Childrens Development and Interactive Hub

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INTRODUCTION

The Child is one of the most important assets of the nation. Every effort should be exerted to promote his welfare and enhance his opportunities for a useful and happy life. -PD NO. 603, Child and Youth Welfare Code, Article 1 (1974) Children are believed to be the hope of the countrys future. They are priceless gift from God, and as such, that the physical, emotional, psychological, and spiritual needs of children should be amply and competently met. They should be guided properly to reach their full potential providing them a high standard of care, protection, education, socialization and recreation. To fully understand the most effective way of giving them such care, Children Development studies should be understand thoroughly. Child development explains us the biological, psychological and emotional changes that occur within human beings between birth and at the end of adolescence period. There are different theories that were stated in the broad study of child development. One was the Piaget stages which posit that children learn actively through the play process and through hands-on experience. It suggested that the adult's role in helping the child learn was to provide appropriate materials for the child to interact and construct. Another was the Vygotsky Theory that strongly focused on the role of culture in determining the child's pattern of development. He formulate that every function in the child's cultural development appears twice: first, on the social level (inter-psychological), and later, on the individual level (intra-psychological). That applies equally to voluntary attention and to logical memory of a child. Moreover, Child development is not a matter of a single topic, but progresses somewhat differently for different aspects of an individual. And so to product a useful and effective programs and institute for a child, It must consider and understand first the child capabilities and skills to achieve the goals of the community for them. All people were born with rights. These rights should be practiced within them on the early stage of their life. Education and health are the first priority, keeping them satisfied with their own needs, giving them their freedom to live their life utterly. However, in todays society children are regarded as the most vulnerable ones. They are the unheard voices and the unrecognized members of the community. Above all children have been used and abused by people. Child abuse defined by the law as, Refers to the maltreatment, whether habitual or not, of the child which includes, (1) Psychological and physical abuse, neglect, cruelty, sexual abuse and emotional maltreatment; (2) Any act by deeds or words which debases, degrades or demeans the intrinsic worth and dignity of a child as a human being; (3) 1 Chapter 1 : Introduction

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Unreasonable deprivation of his basic needs for survival, such as food and shelter; or (4) Failure to immediately give medical treatment to an injured child resulting in serious impairment of his growth and development or in his permanent incapacity or death. (REPUBLIC ACT NO. 7610, ARTICLE I, Section 3. (1992) According to the research about the child abused here in the Philippines particularly in Metro Manila alone, Sexual abuse ranks as the highest type of abuse, secondly the Child Labor and next is roughly the other issues intend for child abuse. Apparently, with these arising problems we need to focus on protecting and enriching the developments of these children, upholding their rights which the constitution provided them. And so, their own country is committed to safeguarding children from harm and to promoting the importance of educating and preparing children to be able to protect themselves. It should be understood that children are vulnerable and need the protection of adultsboth their parents and other adults, such as their teachers, caregivers, or other adults responsible for their supervision during child-oriented activities. They are the one that is entrusted with the care of children and responsible to protect them and keep them safe. In this way, the school and children centers should be advocated as the child support system for their needs, rights and goals as a humane. They are not only committed to the care and well-being of their community children, but they also strive to better the quality of life of all children here in the Philippines. Other kinds of center for kids around the world engage in a variety of character-building and motivational programs for children, and also conduct child-rearing and parenting seminars for parents and educators.

