Oktoberfest in Preschool?

Posted on February 22, 2012 by 4cforchildren

In a response to a recent local news story, many radio stations and media outlets this weekend hotly debated whether or not it is appropriate for preschoolers to drink out of miniature plastic beer steins. As I listened to the extremes of children becoming alcoholics to parents sucking all of the fun out of life, I continued to question the study of Germany in a 4-year-old preschool classroom at all!

My understanding of a 4-year-old’s brain tells me that since children at this age are still just at the very literal and egocentric stage of development, they have a hard time thinking about anyone besides themselves. Let alone thinking about the country of Germany, 4000 miles away!  Many 4-year-olds I observe do not think about the child 4 feet away from them let alone people they cannot develop a personal relationship with.

I know that we live in a city with a rich German cultural heritage, and I know that children are exposed to many family traditions (some age-appropriate and some not). But without a firsthand relationship with these traditions, preschoolers have a difficult time constructing knowledge of an abstract place and culture.

I support including opportunities for cultures to be explored as long as there is some relevance to the child’s world. Listening to an accordion player play a German tune is age-appropriate and an opportunity for children to share in an experience where they can construct and share knowledge about their world. An accordion player who is someone’s grandparent would provide even more meaningful connections to the children’s own experiences.

In preschool, “social studies” is all about children’s knowledge of every day events and builds on the development of their social skills. Preschool should be about building the foundation of democracy by participating in group decision making, establishing rules and consequences, expressing opinions and respecting the rights of others. Many social studies concepts such as map reading and recognizing events in their historical context are just too abstract for this stage of brain development.

After many years of teaching in a classroom, I know that preparing the curriculum and the environment for children is very time consuming, so make every moment count! Reflect on how much time it takes to purchase materials, like plastic beer steins, and to prepare the day’s lesson on a country you may know very little about. Ask yourself what you hope children will take away from the lesson. If it’s not about meeting some of these age-appropriate milestones, I encourage you to revisit your lesson plan.

Filed under: Best Practice, Directors & Administrators, Early Childhood, Preschool | Tagged: , , , , , , , | 2 Comments »

Teacher Love

Posted on February 14, 2012 by 4cforchildren

We have all heard of and maybe even experienced “Puppy Love” and can certainly understand and appreciate the love we have for our family and friends, but have you ever thought about what I fondly refer to as “Teacher Love”?

I was volunteering in my daughter’s gym class the other day. Her teacher was braving a unit on roller skating where he rented roller skates for every child and had them brought into the school. He then transformed the school gym into a skating rink with cones, pads on the walls and groovy music.

Between praying that no one would break a bone and worrying that the skates had been cleaned and sanitized in between each use, I noticed something interesting.

My daughter is in sixth grade (if you have a sixth grader or know of one, you can sympathize). Her homeroom teacher is male. Now before you think you know where I am going with this, let me describe him: balding, pocket protector, chalk on the back of his dark blue dress shirt like he had leaned up against the chalk board and was oblivious to the fact that the day’s science vocabulary was being displayed. In a nut shell, he is far from a heart throb.

When he sat down on the line with his students to take off his shoes and put on his skates, though, the excitement and pure joy that his student’s expressed was genuine. As they skated around the “rink” his lack of roller skating expertise became clear. His students picked up on this right away and instead of poking fun and laughing at him (which was my expectation of sixth graders), they lent their support, encouraging words and even a hand when he looked like he was going to go “splat.”

The disappointment in the room could be felt when he had to leave the rink to take care of teacher business. The conversations amongst the small pods of kids skating centered around how “cool” it was for their teacher to skate with them.

He made an impact on his class that day. He became a little more human. He taught a life lesson that you can be really good at certain things and simply stink at others, but what counts is that you try and have fun. He also interacted with one of the toughest bunch of prepubescent youngsters there are.

What an impression he made on me.

If you are a parent, my advice to you would be to foster the relationships your children have with their teachers. If you are a teacher, get down and dirty with your students! Take the opportunity to become human! Take the opportunities as they present themselves, you never know who you will reach and who is watching.

