Recruitment and Engagement Associate Gray Robinson attended the 2024 Family Child Care Association of New York State (FCCANYS) Annual Conference, along with Quality Improvement Specialists and family child care providers from across the state. Gray recorded some moments that stood out in his time in Oswego.
The QUALITYstarsNY vendor table
The first morning on Friday started with breakfast, followed by the first round of morning sessions. Quality Improvement Specialist Amanda Gould led QUALITYstarsNY’s first session of the conference. Titled “Attachment & Meaningful Transitions”, in this session participants analyze the importance of secure attachments and meaningful relationships within a child’s scope of development specific to the age of children they provide care for. After learning the different attachment styles, participants then reviewed their transition policies and came up with at least one change that can be implemented over the next month after the conference.
Amanda presenting “Attachments & Meaningful Transitions”
Beach balls lined up for “Mighty Movers”
After lunch, our team hosted two sessions based on play and movement. “Mighty Movers”, hosted by Specialist Rachel Zielinski and QUALITYstarsNY participant Jade Lewis (Genesis Family Child Care), was an interactive session based on encouraging providers to engage in structured and unstructured play with the children in their care. A “Mighty Mover” is defined as a “person that can have impressive power and strength that is in constant motion”. Both children and providers are mighty movers! Participants left with new ideas for structured and unstructured play, and a goal to incorporate 15 minutes of play for every hour of care they provide.
In the morning on Saturday, Specialist Kristin Olsen presented “Intentional Lesson Planning Made Easy”, aimed to help participants develop an understanding of lesson planning and how it plays an important role in successful day care programming. She outlined a method called “webbing”, where by identifying one topic of interest amongst the children in your care, you can branch out and connect different related learning materials and strategies to help build your curriculum. For example, if you identify insects as being a topic of interest, reading “A Very Hungry Caterpillar”, observing bugs through a magnifying glass, and serving ants-on-a-log for snack time are all ways you can encourage and relate to this interest in your program planning.
Participants moved beach balls into baskets using only pool noodles
“Intentional Lesson Planning Made Easy” by Kristin Olsen
One of the final sessions of the conference was “Understanding the Value of Play”. Hosted by QUALITYstarsNY participant Lazara Gomez (Rainbow Day Care) and her Specialist Christina Miles, participants were shown different types of play based on the developmental stages of the children in their care; what a toddler versus infant play area should look like, what materials should be in each, and how play can encourage learning. Then participants went around to four different play stations around the room and discussed what children were learning for each activity.
Our team had an amazing time meeting some of our family child care participants from across the state. Everyone who came to our vendor table to say hello was excited, present, and ready to make the most of the conference. Leaving Oswego, we are thrilled about the state of family child care in New York after meeting some of the passionate and dedicated professionals in the field.
Thank you to Joan, Sue, and the team at FCCANYS for putting together such an informative and engaging conference. We look forward to seeing everyone next year in Oswego!
Specialists Kathy Moss (left) and Chrissy Miles (right)
