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?
floaterEverything I'm about to tell you is easier said than done XD There should always be those things; no matter the preschool age group. Nursery makes me think infants (0-2yrs), so if your kids are toddlers, let me know and I'll comment something else. But for kids 2 and younger, circle time is basically adult interaction. It's not usually with all of ...See MoreEverything I'm about to tell you is easier said than done XD There should always be those things; no matter the preschool age group. Nursery makes me think infants (0-2yrs), so if your kids are toddlers, let me know and I'll comment something else. But for kids 2 and younger, circle time is basically adult interaction. It's not usually with all of the kids at the same time because getting a one-year-old to 'listen' is...impossible.They're just not capable of it yet (patience is key.) So circle time can be one with one to maybe four or five kids where the teacher - you - does finger plays, or reads a story, or gives the child a certain toy (usually sensory; sensory bottles are the coolest things...if you get the lid fastened on right lol) and asks specific questions; "Do you like the bright colors, Ashton?" "Jaylee, Do you like how soft it is?" "Does that feel weird, Brandon?" or statements; "Look at it swirl, Kelsie," "Noah, do you see the bunnies in the book? They're hop-hop-hopping." There's not a whole lot of direct teaching (indirect would be things like with the sensory bottles or reading a book where they happen to pick up on things) unless you plan to break out the flashcards- something I personally am strongly against because it's hard to use them in best practice. When you do indirect though, if they ask questions- answer. It may seem stupid, it may be repetitive, you may not even understand (in this case just say something like 'oh yeah?' or 'really?' and they'll say 'yeah' and move on), but it is super important that you acknowledge their question and answer. Everyone wants to be responded to. Even infants. Gathering a small group (or trying to get all the kids involved if you're feeling lucky) could be beneficial if you sing a song, do a dance, read a book, or do a finger play with them. Never expect every kid to be interested. And at that age group, definitely, expect them to lose interest fast. When they do, that's alright. It's called redirection - something that can also be done when they're throwing a fit. Simply direct them towards another activity or toy (especially if another kid takes the one they had) and they're short attention spans take care of the rest. Let me know if that helps?
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.
...See MoreI had an ODD child in my K class a few years ago and it was, to put it mildly, a "challenging" year. Before I describe what I did, I will tell you that the behavior did get better but it got worse before it got better so hang on, it's going to be a bumpy ride! It's all about power and I was NOT going to get into a power struggle with him!
I gave him a quiet spot away from the group where he could go when he needed to but I could still see him at circle time. If he moved way into the area so I couldn't see him (power), I moved where I sat in the circle so he was never out of eyesight. He went there a lot at the beginning but he was usually also paying attention. I didn't care where he was sitting as long as he wasn't bothering anyone and was paying attention.
The biggest thing I did was to give him choices, 2 *appropriate* choices - you may sit on the rug for circle time or in a chair, you may get in line with the class or hold my hand as we walk in the hall, etc. So, he had the "power" to make a choice but it was always limited to 2 choices and I could live with either one. If he didn't make a choice when asked (power) I said I'd give him a min. to decide and if he didn't make a choice then I would. He would sometimes wait (power) so I would choose but I would choose the one that I didn't want as much and he would immediately choose the other one which was one I wanted. (If the choices were to walk in the hall with the class or hold my hand in the hall, I would choose walking with me so he would then want the other choice of walking with the class). Whatever choice he made and whenever he made it, I would say "good choice".
This all sounds good but it took awhile for him to realize that I wasn't going to give in to him, so he tested and tried to break me but I stood my ground and he backed down. I had to call the office on more than one occasion because he wouldn't comply and it wasn't easy but he finally got with the program. The fact that his mother was mentally ill didn't help things but we did get her on board with the 2 choices only hers weren't "appropriate" choices but we did the best we could.
UPDATE: He was in a self contained ED class for 1st and 2nd grade and then transitioned back to general ed for the rest of the years he was at my school and was OK in gen. ed.
1. How do you identify children's ...See MoreHello, my name is Jasmine. I have a project for Early Childhood Education class and we are to interview a preschool teacher and ask them to answer these following questions. If you are not busy it would be gladly appreciated if you could answer these 10 questions in your perspective. Thank you.
1. How do you identify children's needs, interests, and abilities?
2. How did you develop your program's philosophies, goals, and objectives?
3. How did you decide which curriculum to offer to the children of your program?
4. What are the expectations for creating and implementing lesson plans at your school?
5. How does your program implement effective record keeping?
6. How many activites do you do a day for the children?
7. How do you handle bad behavior?
8. Do you award the children for good behavior?
9. What made you decide to work in this field?
10. Any advice you would consider for working with children?
I am having a BLAST and so are the children I give them plenty of choices
and creativity and most of the time I go with the flow of the class for the day.
We laugh as we are learning and we motivate each other while we are having fun learning.We use words instead of tears, relax and then we have a circle time and talk.
I am an Early Childhood Education student. I am looking for help with this question: What is the value of activities that result in recognizable art products from young children?