teachers | Growing Children

Overcoming the ‘I don’t get it’ blues

Posted on April 6, 2013 by Karen Middendorf

Most of us can recall a time in school when we just didn’t “get” something. In the third grade, I witnessed a classmate hiding the fact that he couldn’t tell time. The teacher had expected him to do an errand for her and told him to leave his desk at “exactly 1:45.” He had to confess that he hadn’t a clue what that meant. And his past November, I attended an open house event for my niece, Lauren. She stood in the hallway very upset because her construction paper turkey didn’t look at all like her first grade peers or the teacher’s model. I recall her saying, “mine looks like a duck with funny feathers.”

Small matters, right? But not to a child. I am guessing that if I would have asked my third grade classmate how he was feeling when he didn’t know how to tell time or if I would have asked my niece why she was so upset about her turkey the answer would have been the same: “Less than brilliant” or “I am ashamed.”

“Not getting it” happens to every child. What we want is for them to bounce back, to not lose confidence in themselves as capable learners. Our faith in them helps, of course. So does having their teacher’s support. But there’s something else that can restore a child’s sense of competence, and this old-fashioned remedy is always effective, even when a child does not let you in on a discouraging experience.

Simply give the children in your care the chance to play every day. It has to be real play, though, where a child decides what to do and how to do it! In play, children set their own challenges and find out they can succeed. Children usually choose tasks that challenge them, but aren’t overwhelming.

When children are playing, they don’t worry about failing. Play, after all, is supposed to be fun. And you don’t get evaluated on fun. What’s more, because play is a no-risk situation, children often find themselves attempting more and more. In play, children try out new skills and discover they can perform at a higher level.

When they’re playing, children can pretend that they’re the ones in charge. Instead of being told when to get on the school bus, a child can be the driver. Instead of having to finish their vegetables at a meal time, a child can become the cook. Instead of taking a test, an older child may play school and be the teacher. Play builds self confidence. In play, children put aside feelings of being powerless and experience being capable.

Give a child in your care the time to play and you will be giving them time to re-charge. A child at play is someone who solves problems, generates new ideas, is curious and creative. A child at play is someone who sets and meets challenges, risks trying out new skills and experiences what it’s like to feel capable and in charge. And sometimes, a child who plays is someone who’s bouncing back from a temporary bout of “not getting it.”

Filed under: Best Practice, Early Childhood | Tagged: children, early childhood education, play, preschool, teachers | Leave a Comment »

Random Acts of Experimentation

Posted on March 27, 2013 by Josh Craig

Recently when we were sitting at the table finishing lunch, my wife and I were relishing an extended conversation while our son, Eli, switched between spreading peanut butter on crackers and licking his fingers.

With lunch I had a glass of water and Eli had an apple juice box. As my wife and I continued talking, I saw something out of the corner of my eye: Eli’s hand reaching for my glass of water. I looked over and he smiled and said, “Can I have this?” “Sure,” I replied. Boy, was he excited. But why? Did he finish his juice box? Was he still thirsty?

Turns out he needed to experiment. He spread out a cloth napkin on the table, dunked his juice box upside down into my half-full glass of water, gave it a squeeze, set the box on the table and squeezed again. Much to his delight, watery apple juice squirted out! Over and over he did this until he was out of water.

Not wanting to miss this awesome moment I said, “Wow! How did you do that?”

He replied, “Like this,” dunking his juice box in the water glass again and squeezing it.

“Oh, you squeeze it and air bubbles come out. Where does the water go?” I asked.

“Yah, it goes here,” he said, giving the box a good squeeze, making the water spray onto the napkin.

“I like how you spread the napkin out. It seems to catch the water,” I said.

“We don’t want too messy. It would be a big mess!” he said. “This is just a little bit.”

Why didn’t my wife and I stop this? Water could go everywhere; he’s playing with a glass and making a mess! But we didn’t stop him. We never stepped in and re-directed him. Why not? What were we thinking?

We were thinking , “Why NOT let him experiment?” He was gaining so much from this harmless activity that to stop him would keep him from learning and making connections with other activities. It only lasted about eight minutes and he was thoroughly satisfied when finished.

Allowing young children the freedom to experiment with materials in their own way encourages them to be scientists, hypothesize about problems and discover for themselves how and why things work. They also are developing fine motor and persistence skills needed to navigate a complex world. When we take this window of opportunity to ask probing questions, add new vocabulary and allow for time to process we turn this impromptu moment into an intentional one.

After Eli had exhausted his supply of water he let out a very satisfying sigh looking at the now empty glass, the juice box and the soaked napkin. Then he looked at us, smiling, and said, “Want to go play trucks? You can have the concrete mixer, daddy, and mommy can use the water.”

