Student teaches kids about mail, stamps

By Belen Rodriguez, News Writing Student

The Preschool B class of the Child Development Center and Lab School had a student teacher the week of March 12 through 16.

Marsha Stovall is majoring in child development at OCCC. She is doing her 80 hours of field-work at the center.

Stovall will spend 40 hours in the Preschool B class finishing up on their mail project, which will consist of teaching the children how to send mail.

The children will learn what stamps are used for and also will build a UPS truck made of cardboard.

Being a day care worker for 11 years has provided Stovall with many opportunities to watch children grow.

“I enjoy watching them develop,” Stovall said. “I’ve always liked to be around children, and watch them learn and change.”

Stovall currently owns a home-based day care center in Moore called Marsha’s Daycare.

Her center is a two-star and she would like to move up to a three-star but she said she is a little wary of changing because she’d have to get an actual facility that looks more like a school, abandoning the “homey” environment she wants to retain.

The star system is based on program standards, staff education and compliance history, according to ncchildcare.dhhs.state.nc.us.

“I might work at a three-star center, but I won’t change my home into a facility unless I get a bigger house,” Stovall said.

Stovall has thought about getting a bachelor’s degree and going to work for the Department of Human Services.

“If I go with DHS, I would be looking at day care centers and making sure they are working correctly, and the children are cared for properly,” Stovall said.

She feels, with her background, she is qualified to work for DHS.

Stovall is in the Scholars for Excellence Program and has been at OCCC for five years.

Although some financial problems have slowed her down, she said she is happy that she will be graduating in May.