let them express their emotions. do not make them feel like emotions are good vs bad or valid vs invalid

work with them to figure out what they are feeling and what they would like you to respond with. I had a student who lashed out because they did not allow frontal hugs at my last job and the child really wanted a big bear hug. I told them…

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I vent to family who also work in childcare. I get the release I need and constructive feedback all in one

Get down on their level when they are trying to talk to you. be conscious of your word choices if they are displaying a behavior that you do not appreciate or causes a safety issue.

I have a specific playlist on Spotify to listen to when I am feeling powerful emotions

join your students in meals. i was surprised to see how happy they were just having me sit next to them while they ate

join in on the play!

in any case of emergency/ unplanned event

crib or playpen with a firm mattress and nothing else inside!

I teach them a silly dance to a song i know, and then ask them if they can teach me one

singing songs or creating an activity out of it

I try to address them by name if it has been given before. I would highlight our outdoor area 100%. The areas are fenced off based on classroom with appropriate set ups for each one

legally we are required to say something within a certain time frame. I would have a harder time being around the primary guardians if i saw obvious signs of abuse

I have always worried about reaction times to emergencies

make sure you are subjective and empathetic. you don’t know what is going on outside of the classroom until they tell you

wants:

1. provide expected level of care for profession

2. do not label my child

3. allow creative freedom

fears:

1. neglect

2. lack of support

3. restriction of creativity

ask more open ended questions as they go through different activities

I think that it is good to involve the children in planning things aside from meal times and resting time. Giving them a voice in what their day may include contributes to a caring environment

safety comes first. set up tables to control speed throughout the classroom/ prevent running. the classroom should feel warm and nurturing

have subjective observations and resources ready for your conversation with the family. practice what you want to communicate with a co- worker before going to the family. be prepared for adverse reactions to the information. practice how to respond to those reactions with empathy

observing and documenting helps with their development by giving you insight on their areas of strength and personal interests. These findings can assist with creating a developmentally appropriate curriculum that helps the students individually

I do not see any reason for screen time to happen in childcare facilities. Our facility has lots of activities and materials available to engage kids

I asked the 3 kids that were done with breakfast to find their favorite book and bring it to me for circle time

explain to the guardian that while 20 minutes may not seem like a long time, there is an emotional effect to her child being the last one picked up. It also means staff having to stay longer than the signed agreement from enrollment.

WAC 110-300-160 addresses diversity

WAC 110-300-0085 addresses collaboration with families

These are listed early in the WAC to show the importance of their families as the first educators. I find the big message to be that equal representation of all cultures creates a welcoming and inclusive environment

WAC has broadened my knowledge about childcare immensely!