Filed under: Best Practice, Early Childhood, Preschool | Tagged: children, early childhood, kids, parents, preschool, teachers, toddlers | 4 Comments »

Science with infants and toddlers? You’re doing it already!

Posted on March 20, 2013 by 4cforchildren

We often encourage children to be scientists. We ask open-ended questions to encourage the children to hypothesize. We ask children to predict outcomes and graph responses. But some teachers struggle with science, thinking of their own experiences dissecting worms or experimenting with magnets. But science is everywhere! And it’s appropriate for every age group, even infants and toddlers.

I get super excited when thinking about science in early childhood. Physics and chemistry aren’t just topics for high school. With infants and toddlers, physics is all about the basics: how can I make the ball move? Can I roll it with my hands? If I put this block at an angle, will the car roll down? I want to get on the slide. How do I move the other child to make room for me?

And we’re doing chemistry with infants and toddlers every day. If physics is how to make something move, chemistry is about how to make something change. When working with play dough, how can I make it flat? When feeding myself food, what happens when I mix the mashed potatoes with the applesauce?

Science is more than dissection and magnets. It can be as simple as rolling a ball or as complex as a cooking experiment. It can also be about exploring what is unfamiliar. Once when I was observing in a classroom, a child came over to me and started touching my arms, face and hair. Soon, more children came over. The teachers looked a little nervous but I assured them it was okay for the children to explore. Because I looked different than the teachers the children saw every day, they were curious. This is science. Even though the children were not verbalizing their thoughts, I can imagine they were hypothesizing what my hair felt like. They may have been comparing the feeling to past experiences. They may have been thinking this does not feel like my teacher’s hair.

By allowing children to explore we are encouraging children to think beyond their current knowledge. Simply by rolling a ball, exploring new foods (or new people!), we are inspiring scientific thinking that will help them their whole life.

- Christine

Filed under: Early Childhood, Infants and Toddlers | Tagged: child care, child development, children, early childhood, education, infants, science, STEM, teachers, toddlers | 4 Comments »

Stickers for good behavior?

Posted on March 6, 2013 by Patty Taylor

In a recent meeting, the topic of rewarding children for good behavior came up. This can be a touchy subject. Although I have my own opinions on the subject I chose to sit back and listen as the discussion unfolded. The conversation became quite spirited: raised voices, red faces. As my colleagues argued, I reflected upon my own knowledge and experience with reward systems and young children.

Rewarding children for good behavior is giving a child something tangible (for example, stickers or small toys) for successfully completing a required task or successfully exhibiting the expected behavior in a situation. Teachers often implement a reward system in their classroom to ensure children follow the classroom rules. The reward system is often in the form of a chart. Children can collect stickers or tokens for the chart each time they behave the way the teacher wants. Children can later swap the stickers for a reward.

A classroom reward system can help a new or struggling teacher focus on children’s positive behavior instead of the negative. Working for prizes can be motivating and that motivation can help a teacher and her students feel less stressed throughout the day. In fact, as a young and inexperienced teacher I often used a reward system to make it through the day. I simply didn’t have any other tools to get the desired behavior from my 4-year-old students. The reward system worked. I began to feel as if I had some control in my classroom, the system was easy and the children seemed happy.

However, I soon found out that a reward system is only good as a short-term fix. My students became wise to my ways and they upped the ante. I soon noticed I needed to provide more and larger items to reach my desired results. Also, some children simply no longer cared about the reward. I needed to do something different and I needed to do it quickly. I needed to allow the children to feel the pleasure of a job well done. They needed an opportunity to experience choices. They needed permission to grow based upon the choices they made, not on the reward I had to offer that day.

I began by weaning them off a reward system that was based upon tangible prizes and I began to really communicate with my children. I became more intentional and consistent with my expectations. We reviewed the rules and expectations daily. We discussed what may happen if we leave puzzles on the floor. We talked about how it feels to be hit. We talked about what will happen if someone chooses to hurt a friend. We became problem-solving partners in the classroom. Instead of adding stickers to a chart I added specific praise and encouragement. I often told my children how proud their faces look when they remembered to put their work away. I told them they were being good friends by offering to work together with someone instead of keeping the blocks to themselves and I coached them through arguments. We made classroom books that included pictures of them following the rules. We showed respect for others by saying “please” and “thank you.” The children began to own their behavior and they began to experience how good it feels to do a good job, to be a good friend and make a good choice for the sake of doing it, not for the prize at the end of the day.