Filed under: Best Practice, Parents | Tagged: , , | 4 Comments »

Hearts on Their Sleeves

Posted on February 10, 2012 by 4cforchildren

In a recent conversation with a child care provider, she asked me my thoughts on taking off a child’s shirt if he or she is eating a messy food, like spaghetti. Many parents don’t like when their child comes home with a messy shirt, and many child care providers naturally want to keep parents as happy as their children! Despite this possible conflict, I have to say that taking off a child’s shirt while they are eating is not the most appropriate solution to the problem.

Meal times are such a special time for young children. They meet children’s physical needs, but they are also a great time to address a child’s social and emotional needs. Very young children, including infants, need to be treated with respect. It can be easy to treat infants and toddlers as individuals who are “becoming” someone who has preferences, moods and thoughts but really, infants and toddlers already have and feel all of these things. How would you feel if you had to take your shirt off every time you ate a meal? You might not want to do it in front of other people, and very young children deserve that same privacy. We can’t expect an infant to enjoy meal times and get the most out of the experience if he or she is uncomfortable. Mealtime should be a sociable, happy time.

It might not seem like it’s that simple, especially when it’s easier for us to take their shirt off and save the time cleaning them up, or explaining to mom or dad where that huge, mysterious stain came from. But what’s easier for us isn’t a good enough reason. When a child is first learning to feed themselves, it can get quite messy, especially when they are moving past finger foods. At that point, it would most definitely be easier to feed them ourselves. But we know that it’s developmentally appropriate for a child to learn to do these things for herself. It’s our job to let them feed themselves and then clean up the mess.

Still worried about the parent with the dirty shirt? Communicating clearly and often with parents about the environment you are trying to create for the children in your care will help with their concerns. We want to view parents as members of our team, and as the member of the team who is the “professional,” it’s our job to let parents know why we do what we do. Let parents know that meal times (and other messy activities) are learning opportunities. During this time, young children interact with their child care providers and with each other, develop healthy habits, explore food (tastes, colors, smells), build motor and cognitive skills and enjoy a sense of caring and community. If all else fails, break out the bibs!

Filed under: Infants and Toddlers, Early Childhood, Best Practice, Parents, Advocating for Children | Tagged: , , , , , , | 1 Comment »

One Step Back, Two Steps Forward (I Hope)

Posted on February 1, 2012 by 4cforchildren

I was saddened to learn last week of an incident where a child was restrained by a teacher in a local child care center. The proper authorities are involved and an investigation is underway. 4C has been informed of and involved in various responses to this incident. It is central to 4C’s mission to support child care programs and families always, especially in times of need.

Incidents like these are tragic, not only for the individuals involved, but for the field of child care in general. As I’ve reflected on this over the past few days, and grieved for the individuals involved, I am focusing my energy on prevention of incidents like this in the future.

Kentucky and Ohio have made progress in improving child care, but there is still a ways to go. We must guarantee that essential safety, health and protective practices are present every day and build to high quality from there. Every child is wired to learn right from the start and these settings either promote or inhibit children from learning. Not to mention it should be a basic right for us all to be safe. Until child care is perfect, here are a few things you can do:

  • Be aware. Have a heightened awareness for changes in behavior of children or teachers.
  • Trust your gut. If you are suspicious about something in a child care center, please contact 4C so that we can assist you with your concerns or a report. Sometimes children can’t speak for themselves, so they need their caring adults to do so for them.
  • Support comprehensive background checks of child care staff. In a previous blog, I shared that background checks are less in depth than you might think. You can make a difference right now with one easy click to tell your legislator why this issue matters.
  • Be a champion for quality. Some child care and early learning programs are working hard and making the investment in quality. Whether you are a teacher, a parent or a community member, get interested in what the highest quality programs in our community are up to. For more information about quality in child care, visit our Web site.

None of these are absolute assurances that children will be safe, but they go a long way to keep children out of harm’s way.

Filed under: Advocating for Children, Early Childhood, Step Up To Quality | Tagged: , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

Replacing ‘Fine Whines’ With Something Better

Posted on January 23, 2012 by 4cforchildren

In addition to having worked in a child care program, I am a mother of three and have heard my fair share of whining. My daughter, my youngest and shipped off to college this past year, has yet to let me down. I have heard about college food, roommates, walking in bad weather, professors and everything else! Over the last several months, it made me step back and think about what I can say or do differently that will help her change her ways. Who doesn’t feel like whining once in a while? Adults indulge, too, so why does it drive us wild when our kids do the same thing?

