How many years have you worked with children?

I have worked with children for almost four years now.

What brought you to work with children?  Have you always wanted to or did it just happen?

I have always loved children and growing up there were many professions that involved working with children that I would state I wanted to be. I even initially went to college with the goals of becoming a Kindergarten or First Grade teacher, but ultimately went with another passion of mine instead. I became a stay-at-home mom with my daughter, but when she turned three I decided to start looking into preschool and decided to try working at the center that we enrolled her in. I was in love on day one. I knew within a few short hours that this was where I was meant to be and this is what I was meant to do.

What are some of your hobbies?

I am a very creative person. I received my bachelor's degree in art, so anything that allows me to be imaginative and creative speaks to my soul. I love to paint, knit, sew, design, cook and bake.

What is your most treasured accomplishment?

My most treasured accomplishments are my two children. I have done many things in my life, had some amazing jobs, gone on many wonderful adventures, but nothing quite compares to being a mom and seeing the world through my children’s eyes.

What is your favorite thing about working with children?

I absolutely LOVE getting to watch each child learn and grow. There is no better feeling as an educator than seeing young toddlers learning new words or seeing the preschool and PreK children learning to spell and write. Knowing that we have a huge role in how these children learn and seeing their little personalities grow is just the best.

What has been the most significant or memorable moment in your job?

The most significant moment in my job to date would be the moment that I stepped into my office position. Prior to that moment, I was only able to help and teach the children in my room, now I get to be a part of each of the classrooms in my center. Being able to help every student in my center is so rewarding and I love getting to be a part of all of their lives.

Do you have any dreams or aspirations you want to share?

My hope is to one day be able to own my own center and then possibly be able to go out and train other centers and teachers to share my knowledge with them.

If you are an educator and want to share your story,
contact Deborah at deborah@curriculaconcepts.com!

Wellness Corner

Stress Strategy

Stress comes in various forms and capacities, and at one time or another, we have all experienced stressors. As adults, there are many times throughout our lives that allow us to recognize when we are feeling stressed and the way our body responds to stress. We have had many opportunities to find ways to handle stress when it comes our way.

Children have not had as many of those life experiences to allow them to learn how to react when stress hits. It’s our job as trusted adults to help children learn strategies to help cope with stress. One strategy we can introduce to our littlest ones is how to step back and breathe.

There’s many different ways to teach children how to breathe during stressful times and make it interesting to children. One of the strategies we teach in our Move It! Yoga in the Classroom and Trauma-Informed Yoga trainings is “Buzz like a Bee”.

To do this breathing exercise, take a deep breath in through your nose and then slowly let out the breath in the form of a buzz. Your child might choose to wave their arms or buzz around like a bee which is added fun for young learners! This breathing exercise along with other strategies, can be a great tool to help your child learn how to cope with the stress they feel in their life. 

Check out these trainings and others on our website www.curriculaconcepts.com or reach out to us at info@curriculaconcepts.com for more information.

ATTENTION EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATORS!

 
Join Diane Craft and learn practical tips for the inclusion of children with disabilities in physical activity and how to support children as they explore movement with inexpensive tools and limited space. PDR credit is available!

You do not want to miss this! Click below to learn more and to register!

The AECA Conference will be back in-person in October! It is returning to the Wyndham Riverfront Hotel in North Little Rock from October 11th through the 14th.

The theme of this year’s conference is Learn to Play, Play to Learn. This year’s gathering will focus on the importance of play to early childhood development. 

DCCECE Provider Information Call

If you missed the August 1, 2023 Provider Call, here is the link to watch!

During our August Provider Call, we shared that there will be one final ARPA grant payment.

Here are some things you need to know prior to the application going “live”:

To qualify for the final grant, you must have an active child care participant agreement (PAT) on file (which is required to accept vouchers) and be a Better Beginnings Level 2.

• If you do not have an active PAT, the deadline to get one set up is August 16th. Please contact Tyra Gillam for assistance tyra.gillam@ade.arkansas.gov

• You will have to apply for the grant in the ARPA application portal.
• If you received ARPA funding in the past, please make sure you still have access to your account in the ARPA portal prior to the "live" date. This will ensure a smooth application process when it is time to apply. The portal address is www.ar.gov/childcaregrants
• This application will not require you to submit a budget; however, you will have to sign the Certification Page and upload a current Certificate of Authority and government issued ID.
• The grant award amount will be given at the time of application submittal. 

Please watch your email closely as this application process will have a quick turnaround time. The email will come from noreply@notificationhelp.com.  We anticipate the grant to open around the first week of September.

Next Child Care Provider Call: September 5, 2023 at 12:00 pm

If you'd like to learn more, you can watch the meeting on the DCCECE DHS YouTube Channel.

IMPORTANT REMINDERS!

Well-Being Wednesdays are the first Wednesday of every month!  Join us on Facebook! If you missed a Well-Being Wednesday, you can also find them on our YouTube Channel.

Curricula Concepts Inc. is offering trainings in person and online via Zoom for families and educators! Go to our Training Calendar to sign up! Have questions or problems with registering for trainings? Contact Deborah at deborah@curriculaconcepts.com!

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“Sometimes the most important thing in a whole day
is the rest we take between two deep breaths.”
– Etty Hillesum