Our Mission Statement:
Joyful Noise Childcare, LLC is a Montessori/ Reggio inspired childcare environment in a home setting. Our goal is for each child to learn and develop to their fullest potential physically, emotional, socially, and cognitively as they play and explore the world around them, while promoting Kindergarten readiness. By sharing God’s love and grace, we strive to provide a mutually supportive environment for parents and children while meeting the diverse needs of the families we serve. Joyful Noise Childcare welcomes children of all races, religions and backgrounds.
Program Goals:
- To ensure your child is comfortable in the child care environment
- To prepare the environment to provide appropriate play experiences which will contribute to the developmental needs of each individual child
- To facilitate and guide children of all ages to manage social skills, so they can be ready to learn and function in a group of peers, as necessary for a positive school experience.
- To help children foster positive self help skills, building the confidence they will need for success in life.
- To help your child prepare for kindergarten by age 5 by creating an educational environment and working jointly with parent/guardian in order for your child to learn the skills necessary for school success.
- To provide each child's parent/guardian daily verbal accounts on how child is progressing throughout the year.
- To adapt the learning process to fit your child's learning style and any special needs including working with the Infant Toddlers Program if necessary and following a child’s IFP(Individual Family Plan).
- To provide a developmental screening using the Ages and Stages Questionnaire (ASQ3)
- To provide the opportunity to parents for conferences, to discuss developmental milestones based on the ASQ3 screening.
Childcare Philosophy:
After taking many college courses, and childcare trainings, and many years of experience, I have developed the philosophy that child learn best through child directed play. Therefore, I do not teach, I facilitate creative learning experiences, by structuring and changing the childcare environment allowing for exploration, as well as, individual and group play. After studying about Montessori and Reggio methods of child development, I have included aspects from both theories in my philosophy.
The materials I have chosen to add to the childcare environment include toys, rattles, puzzles, tables, and chairs made of wood instead of plastic which develop an appreciation for nature and quality and show a respect for the child. I have also added many natural materials to the environment, along with natural, soothing colors. Materials are kept neatly on shelves, hung on hooks, sorted on trays, and separated into baskets. This also makes putting things away much more logical and enjoyable. Toys and books are rotated – taking out those that have not been chosen lately and limiting choices so that the children do not become over whelmed and feel in control of their environment and making clean up manageable.
Each literary based theme unit we study includes many activities which are presented to the children in what I call play pods or small centers. Some of these play pods may be set out on a table or a tray, or a small carpet around the room. The child picks which activities they are interested in playing. Sometimes they play alone at other times they play in groups. The children are taught to return materials to where they got them, and to care for the childcare environment. They also learn from the natural consequences of not following directions and breaking the rules. These details and planning procedures primarily are adapted from Montessori Methods.
Unlike Montessori, I feel that dramatic play is an important part of a child’s ability to learn and explore the world around them. Therefore, I have also included many Waldorf based materials which allow for numerous dramatic play experiences and allow for additional opportunities to help the children learn self help skills too.
Small intervals of the day are adult lead activities. We update the calendar, observe and record the weather and read books together on a daily basis. Occasionally, we will play a game together or do a craft project. These experiences teach the children about following directions, taking turns and working in a group, all skills they will need to succeed in school.
Over all, the most important aspect of my program is allowing the children to have fun while nurturing a love of exploration and learning. This all takes place in a safe, secure environment, where each child is accepted and loved as a unique individual.
The materials I have chosen to add to the childcare environment include toys, rattles, puzzles, tables, and chairs made of wood instead of plastic which develop an appreciation for nature and quality and show a respect for the child. I have also added many natural materials to the environment, along with natural, soothing colors. Materials are kept neatly on shelves, hung on hooks, sorted on trays, and separated into baskets. This also makes putting things away much more logical and enjoyable. Toys and books are rotated – taking out those that have not been chosen lately and limiting choices so that the children do not become over whelmed and feel in control of their environment and making clean up manageable.
Each literary based theme unit we study includes many activities which are presented to the children in what I call play pods or small centers. Some of these play pods may be set out on a table or a tray, or a small carpet around the room. The child picks which activities they are interested in playing. Sometimes they play alone at other times they play in groups. The children are taught to return materials to where they got them, and to care for the childcare environment. They also learn from the natural consequences of not following directions and breaking the rules. These details and planning procedures primarily are adapted from Montessori Methods.
Unlike Montessori, I feel that dramatic play is an important part of a child’s ability to learn and explore the world around them. Therefore, I have also included many Waldorf based materials which allow for numerous dramatic play experiences and allow for additional opportunities to help the children learn self help skills too.