Maybe it’s because whining sounds so much like a veiled accusation. If you hear, “Teacher, can I have a drink?” in a cheerful voice, it comes across as a reasonable request. But if it’s said in a long, drawn-out, pleading whine, it can make you feel like the child thinks you’re the kind of person who wouldn’t give a poor, parched child a sip of water in the middle of a hot desert.

But it doesn’t have to be this way. Children can be helped to state their needs in a straightforward way. In the process, they might even begin to recognize and talk about what’s really on their minds, something they’ll find useful throughout life.

Here are some suggestions to consider:

  • Give the children in your classroom basic information about what whining is. Surprisingly, most young children don’t have a clue. Instead of mimicking the child when her whining is grating on your nerves, explain it at a time when you’re all in a happier mood. Do it without accusations. You might pretend to have a teddy bear talk in a “whiny voice” and then in a “regular voice.” Or play a game of asking questions in different kinds of voices.
  • Whenever  a child whines, remind him briefly that you’ll answer when he uses his regular voice. Of course, you’ll have to use your regular voice when you remind him! The minutes spent ignoring whining always seem much longer than ordinary minutes, so use the time think ahead. Figure out the possible cause of the whining. Is he tired and just doesn’t realize it? Has it been too long between meals? Is he disappointed or worried about something?
  • Once a child talks to you in a non-whiny voice, take the time to answer. If she is asking for something that just isn’t possible, be sure to sympathize about how hard it is to want something that you can’t have. Sometimes just feeling understood helps.
  • Sometimes you can help your child understand why he felt whiny in the first place. For example, you might have a hunch he was angry at you and wasn’t sure if it was okay to come right out and say so. Keep it simple and help him label his feelings. This also lets children know that teacher won’t fall apart if they put those feelings into words!

We often have to take things away from infants and toddlers to protect them, and it’s always easier to do if we replace the object we’ve taken away with a toy or another object that they can safely have. It’s the same way with whining. Don’t just take it away. Give children something to use in its place: the ability to recognize and discuss what’s really bothering them.  It’s a life-long gift.

Filed under: Best Practice, Early Childhood | Tagged: , , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

Respecting Young Children

Posted on January 19, 2012 by 4cforchildren

I’ve always had a passion for working with young children. The longer I am in the early childhood education field and the more I see our culture’s perspective on early education change, the more passionate I am becoming about treating children with respect.

What does respecting a child mean? I think it can mean a multitude of things. Allowing a child choice is respect. “Would you like to play in the blocks or draw?” “Would you like to put your shoes on or would you like me to help you?” Isn’t that simple? When we give children choices, it tells them we respect their opinion and value them as a person.

We can ask them questions. “What do you think we should talk about this week?” “I noticed you brought your bear to school today, would you like to do a project about bears?” Giving children choices during the day and about what activities that will be offered in the classroom shows children that they are contributing members of the group.

We can show children respect also by honoring their feelings. Saying to a child who is crying to “shake it off” is not validating the way that he or she feels. It’s doing exactly the opposite! We should instead try to say to the child, “I see you are crying. What can I do to help you?” “I saw you fall on the floor. Did that scare you? Would you like a hug?” These sentences can help the child feel safe enough to show emotions and will allow the child to express thoughts and feelings in the classroom. When those emotions are squelched or devalued, productive learning may not occur. If a child does not feel safe in the classroom, exploration will not happen.

This may sound silly, but offering developmentally appropriate materials and activities is showing respect to children. Sitting infants in a circle and showing flash cards to them is not developmentally appropriate. Compelling toddlers to watch a lengthy video on sign language is not developmentally appropriate. Telling preschoolers they have to sit and complete a worksheet is not developmentally appropriate. However, giving the children opportunities to work at their own pace, on activities that interest them, is appropriate.

I know all of these ideas sound simple, but during the heat of the day, some of these things can be pushed to the side or completely forgotten. As I work with teachers on a daily basis, I tell them repeatedly that if they don’t remember much of what I say, remember this: You are a vital part of children’s early development. The impact early care and education teachers have on children is huge.

