3.8.08
Children's Center
10:50-11:50 a.m.

There is a new girl in a green Eastern sweatshirt sitting in the rocking chair reading a story to Kenlee and Michael. Jackie is at the computer. Arielle is reading to herself on the floor. There is a new kid I don't know who is playing at the magnets table. There is 8 kids that I don't know. I recognize Melody and Clara. Zino is at the water table with a new adult I don't recognize. Melody Clara and Fabiola are at the sand table. The girl in the green sweatshirt didn't get mad that Melody spilled the sand. She just kept saying lets solve the problem. Get the broom and he dustpan. One table is empty, another has play doh on it, one was a coloring/cutting table, and one was a magnetic train table. A new lady walks in. Kenlee is getting in trouble and she is talking to him. she has a name badge on. There are lots of kids here today. They seem active but not too hyper. Arielle is at the coloring table. She cuts something out and puts it on the end of a Popsicle stick. The adults start saying that it is clean up time. They take all the projects off the tables and get the kids to go sit by the rocking chair. Im wondering what is going on. I haven't been here at this time. Jackie starts reading one fish two fish red fish blue fish. She says that she already read it today but doesn't mind reading it again. This kid who is wearing yellow and blue keeps standing up. Kenlee does too. Jackie doesn't get mad. She talks and makes conversation during the story. Clara has about 4 hair accessories in her hair. It is very messy. I dont know if she likes it like this or if it just got messed up. Kenlee is talking a lot. There is also lots of coughing. Shows how easily germs go around. She has to tell Malcolm and Evan to put their hands in their laps. There is a lady in the room that I don't know. She has a notebook and is taking notes. The make an announcement that the kids are going outside. There is two other rooms going so i won't really be able to observe them out there. There is a little girl sitting on the floor staring at me. I wonder if she wants me to help her. melody was starting to cry. I think it was because she couldn't get her boot on. I've never seen her get that upset. When we get outside a little boy runs over to the snow and eats it. A lot of kids go on the play structure. It surprised me. I thought they would want to play in the snow. Three classes are out now. Melody and Clara are making a snowman and Fabiola is making a star. It was a good day to go today since there was so many kids.

As I walk in the room Zino is on the computer. Michael, Kenlee, and Arielle are playing with action figures and dolls in the middle of the floor. The four table that are in the left side of the room have play dough on one, magnetic tiles on one, orange juice and teddy grahams on another, and paint on the last one. Today there is corn in the water table but no water. There is a new adult here that I have never seen. Arielle keeps talking about people killing her but then calls the other action figures heroes. Melody is at the tiles table with the new adult. A kid I don't recognize and piper are at the snack table. There is another kid I don't recognize he is at the paint table. But goes and washes his hands a couple minutes later. There are not that many kids here today. The atmosphere seems very calm today. Piper's dad comes. So she puts the rest of her teddy grahams in a cup so she can take them with her. The room phone rings once but them stops. The one adult, I don't know her name but she is a dark skin adult, she is sitting in at the tile table. Then a lady comes in that I don't recognize. She tells Kenlee that he needs to wash his hands before he pours his juice. He doesn't like that very much. maybe she knows he will want snack with it. Melody is now at the corn table. Malcolm is trying to show me magic tricks. He keeps coming and talking to me. Evan says his stomach is crying and everyone thinks it is weird but then he says he just means growling. Kenlee said that if he drinks a lot of water he will burp. He said this last time i was here too. I asked Evan what his name is because I have never seen him before. At first he told me his name was superman. Kenlee and Evan begin to ask Melody if she will marry them. She says that she doesn't want to because she wants to marry Will. Evan then tells Melody several times that he likes her. She doesn't respond. Michael is complaining because he wants to get on the computer. Arielle's mom comes to pick her up. She also wants snack to-go. I find out that the new adult teacher is Heidi. Heidi cleans up the paint and puts the sponges in the pitcher and then puts it in the sink. A women comes for Malcolm, she might be his mom. She is very loving and is giving him kisses. kenlee says that his mom is going to take him to the north pole so that he can see Santa. Melody is sick and that is why I am thinking that she isn't playing with anyone. Melody then says she has a sister named Asia. Kenlee, Evan, and Zino are playing with the action figure toys now. Michael is on the computer. Zino is mad because he doesn't want to play with the toys Kenlee wants him to play with. They're not getting along. Michael only gets along when he is only by himself. He is always fighting when he is around other kids. Zino is now by himself and seems to be a lot younger than the other kids so he never gets along with them. Heidi gets on phone and is talking about activities for next week. She tells the person she wants to do a camping activity. Why? It's the middle of winter. Evan is running a toy eagle into me. He says eagles don't like people. Zino is smiling now because he is all by himself. Melody is at the corn table with adult figure. The computer is really loud.

