Learner Katie Rochleau-Rice
LearnerForum Replies Created
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Working all day can be very exhausting. I’ve found it helps to make sure I practice active rest at home so that I am ready to return to the classroom fresh and recharged. This helps my clarity and patience in the long run.
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A single crib with a firm mattress. There shouldn’t be any bedding or blankets inside with the child.
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After afternoon snack, we often play interactive songs where the kids follow along with the dance moves called out. It’s a great, and safe way, for them to get moving inside the classroom and acts as a good transition while slower eaters finish up.
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I like to sing and use rhythms to encourage the kids to learn healthy habits.
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I would start by showing them the classroom and how everything in the room is child-friendly. I would go over our routines for mealtimes. Then I would show them the outdoor play areas and the safety measures in that environment. Then I would highlight how access to the building as a whole works and ensure that their child would be safe.
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Aside from the big things that could happen, I think my biggest worry about keeping children safe is even if I’m in ratio but I’m the only caretaker in the room if there’s an accident, I might miss what happened if I was working with another child and chaos breaks out.
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During pick-up, I think it’s important to interact with the parents before sending the child home. Telling them about the good things, like fun stories, (and possible challenging things) that happened in their child’s day allows you to start building a relationship with the parents so that if something does come up, the foundation for communication is already laid out. I believe that objective and empathetic language will also help when addressing an issue and won’t make the parents defensive.
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The things I would want from my child’s provider would be a safe space, consistency of care, and open communication.
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I think a children’s theater/story time area is a great way to get children engaged. It gives them a chance to reflect on their own life/experiences to create a story to share and also allows them to practice articulating their thoughts.
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I agree with many of the posts above about structuring your schedule around bigger events like meal times and nap. Then, you can use the blocks of time in between for free play or guided instruction. While I don’t think there should ever be down time where nothing is planned, you should always allow for some flexibility because I’ve had times where the children are really fast with an art project one day and take an extra 30 minutes to eat lunch the next.
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I think a well-structured room is very important. I have definitely seen children struggle when loud play areas are too close to quiet ones. It is hard for them to focus on their individual exploration and learning.
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How to approach a parent about developmental screening of their child?
I think the biggest things are to come prepared and to deliver the information with care. First of all, if the parent hasn’t noticed certain behaviors at home, then they aren’t going to believe you without evidence from school. Making sure you have evidence of abnormality is the first step to making sure everyone is on the same page. This was under the professionalism module as well, but making sure the parent knows that you are their child’s side too is super beneficial for getting them the help they need. Rather coming to them as an opposing force, you need to level with the parent and come to them in a calm and caring tone.
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Observing and documenting a child’s progress is necessary in making sure they are on the right track for hitting certain milestones. It allows the early learning providers to see trends in the child’s growth as well as provide evidence and reference material for future teachers.
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- Which WACs address diversity and collaboration with families? What big messages do the WACs give regarding diversity and collaboration? WAC 110-300-0160 talks about providing a diverse and inclusive learning environment for the children through books, toys, music, etc. WAC 110-300-0085 includes instruction on communicating with families and making sure that the child’s needs are being met at home and while in our care. It’s important to have the same focus of cultural exposer/enrichment when they are surrounded by children of all types of backgrounds. It is a great opportunity to learn about cultural appreciation.
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I agree! Frequently being late has an impact on the child. They can definitely sense if something is off and even if their pick up time varies slightly, they know the routine that all the other kids will be gone for a certain time.