Small intervals of the day are adult lead activities. We update the calendar, observe and record the weather and read books together on a daily basis. Occasionally, we will play a game together or do a craft project. These experiences teach the children about following directions, taking turns and working in a group, all skills they will need to succeed in school.
Over all, the most important aspect of my program is allowing the children to have fun while nurturing a love of exploration and learning. This all takes place in a safe, secure environment, where each child is accepted and loved as a unique individual.
Professional Development:
I have chosen, as my profession, the field of family child care. I began this career in 1992. I love what I do. I am honored that you have chosen me to care for your child. In addition to being registered by the Child Care Administration, State of Maryland, as a licensed family childcare provider, I also hold a Level 6 Credential, was NAFCC National Accredited for nine years, and a MD EXCELS Level 3. In the process of achieving these credentials, I have taken many childcare and child development classes and in December 2019 received my Bachelors of Arts degree in Child Development from Concordia University, St Paul Minnesota.
Level 6 Maryland Credential:
The Maryland Child Care Credential is a voluntary program that recognizes child care providers who go beyond the requirements of State licensing and registration regulations. There are six credential levels, each one recognizing a child care provider’s achievement of a specified number of training hours, years of experience and professional activities which lead to quality child care. Participating providers complete training in topic areas in order to develop the knowledge and skills they need to provide the highest quality care for the children and families they serve. The Credential is valid for one year and may be renewed annually. I am at level 6.
Nationally Accredited Provider:
The National Association for Family Child Care developed and implements the National Accreditation Program for Family Child Care. National Accreditation assesses family child care providers and their facilities. There are six quality standard areas that must be assessed. These include Relationships, Environment, Activities, Developmental Learning Goals, Safety and Health, and Professional and Business Practices. There are requirements within these standards that must be met before a provider can receive National Accreditation. Providers must complete a minimum of 90 hours of training every two years, complete a self-study, and be observed by a nationally approved early child care observer. Once all the requirements have been met and the observation visit has been successfully completed, National Accreditation is awarded for a period of three years. I received my first National Accreditation in March 2003 and I was accredited through November 2019. At that time, I chose not to renew my National Accreditation.
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Maryland Excels Level 3:
Maryland EXCELS is a voluntary Quality Rating and Improvement System (QRIS). A QRIS is a program that awards ratings to family providers, center-based and public school child care programs, and school age before and after school programs that meet increasingly higher standards of quality in key areas. Maryland EXCELS includes standards in different areas of early care and education, including licensing, learning environments, staffing and professional development, developmentally appropriate learning and program practices, child assessment, program administration and policies, and accreditation. I held the highest level, Level 5 for several years. In 2019 I made the decision to not renew my National Childcare Accreditation. I felt it was more important to send time with the children than working on paperwork and meeting never ending requirements. While I feel the journey to becoming accredited helped me become a better provider having to renew it each year and take numerous trainings was just causing myself and the children in my care more stress, then benefit. I am now at level 3 in Maryland Excels.
A Little About Me:
Joyful Noise Childcare began providing reliable, loving care in New Jersey in 1992. I was a single mom with a love for children and a desire to stay home with my daughter. After several negative childcare experiences with my own child, I set out to provide a safe, nurturing environment for other children while staying home with my daughter. In 1997, I married my wonderful supportive husband and we have had two additional beautiful daughters. We moved to Salisbury, Maryland in October 1999, and have continued to provide the same quality care for the children here on the Eastern Shore. In 2007 we became licensed for foster care and soon adopted another daughter, and in 2010 we were blessed with our fifth daughter, who we later adopted. In 2015 we were blessed to be able to add our first sons to houseful of daughters, when we adopted 9 year old twins.
I continue to improve my professionalism through additional trainings, membership in the local childcare association as well as through early childhood articles and emails. I have also gained experiences working with our adopted children who have various special needs.
The process of obtaining these credentials has changed my mission. While I still strive to provide a safe nurturing environment; I also aim to help each child grow, so that she or he will be “ready to learn” when they start school. We still do a lot of playing, but now the playing has a purpose, as we strive to help each child reach his or her own fullest potential.
I continue to improve my professionalism through additional trainings, membership in the local childcare association as well as through early childhood articles and emails. I have also gained experiences working with our adopted children who have various special needs.
The process of obtaining these credentials has changed my mission. While I still strive to provide a safe nurturing environment; I also aim to help each child grow, so that she or he will be “ready to learn” when they start school. We still do a lot of playing, but now the playing has a purpose, as we strive to help each child reach his or her own fullest potential.