February 12, 2008
3:15 p.m. - 4:15 p.m.

So before I went in my original plan was to just observe what people were wearing and their personalities and build off what I saw last week. But to my surprise there was only 6 children here that were here last week. The rest of the kids were new. Plus, all the adult helpers were new.

The new adults seem a little more friendly and talkative. Kenlee, Melody, Clara, the little Asian boy, Michael, and Zino were the only kids I recognized. Right away Melody started talking about the sister relationship with a girl like she did last time.

Well I am going to describe the kids and the adults. Clara- Well she craves attention but can be quite friendly. She probably is quite spoiled at home. Today she was wearing a red dress, with red stretch pants underneath. I think she really loves dresses. Both times I have been here she has wore one. Last time she was not excited at all when her mom came. I thought maybe it had something to do with her mom. But this time she ran up to her mom and was very excited. We were in the gym when her mom came so her mom came in and sat right down. Clara was playing with her for the rest of the time we were in the gym.

One of the adults, her name is Carrie, she is very friendly and active with the kids. Carrie was wearing a green eastern sweatshirt, black sweatpants, and cream boots. She has bleach blond hair and it is up in a pony tail. Lauren is another adult. She is wearing a blue thermal shirt with black stretch pants and brown boots. She is a very petite girl so when i heard her voice it surprised me. She had glasses on. There was another girl who had a green sweater on and these big brown boots. She had dirty blond hair that was past her shoulders. She didn't do anything the whole time i was there. She just sat there. Christina was another adult and was wearing a red sweatshirt. She had a head band in her hair and it was in a pony tail. She had black hair and it was pretty long. She was interacting with the kids a lot and very nice. Another one of the adults was Kelly. She was wearing a blue shirt and a half cream sweater. She had a notebook but was not writing anything in it. She had on jeans and tennis shoes. Jackie is the main teacher I told you about last week. Today she was wearing a blue sweater, jeans, and brown shoes. She is very nice, attentive when she needs to be, but not a push over.

The kids seems very hyper today, I don't know what was going on. Melody started crying and I missed what happens. She is across the room and I see her touch her knee, she must have fell.

Today Melody is wearing a purple shirt, pink pants, and a black necklace. She is a very outgoing girl and very nice to everyone. I have seen her play with every single child now. It was cute, as soon as I walked in Melody asked me again if I was only hear to write again. She didn't like that answer. She thought I was going to play.

Kenlee is wearing a white tee and jeans. I believe that he was wearing the same thing last time. His pants are way to short on him.

One of the new kids that was here this time was Piper. She was wearing a black shirt with hearts on it. The hearts were pink and purple. She had blond hair and it was in pig tails.

Ally was another new girl. She had on a black shirt and pink pants. She had dirty blond hair and it was in a pony tail. She seems like a cry baby. I know that sounds mean but that is how she was acting.

Michael was one of the kids who was here last week. Today he had on a green and blue thick stripe sweater and blue pants. He was much calmer today rather than the other days.

As we are sitting in the gym Clara's mom gets there and Jackie begins to talk to Clara's mom. They are laughing and seeming to have a good time. Zino is a little boy that was there last time. He is the only three year old and is very quiet. Today he is wearing a thomas the tank shirt and blue pants.

There is a new girl i don't recognize. She is wearing a burgundy dress and white tights. She seems very outgoing and is playing with everyone. While we are in the gym Zino is staying right by Carrie. We leave the gym and go back into the room. Today on all the tables. On the snack table is pretzels and apple juice. On another table there are the sand baskets just like last time, a magnetic table, and a sponge paint table.

