Using "Home" as the Model in your Program with Rahima Baldwin Dancy

Among the topics we’ll cover:

• The importance of elements of home for young children and throughout the lifespan
• Physical Aspects: What makes a program “home like” and ways to incorporate more elements into your work with children, both indoors and outside.
• Rhythmical Aspects: The things you actually do with the children and ways to make these activities more home-like, including snacks and lunches, nap or rest time and activities of bodily care. Ways to “tweak” your rhythms by looking at underlying principles.
• Emotional/Relational Aspects: The emotional “tone” of your program and the qualities of relationships—with yourself, the children, colleagues, visitors and parents.
• Spiritual Aspects: The highest level of intention, focusing on values that underlie your program and that inform the children’s experience as life together unfolds. We’ll include media and gun play, dolls and dump trucks, honoring diversity, using teaching stories and developing reverence, gratitude and joy.

“It was a wonderful chance for me to be able to take a step back and evaluate how things move, what works, what does not and what changes need to be implemented.” ~ J.V. “It was helpful to have a look at how other teachers and programs bring the elements of home. Because doing this is not uniform, and is a very personal expression, I loved getting to read and see how so many other people have created their individual style.” ~ C.B.