[Amanda Dillon]

1. I discovered that the WACs cover an incredibly wide variety of topics and are specific to WA in many cases, such as the mention of the Tacoma Smelter Plume.

2. I was surprised by the WAC that said “Attendance records must be kept for a minimum of five years” because I was unaware that this was necessary.

3. I know that the WACs will directly affect my day-to-day while working in child care, from cleaning, to setting up the classroom, to handling food, and interacting with children.

[kate]

1. I was surprised at how detailed the WACs were and found it to be super helpful. A great reference guide to look back on when issues arise. At first I was overwhelmed by all of the training requirements but after reading about them I have more of an understanding of why we need them and how beneficial they will be.
2. One detail I was surprised about or didn’t fully understand why was under WAC 110-300-460 it says you keep children’s individual records for minimum of three years but attendance records need to be kept for 5 years? Whats the benefit of those extra two years of attendance records?
3. I think the WACs are so beneficial to having clear assigned guidelines for different levels of working with children. This helps everyone to be on the same page and the continuing education aspect will be so beneficial for the children and early child worker.

[Ayva Spears]

1. What did you discover about the WACs while completing the activity? I discovered there was plenty of information needed to know for the workplace.
2. Were you surprised by any of the WACs? I was not surprised by any of the WACS.
3. Can you see how the WACs will influence your day-to-day practice in caring for children? Why or why not? Yes I do, it will help me practice standard procedures in regards to sleep for example.

[Junga]

What did you discover about the WACs while completing the activity? While completing the activity, I discovered that the Washington Administrative Codes (WACs) for early learning are comprehensive and detailed, covering a wide range of topics essential for the safe and effective operation of child care programs. They provide clear guidelines on health and safety standards, staff qualifications, child-to-staff ratios, curriculum requirements, and facility maintenance.

Were you surprised by any of the WACs? Yes, I was surprised by a few WACs. For instance, the specific requirements for outdoor play areas and the detailed regulations on food safety and nutrition were more extensive than I expected. Additionally, the stringent guidelines on maintaining detailed records for each child and staff member were a bit surprising in their depth and specificity.

Can you see how the WACs will influence your day-to-day practice in caring for children? Why or why not? Yes, I can see how the WACs will significantly influence my day-to-day practice in caring for children. These regulations ensure that we provide a safe, healthy, and nurturing environment for the children. They help standardize practices across different providers, ensuring consistency in care quality. Adhering to these codes will require diligent attention to detail, regular training, and ongoing compliance checks, which will become integral parts of daily operations. The WACs serve as a vital framework to guide decisions and actions, ensuring that every aspect of the childcare program meets the established standards and best practices.

[Paul]

1. What did you discover about the WACs while completing the activity? That these expecations/rules are in place to create a safer place.
2. Were you surprised by any of the WACs? The physical restraints WAC’s. I haven’t heard of actually restraining a child, just clearing a room.
3. Can you see how the WACs will influence your day-to-day practice in caring for children? Why or why not? Of course all of the WAC’s have some sort of impact. They help a center/individual become safe and a great educator.

[Madelin]

1. I discovered how detailed every guideline is and how it is crucial how detailed you have to be.

2. I wasn’t to surprised at any of them since they all seem to be common sense, or at least should be.

3. YES! It will be the foundation that help guide the way I teach children I will eventually have in my class.

[Camilla Marrujo]

I found this training very difficult, because there are no questions in the two guides. I completed the WAC Hunt as well as I could . This took me about 3 hours. so I need to move on.

[Darian P]

1. <b style=”font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;”>While completing the activity I realized how many new required trainings had been added since the last time I had read through the guidelines. I also discovered and appreciated the efforts we are making in Washington to make sure all children are receiving the level of care they deserve from us as early childhood educators. It made me realize I need to keep up to date on our guides as the world changes so frequently.
2. I was surprised but appreciated<b style=”font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;”> the expulsion rules going into the harm that constant expulsion can have on early development and the high rates that many children (especially young black boys) get expelled from preschools for behavior problems. It makes me sad to think that children are being robbed of opportunities they need to grow just because they may require further or specialized care and makes me want to do my best for every child I teach so that I am meeting them where they are and getting them all the support they need. It’s understandable that a child may need a truly specialized environment at times but even in those situations I’d hope to help the family find the absolute best path for that care if I cannot provide it or learn how.
3. <strong style=”font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;”>I think in general the WACs will influence my daily care for children in keeping me aware of the standards I should be reaching to make sure every student in my care receives equally great opportunities to explore their learning. It also solidifies the necessity in my teaching for frequent self-reflection and reaching for growth opportunities as a teacher myself as we can only adhere to these guidelines through thoughtful consideration in our creation of curriculum, whatever that may look like to us as individual educators. It reminds me to come prepared and be open to learn new things!