Kelly the adult, Zino, the girl in the velvet dress, and Will are all at the magnet table. Piper is at the sand table by herself but seems fine. Velvet girl goes to have snack by herself. Then Ally and Carrie join her. Kenlee is running around everywhere. Melody now went to the magnet table but isn't there very long. Michael sits down at the magnet table and found a piece of paper and begins coloring.

At about 3:45 p.m. Christina, Kelly, and the girl in the green sweater leave. They leave with Jackie. When I was here last time three of the girls left at the same time with her so im curious to where they are going. They never come back.

Lauren is now in the rocking chair and she is reading a book to Kenlee. Zino is at the magnet table and is very quiet. He hasn't said one word. H never wants to talk to any of the kids. Michael is at the table with Will and Zino. Michael starts talking about Spongebob and all the characters. Zino draws what he says is a race car and Will tells him its not a race car. He looks sad. Melody is sitting at the big table with lots of tea cups. Ally got in trouble and when Carrie says something to her, she starts to talk like a baby. Will is drawing a really good picture, and Carrie tells him that. He points to about three more pictures all over the classroom and says that he drew all those too. I think he likes to draw. Michael then came over to the sand table and was there with Piper. The the burgundy girl comes over. Lauren asks if Zino wants to go on the computer and he jumps right up. Kenlee needs to go to the bathroom and someone has to go with him. Burgundy and Melody are playing at the tea table and seem to be having a lot of fun. Ally gets a book and sits down. i dont know if she is going to try and read or just look at the pictures. Kenlee seems to be bored he doesnt know what to do and is just going everywhere. Will goes over and rises his hands. I dont know why. Carrie is sweeping because there is birdseed everywhere. Kenlee and Will go and eat snack together. Kids become very calm and I am happy it is time to go. By the time i go to leave there is 8 kids left.

CRJ 1 and 2

Well after some delay, I finally got into the Children's Center on campus and was able to observe. I stayed for a little over 2 hours, so I am counting that as last week and this week. I am just going to write one consecutive journal though since I just stayed for 2 hours straight.

Children's Center On Campus
Feb. 8, 2008
2:30-4:30 p.m.

Environment.
Two fish tanks, a computer, bookshelf, big windows but covered in blinds, everything had labels on it, the room was divided into two sections. there was cubbie holes for each child, There is a thing hanging from the ceiling, looks like a dead blowfish. (just the first room)

As I walked into the "blue room", that's what they call it, all the different rooms have different color names, I saw a woman reading a story to three young children. They were all 4. There was one boy sleeping on a cot thing with his shoes off. There was a little black girl, her name was Arielle , she was very interested in the book. Her face was so close to book. There was another little girl, she was a little dark skinned, not sure what race she was, her name was Melody. She had long hair and was sitting there listening to the story. Then Arielle grabbed another book and started reading it. I dont really think she knew what the words said but she tried. Another boy was sleeping in where the cubbies were. He was in a sleeping bag. Arielle is asking a lot of questions to the teacher (Jackie). They ask the teacher to read a 3rd book and you can tell she doesn't really want to. She says that this will be the last one. All of a sudden a boy runs into the room where Jackie is reading. He has one blue jeans and a red sweater. Then girl in a pink flowered dress and shiny black dress shoes, Clara, runs in the room. She is a holding a teddy bear, his name is hiccups. Her hair is messed up. Probably from the nap that she took. Another boy ran in. He had brown shoes on. After 3 minutes the three new kids ran out back to the other side. Jackie asks Melody to clean up her cot from her nap. She puts her blankets and pillows in a basket and then Jackie takes it and puts it above the cubbies. They each bring there own blankets and pillows for when they take a nap. After Jackie gets done reading the last book, Melody starts talking about how her mom can speak Turkish. Arielle walks over to the pencil sharpener and is twisting the sharpener, with no pencil in it. She starts to be goofy and says that clowns are going to come out of the pencil sharpener. Arielle then says that her mom can speak Spanish. I don't know if she really can or not or if she just said it to try to get on the same level as Melody. On the other side of the room there is two adults sitting at the table with a girl who is having a snack. The snack in crackers and orange juice.

