Mrs. Sandy's Family Child Care
About Mrs. Sandy
I'm A Family Child Care Provider
I am a licensed Family Child Care Provider in the State of IL. I can care for and supervise up to 8 children ages 6 weeks to 12 years of age in my home. When I began working with children in 1998, I had no idea then how much I would still be enjoying it today. I offer a play-based curriculum. Learning through play is a term used in education to describe how children can learn to make sense of the world around them. Through play children can develop social and cognitive skills, mature emotionally, and gain the self-confidence required to engage in new experiences and environments. Through creativity and imagination the children will grow and develop. I believe that play must be enjoyable, spontaneous and voluntary. Play should have no prescribed learning that has to occur and it should involve active engagement and involve an element of make believe. I believe that children learn best from the world around them and when they are given opportunities to learn new knowledge from prior experiences. It is the child's job to use and apply their knowledge, their skills and their understanding in different ways and contexts. It is my job as a teacher to use a variety of approaches to engage children in activities that can help them learn to develop a positive disposition for learning. I am a role model to give children positive attitudes about play, encourage them and offer them a balance of indoor and outdoor activities. I offer a variety of materials and experiences at varying levels of difficulty. I believe that giving children a choice of materials is important, because it provides them motivation for exploration and discovery. My play environment allows children to make choices. I help to extend children’s natural observation by providing the language to help children articulate what they see happening. I promote and enhance play by encouraging children to bring their interests and experiences into the play and asking questions. I help the children make hypotheses, recognize similarities and differences and to solve problems. Through my nature inspired program I can help kids learn to love and respect nature.
I'm a Mom
In 1998 I gave birth to my daughter. I was working as an interpreter for a 6th Grade deaf child in the school district and I was lucky enough to have a neighbor watch my daughter for a few months while I finished out the school year. I hated being away from her and knew then that I wanted to stay home. In order to help supplement our household income, I decided to open a home daycare with the intent that I would go back to teaching when she entered Kindergarten. My daughter is now in college and I couldn't imagine doing any other job. I love what I do and thankful for lasting friendships I have made along the way.
I'm an Educator & Life Long Learner
I earned my Bachelor’s Degree at MacMurray College in Jacksonville, IL in Education of the Hearing Impaired. Since becoming a family child care provider I have taken courses in early care and education at the local Community College. I continue my education through online webinars and trainings, attending conferences and face-to-face trainings through my local family child care association and local resource and referral agency. Early Childhood Care and Education is constantly changing and the only way to stay up to date on best practices is to continue learning. I began teaching other early childhood professionals at my local resource and referral agency in 2003. I still provide trainings and I am a trainer for the IL Trainer’s Network through IL National Child Care Resource and Referral Agency (INCCRRA).
I'm a Photographer
I really began to love photography when I gave birth to my daughter. I tried to find the most unique props, fun backgrounds and had a lot of fun capturing her milestones. My daughter was placed in a pumpkin (which was featured in a magazine), in a watermelon and in a stock pot, to name a few. I have always been her personal photographer and enjoyed taking her senior pictures. I really enjoy doing family pictures, senior pictures and kids pictures. A service provided to my daycare families is extended through photography. Not only do I take the everyday pictures while they are in my program or on fieldtrips, but I also take fun and quirky pictures for each holiday to share with my families. Some of my work can be found on my FB page Digital Memories by Sandy
I'm a Mentor
I began mentoring other early childhood professionals in 2006 when I became a Child Development Associate (CDA) Observer. I have since then helped others work on their Accreditation, continue to be a CDA Advisor, worked as a Professional Development Advisor through IL National Child Care Resource and Referral Agency (INCCRRA) and worked as a mentor through our child care union. I love to help and offer advice and mentorship from what I have learned from my field to help others excel and better their programs. There is no better feeling than to know that I have helped them improve their program and their professionalism.
I'm a Leader
I joined my local family child care association and fell in love with the group as well as what it stood for. Soon after joining I ran for Presidency and since then I have held that position a total of 12 of the past 15 years I have been a member. To say the least I am committed and I love my position. I also serve as a co-chair for the Family Child Care Credential Committee through IL Child Care Resource and Referral Agency (INCCRRA) from its inception (2013) to its conclusion (2018). I continue to work on the advisory board at our local community college. I serve on three other boards as well, Teach Plus Illinois ECE Advisory Board, Child Care Advisory Council (CCAC) through IL Department of Human Services (DHS) and IL Town Square Advisory Board.
I'm a Professional
Professionalism is most often defined as the strict adherence to courtesy, honesty and responsibility when dealing with individuals or other companies in a business environment. This trait often includes a high level of excellence going above and beyond basic requirements. This is exactly what I do. Through continued education and constant networking with other early childhood professionals and organizations, I strive to always go above and beyond my work requirements. I follow the required IL Department and Children Family Services (ILDCFS) and keep my license current. I wanted to go above what was expected and voluntarily became accredited through the National Association for Family Child Care (NAFCC) in 2005. IL has a quality rating system that is also a voluntary program. I have obtained the highest level in my state (Gold Circle of Quality) by rating my program in both my environment and my business. This is a very intense program and requires continuous quality improvement. This validates that I go above and beyond in my job duties. I don't do these for recognition. I do these to better my program for the enrolled children and families I serve.