THE FRONTLINES OF CHILD CARE

The Yokota Child and Youth Programs (CYP) consist of NAF, GS and Japanese National employees. Providing all day, before, after school and summer care to the children of the community. Whether it’s planning activities, playing games, growing interests, getting children ready for elementary school or teaching fine and gross motor skills, these teachers do everything in their power to care and create an enriching environment.

“Daily routines, basically coming in the morning and making sure that when my children enter the room they’re entering a room with positive energy setting the mood right to make them as comfortable as possible” said Charmaine St Louis, a Child Development Center (CDC) room lead. These teachers know that a healthy environment makes all the difference when trying to shape little minds. All teachers plan, create and implement lessons that strengthen cognitive, social, emotional and motor skills. While at School Age Care (SAC), teachers are responsible for areas rather than classrooms. Aside from strengthening much needed skills at both programs, these teachers also give a safe and loving environment for children to flourish and develop into their own. “One of the things I like to do is inspire children to use their imaginations and explore creativity. Getting to explore things they normally wouldn’t explore.” said Dennis Patton, a CDC room lead. Lesson planning for babies doesn’t seem like a hard job, but a lot of time, effort and work goes into each activity so they can provide the necessary practice for each student.

At School Age, these teachers spend around seven hours a day engaging in recreation and gearing activities to their students interests. They not only implement educational activities, their main goal is education through recreation. Allowing students to foster interests and grow social skills outside the normal classroom atmosphere. “Being a School Age

“WE ARE NOT ONLY TAKING CARE OF CHILDREN, WE ARE ALSO EDUCATING, LOVING AND GROWING WITH THEM.” –GRECIA GONZÁLEZ ZAMORA

teacher consist of a variety of things — we are not only taking care of children, we are also educating, loving and growing with them” said Grecia González Zamora, a SAC teacher.

Lesson plans have to be created weeks in advance at both programs, but teachers at the CDC must also keep up with portfolios — an in depth binder for each student tracking their progress and developmental skills. CYP teachers also have monthly meetings with on-site trainers, making sure they’re not only meeting their children’s developmental milestones, but also making sure they are feeling supported and ready to nurture. While from the outside, a day may look filled with play and fun, a lot of planning goes into creating and executing activities. Teaching children isn’t always sunshine and rainbows, it’s hard work and sometimes a thankless job, but Marbie Detubio a SAC teacher knows, that it’s the children who are the biggest reward, “Honestly, I always feel rewarded every time I see the smiles on the children’s faces and also the hugs that I get from them when they feel happy and secure around me.” Working with children requires a dedication that not many people have — very few answer the call but those that do know how important they really are.