2012 4-Star Accreditation Essay Contest Winner – Martine Fortan
| This year’s winner is Martine Fortan from Margate, Florida. Martine was honored at the annual conference in Atlanta, Georgia. She received $500 toward accreditation fees, an award at the Accreditation Reception, and VIP seating with the Project and Observer of the year award winners at the conference luncheon. The $500 award was a gift from the Boulder County Family Child Care Association of Colorado. This essay contest was created to honor Sue Stevens from Colorado who was continuously accredited from 1988 until this year when she retired. |  |
Martine's Essay
My name is Martine Fortan. I was born and raised in Brussels, Belgium. In 2008 I became a proud American citizen. Sadly, my husband passed away in 2003, but I am the proud mother of two wonderful children, Pierre 28 and Aileen 19.
In 1998, like many providers, I started my child care business to stay home with my own children. But I rapidly realized this was a job I loved and decided I wanted to continue long after my son went to college. I decided if family child care was going to be my career, I had to set a goal. I began to look at what defined high quality child care, which was to ensure an early education service in my program so that a child’s cognitive, social and physical developments are enhanced. In order to obtain a Child Development Associate (CDA), I attended 120 hours of educational training. I also graduated from Second Helping, followed by Master Provider Level III and became one of the first Certified Mentors in Broward County. I attended many other trainings such as Beyond Centers and Circle Time, Accreditation Observer, People Map Leadership, Who Moved my Cheese? and more.
When I had earned NAFCC Accreditation in 2001, I knew my child care program was outstanding. It confirms my family child care program offers a safe and inviting space with warm and nurturing care, complete with educational activities designed to meet the needs and interests of all the children while promoting individual development. Accreditation answered my question: Who is a professional? It is someone who has a combination of competence, confidence and belief.
I have since renewed my accreditation status twice, and I am committed to helping each child develop to his or her full potential. Every day, I observe the children’s behavior, verbal and body language abilities. I support social skills for the children to develop friendships with each other. I have been able to welcome the children to a home environment with plenty of age appropriate toys, educational materials in different center areas and safe indoor and outdoor equipment to promote many kinds of development simultaneously. In my child care home I offer a program with an appropriately small staff to child ratio in a safe and healthy surrounding. In my home setting children succeed by being taught small and large motor, verbal and social skills, all of which are necessary for each child to prepare for kindergarten.
I keep parents informed and involved by conversation or in writing about what activities their children participate in. Trust and respect is the key for a positive relationship climate among myself, the parents and their children. As a small business owner I am ethical and caring in relations with children and families.
To maintain professionalism I pursue continuing education and training. I am always open to new ideas about family child care. Since 1999 I have shared my knowledge and experience through training other child care providers. I have presented workshops and trainings for different agencies to ensure that children are well cared for in a safe, healthy, positive and educational environment by trained and qualified caregivers. Also since 2004 I have conducted the Department of Children and Families child care training modules at Nova Southeastern University. I help to ensure that all child care providers know, understand and follow the laws that govern child care in the State of Florida that protect children, families and child care professionals. In 2009 as a Family Child Care Specialist, I became a certified Instructor for the Second Helping Training Program. I am the past-president, the past chapter representative, and the past scholarship chair at the State of Florida level for Broward County Family Child Care Association. As an active member, my commitment to family child care is to promote quality child care and build a strong relationship between my local association and the state association. My goal is to do the same with the National Association for Family Child Care.
It is with great satisfaction that I deliver a higher quality of care to my children and families. The everyday challenge is so exciting. The best reward I receive is the daily happy smiles from my little angels.