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1.1 BACKGROUND AND NATURE OF THE PROJECT The Government recognizes the sanctity of family life and therefore, protects and strengthens the Filipino family as a basic autonomous social institution. The natural and primary right and duty of parents in the rearing of the children for civic effectiveness and the development of moral character shall receive efficient support from Government. A support for this undertaken law, child care facilities arose. They however, utilize child and family especially the nonprofit parents who cannot give their child the fullest and rightful demands of his childcare. Hence child care facilities in the Philippines gave its full potential to reach out the demands and need of the family. Society was beginning to appreciate that children are the most valuable resource and its best hope for the future. They are substantially has a lower level of maturity and so had distinct needs from the adults. They need protection, love and nurturing from their family. As quoted strengthening the family as an essential unit of society and promoting the regeneration of communities are the most effective ways to ensure children develop into healthy and responsible adult. People should know the importance of parental socialization with his child, which in the future will largely, determined the kind of adult his child would eventually become. Child care facilities also response to the need of social and emotional relationship of parent from his child. Keeping them nourished with love and acceptance from their family a child would become more fulfilled in life. Giving them their freedom to play and their right to education and right to live in a healthy environ. These things are the mainly reason of the Child care facility in metro manila. Having a healthy environ for a child would give them peace and reassurance that they are loved. This haven will ensure the productive life of nourished kids. Centers should be child-oriented, developmentally appropriate, beautiful, environmentally sensitive, health promoting and functional. Childrens personalities develop as they interact with the environment. Provide them space to give energy to their own ideas. Designing a space with in touch with the environment not a close classroom like the usual type of classroom for them, the objective is to teach environmentalism; cycles of life, recycling, and making things from scratch, enjoying nature, observing nature and being caterer of our natural environment. As quoted, Nature provides a constantly changing and detailed environment full or enrichment to stimulate childrens mind. There is a wealth of spontaneous possibilities to explore.(Sarah Scott. (2010). Architecture for Chidlren. P24).

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Thus, outdoors and building that is open to nature provides a healthy environment where children can run, play and be physical to their hearts content. Furthermore, the importance of child and connection to their context and how a childrens center fits within the context of child current preoccupations, and the aim of the children development center is the desire for a clear identity as an integral part of its community. Hence there is a need for a center to act as a focal point within the community and also a reflection of its culture, with an equal emphasis on the design of the outside as on the inside of the building. The idea of a childrens center are reasonably substantial at present. It is the duty of the adults to take care of a child and educate them the basic knowledge. Since Spanish regime, they started the formal grade schooling with Christian Doctrine Predominantly about religious utilization, only young Filipinos mostly coming from the ilustrado class of family could afford it. The regular schooling in the cartilla especially for an early schooling would only last for 3 to 6 months depending upon the childs capacity to learn this particular schooling facilitated the entry of the child into grade one although it was not necessarily a requirement then. In 1924, the opening of kindergarten education at Harris Memorial School Manila pioneered preschool education here in the Philippines. Along with these great interest in kindergarten movement, it was picked up by other private schools and grew succeedingly well among the religious schools both Catholic and Protestant Similar interest motivated civic groups to help children. In 1948, again the Harris Memorial School initiated another big step by offering a course kindergarten education here in the country. Preschool education in the country has almost remained to be associated with Bureau of Private Schools, especially with the religious groups. The major portions of preschool children were consistently in the private schools with its yearly increase remaining constant until that there are too many children for every teacher. Sending pre-school aged children to private kindergarten is expensive and so the need for nursery schools that could cater to the lower income families was then felt. Meanwhile various civic organization have similarly taken bold steps in support of the program especially addresses to Filipino family who cant afford to sent their child in the school. Some of them are Young Ladies Association of Charity, The Rural Improvement Clubs, The Philippine Womens Medical Association In mid 1960s the Department of Social Welfare had started the inclusion of nursery and kindergarten education in its program. Until 4 Chapter 1 : Introduction

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now, the department of Education encouraged the operation of preschools in all public elementary schools in order to meet the need for early childhood program in the Philippines. 1970s to 1980s The governments intensified interest in the welfare of the Filipino child resulted in the signing of P.D 603 PD 603- known as CHILD AND YOUTH WELFARE CODE in 1974. This recognizes the importance of early childhood and its special needs, affirms parents as primary caregivers and the childs first teachers, and establishes parent effectiveness, seminars and nutrition counseling for pregnant and parent.

