Journal 13 - Flyer

 

Please join us for our annual
Thanksgiving Feast

Where: Wiggles & Giggles CDC

When: Tuesday, November 26, 2013
@ 4:30 p.m

*Bring a canned non-perishable food item as your ticket for the feast.  These items will be donated to a local food bank*

Journal 12 - Conferences

Family-Teacher Conferences is an important tool when communicating with families about their child's development and progress in school.

Page 138 - Preparing for a Family-Teacher Conference

The child has made the most progress in the following areas: listening, following directions, communicating needs, and participation.

The activity the child enjoys most is: art time. The child loves doing arts & crafts as well as choicing the art area when it is free choice center time.

The child is most excited and attentive when: we all get together for circle time. The child enjoys our circle time routine; helper chart, puppets, and story time.

The best form of redirection for this child is: allowing them to sit at the table and do free art; coloring, painting, or drawing, or have them do a puzzle.

One objective the family could work on at home with this child is: sharing and being more patient with their friends. The child gets irritated and frustrated easily when working with others in a group setting.

At conferences it is important when discussing the child that when any issues arise the teachers offer a solution with the problem. Remain positive and keep the communication two-sided. Allow the parents to discuss their questions or concerns as well.

Journal 11 - Remembering Information

Everyone learns different and everyone remembers information better when it comes in different forms. Sally may be a visual learner, Luke may need to hear the information, and some need to hear it, see it, and write it to remember.

I personally am a visual learner. I can look at something (even for just a few seconds) and remember it. I can visualize the information in my head and relay the information to other people or to paper. I can read a book and if I need to recall something I can visualize the page of the book in my mind that I need to remember. Pictures, words, or a combination of the two allow me to absorb information the best.

It is important in early care education to make sure that all the parents are understanding and absorbing the information provided the child care program. For visual learners, I would send home memos/e-mails as well as post a PowerPoint on the front screen for parents to read and refer to for information. I would have myself as well as the teachers directly speak to the parents that need to hear the information in order to take it in. We, as staff in the early childhood education field, need to be sure that we are reaching every adult and child with any information. Everyone remembers better with one certain way. We must make it our mission to discover how they best learn and remember information and find ways to reach those different types of learners.

Journal 10 - Health Alert

Posting health alerts on the classroom door where the illness has occurred is a great communication tool. The health alert lets the parents know a contagious illness is spreading around the program and what the symptoms are, how to prevent the illness from spreading, and what to do if your child gets infected.

Health Alert:
It has recently been reported to the center that your child may have been exposed to Streptococcal Sore Throat - "Strep."

What it is:
Strep throat is a bacterial infection. Not every sore throat is strep.

What to look for:
Symptoms include;

• Fever
• Sore throat
• Oozing & redness of tonsils and throat

How it is spread:

• Inhaling respiratory droplets from an ill person
• Sneezing or coughing
• Indirect contact with hands or objects

If you suspect your child has been infected:
Isolate the child from the other children. Take the child to their pediatrician for a lab throat culture to diagnose strep.

What should be done to prevent the spread:

• Frequent hand washing
• Good personal hygiene practices should be followed
• Do not share eating utensils, food, or drinking cups
• Wash and sanitize toys mouthed by infants & toddlers

Journal 9 - Parent Policy

Parent handbooks are important. It is a book/pamphlet that has all the information that the families you serve need to know.

Authorization to pick up child

Your child will only be released to persons the parents have listed on the authorized pick up sections or emergency contacts section on the enrollment form. For security & safety issues, if someone other than the parents pick up the child from school they must be accompanied by their ID to prove identity (even if they are a relative). Once the front desk becomes familiar with that person picking up & recognizes them they may not be asked to show an ID. If the persons picking up does not have an idea or is not on the authorized list we will not release your child to them. We cannot get authorization over the phone or by word of mouth that someone that is not on the list is picking your child(ren) up. We MUST have written authorization signed by the parent to release the child(ren). 