[Jennifer Huynh]

1. What did you discover about the WACs while completing the activity?

The WAC is a great resource for those in the Child Development profession and is a helpful tool for those who are looking to open their own center. It is very thorough and in-depth (although sometimes confusing to read and very extensive as well as slightly daunting).

2. Were you surprised by any of the WACs?

I wasn’t surprised but more so impressed that there was a section that included the importance of early intervention and what that means for students who have higher needs than typically developing children.

3. Can you see how the WACs will influence your day-to-day practice in caring for children? Why or why not?

I can see myself using the WAC as a guide or standard for how I run my in-home preschool. Especially the portions that pertain to child safety.

[Sophia Randall]

1. I discovered the WACs are more detailed and in-depth than I initially knew. This is important to cover any circumstance with clear and concise information to ensure a safe learning environment.

2. I was not surprised by the WAC as it was straightforward and the concepts made sense to keep children healthy and safe.

3. I see the WAC influencing my day-to-day practices in caring for children as a resource to double check to ensure I follow all safety procautions.

[Shamona Murphy]

1. What did you discover about the WACs while completing the activity?
2. I discovered that there are many rules and regulations that must be followed for the well being of children and for maintaining professionalism within your center.
3. Were you surprised by any of the WACs?
4. They all seemed like they made sense for the well being of the children, none seemed out of place or surprising to me.
5. Can you see how the WACs will influence your day-to-day practice in caring for children? Why or why not?
6. Yes, because I know what’s required of me and that would be documentation and continuing education. That is required to maintain professionalism.

[Paul Buscarello]

1. What did you discover about the WACs while completing the activity?

I’ve been using the WACs as a I set up my classroom and prepare for students individually, as well as make sure I can have a class pet and what requirements they might have. I appreciate how the DCYF website has the whole document searchable with ctrl-F.

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1. Were you surprised by any of the WACs?

Again, the reminder that the rules about physical restraint are very stringent and specific is a strong reminder for teachers, especially of toddlers, who might be used to swooping in and grabbing a kid when it really isn’t necessary.

2. Can you see how the WACs will influence your day-to-day practice in caring for children? Why or why not?

It seems that once the classroom, routines, and expectations are set up for compliance, most of the requirements of teachers are sort of common sense, or what I usually do as a teacher. However, having the specific language will serve as a reminder.

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[Emma Andress]

1. What did you discover about the WACs while completing the activity? There are quite a lot of them, we have many rules and regulations in washington state to protect the health and safety of children and staff
2. Were you surprised by any of the WACs? Not particularly
3. Can you see how the WACs will influence your day-to-day practice in caring for children? Why or why not? They influence most of what we do because we have to stay compliant or could face penalties.

[Maedeh Haghighi Poodeh]

1. I discovered how detailed every guideline is and The WAC is a great source for those in the child development profession.

2. I was not surprised by the WAC, they all seemed like they made sense for the well being of children.

3. I can see myself using WAC in my day today practices interacting with children.

[Genevieve]

1.What did you discover about the WACs while completing the activity?<div>

I discovered how comprehensive WACs are. I also discovered how difficult it can be to find specific WACs. This really helped me understand how important it is to familiarize yourself with them and know how to find them quickly when you need to reference them. I also discovered how they are not just guidelines to keep ECE professionals in check, but are important for protecting us as well. That way if a parent or community member takes issue with something happening in your classroom, you can reference WACs to support your decisions.

2. Were you surprised by any of the WACs?

I was slightly surprised by the minimum requirements of Center Lead Teachers. I had assumed lead teachers would be required to have more formal education in early childhood education, not just a high school diploma.

3. Can you see how the WACs will influence your day-to-day practice in caring for children? Why or why not?

Absolutely. WACs cover a wide range of topics and activities that come up day-to-day in the classroom. The WACs ensure that all childcare providers are on the same page and keep both students and childcare professionals safe. There is not a day that will go by where a WAC won’t be put into practice. Even when no kids are around, just the licensing requirements will be upheld in order to participate in early childhood education. As I stated before, WACs should be followed at all times to ensure your safety as a childcare professional.

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