The Huron Expositor, 1989-04-05, Page 5THE HURON EXPOSITOR, APRIL 5, 1989 - SA
LET'S MAKE A.,. mess? Ricky Pethick gets a ;hand' with his
fingerpainting from !arrmily studies student Bonnie Finlayson, while
Lori DeGroot watches the creative process, and instructor Lynne
Godkin keeps herself occupied readying another potential finger -
painter for the task. Mcllwraith photo.
Mini daycare offers parenting experience
Eleven students of the Seaforth District
High School are operating a mini -daycare to
help gain practical experience at parenting.
It's all part of the Grade 11 Family Studies
course, taught by first year teacher Lynne
Godkin: Mrs. Godkin was introduced to the
•idea of operating a daycare as part of a unit
on parenting, last year, during one of her
practise teaching stints. After consultation
with her department head in Seaforth, and
after extensive planning, she was able to in-
corporate such a daycare into the cur-
riculum for her second semester class.
"It's just fabulous for them," she said,
"they couldn't get this learning out of a
textbook."
Although the class meets on a daily basis,
the daycare itself only operates for the
equivalent of one family studies class per
week - one hour on Wednesdays. The rest of
the classes are spent in more conventional
study of such things as Preparation for
Parenting, Child Development; Styles of
Parenting, and Parenting through the Life
Cycles.
But on Wednesdays everything changes.
Approximately 16 children - most friends or
neighbors of students taking the family
studies course - arrive at SDHS destined for
an `unforgettable' one hour experience.
Their parents, on the other hand, make use
of the hour to go grocery shopping, run er-
rands unencumbered, or simply have some
time to themselves.
The daycare evolves around a different
theme each week. Last week it was
numbers. The week before it was Easter,
and before that, St. Patrick's Day. Each of
the students taking the course is responsible
for a different job each week - be it washing
the toys in disinfectant, preparing a
nutritious snack, or preparing specific ac-
tivities tailored to the week's theme. Each
student is also required to keep a journal of
his/her experiences at the daycare sessions,
and of the activity he/she prepared.
It's the first time this has been done here,
and my kids are learning a lot," said Mrs.
Godkin, adding her biggest surprise has
been in the contributions Wade to the pro-
gram by the male members of the class.
"They've been just fabulous with the'kids.
They've really surprised me," she
admitted.
Mrs. Godkin'oted penhaps the biggest ad-
justment for her stridents has been the
changing moods of the children - who may
one week be easily .entertained, and the
next, more difficult.
"It's been good for them - a good learning
experience,"•she said.
"They (the students) never had to, for ex-
ample; deal with a child who was crying for
45 minutes straight."
Children now brought to. the `mini -
daycare' range in age from nine months to
five years, promising the students exposure
to a wide range in age groups. Anyone in-
terested in having their child participate in
the school project is welcome to bring
him/her to the school, but is asked to notify
the school in advance.
GETTING PRIMED FOR PAINTING Marci DeGroot, right and Lori DeGroot, left, get
some help donning protective garb in preparation 'for some finger painting fun. Pro-
viding the help is family studies student Jennifer Horne. Mcllwraith photo.
SOUND ADVICE - Tim Nolan, a student from the Seaforth•District High School's Fami-
ly Studies class, gives Thomas Ash some help with his farming. Mr. Nolan is one of 11
students trying to get a handle on parenting, through operation of a mini -daycare cen-
tre. Mcllwraith photo.
CREATIVE PAINTING - Amanda Curtis, encouraged by family studies student Cathy
Dalrymple, enjoyed a session of fingerpainting Wednesday at the Seaforth District
High School mini -daycare. Mcllwraith photo.
IT'S TAX TIME
Computerized Tax Returns
*PERSONAL (Done While
You Walt)
from •25.
*FARM (72 Hour Turnaround)
from '300.
DAVIES ACCOUNTING SERVICE
S$7-6912
HUNGRY BABY - Family studies student
Michelle McCowan ensures that Dana Duff
gets the necessary nutrition, during a mini -
daycare operated at the Seaforth District
High School, Wednesday. Mcllwraith
phyto.
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