Also, for safety & security purposes we ask that you do not give your door code that gives you access into the building to others picking up your child(ren). The parents are the only one who should have a door code. The front office will let in any other guests.
 

Journal 7 Dress for Success

I watched the episode of What Not To Wear about Tonya, a professional business owner. She had a wardrobe that Clinton & Stacy described at "blah." She had a lot of pinks and prints. However, her prints were too much and overpowering. In the 360 mirror, Tonya realized how 'frumpy' and 'boring.' Clinton told her the importance of quality not quantity. If a person is on a budget find a good quality piece every now and then and build your wardrobe. Also, they told Tonya to keep her hem line right above her knew for skirts and shorts. It is important as a business owner to look professional and look inviting. A person should be comfortable in their skin and find clothes that accents the good parts of their body and not hides it. Your wardrobe can have a little bit of personality and still look grown up and professional. This episode of What Not to Wear was helpful in me because I shop on a budget so it is important I remember "quality not quantity," going straight to the clearance rack isn't always the best option.


 It is important a person dress the part and dress for success. To me this means following the dress code that is assigned for your place of employment or position. I currently am an Assistant Director at a private preschool. My dress code is professional. I can wear slacks, skirts, dresses...anything but jeans. Friday is jean day. As far as tops, I must look professional; ironed clothes, no wholes, clean, etc. I am one of the faces for the preschool so it is crucial I look put together, ready for the day, and professional. If I was wearing jeans and t-shirts I do not look the part and future families coming in to tour may not take me seriously.

In Early Care Education, it is very hard for teachers to dress professionally. Teachers in child care programs are professionals at their job. However, working in child care isn't the cleanest/easiest job. Most teachers do not want to wear nice professional clothing because it may get dirty, torn, or who knows what else throughout the day. I do think it is important though that teachers are put together, clean, and appear ready for the day. Coming into work in sweats and a t-shirt gives a "I just rolled out of bed" impression or gives the idea that you don't care about your appearance.

Journal 6 - Confidentiality

It is crucial in dealing with children the importance of maintaining confidentiality. The scenario in the book displayed a situation where confidentiality was broken on many levels.

1.  The teacher posted a paper on the door with highlighted marks on the father's information for the mom to complete. This lets everyone know that there could be some kind of family issues. And it is not okay to put the parent's phone number on the sheet for everyone to see without permission. Also, discussing the child's physical limitations without the mother excludes her from the conversation.
2. The information regarding the child's records without his mother being present and discussing the child with other teachers that are not working directly with him violated the confidentiality code. 
3. I do not think there should have been a conversation between the two directors prior to his enrollment. 
4. I think if a meeting took place it should involved the mother, the director at the new school, and possibly the teacher. 
5. No, I think having a conversation with the classmates would make Eric stand out more and seem "different." I don't think it is their business and they don't need to know details about Eric that Eric didn't tell them himself.
6. Maybe if Eric would have been able to visit his new school before attending. Going in a few times in the beginning could have helped make the transition easier. Also, meeting his teacher and director before attending may have helped. It seems that Eric came in and they already had a bad taste in their mouth regarding him.
7. The conversation at the restaurant was inappropriate. Discussing a child in your class to other teachers as well as discussing their parents life is a violation of confidentiality.
8. I still do not think the conversation would have been appropriate, no matter where it occurred. Information regarding Jason and his family's status is not information that should be shared with other individuals.
9. I think as a director it is a very hard situation to rectify. Once confidentiality is broken it is hard to gain trust back. Directors need to make sure that teachers understand the confidentiality code and how important it is to maintain.
10. I personally would not leave my child in that school. I feel like they already have a bad impression of Eric and his mom. They consider him a "bad kid" and having family issues. They treat him differently and I think this isn't the best place for him.
11. It would be hard to move Eric because he seems to have problems with transitions. He also seems to have some physical limitations and it would be hard to have to explain to a new place again what needs to be done. Also, having Eric to start over with new children and teachers is hard. Finding a place to accept him completely may not be easy.

