The Little Gray House Center

The Little Gray House Center

For my home center I would want to include items and philosophies that make all feel welcome.  I want this to be a place where children and their families can come to learn, feel supported, grow academically and socially, and feel safe.  I want all families to feel included regardless of economic status, ethnicity, language, abilities, or family make up. 

Some of the concepts that I want to include in my center include:

Check in and information center-

At the check in center families will sign in their child for the day.  The rational for the sign in is for attendance as well as a security measure.  At the check in parents can get information that is relevant for their family as well as activities that are happening at the center or in the community.

Open floor plan-

            The rational for the open plan is so that students regardless of their age and abilities are able to maneuver safely.  If there are lots of items in the way visibility is impaired for staff as well as children.  With the open plan children can explore without the fear of items in their way that could hurt them. 

Culture Corner-

            This is an area where families can display items they feel are an important part of their culture or heritage.  I saw the idea of the video of Adriana’s home care center.  I am torn between having multiple families share at the same time or just one family at a time.  With multiple families sharing children can compare and contrast the items. 

Some of the items that I feel are important to include in my center are:

Comfortable furniture-                                                                               

I want to incorporate furniture that is not only comfortable for them to use but also similar what they may have at home.  In the sleeping area the children will have cots or cribs depending on their age or needs.  Throughout the center I want couches or bean bags for children to sit on for reading with a friend, family member, teacher, or independently.  In the home center there will be a kitchen set, table and chairs for them to sit at, doll size crib, and child size coach and chairs. 

Pictures-

            Pictures of different families (single parent, same sex, mixed ethnicity, or adoptive), differing abilities, and multiple cultures in differing settings will hang on the walls of our center.   Also I will take pictures of the children in various setting and activities.  I want to also take and hang up pictures of the children with their families.  This will hopefully help the children to feel more comfortable at nap time or other times they may feel sad or lonely.

Books-

            The books will range in topics from different cultures, careers, differing abilities, multiple languages, countries, etc.  Books are not only for reading pleasure but for teaching different concepts and explaining hard concepts to children in a safe manner.

Centers- In the play/education area centers will be situated for children to explore.

Dramatic Play-

            This is an area where children can act out situations that are happening in their own life.  They can sort out the feelings and emotions in a safe environment with little threat of ridicule.  Parents can donate items from their own home that can be incorporated by the children. 

           

Persona Dolls-

            Teachers and children can use the dolls to act out situations without using the actual names and places of an incident.  The dolls should be multi-age, multi-culture, and have both boy and girl dolls.