DIY Nursery

So... The past 8 years I've worked with mostly vietnam veteran vets.. mostly men.. occasionally I'll have a few women (ran a woman's group).. and occasionally i'll have someone who is a woman (but biologically a man).. occasionally i had someone who was as young as 20... there was a time 9 years ago when i worked at a group home for teens... and then even longer before that while i was in college that I worked with infants until the age of 2. That being said.. who more perfect to plan a new nursery program for 3 & 4 year olds! Heh.. anyway, yeah so here's my HOW TO guide to putting a nursery together by a person who has never worked in a nursery nor has any sort of experience with this age group.

1. Get excited about working with kids and then begin to freak out about how much work this is going to involve. (especially when you initially thought you were assisting someone else, and then it turns out you're the one doing it and no one is assisting you with the planning process and you're the primary teacher).
2. Spend endless hours reading about child development.
3. Spend endless hours reading about child development in developing countries.
4. Spend endless hours searching for an assessment tool, just to find out there isn't one available free and having to type one up yourself based on Piaget...
5. Spend endless hours researching nursery programs and what exactly it is.
6. Spend endless hours gathering ideas for lesson planning (also doing this in spanish) and what should be included in the curriculum.
7. ..... researching what the best sorts of classes should be scheduled for the day and figuring out the schedule (20 minute segments for each subject).
8. ..... researching how to setup the classroom (in regards to supplies/toys/etc) and what sorts of toys are best for learning
9. ..... researching spanish nursery rhymes and songs (and learning all of them).
10. ..... observing in a nearby nursery to actually see first hand this age group and their level (of attention, ability, etc.)
11. .... meeting with the mothers and organizing that end of it.
12. ... making posters, educational decorations and games (so you're not spending all of the small budget allotted)
13. ... researching parenting objectives (since the parents are participating and the nursery includes a parenting skills component)
14. .... planning lessons and then doing all the worksheets for all the lessons.
15. .... shopping for all the supplies (this is everything from paper to the locked cupboard to the mat on the floor small chairs/tables... educational toys.. etc...), then organizing/setting them up in the most efficient way.
16. .... writing up a guide so that the next person who takes over doesn't have to start from scratch.
17. ... translate everything into spanish so that spanish speaking volunteers understand.

I may have missed some steps, but that maybe gives you an idea... I did get some assistance with #11 and #15... and have gotten praise hehe.. which is encouraging...

My brain is fried and spinning at the same time.

Nursery starts 6 de april... wish me luck.