Question: Some of my staff members treat each other poorly and I have talked to them many times without success. What else can I do to encourage a positive work environment? Answer: The first step in resolving the problem is addressing it. You will need to let the team members that are not treating others with respect know that their behavior is inappropriate, and if the behavior continues, disciplinary action will result. No one should have to work in a toxic work environment. Additionally, you will want to work with all of your staff members on creating a positive and more functional work environment. Here are some links to encourage staff to start working as a team:
Always be sure that you are modeling appropriate behavior in your center as well.  Question: I have a lead teacher that comes from a different background and always feels like she is being picked on by other staff members. She is unhappy but will not listen to my suggestions, what do you recommend? Answer: There will undoubtedly be conflict that arises with people coming from different backgrounds and experiences and I am happy to offer suggestions for working with challenging staff members. The biggest thing to understand is that communication is key! If there is a communication obstacle or challenge then there will eventually be bigger problems. Do what you can to alleviate these challenges in a respectful and meaningful way. In addition to this, give your staff communication strategies to use with everyone in the center, not just with this lead teacher. Maybe set up a teacher mailbox system or help align meetings and prep time to assist in this. For more information about communication between staff: Question: What do you do if a parent does not like one of the staff members? Answer: Unfortunately, there will be times when parents do not get along with teachers and vice versa. I think it is important to understand where the tension comes from before you can try to remedy the situation. It may boil down to a simple difference in expectations or something that was miscommunicated. If you can have a lead or support teacher assist with any communication with the parents this may help to smooth things over. Another thing that has always worked well for me in the past is to remain calm and kind and to always invite the parents to come and speak with the teacher whenever they feel they should. If the parents are aggressive and rude then it is the director’s job to step in and help. This can range between being present for teacher-parent conversations as a support or taking over communications directly. There is no one correct answer for this type of situation and it will take a lot of work to get to the root of the problem but it is completely necessary to do so. Question: I am a new director and the center I am at is having financial difficulties, how do I encourage the staff without coming off as threatening and unsupportive? Answer: The biggest suggestion I give to directors is to know their team and build relationships with them. This does take time but I think you will find that by investing the time and effort into really getting to know each individual will give you a great start. The second suggestion I usually give is to communicate! Communication breakdowns are the biggest source of stress due to misinterpretations. These misinterpretations can make directors seem more threatening and much less supportive. This is the opposite of what you want for an effective team. For more information on The Dream Team: Successful Team Building, register for our two hour course: http://www.cdastars.com/store/p599/Successful-Teambuilding Have information to share? Please use the comments section below...
 Developing good time management skills takes both time and consistency. Once you have learned these skills, however, you may find that you have formed an incredibly valuable habit. Below are some common questions and answers regarding managing your own personal time, as well as helping other staff members manage their time. Question: How do you incorporate time management skills when other coworkers are not interested in working together? Answer: Often the issue comes down to communication and not only in what is being communicated but how it is being communicated. Try to level with the other teachers and get to the root of the issue. Sometimes people are just unsure of what needs to be done and this creates a major road block. In addition to this, I recommend always going above and beyond with the level of respect that you show them. Even if you are not intentionally being disrespectful when communicating sometimes things can be perceived incorrectly. Do everything you can to avoid that common pitfall! Question: When should I begin to implement time management skills? Answer: There is no bad time to get going with strengthening your time management skills. It is important to ease into new methods and strategies to avoid overwhelming yourself. Think of it like creating a good habit. Question: How do I encourage staff to improve their time management skills, without micromanaging them? Answer: This is a common question that directors have and it can be quite challenging. Time management is a major source of stress for child care professionals in general and it can take time for them to really manage their time effectively. Instead of giving specific deadlines, I highly recommend breaking tasks down into smaller chunks and using a checklist system. Often having a visual reminder is enough to get things done in a timely manner, but even if this is not the case you can expect that simpler or smaller tasks can be done quickly. This eliminates the need for you to give out specific deadlines. Making these chunks sequential can hinge on micromanaging so be careful not to go overboard. Another suggestion is to create a buddy system for tasks where two teachers are involved and can hopefully motivate the other to complete whatever is needing completion. This does require a greater deal of planning and preparation on your part and may not always be realistic. Last, but not least, use positive reinforcement. Even though these are adults that you are working with they still like to be praised and rewarded for a job well done. Mention someone’s effort at the next staff meeting or send out an email praising a teacher’s hard work at completing a task. This will often motivate everyone to be more efficient and on task. For more information on Managing Your Time, register for our one hour course: http://www.cdastars.com/store/p606/Managing-Time Have information to share? Please use the comments section below...
