Reflections of chapter eight of “The Creative Curriculum for Toddlers, Infants, and Twos” by Dodge, Berkre, Rudick. pg 35
Would you describe yourself as a healthy eater? How does your approach to nutrition influence how and what you teach children about healthy eating?
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Although I love vegetables and fruits, I don’t consider myself a healthy person when it comes to eating. I am open to trying new things, and I’m not against eating any kind of food that doesn’t have a texture that I find offensive. This is beneficial for the kids as it lets them know that I’m willing to try new things.
I try to maintain a positive attitude while I’m eating to set a calm environment. If I don’t like what I’m eating, I won’t eat it. I don’t want the kids to think that they have to consume certain foods.
Think about mealtime in your classroom. Do you encourage conversation among children and/or talk to preverbal children? How would you describe this routine time of day?
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During mealtime, I like to encourage the kids to talk to me as I can read their expressions and cues so I can get a better understanding of how they feel. Breakfast is always peaceful, and lunch is chaotic only when the kids are hungry and eager to eat.
How do you feel when you are changing diapers? How do your feelings about diaper changing influence your interactions with children during this routine?
Although it can be very distressing for some children, especially infants and toddlers, changing diapers is an essential part of being a parent. I believe that it is a necessary part of being a child’s caretaker. Although it may not be the most fun thing in the world to do, I think it is important to show your children that you care for them. I believe that having a positive attitude towards changing diapers can help make the process easier to manage. I believe that my feelings about changing diapers have a significant influence on how I interact with the students. I can spend time with the child and provide them with the necessary attention as I view this as a one-on-one time with them. Because of my stance on this topic, I believe that I can grow closer to them.
How do you feel when a child has a toileting accident? What do you say or do? How does this make the child feel?
I consider a child’s toileting accident to be an accident. I don’t think that the child intentionally wanted to cause any negative attention, as it could be distressing for them. It also takes a child away from their playing time for a long time. Even though the child is still developing, I can remember that some adults get injured. I try to treat the child with empathy when something goes wrong. I tell them that it’s okay that they got an accident, and I ask if they had fun. In order to avoid any embarrassment, I would not tell the child to go to the bathroom in front of other students. Instead, I would take the child aside and clean up the mess in private. This makes the cleanup part of the incident easier for the child. This type of communication helps the child and the caregiver establish a connection. I believe that it would make the child feel safer if an adult did not shame them for their accident.
What do you want to teach children about their bodies while they are learning to use the toilet?
When teaching kids how to use the toilet, I think it’s important that they’re taught the correct way to describe their bodies. Although some terms such as “cuter” sound very similar to “cuter,” I believe it’s safer for them to use these instead of the other terms. I also think it’s important to protect them from getting hurt if they’re being used as a scapegoat. As they learn how to use the toilet, toddlers become more fascinated by their bodies. I try to explain to them what their bodies are doing and how they function.
My reflection on Chapter six of The Creative Curriculum for Infants, Toddlers & Twos by Dodge, Berkre, and Rudick.
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Do you say hello and goodbye to each child and family member every day? What messages do you think your hellos and goodbyes (or lack of them) send?
It’s important to say goodbye to everyone in the family and every child on a daily basis. However, there are days when saying goodbye to all of the family members will not occur. This is why it’s important to I would also like to include the names of the students. On the other hand, I believe that saying hello every morning is important, as it signals the start of a new day. It’s reassuring to know that the person who is genuinely interested in the child has acknowledged them. Such gestures can help open the lines of communication and make the parents feel valued.
What do you think about a child who cries a lot when his parents say good-bye? How does his crying make you feel? Do you feel differently about a child who never cries at drop-off time?
It’s heartbreaking to see a child cry when their parents say goodbye. It’s hard to leave them, and I try my best to make them feel better by showing them that I care about them. I also think of ways that I can help them, such as by saying things like, “Wow, that’s really cool” or “Bill looks like he’s building a tall tower.” I believe that kids who don’t cry at drop-off time are more used to the transition than those who do. I don’t feel that they have different personalities because I know that they miss their parents. Instead of crying, they just talk about it.
