T

Section 1
INTRODUCTION TO THE PR.OJECT "VORK .

Welcome to the Project Work ! Having gone through Courses I, 2 and 3, you have a
fairly good idea about the development of young children, how one 'can foster children's
development, the qualities and skills desirable in a child care worker and the principles
that underlie organizing creches and preschools. You have also read about the strategies
and methods of communication, health and nutritional needs of young children and some
basic aspects in handling children with special needs. As a part of these Courses, you
have also carried out some practical activities that involved observing and. interacting
with children. These practical activities were home based and informal in nature. It is
time now for.you to test how far you will be able to apply the concepts you have learnt
in the first three Courses of this programme of study, in the field situation. In other
words, you need to judge how effective ·/OU would be asan educator, by y(tl~l1y
working in a preschool or a nursery schr ol. You need practical experienvo er working
with young children-planning and carry ing out activities with them, in order 10 be a
professional in me field of Early Childlx od Care and Education. The Project Work has
been planned with these broad objective: in view.

It is one thing to read about children an! quite another to work with them in the formal
set-up of a creche or a preschool. As you go through the Project Work, you may change
some of your preconceived notions and ideas about children, discover your talent for
child care, alter some of your attitudes and develop new skills. One thing is certain-the
Project will be a thon:)ug~.;;; ('":,)yable and exhilarating experience for you! Children are
spontaneous and exuberant. and take well to a person whom they feel to be sincere and
lively. You will find that they respond readily to your efforts.

Some of you may already be working in a creche or a nursery school/preschool. For

such learners, the Project Work will prove to be an additional experience ond may also
• be an opportunity for introspection.

Objectives of the Project Work

The Project Work aims to

I

• clarirr your understanding of the theoretical principles of Child Development

• improve your conceptual understanding of the subject matter in the context of field
realities

• develop and strengthen the attitudes. an I skills tha: are prerequisites to working and
Interacting with young children'

• ~p you learn ways of fostering children's development through play activities

• enable you to plan and carry out play activities that are appropriate to children's
level of development and are of interest to them

• sensitize you to the fact that each child is unique

• help you appreciate the aspects that need to be looked into when setting up and
managing child care centres like creches and preschools

At this point, it would help you to recall the qualities desirable in J. child care worker
about which you have read In Unit 1I of DECE-l. You know that a child care worker
needs to be sensitive, flexible, child-ccntcred and confident. In that Uni: you have also
read about the knowledge, attitudes and skills that a child care worker needs (0 have:
It will help you to keep these 3:;PCCts in 'nind as you .:.lilY out rhc Project Work. To
help you recall, the table as prcscrted in LT nit 1; uf DEer: -: t-IU~ been reproduced.
here.
Project Work : Werkl<\~
with Young Chilclrea in
l:,WlC 1: l asks to \)C pertormeu In a LhllJ Care CcntreiUJd Skills
required of a Caregiver
a Child Care Setting
~
Essential Tasks Knowledge Skills
.----.-- ..,.-- ....--.-.~---

I) Keeping the I) How to keep the 1) Identifying unsafe objects and

surroundings enviroruucnr safe materials in the environment
safe and healthy and clean such as sharp things, furniture
etc.
2) First-aid 2) Selecting safe material and
places for children's activities
3) Preservation and storage 3) Ensuring sanitary conditions in
of food and water use of food and water.
4) Basic rules of
health and hygiene

2) Physical care I) Health and nutritional I) Bathing and dressing

of children needs of chi ldrcn in babies,
different age groups

2) Feeding and weanin:

practices
- -
2) Bottle feeding infants as per
their individual needs,

3) Bathing and toilet 3) Preparing weaning foods and

practices feeding infants

4) Sleep patterns and ~) Measuring children's growth

habits of children using growth charts
5) Appr .priate clothing 5) Attending to toilet needs,
for ;; ,iIdren responding to cues for
elimination

6) Medical referral 6) Identifying! sick or under-

services nourished children

7) Care required during 7) Selecting appropriate food for

diarrhoea and fevers children

8) Immunization schedule'

3) Meeting the 1) Principles of growth I) Planning a day's programme

stimulation and and development to meet needs of children
emotional needs
of children 2) M ilestones/norms 2) Organizing activities for physical,
of development motor, social, emotional,
language and cognitive
development of children

3) Appropnareplay and 3) Utilizing local resources-material

~action activities for and human-to enrich the
.>:promoting development programme
of chi Idren in all areas

4) Parent guidance 4) Identifying children with special

needs using simple criteria based
on development normsl
milestones

5) Organizing parent meetings, for

exchange of ideas

4) Maintaining I) Significance of 1) Keeping attendance records

Records . attendance records

2) Significance of 2) Entering health and

health/growth records immunization information ill
records

3) Maintaining growth
charts
'4
As you know. the Diploma Programme aims to enable you to work with children up to ~1IdiOD to the
six years of age and equip you to set up and manage creches and preschools. The Project W&~
Project Work will give you experience of working in a nursery school/preschool. It
would be desirable for you ,to have experience of working in a creche as well. However,
we are not able to provide for work experience in a creche. Nonetheless, to help you get
familiarized with the routine and aspects of care in a creche, some practical activities
have been devised as a part of the practical work of DECE-3. These are described in the
Practical Manual pertaining to this Course. You will need to carry out these practical
exercises as per the instructions given in the Manual.

Regarding Completion of Progra mme of Study

The Project Work forms an integral part of this Programme of Study. The Diploma
will not be awarded until you ha-:e completed the Project Work, submitted the
Project File and obtained the mini nurn qualifying grade, that is, Grade 'D', even
though you may have successfully .Ieared the exami~ations for Courses 1, 2 and 3.

5,