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Every child deserves a good startChildcare workers help put children on the pathto success from the beginningFeatureCareerFocusWhen MichelleChambersworked atWalter BickettElementaryas a behaviormodificationtechnician,her office was a destination fortroublemakers. Some childrenbrought ongoing behavioral issuesto school, and Chambers couldsee patterns. “I saw that childrenneeded intervention at an earlierage, so I set out to open a daycare,” she says.With a goal of providing highquality child care with anemphasis on school readiness,Chambers enrolled in EarlyChildhood Education night classesat South Piedmont CommunityCollege, and continued to workat Walter Bickett by day. Shecompleted her required classes andbuilt a childcare center next to herhome in Monroe. A+ Childcareand Learning Center opened 14years ago, licensed to serve 50pre-school children. Chamberslater moved to a new home andconverted the house beside A+Childcare into an after-schoolfacility.While running herdaycare, Chamberscontinued taking classesat SPCC until sheearned herassociate’sdegreein Early Childhood Education.Michelle and her husband, Rodney,also raised a family: Brittney, now21; Rodney Jr., 18; and Kayla, 10.As daughter Brittney grew upspending time in the center,she developed a passion for hermother’s work. Today, she toois a graduate of SPCC’s EarlyChildhood Education program,and she works full-time at thecenter along with her mom.Michelle Chambers says sheexpects her younger daughter, whoalready helps after-schoolers withhomework, will go into child care.Rodney Jr. is completing his firstyear in the Computer InformationTechnology program at SPCC.Michelle Chambers’ educationalexperiences at SPCC ofteninfluence her business decisions.This is especially true of her hiringprocess. “When I see a student hasstudied with (SPCC Instructor)Sharon Little, that helps me makemy decision because I know they’vebeen taught well,” she says, addingthat SPCC grads have prioritywhen she has an opening.The economy has put a dent inthe number of students enrolledin A+ Childcare, and Brittneyand MichelleChambers areusing the lull tofurthertheirBrittney and Michelle Chambers (center) work with Briana Anthony and RobertClyburn at A+ Childcare and Learning Center in Monroe.educations at UNC-Pembrokeutilizing scholarships fromthe Teacher Education andCompensation Helps (T.E.A.C.H.)Early Childhood Project. They planto earn bachelor’s degrees in EarlyChildhood Education throughmostly online studies.Brittney Chambers says she andher mother honed their skills withonline courses while they were atSPCC, and they know the first rulefor success. ”Do not procrastinate,and do not wait until the day theassignment is due to contact theinstructor for the first time,” shesays. “If you keep up with yourwork, online is fine.”The Chamberses learned aboutT.E.A.C.H. through the Ed Starsprogram, a cooperative effortbetween SPCC and Union SmartStart. To qualify for a T.E.A.C.H.scholarship, each lady committedto work two more years inchildcare. Since A+ Childcarewas approved as a More-At-Foursite, and Brittney teaches theclass, she must earn the degreewithin four years. Mom plans tobe by her side for the journey thatbegan this academic year whenthe two traveled to Pembroke fororientation.A+ Childcare is currently a fourstarcenter based on the state’sfive-star rating system. Earningbachelor’s degrees will allow theChamberses to earn a five-starrating, a designation reservedfor facilities meeting the higheststandards for childcare. Fivestarrequirements include staffingthe facility with teachers whohave earned a bachelor’s in earlychildhood education.The Chamberses are eligible forT.E.A.C.H. scholarships becausetheir center is enrolled in theChildcare WAGE$ Project. WAGE$provides salary supplements toearly childhood educators basedon educational achievement andcontinuity of employment in thesame facility.UNC-P is one of six universitiesoffering bachelor’s degreesthrough T.E.A.C.H. To learnmore about the WAGE$ programor T.E.A.C.H. scholarships, visitwww.childcareservices.org.To learn more about EarlyChildhood Education programsat SPCC, contact Sharon Little at704-272-5399 or s-little@spcc.edu.To learn more about the Ed Starsprogram for childcare workersprovided through SPCC, contactCarilyn Raymond at 704-290-5863or craymond@spcc.edu. CF704-290-5100 or 704-272-5300 I www.spcc.edu I South Piedmont Community College CareerFocus I Summer 2010 I 7