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1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM In order to utilize and build upon the learning that has taken place in the home and its immediate environment, adults should provide children with a rich variety of play activities and other experiences in a stimulating and challenging environment. The children center also caters a full day-care and session facilities and services for pre-school children and schoolgoing children out of school hours. It includes services involving care, education and socialization opportunities for children who provide for the need of our country to educate and facilitate pre schooling programs. Recently, the Department of Education announced that they started implementing the K+12 Basic Education Program this school year. The program, which is one of the major thrusts of the Aquino administration, comprises mandatory kindergarten. New curriculum also implemented, it defines what a five-year-old should know and able to do on such areas as values development, physical health and motor development, social and emotional development, cognitive development, creative arts, reading and writing readiness, and language, literacy and communication. At present, the higher necessity for a children center now arises because of this mandatory law, mostly people who cannot sent their child to day care center cannot sent their child to a higher level because all children will be required to attend pre-school before they can be enrolled in Grade 1. With the growing demand for childcare provision, there is a recognition that such provision must be of a suitably high quality. Quality childcare can benefit children, their parents, employers and communities in general. Access to quality childcare services contributes to the social, emotional and educational development of children. There are clear economic benefits from the provision of childcare. The lack of accessible, affordable and appropriate childcare facilities makes it difficult for many parents/guardians to access employment and employment related opportunities. Moreover, not only educational facility is needed in todays lives but also helping those abused child to recover and participate in the community with greatness and full of life. The center caters psychological healing, parenting support and livelihood. It is the desire for a precise identity as an integral part of its community. Hence there is a need for a center to act as a focal point within the community and also a reflection of its culture, the need for reaching out to the local community the learning and supporting child development that would encourage the same facilities here and outside the metro manila. Also 6 Chapter 1 : Introduction

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to accommodate the quality environment not only for the children but also for all the users of this center, thus compelling with the natural environment to maintain and to prevent long term destruction, health hazard in our community were the children lived by. The need for greener space like the old times, where children could play on the fields, having simple life and less pollution should be responded for a new trend for designing sustainable designs for an edifice. Passive cooling, biomass concept, landscape and new style of uplifting the green environ for the future generation and that would also cost less.

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1.3 PROJECT OBJECTIVES Childrens Center brings together a range of service for children and their family support health and education. It includes child care, information support across the local community hence to give children the best start in life; the following objectives are set to achieve: 1. A center that will enhance the activities of teaching and learning through high quality and aesthetically pleasing environment. Opportunities to investigate, satisfy their curiosity, explore the environment inside and outside the center, extend their sense of wonder, experience success and develop a positive attitude towards learning. 2. To stimulate the senses and encourage child development and early enrichment education. Meeting their physical, social, emotional and cognitive needs at their particular stage of development that would also motivates, challenges and stimulate them. 3. To provide spaces that will hold the variety of activities catering their talents, skills and ambitions. Offering them activity and workshop center to develop their hidden talents and giving them opportunities for a brighter future. 4. To reach out to the local community and to put learning as a focal point in the society. 5. A call for the creation of more particularly state-of-the-art child care facility.

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1.4 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE PROJECT This center indeed provides a variety of services to support the culture and welfare of the children. The project concentrates on the objectives that will cater the child future and provide a different significance for the community whereas concentrating on the following impacts: SOCIAL SIGNIFICANCE That children and youth will develop in positive ways when these strengths are aligned with resources for healthy development in the various settings in which adolescents live and interact. The more exposure to different settings that children would have, a more positive outlook and experiences will draw closer in to their lives. Therefore, physical and institutional resources present in the social environment like family supports are just as essential for promoting positive youth development as are individual assets such as skills, talents, and resiliency. These resources provide children with routines and structure, as well as opportunities for learning, recreation, and engagement with individuals and their communities.

ENVIRONMENTAL SIGNIFICANCE The future quality of our environment will be determined by the children of today. Their ability to make sound, informed decisions will depend on the knowledge, skills and abilities they gain in the course of their education. Home, school, neighborhood and community send them a message about their place in the world. A good or ill environment provides the context which affects the physical and psychological quality of their lives, and in which they start to grow into their future roles as citizens. A built environment that affords a child to be cognitively alert to the external stimuli through movement and social actions will encourage him or her to affiliate or create bonding with it. (Kahn, P. H. (2002). Children's Affiliations with Nature). Moreover, the project also focuses on the concept of giving the child a more environmentalism concept of the design structure, bounded with concept of reduce, reuse and recycle which promotes a more clear and greener environ. This brings in sustainability design solutions and promotion of the use of renewable resources here in the country, conservation of water by means of rain water harvesting and green motive design standard. Therefore, experiencing the environment is an essential, critical and irreplaceable dimension in the growth and functioning of children.

