Teriann Runkel
COM 111-07
5-11-07

The subculture I chose was very interesting. I had a lot of fun at my field site, which is also my workplace. Being placed in this COM 111 class and being assigned these series of writings and essays was extremely beneficial to me. It gave me a chance to become a better, more descriptive writer and also gave me the chance to learn more about the daycare environment and most importantly, the children. This field site experience has helped me further my studies in my Elementary Education at Lincoln Land Community College. The experience I have received at Lakeshore Learning Center, while concentrating on my subculture essays, has taught me a lot of valuable information. Children are very interesting and there are so many possible things to observe from them and write about. Children are always active and there is never a dull moment.

The experience I have gained from this subculture is very useful to me, especially since children are the largest part of my education. I love teaching and spending time with children. They are my biggest joy. It is amazing how they can make you feel when they look up to you and smile. I am positive that I want to spend my career teaching and being involved with children. I love to educate children and teach them new things. I am rewarded by how excited they get and the look on their face when they understand something.

Children definitely keep you on your toes! There is never a dreary or boring minute with my two year olds. Even when they take their two hour nap, which is when I normally was scheduled to come into work, there is too much to clean up and get ready for before they wake up again. My normal day consists of the children waking from their cots and coming to the classrooms personal bathroom for potty breaks and diaper changes. By this time it is around 2:30 pm. The children line up at the door to walk across the hall to the gym. They love this indoor gym, where they can run, jump, hop, roll, yell and act goofy. After they use all of their energy in the gym, we go back to the classroom to wash up for snack time. The children go to the bathroom to scrub their hands and then come to sit at the table. The snack is brought to the room by the kitchens cook. The kids normally drink juice and eat something like graham crackers, fruit, pretzels, cheese, and much other snack type of foods. After snack we go back to the gym or if it is nice we go outside for some play time. After about a half hour we go back inside to do music. The children listen and sing to the songs and some play instruments like bells, drum, whistles, and sticks. They love this time. They dance around and laugh. Their favorite song is ‘Ring-around-the-Rosy’. After music is done, and they start to lose interest, they have time for free play in the classroom. Toward the end of the day, I usually try to get the children involved in some type of art project. Then the parents soon arrive. The kids give me a hug goodbye and I tell them “I’ll see you later”.

I enjoy every day I am with the children. I have learned a lot of helpful information that I can use throughout my career as a teacher. These essays have helped me learn a lot about daycare environments and child behavior and activities. Children are very interesting and I am so excited to get the chance to work with them, to help educate them.