Filed under: Best Practice, Early Childhood, Family Child Care, Preschool | Tagged: children, early childhood, preschool, school, teachers | 2 Comments »

Overcoming the Generation Gap

Posted on March 1, 2013 by Janine Rigg

Generation Y. Millennial Generation. Generation Me. Peter Pan Generation. These are all terms that describe the generation to which I belong, but I can’t say I like many of them. Generation Me? Peter Pan Generation? That certainly doesn’t make me feel like a valued employee or team player, which I strive to be.

Applying labels to different generations may have validity, but chances are no one will fit all the aspects of the label. It is very possible that anywhere from three to four generations could be represented in your program, and everyone has something to bring to the table, whether it’s years of experience or new ideas to try. Arming yourself with the knowledge of what these stereotypes are can help you work to dispel the assumptions if necessary. According to a publication from the Research and Training Center on Community Living at the University of Minnesota, here is the generational breakdown:

Traditionals—born before 1945, loyal workers, highly dedicated, but may have difficulties with ambiguity and change.
Baby Boomers—born between 1946 and 1964, believe that hard work and sacrifice are the price to pay for success, but may be technically challenged and expect to have authority.
Generation X’ers—born between 1968 and 1979 (which leaves some room for interpretation, with the 4 year gap from the last generation), like to receive feedback, aspire to achieve a balance between work and life, but have been labeled the ‘slacker’ generation.
Generation Y’ers—born between 1978 and 1995 (though the end of this generation is still undetermined), are confident multi-taskers, but have been characterized as demanding.

Whether you are a new administrator coming into a program with a wide range of generations or a teacher who works alongside others of different generations, it can be a complex dynamic within the child care program. That new Generation X administrator may struggle with establishing authority with her subordinates in the Baby Boomer generation. Veteran Traditional generation teachers may need to figure out how to work together with the newcomer from Generation Y. Or, just like me, those employees balk at the labels of their generation and you find that working together isn’t as challenging as you predicted.

If you would like to find out more about working with various generations, 4C is holding its First Annual Leadership Conference in the Miami Valley on April 19, 2013. A session will be provided on leading and motivating multi-generations, among many other great session topics. Look for registration coming soon on our Web site! I’ll leave you with a quote I found from the book Change the World for a Fiver: “Talk to old people. They know cool stuff you don’t. Talk to young people. They know cool stuff you don’t.” What have you learned from someone older or younger?

Filed under: Directors & Administrators, Professional Development | Tagged: early childhood, generation gap, teachers | Leave a Comment »

Right and Wrong

Posted on February 21, 2013 by 4cforchildren

A recent argument with my 16-year-old son ended with him stomping away and shouting, “You don’t think I do anything right!”

That comment really hurt my feelings, because I know that he does so many things right. He is one of the coolest young men that I know. He’s a responsible student that works hard. He’s a great friend to those around him. He is generous with his time and gives what he can back to the community. He asks really thought provoking questions that make people think. He can participate in very high levels of conversation about topics that are relevant to current events and life in general. I just didn’t understand how he could believe that I think he does everything wrong.

Photo courtesy of AngryJulieMonday.

And then it hit me like a ton of bricks. I couldn’t remember the last time I said something positive to him. Even though I share so many amazing things that he does with so many people in my life, it didn’t even occur to me to compliment him on all of the things I noticed him doing well.

Hiam Ginott, a school teacher and child psychologist, once said, “If you want your children to improve, let them overhear the nice things you say about them to others.” Although I am using this quote to help me in parenting my son, I think this very much applies to the work we do in classrooms every single day. It’s important to let the children we work with know how valued they are and how much they are cared for and respected. There are times that adults struggle with positive things to say about the behaviors that happen every day in our classrooms or even in our homes with our own children. However, we don’t want to get into a situation where all the children hear is a report about the negative behaviors that are seen.

Children are miraculous human beings that are capable of so much good. Let’s tell them about all the good things that they are doing and can do going forward. So, the first thing on my agenda when I get home today will be to let my son Sam know how grateful I am to be his mom and compliment him on something he’s done well today. What nice thing will you share with a child to let them know just how wonderful they can be?

- Angie

Filed under: Best Practice, Early Childhood | Tagged: children, early childhood, families, kids, parents, teachers | 2 Comments »

Listen With Your Eyes

Posted on February 13, 2013 by 4cforchildren

Everyone knows that listening is a big part of communicating with children. But have you ever thought about listening with your eyes as well as your ears? Observing a child’s non-verbal communication is one way to find out what’s really on their mind.