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ECONOMIC SIGNIFICANCE As to lead a greener and sustainable design structure, the project also aim to have a great ease and comfort for the user at lowest possible operating cost also the cost of government expenses. The center also provides greater productivity employment and health service that government is primarily responsible for the delivery of basic health care services to the children in the community.

ARCHITECTURAL SIGNIFICANCE Promoting a state-of-the-art child care facility, it will set high standards for early enrichment centers and also redefined the culture of the Filipinos excelling in the architectural field. Moreover, with this facility it will encourage other facilities here and outside the metro manila to aim eminence child care entity.

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1.5 PROJECT SCOPES AND LIMITATIONS The proposed Children development and Interactive hub will be a multi-structure development that will cater children ages 12 and below. The project aims to provide high class educative services through a better campus and facilities specially made for the children. This includes the facilities for learning, recreation, socialization, work and harmony with the environment. Provided also by injecting various ways to maintain and achieve a healthy environment for the children and greener surrounding for them, by using the principle of passive design and sustainable development programs. The following are the coverage of the project: Early childhood basic schooling is the priority of this children center, establishing high quality standards for basic education for Filipino kids 3 to 5 years of age. The study of complete facilities of child center that includes the welfare of different users from an individual child to a group or family. This involves daycare, parenting support, workshop center, sports and recreational amenities and open playgrounds for the users. Also it will cater Filipino health services for their child, basic support system for their healthy start in life. The study comprises also administrative, maintenance and security facilities for suitable establishment and operation of the whole children welfare complex. Defining the limitation of the project in a more particular and specific study, will help the researcher in a more delineate course study of information in architecture. Thus, the idea of the study regains better understanding on the distinct scope of the project and learning more out of it. Hence, the project confines itself to the following parameters: The main user of the project is limited from kids ages 12 and below and concentrated in a small scale community in Metro manila. It limited from an urban development area that is enhanced its accessibility and convenience of the residents towards various needs for a child care facilities. The integral part of the study is about the psychological, health and social benefits of the children in our community. It is limited only about the education system of the Philippines and also its cultural context of it.

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1.6 DEFINITION OF TERMS Child Care - A comprehensive service which enhances the productivity of working parents by attending to the development needs of their children. Child Care Center - A licensed child care center is a facility, other than a private residence, approved and licensed by a state or other applicable local authority where a person, other than relative or guardian, is compensated to provide care and supervision for 4 or more children less than 7 years of age for less than 24 hours a day. Classrooms - The architecturally defined areas that contain each group of children. Classrooms may be separated by full partitions or by partial barriers that also allow controlled visual or acoustical connections to other groups. Cognitive/Intellectual Development refers to the ideas and thinking of the child. Cognition emphasizes that children are aware, active learners and that intelligence is about the ability to profit from experiences. Developmentally - Oriented Child Care - Child care which shows an understanding of the fundamental needs of the developing child, and aids development by providing appropriately structured and free activities throughout the day. Education in its broadest sense, refers to the ways in which people learn skills and gain knowledge and understanding about the world, and about themselves. Formal Education is instruction given in schools; often called schooling. First-hand experience One which is lived through personally rather than experienced by someone else and seen or heard about. Informal Education involves people learning while they go about their early lives, or to gain skills on their own initiative whithout a teacher. Nature the features, characteristics, abilities one is born with. Non-Formal Education belongs somewhere between formal and informal types. Non-verbal communication everything which is not actual words; it can be body language, posture, tone of voice. Nurture - ones upbringing including health, emotional, social and educational factors.

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Nursery school schools that are for three and four years old, and learn mostly through play and informal instructions. Parents - For the purposes of this book, parent is understood to include relatives and guardians responsible for the child in the center. Pre-School Child - A child who is 3 years old or older and who does not attend kindergarten or a higher grade. School-Age Child - A child who is 6 years of age or older. Teachers - Individuals providing direct care services to children in child care centers. Toddler - A child between the ages of 12 to 36 months. Children between 12 to 24 months of age may be classified as younger toddlers, and children between 24 and 36 months of age may be classified as older toddlers. Self-esteem the way you feel about yourself good or bad leads to high or low self esteem. Self-image/concept how you see yourself and how you think others see you. Socialization the lifelong process by which we learn about ourselves, others and the world around us.

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