Teaching, Research & Outreach

Campus child care centers participate within the university's mission to provide teaching, research and outreach opportunities. Our centers welcome interns, observers, student teachers and researchers at our early care and education programs on campus.

All campus child care centers are NAEYC and City of Madison Accredited meeting quality standards for curriculum. Center size, ages served and specific missions vary between the centers.

Internship/Teaching

Campus Child Care Contact Information for Internships

The nature of your internship, whether observation, hands-on teaching, data collection and/or evaluation must be discussed with and approved by the site manager/director prior to placement or project implementation.

• Please contact the site director to discuss your learning need and develop a plan. Be sure that you allow a minimum of one week to schedule your time at the center. We cannot guarantee last minute requests.
• Internship placements and hours are negotiated with the campus child care site director, who serves as the internship supervisor.
• Some students involved in internships at campus child care centers may have the opportunity to apply for paid assistant teacher positions; contact the site manager/director for information.

Volunteers/Jumpstart

Campus child care centers utilize volunteers to support and enhance high quality programming for the children and families in care.

Volunteering can be a one-time or semester-long activity with activities that provide direct contact with children, group activities and one time special projects.

Classroom volunteers help the children and teachers by providing an extra set of hands to help with projects, an extra voice for reading or an extra ear for listening. You won't be left alone to supervise children; you will always be working in a supportive manner with the teaching staff.

We welcome your visit to campus programs contact with the site director or the Office of Child Care and Family Resources to determine which site best suites your interest.

Research/Projects at UW Campus Centers

If you are interested in recruiting families/children, conduction a course project involving contact with children or conducting research in  campus children’s centers, you will need to obtain advance permission from the research liaisions noted below.

Preschool Lab (Linden and Mineral Point sites)  (PDF)

Eagle’s Wing:  contact Debb Schaubs, debb.schaubs@housing.wisc.edu

Waisman Center:  contact Joan Ershler at ershler@waisman.wisc.edu

If you are interested in additional campus sites for your research project, please contact Lynn Edlefson in the Office of Child Care & Family Resources  at ledlefson@provost.wisc.edu

Outreach and Professional Development

Outreach

Campus child care center directors provide consultation and training to the community.  To request services, please contact the site directors below:

Professional Development

The UW-Madison Office of Child Care and Family Resources provides professional development for the campus staff and community.  Current offerings will be listed on the homepage of this Web site and shared on the city of Madison e-news.  If you have questions about any programs, please contact Lynn Edlefson at ledlefson@provost.wisc.edu.

Family Child Care Training

The Office of Child Care and Family Resources provides family child care training through contact with Satellite Family Child Care for the pupose of enhancing the quality and availability of family child care.

Please contact Annette Kornell of Satellite Family Child Care at (608) 275-6740 for more information and how to enroll.

Satellite Family Child Care is the accrediting agency for family child care providers. Satellite is a resource for support and information for family child care providers and the children and the families they work with.

Upcoming Event: Family Child Care Book Circle, Wednesday November 11, 2009 from 6:00-7:30 PM, University Apartments Community Center
For information please view the flyer.

Odyssey

The University of Wisconsin-Madison Odyssey Project provides members of our community facing economic barriers with a chance to start college, many of whom are parents of young children. Those who enroll in this introductory humanities course have access to evening child care through the Office of Child Care & Family Resources.

Evening care for Odyssey students is provided by contract with Dane County Parent Council at the South Park Street location. For information about Odyssey, contact Professor Emily Auerbach at eauerbach@dcs.wisc.edu. For child care information, please contact Betty Gavigan, Child Care Tuition Assistance Program, bgavigan@provost.wisc.edu.