3.6: Where?
Where do early childhood programs take place?
In Chapter 6 (Curriculum) and Chapter 7 (Learning Environments), you will be introduced to different types of programs, which sometimes determines where they occur. For now, here is a list of the most common places for young children to develop and grow:
- The child’s home - this is often a child’s first classroom and many important skills are developed here
- Someone else’s home - often-called home daycare or family childcare, there are a variety of types of programs that are run inside caregivers' homes.
- A church, synagogue, or similar establishment - often built for their own programs that take place on the weekends, these are empty during the week and can accommodate multiple uses. Programs operating in such locations may or may not be affiliated with the establishment that owns the building.
- A school setting - either specifically designed for the age group served or modified to meet the needs of various ages.
- A park or community center – some community spaces are dedicated to serving children in a variety of ways.
- Online - synchronously (at the same time) or asynchronously (at different times independently)
“In my practicum class, I was surprised to learn about all of the different places we could train. I thought a school setting was the only place, but there were so many wonderful options.
COVID 19 meant that our in-person program needed to be moved to an online format. Some teachers got really creative with Zoom, Google Classroom, video chats, and other technology. One of my colleagues started with show and tell where she had each child in the class take a turn sharing whatever they wanted about their home. We saw bedrooms, favorite toys and met so many pets and family members. It was a wonderful way to connect!
Interviewing different places I learned that it is not the building but what goes on inside and outside that makes the magic happen.”
Where do I go to get more involved?
The resources above in the “When” section are a great place to get started. Ask your instructor if you would like to inquire further.