Even as adults we sometimes have a hard time putting our true feelings into words. Children find it even harder. By reading a child’s expressions and subtle ways of moving you can get a fuller picture. And once you see what’s on your child’s mind, tuning in and responding becomes much easier.

Reading a child's body language is just as important as listening to what they are saying.

Photo courtesy of Lee LeFever.

Listening with your eyes isn’t difficult. In fact, most teachers learn it from the experts: babies. A baby who silently turns down the corners of his mouth has effectively delivered their message. A baby who turns his head away while playing an exciting game of peek-a-boo may be saying, “Whew, this sure is fun, but I need a minute to calm down.” In the same way, a wide-eyed look of wonder or a wrinkled brow tells a teacher whether to keep on playing or call a momentary halt. By listening with your eyes, you can figure out when a baby has had enough, when she wants more, what she’s afraid of, and what she’s fascinated by. All without her saying a word.

It works with older children, too. A child in your class tells you he has had a great day at school, but bites his lip and looks out the window as he says it. His expression makes you decide to sit down and talk for awhile. You notice that one of the girls in your class will raise her eyebrows when you tell her it is time to clean up the dramatic play area. Seeing her expression makes you think that maybe she really was not ready to clean up and you have interrupted her work. You give her the benefit of the doubt. You witness two children playing a new board game in your classroom. You notice one child lift his hand to their mouth in hesitation when it’s his turn. You help out with a subtle hint instead of telling him that everyone’s waiting on him and we need to move the game along.

Listening with your eyes as well as with your ears can help you figure out and respond to what your children are feeling as well as to what they’re saying. It may mean glancing away from a clean-up routine, picking up the block area, cleaning out the paint jars, supervising the bathroom line or any one of a thousand things a busy teacher has to get done. But what you “hear” with that glance may well be worth a thousand words.

- Karen

Filed under: Best Practice, Early Childhood, Infants and Toddlers, Parents, Preschool | Tagged: child care, children, early childhood, early childhood development, feelings, kids, parents, preschool, teachers | Leave a Comment »

Shouldn’t every month be National Reading Month?

Posted on February 4, 2013 by 4cforchildren

There is so much energy and time invested in promoting reading as the single most important activity one can do (and it is!), and yet so little time is actually spent reading! Many states and organizations promote a single month or day for reading, but these months and days are random and do not correlate to anything specific.

Reading shouldn’t happen in planned out Hallmark-holiday style. Reading is something that happens all day every day. Reading month, like many other randomized celebrations (Black History Month, Valentine’s day, Father’s Day or Movember, for example) is not something that you should be made aware of for just one day or one month. Reading, like heritage and disease, is something that should be done, discussed and acted upon every day of every month!

There is a ton of research into how and why. Not only is reading good fun, the language and literacy skills needed to do it well are important skills to acquire for future success in school and life. Reading also helps soothe the mind, takes you to faraway places or back in time to witness great moments, and ordinary ones, too.

I wonder why we think that giving reading such short thrift will provide us with the results we desire. If we want to see a higher percentage of early language comprehension and a higher percentage of reading at level in third grade, we should read every day (these and more outcomes are in the Strive Report Card). Reading also contributes to higher scores on the SAT, ACT and the NAEP, and with children in the United States trailing our global neighbors, it’s never been more important.

With the onslaught of technology and how rapidly our youth have taken to it we might be at a crossroads. But somewhere between winning texting awards and writing fluent essays we must hold on to what we know leads one to a life of success. So read to your children and provide them opportunities to talk about their world.

- Josh

Filed under: Best Practice, Early Childhood | Tagged: books, child care, children, early childhood education, early literacy, preschool, reading, teachers | 1 Comment »

“Tune In” to Language Development

Posted on January 29, 2013 by 4cforchildren

When I’m observing teachers in the classroom, sometimes I want to remind them to bathe children in language, not drown them! Children learn so many things from a simple conversation: basic concepts like taking turns, listening when someone else is speaking (and expecting to be listened to when it’s their turn), when it’s appropriate to shout or whisper. We don’t have to over think it, but there are some important things to keep in mind.

Photo courtesy of Victoria Harjadi.

Building a child’s vocabulary doesn’t happen when you’re quizzing them (with the best of intentions, of course) about items, shapes or colors. Incorporating these concepts into natural conversations is best practice. For example, when talking with children about a block structure, words like structure, taller, architecture and height may be introduced. There are opportunities all throughout your day for conversations like this one. “You made a circle with your paint!” “You threw the yellow ball into the basket.” It’s important to extend children’s language without being overwhelming

It’s also okay to not talk at times. Adults participate in communication all the time without vocalizing. Eye contact, body language and body placement are all forms of communication. The child who gazes at you from across the room may not need to be spoken to, but may want you to sit close to him or just make eye contact.

