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Mattisyn School is one of happiest, friendliest places in Palm Beach for families with children from three months to six years old. Strives to make every day a learning day, filled with new and wonderful experiences to help young learners find what interests and inspires them.
Visit - http://mattisynschool.com/
HI. I've just started work in a nursery in the preschool room. The children seem to be running about doing as they please. There are activities but the children aren't really accessing them. Should there be some circle time, adult interaction, direct teaching of some kind?
Hi XD I'm new to preschool but have had a lot of experience with school-age kids. I've been working at my first preschool for about two months now and am a floater because of my hours of availability. The current teacher of the 2-3yr old (12 kids total if they all show) room has been out sick so I've been with them all week.
Even so, their...See MoreHi XD I'm new to preschool but have had a lot of experience with school-age kids. I've been working at my first preschool for about two months now and am a floater because of my hours of availability. The current teacher of the 2-3yr old (12 kids total if they all show) room has been out sick so I've been with them all week.
Even so, their teacher (T) is newer than I am and started working there after me. Before that, the class didn't even have a teacher and a different floater (the only other one than myself) had been in the class.
Okay, so, now my questions...
(T): Has called off sick a lot in the month that she's been working here. So, as a floater, I have to be the substitute. It's not a problem for me, but it's less stability for the kids.
Child A: Child A started at the preschool on Monday - so T hasn't met him yet. Since then, he has decided he wants to climb on the furniture and whenever myself or another teacher tells him to get down, he says no. Wo we gently help him down and he gets right back up. He's constantly either shy and keeps to himself or in the office for hitting/biting myself or another teacher because he doesn't want to do what we tell him.
Child B: Child B has been here a very long time and knows a lot of the other teachers. The ones that have been working here for over a year. So about half the staff. She likes to climb on the furniture, too and likes to run around the room screaming. If myself or someone else tells her no, she sits down and screams at the top of her lungs until the director - who she respects - comes in and tells her to knock it off. The hallway next to the bathrooms is attached to a larger room that she and Child's C, D, and E like to run into. 9/10, it's only myself watching them in the hall and trying to keep them from running off. It is especially hard when Child C is with us...
Child C: Child C is possibly on the Downs spectrum. She's only there for maybe two hours in the morning and two hours in the evening, being at school in-between. When she is there, though, she has to be held constantly - whether at the hip or by the hand - because she has a tendency to run off. She also has a biting/pulling hair/pinching problem and doesn't understand that it's not okay.
Child D: Child D doesn't have any stability at home and, with all of the new teachers she's gone through at least since I've started working there, no stability at school. She is a very sweet kid - as they all are - but throws a fit every few minutes. When she doesn't agree, she has no problems hitting. She - along with children A and B - get sent to the office several times a day.
Child E: Child E could possibly be on the spectrum, too, but she's high functioning. There are just a few red flags to suggest it. She has recently been moved up to the 2-3 class (having come from the 2 class) and has a very hard time taking naps. Her previous teacher in the 2 room once spent the entire three hour nap time rocking her and patting/rubbing her back, but she still didn't sleep. When I managed it yesterday (it feels like a month ago lol) I did a happy dance because it's rare. And anyone with that age group knows that nap time is a blessing.
There are still seven other kids in the class, but they vary day-to-day. These are the only ones I have consistent problems with.
So, the issues: 1) Getting Child A to stay off the furniture, 2) Getting Child B to stay off furniture and stay on task (I find this is easier when I give her a job to help me because she likes being a helper. If she says 'no' I turn to another kid I know will turn it down and ask them- only for Child B to quickly change her mind and decide she actually wants to help), 3) Getting Child C to stay close by so I can give the other kids soap after using the bathrooms. 4) Child C's biting, 5) Giving Child D stability (I find that telling her she's messing up her hair can sometimes get her to realize her hair is more important than the tantrum and she'll calm down. Other times I try to corner her, sit down with her, talk softly, 'shush' her, and brush her hair away from her eyes. It works when we're one-on-one, but not when I've got eleven other kids running up to me with problems like 'he hit me' or 'I need to pee.') 6) Getting Child E to sleep at nap time. (Her previous teacher suggested I rock her. She had meant in my arms, but I had her on her tummy and moved my arm back and forth across her back so that she rocked slightly. That's how I got her to sleep. I didn't get the chance to try again today. We'll see about Monday if T doesn't show up again.) 7) I find that because I'm used to older kids, I tend to talk to the younger kids the same way. I was told today that telling a 2-year-old 'I just told you-' or 'What did I just say?' won't go over well because they actually don't remember what I just told them. So ways to get them to stop running around while I'm changing a diaper would be helpful. It was suggested that I invite them to do something with me - like redirect? - but I can't really do that and stand at the changing table, 8) One last problem I find is that I sometimes compromise with the kids. Such as, when they want to climb on top of a table, I tell them they can sit under the table instead. So it's like a cave instead of being higher up? The danger with sitting under is that they'll hit their heads, but there're no sharp edges so I thought they'd be fine. Well, another teacher walks by the room and looks in and yells at the kids not to be under the table. So after that teacher leaves, they get right back on top. I've had this trouble with giving them jobs by the bathroom, too. I had them take colored tokens to give them jobs (like line leader, soap giver, towel giver, door holder...), but another teacher came over and yelled at them to not bring toys to the bathroom. So, my problem is getting the kids to behave while still following the rules? It was suggested that I tell the teachers why I'm having the kids do those things...but I'm not brave with adults...yeah, I know.
Anyway, sorry it was so long. I'll probably be back at some point with more questions. Whether you can answer one or all of them, I'd be very grateful.
I probably won't be back in that room on Monday (hopefully their regular teacher will be back), but I'm sure I'll have to substitute or help out in there again- so it would still be great to get some ideas.
Thank you!
Hi all. We have a challenging 4 year old student that has classic oppositional defiant disorder symptoms. He defies authority, wants to do the opposite of what the teachers want, even if he said he wanted to do the activity just minutes before, yells out that he wants to go home, etc. We are documenting all this behavior and will speak with parents...See MoreHi all. We have a challenging 4 year old student that has classic oppositional defiant disorder symptoms. He defies authority, wants to do the opposite of what the teachers want, even if he said he wanted to do the activity just minutes before, yells out that he wants to go home, etc. We are documenting all this behavior and will speak with parents soon. In the meantime, I was wondering what approach to take during circle. He looks around the circle and then fixes on one child and makes mad faces. So far, we have ignored this or we will say, "Everyone should be looking at me. Check your body and make sure you are in a good listening position." I don't like the fact that he is making the other children feel uncomfortable. I was thinking of having him sit in a chair outside circle but I am afraid he will make a bigger fuss. Does anyone have any experience with this type of behavior? Thanks.
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