Saturday, June 2, 2007 1:11 AM CDT
In-home daycare provider wins national award for teaching about diversity
By DAWN SCHABBING, Features Writer
dschabbing@jg-tc.com
The constant scraping sound of the three-wheelers’ plastic tires on concrete would make most adults cringe. But that almost rhythmic sound was more like music to Shirley Bloom’s ears as she watched “her” busy children.
She observed and smiled as four boys and two girls happily rode three-wheelers in the play area of her backyard on a recent sunny day.
But, playing is only a part of the daily routine at her Mattoon home daycare — Busy Kids Daycare.
She said she appreciates happy, healthy children playing and learning together.
Bloom also tries to create a unique setting for her daycare children and teach them about life outside of home.
She recently applied for and was selected to receive the Terri Lynne Lokoff Child Care Foundation’s National Child Care Teacher Award, sponsored by the makers of Children’s Tylenol.
Bloom was awarded a $1,000 prize, with $500 of it to be used to implement the award-winning program and $500 to be used as she chooses.
Through her project, “We Are The Same, We Are Different,” Bloom now teaches her young students about cultural diversity and about people with special needs and disabilities by using four newly purchased soft dolls and educational books.
One doll uses a wheelchair and another uses a service dog. Two of the dolls are dark skinned and two are light skinned.
“When these kids leave here and go to school and they sit next to a kid in a wheelchair, I think it is important that they understand that it is OK,” Bloom said.
In addition to the dolls, other teaching tools she purchased with the prize money included puzzles, music compact discs and dress-up clothes.
Bloom has been in the daycare business for 14 years. She’s married to John Bloom and they have one son, Josh, 21.
She also has a longtime part-time helper, Waneta Ragland of Mattoon.
In the teacher contest, Bloom was named in the top among 54 applicants from 22 states. She also was named in the “Top 10” and became eligible for an additional $1,000 prize, which could only be won by those attending the awards ceremony in Pennsylvania. However, Bloom was unable to shut down her daycare to make the trip.
A committee of 49 early childhood educators and experts from the United States reviewed and scored each application.
“For the application process, I had to write a paper about my daycare and about myself. In it, I explained what my role as a daycare provider is to these families,” Bloom said. “I talked about different things I like to offer in my daycare.”
The award application also included reference letters from parents.
“Busy Kids” seem to be just that at Bloom’s daycare.
“Sometimes we collect bugs outside and put them in a box and talk about them. We learn about shapes and colors and play with blocks,” Bloom said.
The children even help with washing toys and Bloom said they enjoy being little helpers in that process.
She stays on top of the latest learning tools and methods by taking continuing education courses.
“I think having a home daycare is harder sometimes because of the variety of ages you are working with,” Bloom said.
Currently, the children she’s caring for daily are ages 13 months to 7 years. She estimated some 60 different children have been cared for in her home over the years.
“It isn’t like a child learning center, where the children are grouped by age.”
Bloom said she tries to make everyone feel special when they come into the daycare. The home includes plenty of toys and play things, a learning area, and a fenced-in back yard.
“We build relationships with our families. Here, birthdays are a big deal. Everyone gets a birthday party,” she said.
Bloom said she started out slowly, taking on three or four kids the first few years, and gradually built.
She is licensed for 12 children in her daycare, but she usually has about seven or eight children at any given time.
But, Bloom said the time goes quickly in her career.
“Daycare work keeps you young ... because your mind is always going,” she said. “But, I’m tired at the end of the day. Kids’ play is hard work.”
Contact Dawn Schabbing at dschabbing@jg-tc.com or 238-6864.
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CLICK TO ENLARGE
 Kevin Kilhoffer (JG/T-C)
Shirley Bloom operates the Busy Kids Daycare at her home in Mattoon. Pictured with her is Ryan Bridges, 13 months. Bloom recently applied for and was selected to receive the Terri Lynne Lokoff Child Care Foundation's National Child Care Teacher Award for her project 'We Are The Same, We Are Different,' which teaches the children under her care about diversity.
Kevin Kilhoffer (JG/T-C)
Children at Shirley Bloom’s home-based Busy Kids Daycare play at a sandbox. Bloom tries to create a unique setting for her daycare children and teach them about life outside of home using the 'We Are The Same, We Are Different' project she created.
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