Assignment Instructions
Include an introduction, conclusion and a reference section.
- Answer all questions fully.
- Ensure that your answers are supported by research and literature. Use a minimum of 4 scholarly references
- Your assignment must be 1400-1600 words excluding the references.
Read the Case Study below and answer the questions which follow:
The motto for the Blooming Bright Preschool establishment in a low-income community is:
“Children grow best in a healthy, safe and stimulating environment”.
Due to a shortage of cash, the preschool, which has 23 students, is being forced to relocate for the upcoming academic year.
The school’s Administrator has been offered a vacant building which was once used as a home by a benefactor, free of charge. However on visiting the building for the first time with her two staff members, they all began coughing and sneezing and experienced eyes and nose irritation and one even complained of dizziness.
However, after a more thorough inspection they noticed that the house had two small rooms and large living-dining area, a small kitchen and one toilet/bathroom. Also all rooms had worn out fluffy carpets. All rooms had electrical outlets near the floor level and large glass windows. There was a back door and front entrance. The front door had 3 steps to enter the building and the back door had about 6 concrete steps with no railing leading to the back yard. The backyard was large with a broken fence, some large trees and overgrown grass. There was a main road running parallel to the back yard.
The staff noticed that there was a great deal of renovation to be done both indoors and outdoors, but money was scare.
A prominent cement business establishment offered to spray the grass with a pesticide, cut down the trees and fix the fence in preparation for playground. However the company was unable to do any more.
The Administrator approached the Manager of a hardware company who agreed to finance the equipment for the playground; after convincing the Board of Directors of the company of the benefits of outdoor play to the holistic development of children.
The Preschool Administrator ensured that the entire house was cleaned. The large room was organised as the classroom, the adjacent room as a store room and the room which was secluded from the rest was selected as the Administrator’s office. As the financial problem became more intense, the teaching staff was reduced to one.
As the preparation for the opening of the school term continued, the Administrator and her teacher awaited the visit from the Ministry of Education official to ensure that the minimum requirements for the early childhood setting had been met. The school had already accepted the 23 pupils who have registered for the new academic year, including a three year old confined to a wheelchair.
As a practitioner with professional training in early childhood development and education answer the following question.
1. Explain TWO possible reasons for the coughing, squeezing, nose and eye irritations which occurred when the staff entered the building. (4 marks)
2. Consider the offers made by the cement company and propose, with reasons, TWO suggestions you would make concerning the fixing of the yard and the fence to safeguard the health and safety of the children. (6 marks)
3. Suggest, with reason, FOUR other changes you would put in place inside the building to improve the environment to ensure the children’s safety and health. (8 marks)
4. Discuss THREE benefits the outdoor environment will have on the learning and health of the children. (6 marks)
5. After the evaluation of the school, the Government Official presented the report. Identify and justify THREE areas which were recommended for improvement. (9 marks)
6. (a) Identify ONE social factor in the case study and discuss TWO ways it may impede the learning and health of the children at the centre. (5 marks)
(b) Suggest TWO possible measures the school can undertake to reduce the negative impact of this social factor. (2 marks)
