Journal #1
This week it seems that all the toddlers are sick. Almost all of them have runny noses and coughs; their temperaments are off as well. They either have a quiet, foggy-eyed stare or they are grumpy and fussy. All of them want to be held more than usual and that is difficult to do when we only have some many care givers. I learned this week that getting to know each child important. Being able to recognize when a child isn’t acting “normal” and may be coming down with something can benefit the staff, the children, and the parents of our center. Trying to make sure that each child is getting appropriate attention requires a lot of communication between the staff. Communicating how a child is feeling between all staff members and the staff to the parents requires open communication between everyone. It can be hard on both teachers and parents when a child is sick. This may cause stress in both parties. Being able to offer parents resources is important if they cannot afford or find services like doctors or health councilors. This can be helpful when their child requires more attention that just a little Tylenol. Having these resources on hand is extremely beneficial and can help decrease stress levels for everyone involved.
Journal #2
This week I have been learning about guidance with children. I have previously only worked with preschoolers but now I split my time between toddlers and preschoolers. Learning how to guide toddlers I’m learning is different than with preschoolers. I’m realizing that my language needs to be simple and direct. Using large sentences doesn’t work with the younger toddlers, but with will sometimes with the older ones who are about to transition to preschool. I have noticed some teachers will yell out commands to them with no response and they become frustrated when they do not listen. With the toddlers I find the best approach is to get down on their level, make eye contact, and state your request/command in simple and sometimes firm voice. I have tried to do this especially during transition times where we need them to follow directions. For example I can see with everyday repetition of coming in from outside, telling them to take their coats off, put it in their cubby, and wash their hands is becoming easier and easier. It amazing how much joy I get out of watching them successfully follow a series of directions with only being told one time. Being with the toddlers has helped me slow down and appreciate the little things being accomplished everyday!
Journal #3
This week I’m doing observations. Even though I have done observations before it still takes a little time to get back into the process. I have to get myself prepared to only write down what I am observing at the moment and not include my opinions. During my observations I find myself smiling because I can see growth with some of the children. It’s amazing to see such development in a small span of time. I forget what strides can be made during the 18 months to 3 years age time span. After the observation is complete its time to reflect on the process. These is where I can look at past observations and the children’s DRDP and see where they have made progress and where they may need support in their development. I get such joy out of seeing their developmental strides. Being at the center I am at I am able to see some children transition from each of the centers, starting from infancy to toddler to preschooler. I just think how lucky I am seeing them grow physically and mentally. When I get that feeling, I get affirmation that I am truly in the right line of work.
Journal #4
This week our Master Teacher had to go out on a leave of absence and in her place we have another teacher stepping in to sub for her. It made me think about how the dynamics might change in our classroom. I think that the person “taking over” is more than capable of doing a great job. She is a hard worker and would never ask a student teacher to do a something that she wouldn’t do herself, and I appreciate that. We hold some of the same values when it comes to a work environment. We both like the classroom to be organized and clean. I know that I am willing to accept this teacher as our “boss” but I don’t think that all of the staff is. I’m hoping that I can help this transition go smoothly for other staff members by showing my willingness to accept this new teacher into our daily schedule. Sometimes it can be hard for people to accept change but unfortunately it happens at work and your personal life. I think it would be good for the other staff to see me accept her with open arms. If I can show that our classroom will be just as successful maybe it will help them to do the same. I feel like it might be a breath of fresh air.
Journal #5
This week I learned that infant/toddler curriculum is very different than a preschool curriculum. In a preschool curriculum you are always planning activities with a child’s learning objective in mind. With infants and toddlers I am learning that it isn’t appropriate to assign such detailed objectives. Children in the age range of eighteen months to three years do most of their learning through play. As teachers of toddlers we can help children by giving them the freedom to play, encouraging their interest, and providing resources that foster their interests. Sometimes I think that I may not be “doing” enough activities for them to learn from, but then I remember that by giving them enough space and opportunities to play and interact with other children while they play they are learning. When they move about a room dabbling in things here and there, it may seem like they are just walking aimlessly about the room but that is from the perspective of someone who isn’t trained to see what is really happening. They are using their gross motor skills to move about the room, fine motor to grasp objects and carry them around, and social skills when they interact with other children. It just takes a little mental adjustment to realize that toddlers and infants learn through their experiences and these experiences happen through play.
Journal #6
I learned as a teacher this week that infants and toddlers need to learn how to solve problems on their own. Now I’m not talking about problems that could cause injury, but in everyday happenings. With infants problem solving might be learning to move their bodies closer a toy out of reach. With toddlers their problem solving might not be so obvious. The learning toddlers do can involve their whole bodies; from using their hands and fingers to feel materials to moving around the room. If we are always providing answers to problems they will come to expect it and become passive spectators in life. To help a child develop into a self confident, problem solver we must let them work things out on their own. Sometimes a situation may require us to intervene, like a child about to bite another child, but try to intervene only as much is needed. For example providing language instead of the physical act of biting you can help a child solve a problem they may have with another child. By giving them the tools they need to problem solve a child will become an active participant in their own life.
