The objective of this study was to scrutinize the needs of the operation of programs for those mothers who send to a childcare center their young children aged 18 through 24 months, thereby grasp the needs of quality programs for young children, lead ...
The objective of this study was to scrutinize the needs of the operation of programs for those mothers who send to a childcare center their young children aged 18 through 24 months, thereby grasp the needs of quality programs for young children, lead the government or childcare facilities to devise diversified programs, create and utilize such qualitative evaluation tools as can be fit to the Korean situation and then provide basic data needed.
In order to attain these goals, questions were posed, as follows:
1. What needs do mothers represent of the operation of programs for childcare of young children aged 18 through 24 months?
1) What needs do mothers have of the environment of their childcare centers?
2) What needs do mothers have of their young children's health, safety and nutrition?
3) What needs do mothers have of the reality of programs?
4) What needs do mothers have of teachers?
5) What needs do mothers have of connection between parents and their community?
For that purpose, a questionnaire poll was conducted on 110 mothers who utilized one of 10 ten private, national, and public childcare centers in Seoul. 110 questionnaire forms were distributed to parents, of which 92 were only returned and used for he final analysis. Data analysis depended upon frequency analysis and percentage.
Results were revealed, as follows:
First, among the needs of mothers of childcare environment, the highest response was shown of 'the installation of individual chests of drawers for young children and of 'toilets should be installed within the childcare rooms.'
Second, among the mothers' needs of their young children's
health, safety and nutrition, the highest response was represented out of 'poisonous substances, chemicals, swallowable toys, sharp things, and so forth shall be kept out of reach of children' and 'food should be managed cleanly and cooked hygienically.'
Third, among the mothers' needs of the reality of programs, the highest response was exposed from 'programs should be operated in consideration of the individual idiosyncrasies of young children' and 'opportunities and materials should be provided so that educational activities can be carried out through plays.'
Mothers cognized that the function of a childcare center consists in 'the first priority should be put on protection and then on education,' and the length of a midday nap of the young children is recommended to be at the level of one hour or two. Outdoor play had a preference for 'sunbathing 30 minutes or an hour one time or two a day or walking, and so on.' The ratio of teachers to children was asked to be a small ratio such as 1:5, 2:10, etc. The needs of mothers of class organization required 'to divide 'one year of age into 12 to 18 months or 19 to 24 or the single age level of 12 through 24 months. The time of attendance that mothers desired indicated 7:30 through 8:30 a.m. and dismissal time 6:30 through 7:30 p.m.,' and the total number of childcare hours was required to be 12 hours or more.
Fourth, among the mothers' needs of teachers, the highest response pointed to 'a teacher needs to pat and hug her children' and 'a teacher needs to be good at praising the task a young child has done.' As regards the marital status of teachers, the respondents had a preference for 'married teachers with experience of child rearing.'
As for the school carrier of teachers, they emphasized 'teachers who graduated from a four-year course childhood education department or from a related one. On the other hand, the experience of teachers reflected 'teachers with three to four years of experience in teaching profession, and the quality of teachers revealed the highest value in 'teachers who teach their children with love.'
Fifth, among the mothers' needs of connection between parents and their community, the highest response was pointed out from 'daily checkups for young children and the notification of the contents of daily routine on the childcare center bulletin board and parents' exchange of information with the childcare center though the bulletin board for parents.'
On the whole, mother respondents took an active and keen interest in childcare center environment, health, safety, nutrition, the reality of programs, teachers and so forth, while s negative response was represented from connection between parents and their community.