Running head: U3 ESSAY

U3 Essay
Kylee G Galvan
Salt Lake Community College

U3 ESSAY

QUESTION
OPTION C: CHILD CARE
If you were considering leaving your three year-old child in a child care facility (family day care
or child care center), what would be your major concerns? Why? Would your concerns be
different, if your child were an infant? Explain. Would you prefer an academic or a childcentered preschool for your child? Why?
ANSWER
If I was going to leave my three year-old at a child care facility, I think my biggest
concern would be that I would want to know what is going on there. If my child was going to a
child care center I would want to be sure that there would be open communication with the
teacher so I would know if something was wrong and to know what they are doing. I wouldnt
feel comfortable just dropping my child off and never knowing what they are learning or doing
each day. I am a volunteer in a kindergarten class and the teacher has a class website where she
writes what they did for the week and posts pictures. I think that is a good idea and I would want
a child care center that did that, because then I could see and read about what they are learning.
If my child was an infant and I had to take them to a child care center, I would have
different concerns, and still want to know what they are doing. I would be concerned about if
they are getting a nap, if they are getting attention, if they are being taken care of (i.e. getting a
diaper change when they need it) and so on. I dont think I would be very comfortable having my
infant child go to a child care center until they were a little older.

U3 ESSAY

If I had to take my child to a child care center, I would choose to take them to a childcentered preschool when they were three, and then an academic preschool when they are four. I
would want them to go to an academic preschool when they are four because the next year they
would start kindergarten and I would want them to have some experience with, and get used to
going to school to learn. In academic preschools they are learning and that can prepare them for
kindergarten. The curriculum includes learning the names of letters, numbers, shapes and
colors. (Berger, 2014, p.194) The child-centered preschool would be good for them when they
are three because this program focuses on the childs development and growth. (Berger, 2014,
p.194) This type of program lets the children explore and choose activities that they would like to
do based on what the teacher has set out for them. (Berger, 2014, p.194)
Before taking my child to a child care center, if I had to, I would want to be sure that the
teacher is good and see what other parents have thought about the particular school. Like it says
in the textbook, the quality of the home and the effectiveness of the teachers have more impact
on young children than does the label or professed philosophy of the program. (Berger, 2014, p.
194) Before taking my child to a preschool, I will want to research it, meet with the teachers, and
see the preschool so I will know if I will be comfortable taking my child there and if it will be
effective for them.
REFERENCE
Berger, K.S. (2014) Invitation to The Life Span (2nd Edition) New York, NY: Worth
Publishers