This scenario shows how important it is to maintain the trust of the children and families we serve.

Journal 5 - Staff Meetings

Welcome & Introduction of Staff

Staff meetings will be held at the end of every month for all staff to discuss things that occurred during that month and topics that are occurring in the following month.

Our purpose: 
To encourage the growth and development of all children, while maintaining positive relationships with families and the community.

Staff:
Discuss: Communicating with others & parents, following the curriculum, and work ethic

Staff Responsibilities:
Opening & closing procedures, maintaining ratio, keeping classroom organized, maintaining a developmentally appropriate classroom

Children:
Discuss using appropriate positive guidance

Child Assessments:
Complete Fall assessments to prepare for Fall parent teacher conferences

Families:
Dealing with parent questions, complaints, & concerns

Policy & Procedures:
Maintaining confidentiality

Health & Safety:
Ensuring every teacher as the appropriate items in their first aid bags
   
Front office:
New policy for signing in & out school laptop & camera

Staff Lounge:
Sign up for flu shots is located in the staff lounge

Child drop-off & pick-up:
Make sure you are checking IDs of people who aren't normal pick up people and ensure they are on the "Able to pick-up child" list

Questions: 
Would you like to see anything new in the curriculum? Are there any questions or concerns about the upcoming events? Any comments about anything we've discussed?

Staff meetings are an important part of communication; especially in the early care education field. We don't have the luxury of walking to another room or the front office (for ratio purposes)  to discuss issues or upcoming events. Staff meetings allow everyone to get together, communicate, and get on the same page. Everyone needs to be working towards one ultimate goal. Staff meetings keep everyone as a team and keeps everyone communicating and voicing opinions/concerns.

Journal 4 - The way you approach someone says it all...

The way you approach someone says it all. Communication is a two way street and I think that is shows respect on both parts when both parties address each other by their names, shows eye contact, and tries to remain positive (and if it is negative remain calm and find a solution).

When someone comes to me all the time and they won't look me in the eyes, they don't use my name, and are always negative about something it makes me irritated and somewhat annoyed. It makes me feel disrespected. I also find that with negative people, it is just like "crying wolf." When they are so negative all the time and then something serious comes up I don't know to believe them nor do I really want to talk to them. Also, when someone approaches me in a negative manner, ignores what I am saying, and won't look at me it makes me not want to communicate with them anymore.

When one or both parties in the conversation don't show respect towards what the other one is saying, I feel then one or both sides will shut down or in some cases not care what they have to say at other times. Communication is key in everything and when one or both shuts down then nothing gets accomplished. I find that whether you are interested in what the person is saying or not you show respect, look them in the eyes, address them my their proper name, and try to remain positive. Besides, no one wants to deal with a "Negative Nancy/Ned" all the time.

Journal 3 - The C's of Communication

Communication is an absolutely crucial part of being a great child care provider. Chapter 2 in our text is a great tool in how to and how not to communicate with families in your child care program. I liked how the text breaks it down into the six C's of communication. The positive C's being; clarity, consistency, and caring. The three negative communication elements being; confrontation, conflict, and carelessness. It is important the child care providers know how to communicate and how to resolve conflicts or issues that may arise.

Pages 18-19:
The scenario about the family wanting to prepare and bring chocolate chip and peanut butter cookies as a birthday snack is a tricky one. The family thinks it will be okay to bring a snack with nuts in them because no one in the class is allergic. However, the child care provider must explain to the family that just because no one in that class is allergic to nuts that there may be other children in the program that are allergic and they cannot risk the health and safety of another child. The key in this scenario is to explain the importance of no nuts in the facility and that it is a health issue.

