appointments which cannot be booked outside of dayhome hours. Many educators choose to use their spouses or adult children as they already have to have the clearances if living in the home. Backup educators would need to have the following items: 1) Child Intervention Record Check, 2) Criminal Record Check including vulnerable sector search, 3) Child Care First Aid, 4) Medical, 5) Three References Page 6