What might explain some parents’ attempts to leave without saying goodbye? What are they feeling? How do you feel when parents leave that way? How do the children feel?
Some parents choose to leave without saying goodbye to their kids. They may be rushing for work and don’t have time to spend as much time with their child. They may also not want to upset their kids by starting the transition, or they don’t want to be the ones to say goodbye. Regardless of their reason, I know that many parents would rather spend their time with their kids. Being alone at this time can be very challenging for children, and giving them something to feel happy about will help them get through it.
How do you help parents reunite with their children at the end of the day? How does a parent feel when her child cries or keeps playing? How do you feel?
In this situation, when parents get back together with their kids. I use an excited tone to tell them that their parents are there to pick them up, and I also wish them well. If a parent cries or ignores them, they may feel rejected. I would try to reassure the parents that their reactions are normal, and I would also like them to know that I am sorry if they feel guilty for not being with their child. I know that the child has a lot of feelings for their parents, so I would try to make them feel at ease.
Hello besties, I found this helpful video that has tips for Teaching Culturally Diverse Students 🙂 Please watch it and take all the suggestions into consideration.
This is a guide reflection based on Language for Learning: Infants and Toddlers. I will describe two examples for each of the 6 areas of language encouragement.
pointing out objects like pictures of family members and asking questions like “where is mommy and where’s daddy.”
Describing a toy while holding it, “black and white zebra”
2. Describing events and actions
Talk to the baby while changing diapers, “where is your clean diaper” and “one foot? Where is the second foot.”
Making sure the toddler is washing their hands the right way.
3. Social and emotional development
Asking questions and then pausing to give children time to respond verbally or non-verbally.
Acknowledge positive interactions as children play well together
4. Responding to communication attempts
An infant can be fed or put to rest if they’re crying. To make them more comfortable, speak to them while they’re being held.
When an infant turns around and approaches a person, they show that they’re aware of something.
5. Positive language for guidance
Positive responses to a child’s behavior include saying “good job” or giving lots of kisses and hugs.
Positive statements and calming words are also needed as you talk to infants about the various safety measures that you are taking, for instance, “feet on the floor.”
6. Using language during daily activities
When toddlers stand up while eating, remind them to sit down and say, “you have to sit down if you are chewing.”
When someone serves them, teach them to say thank you.
This is my reflection on a webinar, The 4 Components Infants Need for Healthy Brain Development, with Angela Fraley. https://consciousdiscipline.com/e-learning/webinars/the-4-components-infants-need-for-healthy-brain-development/
What did you know about this topic before viewing the webinar?
Before viewing the webinar, I knew that the development of children’s brains is rapid from birth until they are three years old. Four major areas of development include language, physical, social, and emotional. The development of a child’s brain is referred to as cognitive development. It involves the growth of their intellectual capabilities and their ability to think and solve problems.
2-How do you feel about this approach to infant care and development?
I feel like this is an amazing approach because I never thought of it while caring for an infant. Being present will allow you to provide them with the best possible start. Also, to support a child’s healthy brain development is responsive and nurturing care for their body and mind. Negative or positive experiences can have lifelong effects on a child’s development. It amazes me how infants warn us about their emotions through crying or body movements. Each movement represents something, according to the webinar. For example, if they arch their back, it means they don’t feel safe.
3-How could you apply this philosophy in your teaching practice?
I can apply this philosophy to my teaching practice by learning how to deal with infants the right way. For example, if they cry, that doesn’t mean they are hungry; they might not feel safe. Also, while talking to them, they cry, which means they are overwhelmed by all the talking and need a break. Face-to-face interactions are essential. Your mind needs to be present too. Therefore, being fully engaged is very important for children. They learn about themselves and the world around them.
4-Look around the Conscious Discipline website; what else do you find surprising or interesting to you, and why?
After looking around the Conscious Discipline website for some time, I was surprised that I didn’t know anything about this website. This great website has free resources once you sign up, which is completely free. After signing up, you get access to over 200 free digital resources, including printable, song lyrics, Shubert extension activities, and much more.