So, what are you going to do to show respect to young children?

Filed under: Advocating for Children, Early Childhood, Family Child Care, Infants and Toddlers, Preschool | Leave a Comment »

Critters in the Classroom

Posted on January 11, 2012 by 4cforchildren

Are you an animal person? I am! When I was teaching second grade, I had two ferrets donated to our class. I was so excited! But before they could be introduced to my students, they got fleas. I kept them at my house until they were flea-free. Unfortunately, during that time they developed some very unsanitary habits and they never made it into the classroom. Does your classroom have a class pet, or are you thinking of getting one? Here are some things to think about when you have a critter in your classroom.

From a Humane Society article, there are three important things for keeping and caring for a class pet: “…you must consistently provide all the care the pet needs, establish a classroom code of humane treatment, and remain vigilant in detecting and preventing students’ overhandling, mistreatment, or theft of the animal.” The children will look to you to know how to treat an animal properly.

There are also several reflective questions in the article to determine whether you and your class are ready for a pet. Some of them include “Why do I want a class pet?” “Am I prepared to include the pet in the school’s emergency evacuation plan?” and “Do any of my current students have asthma, allergies or other conditions that can be aggravated by the presence of animals?”

There are some definite pros and definite cons to having pets in the classroom.

Pros:

  • Teaching responsibility to the children: Of course, this means that the children will need to be participants in the care of the pet. That could mean that the children themselves feed the animal or clean its cage or are present when those things occur and it is used as a teachable moment.
  • Having concrete science experiences: Discovering what the animal eats, what type of housing it needs, using multiple senses to study the animal (touching, smelling, hearing) and understanding how we are different from animals are just some of the great ways a pet can enrich the learning in the classroom.
  • Relieving stress and tension: Whether it’s watching the fish swim in the fish tank, stroking the fur of a guinea pig or feeding treats to a turtle, interacting with the pet can be a way to calm a tense or angry child.

Cons:

  • Cost of care: Many classroom pets must go to the vet for immunization or when they get sick. Also, they may need special food, enclosures or accessories. Who will pay those costs?
  • Health and safety concerns: Some animals can harm the children through transmission of diseases, a bite or a scratch. They could also trigger allergies the child may or may not be aware of.
  • What if the animal dies? The children may have strong emotions or tough questions for days, weeks or months. How will you handle these?

Of course, there are alternatives to having classroom pets. You could bring in a speaker who is trained and knowledgeable with animals to do a demonstration or go on a field trip to a zoo, pet store or wildlife preserve. You could also set up feeders for squirrels or deer and baths for birds outside the classroom window. What have been your experiences? Do you do anything unique with animals in the classroom? Please share in the comments!

Filed under: Early Childhood, School Age | Tagged: , , , , , , , | 4 Comments »

Partnering With Families in the New Year

Posted on January 4, 2012 by 4cforchildren

As I spend time inside of the many child care centers I visit, I see children excited for Christmas. I see teachers being silly with one another having ugly sweater contests during pot luck lunch time meetings. The other thing I notice, the not so fun part of this holiday season, is the level of stress and worry on the faces of the families entering the child care facilities. I hear of families who are losing their homes, families who don’t have enough to eat and children who need the basics like warm clothes.

My challenge to you for 2012 is to reach out to the families you encounter each and every day and let them know you are there to partner with them for the betterment of their children. Help can look different because all families are different. Some families may need help with basic resources like food and housing. Some families may need help with toilet training or getting ready for kindergarten.

Partnering with parents is a skill that all of us in the field of early childhood need to work on. Each day we have an opportunity to build relationships with families to let them know we are one resource they can turn to. There are simply things you can do to let parents know you are available:

  • Greet them each day by name
  • Share positive stories with them about the things their children do while they are with you
  • Notice parents’ strengths they have and take time to compliment them about it
  • Ask parents open ended questions to learn more about who they are

Creating an open door so that families feel that they can turn to us when they need something will help us reach new levels of professionalism. As I look forward to 2012, I feel a renewed spirit because I know the direction I want to take for my professional growth. I hope you join me in supporting families for the coming year!

Filed under: Parents, Professional Development | Tagged: , , , , , | 3 Comments »

Celebrate Good Times, Come On!