Environment.
The second half of the room
There is a loft in the corner. Top, upstairs, has couches and on the bottom there is a play kitchen. There is a real kitchen with a sink and then a cabinet with plates, cups, napkins, and silverware. There is a wooden arch and when you walk through it there is wooden blocks and dinosaurs and all sorts of toys.

At another table there is another adult and 4 kids sitting at a table drawing. They seem very content. Melody is sitting at a craft table. She has put a silky scarf on her head. There is glue on her paper and she is making a collage. The table is covered in newspaper and she sees an ad for the nutcracker. So then she starts talking about a story. She says there was a giant and she was running away from it. The adults just start laughing. Arielle spills her crackers and the adults don't get mad. Ashley, one of the adults, just picks them up and tells Arielle not to eat them. A little boy doesn't want to color. So he begins to kneel on a chair and then he walks over to the paper cabinet and just looks at it. You can tell he is bored. On the wall there is spilt milk Art on the wall. My guess is that the kids put some sort of milk on one side and then they fold it over to squash it. Clara is spinning around and doing ballet moves. Michael is making a fort underneath this high counter. He is making it with a bunch of pillows. On one of the fish tanks there is a sign that says "Will the turtle". Clara takes one of the pillows. You can tell she doesn't want it. She just didn't want Michael to have it. I can tell she doesn't want it because all she does is hide it.

