CAMPUS LABS
PROCEDURES AND GUIDELINES
Hannig Children’s Center: Monroe Campus
Reibman Hall Children’s Center: Bethlehem Campus
All Procedures and Guidelines are in compliance with the Pennsylvania Title 55. Public Welfare (DPW) Code for Child Day Care Centers
And
National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) Accreditation Standards
Before you begin campus labs you must meet all
program requirements.
You are a welcome member of the Children’s Center classroom team. The classroom staff have the safety and learning of the children as their primary responsibility. However, they recognize, value and appreciate the role that you have in their classrooms. They are dedicated to facilitating your involvement with all aspects of providing high quality care and education to young children in order that you become the very best teacher you can.
As a valued member of the classroom team you are expected to
Act professionally
Be prepared
Follow all Health and Safety Requirements
Act Professionally
The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) Professional Code of Ethics is a guide for all of our interactions with children, parents and colleagues. In addition, Professional Skills and Behaviors defined and described in the NCC Teaching Strategies and Skills Manual. Please read and be familiar with both of these documents. In addition, the following guidelines, specific to NCC Children’s Center programs, must be followed:
Arrive on time and attend all labs. Campus labs may not be rescheduled due to tight lab schedules.
If illness or family emergency occurs, do the following:
Ø Before being absent: Leave a voice mail message for your course instructor and phone the lab classroom to report your situation.
Groom and Dress Appropriately
Ø Neat, attractive, clothing that is not distracting or revealing are expected. Please wear clothing that is compatible with sitting on the floor and messy activity. Please remove all jewelry that can be grabbed, including visible body piercing and long, dangling earrings to avoid damage to your body should a child pull on them. Remember to wear the blue lab apron.
Model Nutritious Eating
Ø You are welcome to share snack and lunch time with the children. All food is to reflect proper nutrition. All sodas and “junk foods”, including gum may not be consumed by students during lab. Children’s Center staff and college instructors will remind you of the “No gum chewing” rule.
Keep Personal Items Out of the Classroom
Ø All personal items including purses, coats, textbooks, are to be kept out of the children’s classrooms. Lockers are provided at Monroe Campus and in Reibman Hall, room 139. In particular, electronic equipment that can interrupt learning such as pagers, beepers, and cell phones are to be kept in a locker. Please inform staff of any special situations that require your bringing these devices into the classroom. Any equipment required for accommodations in order to function and learn in the classroom are welcome.
Focus on the Children
Ø Please remember that you are in lab to be with the children. This means that all adult conversation is to relate to teaching and learning. Personal conversations with other adults, staff and/or students must occur outside the classroom.
Contacting Staff
Ø Classroom staff are busy with children, lab students and parents. If you need to contact a classroom staff person please leave them a message with the receptionist at the front desk. Students are asked to not enter the children’s classrooms beyond lab times for the purpose of visiting children, staff, or friends.
Be Prepared…Ready for action
Wear your lab apron and student identification card
Ø Lab apron
You are to purchase a blue ECE lab apron in the college bookstore. The apron is to be worn at all times during lab in order to be identified by parents as a lab student, and to have health and safety materials immediately available, as well as note taking supplies. You are to keep tissues, disposable gloves, and pen/pencil and paper for taking observation notes in your lab apron pocket.
Ø NCC Name Tag
College photo ID’s are available at the Main Campus at the NCC Student Services desk in second floor College Center (behind cafeteria). These must be worn at all time when in lab. At Monroe, please check at the office.
Sign Attendance Form
Complete Student Planning Form
Ø Each classroom has a daily plan. Add your plan to the student daily plan form.
Ø Ask the teacher if there are any specific tasks she wants you to do, or any particular child/children for you to support and stimulate, etc.
Survey the room to see if there are any places where you are particularly needed
Ø Remember, observing, recording and reflecting is a powerful way to learn about children and teaching skills. Observation must be focused, intentional and must be balanced with interactions that support, stretch, stimulate and direct children’s learning.
Sign-out
Ø When lab is over note time on attendance form. Say good-by to children and staff. Always alert children with whom you are interacting that you will be leaving before saying good-bye. If not intrusive, ask if there is anything special that you should plan for the following week.
Follow all health and safety requirements
Ø Wash hands before and after meals and snacks, after toileting and nose wiping, after diaper changing and any time there is contact with body fluids. Hand washing guidelines must be followed. (See signs posted next to sinks.)
Ø Ensure that children’s hands are washed before meals and snacks, after toileting and nose wiping, and after being diapered.
Ø Use disposable gloves: when handling food and in situations where contact with urine, stool or blood occurs. Keep disposable gloves in your lab apron. Use gloves from the classroom, they are latex free.
Ø Sanitizing of any contaminated surface is essential. Use the disinfectant spray provided; wipe with a dry paper towel and dispose of the towel. This includes diaper-changing surfaces. Wash hands.
Ø Put all toys after being mouthed in the mouthed toy bin. Ask teacher for its location.
Ø When outdoors you must be alert at all times, positioning yourself in a location where all children can be observed. Be sure that all children on equipment are being spotted Remember that this is not an appropriate time to socialize with friends or other staff members. Most serious injuries with children occur on the playground. It is always a good idea to have a First Aid Kit available on the playground.
Ø In case of an injury: Assess the situation, remain calm, think clearly.
Stay with injured child and alert another adult to go for help.
Know fire evacuation procedures and routes
Ø From the Children’s Classroom: Routes are posted by the classroom entrance door. Fire Drills are scheduled and executed once a month by campus security personnel. In the event of a fire or other emergency requiring the evacuation of the building follow the lead of the Head Teacher. The fire alarm will sound and the following procedures will be followed:
Ø The children will be instructed to immediately follow the teacher to the door and out to a designated area.
Ø The assistant will bring the attendance record and the first aid kit, turn out the lights, close the door and follow the last child out of the classroom, making sure to check all areas for frightened children.
Ø Once the designated area has been reached, the teacher will immediately check the attendance sheet to make sure all children have been evacuated from the building.
Ø For Main Campus Only - From Reibman 102: Check with infant/toddler staff to see if help is needed. It is imperative that helping adults follow the head teacher of the classroom to the designated area so that staff can account for each child.
Ø Children, students and adults remain in the designated area until security personnel give the clearance to return to the building
Ø In the case of an actual emergency, parents will be contacted to pick up children in a designated campus building (meet at Keystone Hall until that building has been announced).
In the event of a Storm Warning, children will be ushered to windowless areas and hallways. Staff and children are to remain in place until given further instructions.
Please Note
You may be withdrawn from a course by the course instructor after two lab absences in that course.