We need to value the child’s communication while they’re developing language skills. Some words may be hard to understand but we still need to value the attempt the child is making to communicate. Repeating what the child said can assist in clarification if needed. Repeating can also show the child you value what she said and that you are trying to understand.

Remember that children may be communicated with differently at home. When we not only have a relationship with the children in our care but with the families we serve, too, we can learn how families communicate and their expectations for their children.

I’m sure every adult has had the experience of talking to a child who appears to be ignoring you. Before getting upset, we have to look at the environment and think about the child. Is the child actively engaged in an activity and may not have heard you? Is the music too loud? Is the television on? What’s the volume like of the other children? How many children are in the room? Is the space too small for the amount of children? Are there a lot of materials that make noise? With so much stimulation, children often can’t figure out what’s important for them to listen to. Adults can “tune out” when we want to, but children are still developing that skill. We need to consider the whole environment before jumping to conclusions.

- Christine

Filed under: Best Practice, Early Childhood | Tagged: children, families, infants, kids, language development, parents, preschool, teachers, toddlers | Leave a Comment »

More Than Just a Biter

Posted on January 22, 2013 by 4cforchildren

Many years ago when I was a young and naive preschool teacher, I met with the parents of a child who would soon be entering my classroom. Aaron was an adorable 3-year-old boy with bright blue eyes and a gorgeous smile. As I was observing Aaron shyly interacting with a few of his peers, Aaron’s mother dropped the bomb. She said the words that have haunted teachers since the beginning of time: “Aaron has problems with biting.” I must admit my world went dark for just a moment. But as a professional, I was able to offer a smile and a bit of encouragement. I told her we would work together to help Aaron. We both wanted Aaron to be happy and successful in the classroom, but my heart was in my stomach.

After the family left I began to ponder this new challenge. What was I going to do? What if he hurt another child? What if he hurt me? Instead of worrying I decided to investigate. I began my research by talking with more experienced teachers. I wanted to hear and learn from their experiences. I read articles in magazines and textbooks. I also had a more in-depth conversation with Aaron’s parents. I asked questions and I listened.

There are many reasons children bite. Infants and toddlers bite because it’s part of a normal developmental phase. It is a form of exploration since they learn most about their world through their mouth. Sometimes they bite simply because something is there to bite or because biting relieves the pain of teething. Toddlers sometimes bite as a form of communication. Young children lack the language and communication skills to say, “I want that,” or I’m tired.” So, they bite to express a need or as a way of telling us something important. Sometimes children even bite because they are so happy and excited that they truly don’t know how to express it.

As children reach preschool age, biting occurrences should decrease. However, preschoolers may bite for the same reasons as infants and toddlers. A preschooler may bite to exert control over a situation where he feels helpless. He may bite for attention, as a self-defense strategy or out of extreme frustration and anger. In very rare cases, a preschooler’s bite may indicate deeper issues and concerns.

It’s important for adults to be aware of the circumstances surrounding biting. Does biting occur around the same time each day? What happens just before and after an incident? Can the teacher see the frustration building in the child before he bites? Can the teacher intervene before the biting occurs? Are there any changes in the child’s health, family or home life that may be causing the child to feel the need to bite? What can the teacher do within the environment to prevent biting?

When biting occurs, try and stay calm. It’s important to step in immediately but don’t yell, offer lengthy explanations or say things to crush the biter’s spirit. It’s okay to firmly say things like, “I don’t like it when you bite people. It hurts.” Or simply say, “No biting!” It’s even better to offer the child the words he needs to express himself. For example, a teacher can say, “I know you are very sleepy, but it’s not okay to bite your friends.” Teachers should also help the child who has been bitten. It’s important to comfort the child and apply the appropriate first aid.

Most of all, it’s important for every child care center to have a policy addressing biting. Teachers and parents should know the policy, follow it and support it. After all, everyone wants the best for the children. We all want children to feel safe and loved. Only when those basic needs are met are children free to relax and learn.

After Aaron entered my classroom there were a few biting incidents and some tears, but with support and team work Aaron and his classmates learned that although every behavior has meaning not every child has to be labeled because of his behavior. Aaron was not “a biter”. He was an innocent little boy who sometimes bit others but most of all he loved learning and being with his friends.

- Patty

Filed under: Advocating for Children, Best Practice, Directors & Administrators, Early Childhood, Family Child Care, Infants and Toddlers, Preschool | Tagged: biting, challenging behaviors, children, early childhood, education, teachers | Leave a Comment »

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