Learner Marisa Sparr
LearnerForum Replies Created
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I would advise another early learning provider to be present. The kids will appreciate and benefit from active listening, engaging with them in play or activities, and showing them how much you care.
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-The safest place for a baby to sleep is a single-level crib, infant bed, bassinet or playpen.-Mattress must be firm and snuggly touch on each side of the crib or bed to prevent the infant from becoming entrapped between the mattress and crib side rails.-Each child must have their own separate bedding, and it needs to be stored without touching other bedding.-Nothing else in the crib with the baby.-Every baby must be laid on their back to avoid SIDS.
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Making healthy habits fun is incorporating songs, schedules, and charts. Children need schedules to feel safe and secure. Healthy habits, such as washing hands and cleaning up, can easily be made more fun for children if you make them. For example, if you sing the song, “clean up, cleanup”. Or having one of the children tell the class it’s time to wash their hands.
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My biggest worry about keeping children healthy and safe is how many children are under my care all at once. Kids require lots of attention, and find themselves in new parts of the room within matters of seconds. This is worrisome since I will be in charge of watching all of them at once. I know I am more than capable, but I will have to train myself to not get overwhelmed when there is movement, and have my eyes actively looking, while also giving my attention to each student separately as well.
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What is your advice for creating and maintaining a good partnership between caregivers/parents and childcare providers? Part of supporting children and families is recognizing, valuing, identifying, and referring to community resources when needed. A child care provider must remember that their role is not that of a counselor or a diagnosing doctor. Instead, they must be able to recognize when a situation calls for professional intervention and/or assessment. Maintaining a good relationship with parents is by being non-judgmental, listening and respecting the parents, and directing them to positive community resources.
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Are there any components of a good early learning environment that you think are especially important?It is important to have a nurturing, fun, organized, and functional environment for the children to play and learn. Safe spaces for group activities, such as a soft carpet. And children’s size tables, chairs, for crafts, and a room filled with fundamental growth toys, such as blocks. A nice library filled with many books, an area for music, and playing instruments.
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Approaching parents about the developmental screening of their child will be a hard discussion, but it is necessary to improve the child’s growth. Having good documentation, informing objectively, and basing it on evidence, not opinions. Being non-judgmental and using objective words without bias or feelings. Writing out a script and talking through it with a coworker, listing local resources and referrals to help the parents understand, and giving the parents confidence that they are in good care, are all ways to help make this conversation go smoother.
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How does observing and documenting a child’s development help early learning providers?Observing and documenting a child’s development helps early learning providers know how each child specifically learns, if they need to slow down, and better equip them for what to teach that child regarding any specific developmental domain.
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Creating a serve and return environment in a classroom looks like shared interests. Whatever the toddler is doing, playing with them, watching if they’re done with a toy, asking questions about what they’re doing, or want to do. Giving the children space, yet support, while they navigate their world, is important for their development.
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The WAC has many regulations to ensure the well-being and safety of the children. Through reading, I have discovered that the WAC requirements are much more extensive than I had realized. I had already suspected that there would be regulations for safety when playing, sleeping, or mandated reporting of abuse. But there was much more important information I gathered, which said, I was most surprised by how many different tests there are in order to be a child care provider. Yes, I was aware there are trainings required, as well as testing. But before this, I would have thought CPR and first aid. But the training I hadn’t thought of, such as medication management and administration training, or the serving children experiencing homelessness training. This is very eye-opening. The WACs will influence my day-to-day practice in caring for children by using all of the information I gathered to not only provide for the children but to be well aware of their every need, and keep a watchful eye for their safety, both physically and mentally.