Observing Communication

Observation of Early Childhood Daycare

            Observation is watching without intervention or judgement.  I decided for this blog to observe a local daycare center during outside playtime. 

1.     Children lined up at door by command of teacher.

2.    Children walked in line to the play center across the walkway with the teacher in the lead.

3.    The teacher is direct with no allowance for discussion.

4.    Children released to play within play area why teachers outlined the playground.

5.    Children screaming, playing, running, laughing, smiling.

6.    Teachers chatting while observing students.

7.    Child fell and cried, teacher witnessed but waited just a bit and then approached the child smiling encouraging them to get up on their own, which he did. 

8.    Teacher cheered child on and he ran to play.

9.    After 10 minutes children called by whistle to line up at gate. 

10.  All students lined up except 2 girls playing in sand.

11.  Teacher approached and nicely helped them to the line.

12.  Teacher led students into the building.

13.  Children quietly entered building.

I noticed that the teachers were organized, well attentive and caring.  Students listened and responded well to the teacher’s commands. 

Teachers’ communication strategies aided to the postivie self worth of the child.  The child responding positively to the teachers showed a good relationship between the teacher and child. 

As an instructor I also strive to be positively instructive with the understanding from the child that I am in charge and they can rely on me to be their support person.  Listening to children shows them they are worth the attention and they will rely and respect you.  This common respect will help the academic relationship to excel.

Creating Affirming Environments

Creating Affirming Environments

Scenario:  Imagine that you want to open your own Family Child Care Home. Reflect on what your setting would look like, what elements you think you might want to include and for what reasons, and the various ways that you will strive to ensure that every child and family feels welcome and respected.

Creating an affirming environment for children involves everything from toys to how the room and learning materials are arranged (Derman-Sparks & Edwards, 2010), thus setting up a healthy anti-bias environment takes thought and reflection.  I would begin my process of setting up a family child care home by surveying the materials available to me.  The next step would be to survey my client base to see their cultural, environmental, and family background .  Knowing the families and creating an environment that is culturally responsive for them will ensure that I am trying to create an anti-bias environment(Derman-Sparks & Edwards, 2010).  This will also ensure that the families feel like they belong in the classroom and are part of the classroom rather than an outsider.  My hope is that they will feel welcomed. 

After I have surveyed my material, I can make any additions or eliminations that need to be performed to ensure the environment is anti-bias and culturally responsive.  For example, I will make sure that I have boy and girl ethnic dolls, the play centers set up to welcome both genders and all nationalities to play, wall décor that represents healthy pictures of anti-bias behavior such as a woman and man Doctor, various representations of ethnicity and books in various languages. 

I would also like to set up a system where the families are a part of the child care system.  I could coordinate various opportunities for parents to assist and share something about their family, culture, or beliefs with the class.  I would also like to bring in various resources from the community to share cultural diversity. 

There is so much more I would like to do, but also realize that one step at a time and implementing too much at one time could back fire and prove to be overwhelming.  I think a calendar system of step by step implementation would help organize my plans and help to ensure that all is done successfully.

Derman-Sparks, L., & Edwards, J. O. (2010). Anti-bias education for young children and ourselves. Washington, DC: National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC).