Access to computers/cameras in child care

[teresamc]

If your centre does not provide you with a digital camera and/or computer or at least computer access how do you get around it and still turn out portfolios and documentation that looks professional with out:
*buying them yourself
*staying up till 11 most nights to get it done at home
What I'm doing at the moment is simply unsustainable but I think it is grossly unfair for me to have to provide my own. What if something happens to either of them while I'm using them at work?

[justathought]

Before we got lap tops and cameras in our rooms I used to hand write everything, even the learning outcomes and extended learning, pretty much everything was hand written.
well thats how I used to do it, maybe you could print off the outcomes in duplicate as use that to paste in your portfolio's and probably print off duplicates of developmental areas and their purpose and paste them in as well.
i used to also encourage parents to write in them as well, about their weekend or any special events that may be occouring in the family.

[Lorina]

Hi Teresa,

This is also a big problem I'm currently facing at the centre I'm working at...We have 1 camera to share between 3 rooms and 1 computer which my director users for her own work during the days. Every documentation that I'm doing including programming, observations, portfolios, daily diary is all hand written by all of us! Thankfully I've got nice hand writing..LOL... The camera is one of the biggest problems we are facing... Many times we miss out on capturing great learning opportunities because we have to wait for the camera... This has been going on for more than a year... We are so fed up with it but we are kinda of use to it so we make do with what we got... With the computer thats another issue...Obviously my director needs the computer and I manage to get on it at least once a week to get my learning stories done and other documentations... Very Frustrating!!!!

Cheers ,
L.A

[teresamc]

After only four weeks in this current position I've caved this weekend and we went out and bought a lap top putting us further into debt. It will just make everything soooo much easier. I am going to ask some very pointed questions about using it at work including storage of children's photos and whether their is any insurance for equipment belonging to staff.
I'm hoping to do some good both here on Aussie Child Care network and in my own Centre by showing a series of things that can be done quickly and easily to enhance learning and to share what is happening in your room.
I've just finished making my little set of learning outcomes posters for the week. Every week I go through a pick a great photo related to each outcome and use a site called Big Huge Labs to make mini motivational style posters for each outcome. Obviously I can't show you my real ones but I might do a pretend one with my boys this week.

[smith76]

I have been taking my laptop to work with me and doing my learning stories and photos on there, as there are times when the 2nd computer is being used or the back office. As with the camera i am so sick of having only one camera between 5 rooms some of the other girls have brought their own in but the centre needs to provide a camera for each room.

[patty]

i bring my own expensive camera into work each day, it has gotten scratched, paint on it, dropped and more! I got so sick and tired of waiting around a for a camera that never came, or was dead and the charger was no where to be found, or there was no storage left on it, or you were being nagged for it by the other 4 rooms! I think every room should be provided with their own camera and there should be a laptop or computor just for the workers for programming, printing and writing up learning stories etc, but in reality it all costs money so we most likely will never get them. Now that i bring my own camera in everyone i work with is constantly asking to borrow mine! so frustrating sometimes haha!!

[Miss_Annette]

we had 2 cameras to go through 5 rooms plus BSC/ASC
they have both broken -- now we are left to use our phones -

[Miss Kerry]

Sounds like the situations you are all facing are very tough.

At our centre we have an extremely stingy owner, even extra wipes/tissues/gloves/toilet paper are under lock and key, so if the director is not there and we need something it's frustrating.

However as a team we have come up with various fundraising ideas and have done these off our own backs. We now have a camera for every room (from fundraising), a computer for programming (donated by a parent), a multi function printer and can afford ink to print everything with(from fundraising).

Another suggestion is to ask parents if they have computers or cameras they no longer use - many parents will donate if they've upgraded...

If there is no way but to buy I would try to find a cheap camera (under $100) then ask to speak to the store manager, explain that they are for a childcare centre and that there is not much money for resources and ask for an additional discount - worth trying, worst they can say is no.

I have done this before with a computer store and been offered 50% off everything we purchase ).

Good luck.

[fchaudari76]

I feel lucky that everywhere I have worked we have had computers in the rooms and each room their own cameras.
If you are spending money on things for the centre keep receipts, all tax deductible and you can get pretty decent cheap cameras from the post office (about $55) though we had one and within 2 months 2 of them fell apart or refused to work! so prob best investing in a slightly more expensive one!
Parents are (usually) always willing to help, if you dont ask you dont get, people change computers/printers/cameras all the time.
I can say if my room had no pc or camera I would be extremely frustrated as I depend on these things hugely on a daily basis to do my obs/learning stories/daily reflections etc etc