Workers.
There is a girl in a pin and green shirt, her name is Ashley. She seems like she really want to be there. She came up to me and asked why I was here and says that I should consider doing this as a job when i get higher in my studies. She is really interacting with the children. There is a girl in a pink shirt, Nicole, she seems very quiet. she is helpful but really isn't talking much. Jackie, is the main teacher and seems very nice. She is the one that was reading the books. Malcolm was the boy sleeping by the cubbies. he is sleeping and the adults are trying to get him up but he doesn't want to. the adults keep asking the kids what they want to do. The adults got sand baskets out, they put four one table. Fabiola is now there and seems to be having fun. It doesn't take much to keep her amused. Clara seems to be getting in trouble a lot. There is still one person in the arch toy room that is sleeping. Jackie asks if they want to do a collage because she got new stuff for it. Jackie then is explaining to be nice to everyone. She put ballet music on and Melody begins dancing. Clara keeps telling Arielle that she is dancing too fast. Clara just wants to be bossy. They all tell this little boy that he cant dance ballet because he is a boy. Ashley, the adult, tells them that's not true but he then doesn't want to. Melody begins talking about how she can do ballet and hip hop so Clara lashes back and says that she can do both those, and moderate. He keeps repeating it so everyone hears her. Fabiola's mom comes and is speaking a different language to Fabiola. Ashley the adult is reading a book to a boy and Arielle. Then out of no where a little Asian boys nose begins to bleed. Jackie takes him to the bathroom. Now that Melody isn't dancing Clara wants to. Fabiola's mom can't find her snowpants and Nicole, the adult, is having trouble understanding what she is saying. The adults then ask the children is they want to go to the gym. All the kids decide they want to go. There is cubbies outside the gym for the children to put there shoes in. The gym has blue and red squares on the floor. It is in a checkered pattern and is made out of soft foam. There is a two story fort in the corner made of wood. There is two cheese mats and a big square one. There is big balls. Ashley pulls out a container that has orange, pink, green scarfs. They are swinging them around and some of the kids are having them be tied on there bodies. Melody, Arielle, and Clara are pretending to be sisters and keep calling each other that. Michael is pulling a mat across the floor. He isnt struggling at all. Kenlee got an orange scarf tied around his head and some green ones around his arms. He thinks he is a ninja. Arielle's mom comes to get her and she doesnt seem very excited to leave with her. I want to know why. Melody is dancing around with the scarfs and looks to be having a blast. Ashley ties all green scarfs around a little boy named Malcolm. All the adults have hard name tags on. I want one! Kenlee has been misbehaving. So now the three adults are talking about what to do. They dont want him to just think his behavior is okay. Malcolm came p to me and called me teacher. He wanted me to help him take his shoes off. There is tape on the floor. One larger one and then a little smaller one inside. So it looks like a road in the middle of the tape. There is 5 kids on scooters and when they got them they automatically went in the circle. Some cliques I have noticed. Clara, Melody, and Arielle. Michael and Kenlee. Another adult lady, I didnt catch her name, young black woman, is leaning in the doorway. She isnt doing anything, not interacting with the kids or anything. A little bo in gray and Kenlee are wrestling. The get the boys to stop just as it is time to go. Another room is coming in, so they have to leave. When we walk back into the classroom the little boy who had the bloody nose was having a smack. he seemed to be upset he didnt get to go in the gym. Kenlee keeps asking to go on the computer and Jackie says not yet. Another adult walked in, a 20 something year old darker skinned girl. She came in and put her purse in eh closet i was instructed to but kept her coat on. So i think she might work here. At first she really didnt do anything just stood around. Melody asks me to put her smock on for her so she can play at the water table. Clara is at the snack table again. Noe Kenlee, Michael, and Melody and two others are at the water table. they begin arguing after about two minutes. The water is blue I am guessing form food coloring. it is a deep bucket about 6 feet long with a canopy over it. Michael keeps saying i'll tell teacher. Then he tells Kenlee he cant go to his birthday oarty. Melody leaves. Then 2 minutes later, everyone does. Zino is very quiet and Nicole is working with him at the sand table. At 3:40 Jackie yells last call for snack. The adults keep leaving to get the snack. I dont know where they are going. All the boys want to get on the computer so bad. the teacher doesnt want them to yet. Nicole and Ashley leave with Jackie. They take there coat and purses with them. There is a bulletin board right where you walk in. there is a calendar, schedule of daily activities, allergy alerts for each kids, and emergency info. There is a sign with rules on it. the usual. No kicking, hitting, spitting, dont touch other people. Zino is now at the table alone. He looks sad. Michael and Kenlee are arguing in the "toy room". Malcolm wants me to read him a book but i explain that i cant right now. Clara is carrying around a diaper bag and looking like she feels she is in power. Michael is threatening his birthday party invite again to kenlee. Clara's mom comes. Clara wont kiss her when she is trying. Mom is really interacting with the kids at the table. Michael is crying and yelling. Kenlee touched his dinosaur. Phones have rung throughout the whole time i was here. But no one ever gets them. Except for one time. They cant control Michael. He is freaking out. Clara's mom tells her something that gets her to finally want to leave. Michael sits at table with dark skinned, gray sweatshirt adult, and he calms down. Malcolm, Melody, and Zino are at the sand table barely speaking just playing. Gray boy is at water table alone just having fun. Lady tells Michael not to talk to Kenlee once he gets up. When each person has left, they dont say bye. Michael gets up and goes to the fort he started building earlier. Melody is saying my mom told me not to say darn it. Melody asks me again to put smock on. Is it convenience or me?? once its just Melody and Gray he is talking at the water table and having fun. Clara comes back, she forgot hiccup, her bear. Then they say bye. Gray asks me to hold the tube so that it doesnt fall off the funnel. malcolm and Melody come up to me and roll their tongues. I try but cant get it. jackie comes in and talks to Kenlee and Michael . She goes to Michael under the fort and brings over Kenlee. The lady in the coat i think i working but she is sick. She hen goes to the sand table. Melody finally asks what I am doing here. She acts like she doesnt get it. The asian kid and the gray kid are coloring and cutting. Kenlee comes after he is done talking. melody is playing with clay. The gray sweatshirt lady is playing too. A new lady come in and hangs a poster over the sink. Another new lady is talking to Jackie, I don't know about what though. the whole time i have been here not one child has looked at the clock. I know they cant understand it but my point is that they dont care. Adults are so obsessed with the time. but they just dont care. Michael and Zino are playing in the pillow fort together now.

Well that's my notes. I have a lot to think about now and where i want to take my studies next week.

Community Choices

Soooo I've been thinking about what settings I would like to observe. And really the only things that I would enjoy doing would be at a daycare or a school or something. So I think that if I can, I am going to go to the day care on campus and observe. Sorry I don't have anymore ideas. If you can help me out with any ideas that would be great.