Posted on December 19, 2011 by 4cforchildren

There’s a snappy tune by Kool and the Gang called Celebration. It goes like this, “there’s a party going on right here, a celebration to last throughout the years. So bring your good times and your laughter too…” Sound familiar? You may remember busting a move to this tune on the dance floor at a wedding, and maybe now it’s stuck in your head. The messages in this song are clear “celebrate often, have fun, be with friends, everything’s going to be alright.”

It’s this time of year when we often take pause to be thankful, to celebrate and to cherish our loved ones. While the turkeys, festive decorations and family gatherings evoke a feeling of togetherness and celebration, I wonder, how do we make that feeling last all year long?

I recall from my days as the director of a child care center how easy it is to get bogged down in the everyday happenings in the center. I managed my time well enough so that I could fit in payroll, classroom observations, newsletters, meetings, purchasing and all of the other “important” tasks of the director. I realize now, years later, that I didn’t carve out enough time for the most important thing: celebrating with and giving praise to my staff. My staff was hard-working, dedicated and loyal. Sure, we had staff meetings where accolades were given, meals provided, and an annual holiday celebration. But I can honestly say, I don’t think I spent enough time celebrating the everyday small things.

I still have work to do in this area myself. I guess I am issuing a challenge to myself, and maybe to you too. We all have it inside of us to celebrate. We know this because we go wild for birthdays and other holidays. Can we make a commitment to celebrate even the smallest good thing? Imagine the positive effect that could come from creating a culture of care and celebration in your workplace. This may seem like a very “Pollyanna” idea, but positivity only breeds more positivity.

When January rolls around, our stomachs and souls full, will you join me (and Kool and the Gang, of course) in celebrating all year round?

Enjoy the little things, for one day you may look back and realize they were the big things.

-Robert Brault

Filed under: Best Practice, Directors & Administrators | Tagged: , , , | 2 Comments »

Where Did You Learn Those Words?

Posted on December 13, 2011 by 4cforchildren

During the last several weeks, I have been busy hitting the shopping malls and fighting the crowds of happy holiday shoppers. I always wonder how all the parents handle the little ones who can only endure so much and have a few more ounces of patience during this busy time. As I was standing in line to check out, I heard a woman say, “Oh, what a darling little girl you are!”  The woman’s nice smile and thick glasses loomed within inches of this little girl’s face. The two-year old, safe in her mother’s arms, delivered a calm and steady gaze before replying, “You poo-head.” The mother gasped.

It was clearly this mom’s first experience with the Fundamental Law of Preschool Vocabulary which states that every parent imagines that his or her child will never use embarrassing language in public. But they will! It seems to happen overnight. Suddenly your own son or daughter is spouting phrases that would make anyone, except maybe a hardened preschool teacher, blush.

“Tread lightly,” the experts warn. “Losing your cool will only make your child or children in a classroom setting want to repeat the offending words over and over.” Young children do like to make interesting events happen again. And what could be more interesting to a child than making a grown-up gasp in horror, react with shock or even laugh nervously with embarrassment? Not much. So, my advice is to react calmly with perhaps a touch of boredom in your tone.

But does this mean you shouldn’t tell your children when their language offends you? That’s a different matter. Children do need to know what their parents and teachers disapprove of. So, if you don’t want your child/children using inappropriate words in front of you, say so. Use calm but firm tones and words. Still, you can’t control every word that comes out of your child’s mouth. So once in a while the best choice is to just “not hear.” While you’re busy not listening, you may notice that so-called bad language, can sometimes be a help in a preschooler’s social world.

  • You might see a three-year-old who’s learning not to hit when she is angry. She makes progress by striking out with words instead. Adults may wince at hearing insults, but for the time being, angry words are a huge improvement over hitting.
  • Or, you might notice a four-year-old who’s uncertain about how to join in laughing and joking with a group of peers. He finds his solution in that old preschool comedy routine-bathroom talk. Preschoolers aren’t especially known for their love of subtle humor.

No matter how shocked the mothers of the world feel now, they too were once children whose choice of words horrified their parents. They grew out of it. We all did.

Filed under: Early Childhood, Parents | Tagged: , , , , | Leave a Comment »

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