CANTON DAY CARE CENTER

205 State Street Rd. UH-Maplewood Campus

Canton, NY 13617
 PHILOSOPHY
Canton Day Care Center, Inc. strives to provide a safe, healthy and nurturing environment that allows children to grow, discover,
and learn through a variety of age and developmentally appropriate experiences. Our philosophy is to encourage the whole child
to develop in a positive atmosphere of warmth and caring. Our goal is to meet the social, emotional, physical and intellectual
needs that are unique to each child. In their daily experiences with us the children learn to make decisions, carry out
responsibilities, express themselves creatively and to discover friendships. They are exposed to music, movement, art, science,
reading, dramatic play, life skills, blocks, sensory, fine and gross motor play. Themes are planned around the interests of each
group of children. A daily schedule helps to provide a familiar flow to each day, and balances active and quiet play with child
initiated and teacher-directed activities. We strive to achieve our childcare goals through the partnership of child, parent, school,
community and staff.

WE BELIEVE . that children have a right to a loving relationship with trained caregivers; to be offered the best possible
environmental conditions and materials with which to explore and experiment; to see their culture and language valued; and to
have their primary caregivers working in harmony with each other.

In keeping with our beliefs, our goals are:

To provide a warm, safe, healthy and developmentally appropriate learning environment.
To promote a feeling of personal well being and independence.
To develop positive social interactions and communication skills with peers and adults.
To encourage an awareness and acceptance of the differences in people and cultures.
To develop and foster positive and productive safety and health habits. To work in partnership with each childs family.
 POPULATION
The pre-school program has 15 children, and three teachers.

The children range in ages 2-4.

Races include African American and Caucasian.

 COMMUNITY
Canton, New York
Maplewood
Very close to Canton school, so a few children ride a bus to the day care.
 MENTOR
Name: Tina Sawyer

Education: Graduated high school and went on to study Early Childhood

at SUNY Canton.

Career: She has been working in the Early Childhood field for about 20

years.
 DISCIPLINE POLICIES
Discipline means to guide or to teach. There can be no freedom without discipline- children need limits. Guidance at CDCC is love-
oriented, not power-oriented. Discipline helps the child develop the internal controls to behave appropriately. Therefore, the staff use
positive behavior management techniques to help children understand expectations for behavior. They anticipate possible conflict
situations and, when necessary, intervene in a timely manner to prevent problems from occurring or escalating. Staff create an
environment that encourages positive behavior by:
Defining the classroom areas
Planning a safe, comfortable and developmentally appropriate program
Establishing clear rules and reasonable limits that protect the childs safety and welfare, the rights of others and our environments
Using positive language to explain desired behavior, avoiding words dont or no
Speaking in soft conversational voices
Bending down to the childs eye level when speaking
Avoiding calling across the room
Providing clear and positive suggestions, choices and redirection when necessary
Helping children anticipate transition to the next routine
Encouraging verbalization, problem-solving, self-help skills and independence
Acknowledging emotions, feelings and appropriate example with our own behavior
Teachers circulate throughout the classroom and outdoor play areas, placing themselves to see the entire area at a glance and use
humor, imagination, redirection and consistency to assist the children in developing self-control. We never use corporal punishment;
control; isolate; humiliate; or withhold food or sleep as a punishment. Emphasis is placed on teaching alternative behaviors and
giving each child situations to practice positive behaviors in order to establish new, acceptable habits. Staff may utilize a cooling off
time-out when a child is in danger of hurting him/herself or others. This brief period is intended as a time for the child to regain his/her
self-control in order to better communicate and listen to the needs of all involved.
 COMMUNICATION WITH FAMILIES
If I want or need to communicate with the parents or families of the
children, I was told to simply walk up and talk to them.
My mentor suggested either using the day cares letter to parents with
my name on it, or writing my own letter to the parents.
 CURRICULUM
The pre-school room has tons of supplies, and my mentor told me I can
help myself whenever I need anything.

There are centers for art, building blocks, reading, math, and dramatic

play.

The centers are well organized.

 DAILY SCHEDULE/ROUTINES
8:00-8:30 - Free play.
8:30-9:00 - Breakfast. When they finish eating, children free play while
they wait for their friends to finish.
10:30 - Recess
12:00 Lunch
12:30-2:00 Nap time.
 UNIQUE FEATURE
Identical twin boys in the pre-school room.