As trumpet horns blow, tiny hands clap, and little feet tap, The Week of the Young Child is in full swing.

Each year The National Association for the Education of Young Children, NAYEC, dedicates a week to celebrating early childhood education. This year the Buffalo State Childcare Center participated in the national celebration with a week of campus engagement, including a visit from the colleges’ talented musicians.

Each day this week, different departments in the college have volunteered their time teaching the children in the center a new skill, or by participating in an activity.

The idea for a campus-wide collaboration came from Vice President of Student Affairs, Dr. Timothy Gordon, members of the leadership team in student affairs, and Buffalo State Childcare Center Executive Director Monique L. Bluford.

“They all jumped on board and were very excited, and came up with ideas and I didn’t even think of,” Bluford said.

“With budgetary constraints being what they are, being able to collaborate on campus, and a lot of the services are being offered in kindness, it’s huge and it’s a part of our uniqueness of being here on campus.”

On Monday, Chartwell’s Dining services came into the center and taught a cooking class. The children were also greeted by Gordon, who read the preschool class a story and was thanked with a giant group hug.

Members of the music department got their groove on with the kids on Tuesday in the toddler rooms. The kids were introduced to different instruments, and the musicians performed familiar songs such as “The Itsy Bitsy Spider” and “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star.”

“I think it’s a fun and engaging way to teach kids,” said Teressa-jo Izzo, a junior in the Music Education major.

Izzo expressed her desire to share her musical skills with the center during The Week of the Young Child, comes from her belief in the value of music education in the school system.

“I think it’s a very important thing to have in schools, especially because we are becoming a very technical world and they need that creative outlet,” Izzo explained.

Izzo believes music is an exceptional way to teach, that helps students better remember a lesson. She gives the example of the ABC’s, which most people learn through singing.

“I think that music and the memory are very intertwined when it comes to learning, so things that you’ve learned with music, you remember more,” Izzo said.

The variety of ideas, techniques, and approaches each department on campus offers the center this week, allows for children to excel based on their own individual learning style. Although a child may struggle in one area, they may do exceedingly well in another. Which is why Izzo believes this week of campus engagement’s so important.

On Wednesday the children put on their marching feet and participated in the Walkathon at the Sports Arena, each step contributed to the ultimate goal of 2.4 million yards, for the Yards for Yeardly campaign. The money raised with each yard walked helps to fund education and prevention of relationship abuse.

The Week of the Young Child ends with a visit from members of Res Life and Greek Life in the classrooms on Friday morning.

“This is a wonderful way to conclude the semester. A wonderful model on how we can collaborate as different departments on campus,” Bluford said.

Photography by Yomira Meregildo

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