Regarding the scenario about the teacher wanting the better shift on Friday's due to her father's stroke, I would tell her that she must ask the other staff if they are personally willing to give up their shift. I understand this could open a door for other issues that arrive but I think that every circumstance is different and you can deal with it as it comes. In this case I believe each teacher should be able to decide if they are willing to give her their early shift. The key is to be caring yet fair.

Pages 22-23
The first scenario is about a teacher who showed her lesson plans to a coworker and the coworker used her lesson plans. I would not make a big confrontation about it because that would just make is a bigger issue than it is. I think I would acknowledge that she took my plans and posted them and then say that maybe next time we could put our great ideas together and do the curriculum together.

This is a tough scenario. The father is upset because he was not told about an injury. This happens quite often because a teacher only has two eyes and doesn't always witness everything. I would calm the father day and let him know if he has any concerns about his daughters care than he is more than welcome and encouraged to speak to the director. I would also explain our policy to him about injuries and also explain to the child that it is important she tell an adult if she gets injured or hurt by another child. Arguing back with the father would only escalate the situation.

I found this chapter very informative. These scenarios are things that come up all the time when working in child care.

Journal 2

Hey! I'm getting the hang of this blog and am really loving it!!!

This week is all about defining communication needs of your audiences. The people I most frequently interact with are parents. I communicate with parents on a daily basis. We communicate and interact a number of different ways. We talk through text, phone calls, in person, and by flyers or other means of information. The families that I interact most with are part of a wide social circle so it is important that I am good at what I do and also make sure that my information is factual.

When it comes to effective communication in action (page 4 of our text), I like the way the biting situation is explained to the parents. I think most of the information needed to be told was included in the conversation. When I discuss an incident that occurred in my classroom such as biting, I like to include what was happening before the bite and what was going on when the bite took place (still maintaining confidentiality). This information I feel is important because parents need to know if there was a trigger that caused the bite, if it was instigated, and what can be done to prevent it from happening.

Defining Who I Am: (Page 9 in text):

I visualize my business as one that is a safe environment for children to thrive in. My business will encourage and support developmentally appropriate practice as well as include the community and families in our classroom. My center is affordable. I want to create a quality center that is affordable to the general public. I think all children should have access to quality care. Academics are important but children learn through hands on activities and play. Learning should be fun for children and that's the environment I want to maintain. It should be a place children want to be and are excited to learn. My center has new developmentally appropriate equipment, low staff to child ratios, an open door policy (parents are welcome anytime), and we create our own curriculum that is possible for each individual child as well as challenges them to grow and develop.

My center is one that includes all families in the every day care of their child. We want communication to be a strong point. The center also offers quality care. The staff is educated in the early care education field as well as completes twenty ongoing training hours per year. We also like to catch and fix an issue before it becomes a major problem.

There is always room for improvement in any center. My center can always improve upon themselves as caregivers and our communication can get better all the time. By continuing to attend trainings and workshops we can become better caregivers and people in general.

Journal 1 - Welcome to my blog!

Welcome to my blog!

My name is Kim Waterman. I am new to the whole blogging world so be patient with me. I lead a very busy and crazy life but I love every minute of it! A year ago this September I married my best friend, Jake. He is also currently in school at OCU for his Master's Degree. We just bought our first house and a few weeks ago rescued a puppy that we named Cooper.

I am taking Early Care Education courses because this field is my passion. I love watching children grow and develop. There is something magical about watching a child thrive in an environment that will help shape them into the people they will become. I love being a little stop on their journey in life. Children are our future (I know that sounds cliche but it's true). The field of early care education is constantly changing and I want to continue to learn and develop my education so I can be the best caregiver and teacher possible.

I hope to gain more knowledge through this course. I like to think I am a great communicator but I would like to know more and become a better communicator. Communication in the field of early care education is crucial. Everyone (teachers, employers, families, & children) must all be on the same page and work together to reach the final goal; whatever that may be. I hope to learn new information that will help me be the best teacher I can.

I hope everyone has a great semester and I look forward to learning lots of valuable information!