The time is now! It’s hard to believe that back-to-school time is upon us, and that we must prepare for a whole new year. Now, some of you may be in year-round programs, but that doesn’t mean this blog post isn’t for you! Continue reading as we discuss teaching/care practices that support the social and emotional quality of your program, which we encourage you to reflect and focus on with September in very close view.
For those working with preschoolers…
…here are five categories for you to think about as you prepare your classroom. We encourage you to think about how these categories contribute to your work in promoting your preschoolers’ social and emotional development.
- Daily Routines. Routines are the planned daily events in early care and education programs, such as meals, rest time, and clean-up time. Transitions are the times between these routines and other daily activities. When transitions and routines are well planned, consistent, engaging, and individualized, children gain the sense of safety and trust they need to explore the world.
- Environment. The environment includes the early care and education setting, both outside spaces and indoor places. It is where children eat, rest, play, build relationships, and learn. The environment includes the children and adults, as well as toys, learning materials, equipment, displays, and safe and fun places to play. When the environment is welcoming, reflective of families and cultures, and addresses the interests and skill-levels of all children, they feel valued and supported.
- Caring Connections. Caring connections are the back-and-forth bonds created between adults and children and between peers as they talk, learn, and play together in healthy, loving ways. Caring relationships are fostered through nurturing practices, and are the basis for building a safe, strong, and caring community in which everyone is accepted, secure, and ready to learn and have fun.
- Activities and Experiences. Activities are intentional, planned events designed to engage children and support learning. Unplanned learning experiences—often child-initiated—can also build on children’s interests, introduce new ideas, and expand children’s understanding.
- Partnerships Between Teachers and Families. Home and school partnerships are the connections between important adults in a child’s early care and education setting and the home(s) in which the child lives. When early care and education providers and families work together to share information, plan together, and support the child’s abilities, needs, interests, and progress, children are more likely to succeed in school and in life.
To help you reflect on these categories, download our Reflective Checklist for Preschool Teaching Practices!
For those working with infants and/or toddlers…
…here are four categories to think about as you prepare your care settings. Sit down and truly reflect on these so you can prepare to support the social and emotional development of your infants/toddlers.
- Connecting with Families. Connecting with families reflects the many ways that caregivers partner together with families and their infants and toddlers. Family members are the most important people in young children’s lives, and caregivers need to talk to, listen to, and learn about families to build individualized support and continuity of care. These partnerships are critical to providing the best care for infants and toddlers and for fostering a sense of safety and attachment.
- Activities and Routines. Activities include child and adult initiated opportunities in which infants and toddlers use and explore a variety of skills at their individual developmental level. Routines are the consistent, predictable daily experiences such as feeding, sleeping, diapering, and clean-up time. When activities and routines are consistent, dependable, and individualized, infants and toddlers gain the sense of security and trust (building healthy attachments/relationships) they need to explore the world with enthusiasm.
- Responsive Caregiving. Responsive caregiving includes the ways adults interact with infants and toddlers and how they support and provide frequent opportunities for children to interact with each other. These interactions support the development of both trusting relationships and a sense of security in the child’s surroundings. When adults respond gently and lovingly, infants and toddlers learn that they matter. They, in turn, can grow to be responsive to others in their lives, building attachments forever!
- Environment. The infant/toddler environment includes the physical space where children play, whether indoors or out, the toys and materials children use, how things are displayed, and the people who help each child feel valued and supported. Environments are comfortable, safe places where infants and toddlers explore and learn, building relationships and initiative. Environments set up in a child-friendly way support self-regulation skills as infants and toddlers play and learn.
To help you reflect on these categories, download our CARE Reflective Checklists for Infant/Toddler Settings!
August 19, 2024