Journal #7
I learned this week that as a teacher how we teach infants and toddlers differs from how we would teach preschool age children. Teaching infants and toddlers requires you to spend a great deal of time observing the happenings of the classroom. You need to be able to sit back and just be available to the children when they need you. To some parents it may look like you aren’t doing anything or just being lazy, but you aren’t. If you are able to really observe what is happening then you can better support learning in the center. For instance we noticed that the children have been really interested in the water at the sink, we were asking them a lot to please turn the water off. We knew that they were enjoying the water and were learning about the properties of water but it is wasteful to have the water continuously running. After talking it over we thought of a few different water play experiences that they could still enjoy but not be wasteful. These kinds of experiences come from teachers being good observers, and knowing how to further extend a child’s interest.
Journal #8
This week I learned how important a child’s environment can be. When you think about materials in an infant or toddler center the first thing you must do is make sure it is safe. Since children under the age of three are very oral and put almost everything in their mouths we need to make sure that all materials can sanitized. Furniture should be the child’s size so that the children can use it as much as possible on their own. Provide an array of textures for them to use their senses to learn about their environment. The food we serve should not only be nutritious but also foods that don’t pose as a potential choking hazard, like grapes. The diapering stations need to be kept clean with disinfecting happening after each diaper change. One of the biggest parts of a child’s environment is the people in it. People who work with young children need to be kind and gentle. Working with young children means you need to focus on a child as a whole. Since they don’t communicate a lot with words, you need to pay attention to their body language, their facial expressions, and the verbal communication they do have in the forms on grunts, laughs, cries and other noises. All of these things influence a child’s environment and we as teachers need to make sure that it is set up for success.
Journal #9
This week as I teacher I learned that stress can effect a child’s emotions. We have a child at our center whose parents are going through a really nasty break up and we have been noticing a lot of changes in this child’s temperament. For the most part this child is a fun, energetic two year old but over the last month or so he has become aggressive, uses foul language, needs lots of attention from us, and his moods sway from happy to angry very quickly. When the child first began to act out this way we talked to the parent and she said that he was just going through a phase. Then about a week ago we find out that she is separating with her partner, the child’s father, and the split is very difficult on her and all the children. She had to get a restraining order to keep him away, and the child is missing him a lot. It’s like an “A HA!” moment. From my experiences working with children a drastic change is a child’s behavior means that something is going on at home or the child may have medical issues, like their teeth problems or ear infections. It just shows how important it is to have a good relationship with the parents at your center because if they have things going on at home that effect the child we as their care givers should know about it so we can better help the child deal with their confusing emotions. They need to know that we want the best for both of them!
Journal #10
This week I leaned about how important it is to have teamwork! I am so lucky to have such great co workers. We have an unspoken agreement about duties. If one person sets up mats then another gets lunch ready; If one person wipes down the tables and chairs then another sweeps the floors. I have had this type of teamwork in the preschool at I work at too but never at the toddler center. It just feels so nice to have everyone on the same page. We communicate well with each other, and we never feel like we can’t ask each other for help. The great thing about a group of staff member that work well together is the children reap the benefits! I feel that when they see us as a unified group then I think they feel calmer and happier. Children definitely know when an adult is angry or frustrated and I feel that they can sometimes take on those emotions too. I just feel so happy about the positive environment that our teamwork helps create. It makes me want to come to work and have a great day with my co-workers. :)
Journal #11
This week I learned the importance of having all emergency contact information up to date. We had a child who was not feeling well and we needed to contact his Mother. We keep all children's emergency contact information located near the phone so it is easily assessable. After calling and leaving a message on her cell phone we decided to try and locate her on campus because her son was feeling worse. It is so great that we have an emergency locator that tells us where a parent is at at certain times of the day. I feel that every center needs to have a detailed contact sheet for children's families. Also parents need to be able to be reached while their child is in our care. If a parent tells us they are one place and they are actually somewhere else then a meeting needs to happen. We need to be able to reach them at anytime and they should know that this is necessary for the well being of their child.
Journal #12
This is my last week as a practicum student at the toddler center. I have had a wonderful experience working in the toddler center. I have learned so much. I have such a better understanding of the development of a child from 18 months to 3 years old. I have always worked with the preschool age and now I have experience working with toddlers. I am so happy that I had the chance to further develop my skills as a teacher in the early childhood field. I was so grateful to have a wonderful mentor teacher that supported my learning and making it such a great experience.