Question: How do you help infants with nap time when they have trouble falling asleep and especially don’t want to be left alone in their cribs? Answer: Nap time can be stressful for infant teachers but there are several ways to mitigate the stress level. One of these options is to create a solid routine that infants are used to and can feel comfortable with. Often if an infant cries after being put down in the crib it is because of the uncertainty of the routine they are involved in. The caregiver can also recommend that a special item from home comes with them to care to help comfort them. Just be sure to be taking the annual Safe Sleep training through DEL and following those guidelines whenever sleep questions occur! Question: What do I do with a child that wakes up during nap time and won’t go back to sleep? Answer: It is a good idea to keep the room darkened during the scheduled nap period. So, if nap time is 12:30 to 2:00 then the lights should stay off during that time, with soft nap time music playing. Keep distractions in the room to a minimum. This allows the children to learn that there is a routine. For children that wake early on a regular basis, I would start with the “we don’t want to wake our friends, so you have to stay on your nap mat and look at a book quietly if you don’t want to sleep”. However, if this gentle suggestion doesn’t work, don’t force them to stay on their mats. Have a quiet activity ready before nap for those who wake-up, somewhere at the side of the room. We always put playdough out on a table ready to go so that those who woke up could quietly move to the table and play with playdough. Children will learn the routine. If you establish boundaries, and set the stage, they will follow. Question: What if a child will not wake up when nap time is over? Answer: I would first begin by examining your nap time routines and times. Perhaps the child takes longer to settle into nap and so they really aren’t getting the rest time that they need. Maybe nap time comes just after a very active period so they are unable to settle in. Another thing to consider is where the child is napping. Are they near a child who is a loud sleeper or an active sleeper? In addition to these things you may want to consider the child’s temperament and see if that may play a role in everything as well. For more information on Nap Time, register for our one hour course: http://www.cdastars.com/store/p605/Nap-Time Have information to share? Please use the comments section below...
Having time where children can engage in physical play is essential for their growth and development. Outside activities provide a great opportunity for physical play, however it can be a struggle when children want to play, but do not necessarily know what type of play is appropriate. As a child care professional, children rely on you to create an environment with structure where they can thrive. Below are resources that will help answer some common questions regarding outdoor and physical play time. Question: What are some resources for outside sensory play? Answer: Here are some resource websites that offer Sensory play ideas for outside: Activities for Outdoor Sensory Fun: https://www.thechaosandtheclutter.com/archives/huge-list-outdoor-sensory-fun Backyard Activities for Outdoor Nature Science, Sensory Play, and Early Learning: http://littlebinsforlittlehands.com/outside-early-learning-play-backyard-activities-kids/ Sensory Play Activities: http://www.learning4kids.net/list-of-sensory-play-ideas/ Sensory Play: https://www.teachpreschool.org/sensory-play-2/ Question: Can you provide resources for games that can be played with a group of both older and younger children? Answer: Many outdoor games can be adapted for various ages. Explore the links below, and use your creativity to find ways to adapt the games so that they are inclusive of the children in your care.
Question: How do you engage children in outside, structured play where they participate in the activity rather than running around chaotically? Answer: The first thing to address would be the program planning for outdoor time:
Here are some additional resources that are offered in our training, and are great tools for helping with outdoor program planning: The Process Of Risk, Teacher Tom, March 27, 2015 -http://teachertomsblog.blogspot.com/2015/03/the-process-of-risk.html No Super Hero Play, Teacher Tom, February 03, 2017 -http://teachertomsblog.blogspot.com/2017/02/no-super-hero-play.html Question: How do I incorporate outdoor time into an already busy daily schedule? Answer: Talk with your director about adjusting your daily schedule to see if you can get even just a few more minutes of outside time every day. He or she may have some ideas. If that is not possible, see what you can do about incorporating more physical activity inside the classroom (i.e. brain breaks, combining movement with curriculum, or even just stretching more often). Question: Is it ok to replace wood chips with shredded bark mulch in WA state? Answer: You will want to consult the Child Care Licensing Guidebook, specifically pages 117-121 at the following link: https://del.wa.gov/sites/default/files/imported/publications/licensing/docs/ChildCareCenterLicensingGuide.pdf In addition to these guidelines, WAC 170-297-4950 Playground equipment—Ground cover—Fall zones needs to be followed. Here is the link for that specific WAC: http://apps.leg.wa.gov/WAC/default.aspx?cite=170-297-4950 For more information on My Brain Craves Action: Life on the Playground, register for our two hour course: http://www.cdastars.com/store/p630/My-Brain-Craves-Action
Have information to share? Please use the comments section below...  Is there a child in your care that experiences strong signs of separation anxiety? As a child care professional, it may be difficult to know what to do in this situation or even how to talk to a parent/caregiver about the experience the child is having. Below are some common questions and answers regarding separation anxiety that we hope will help you as a child care professional. Question: I have a child in my center that cries for his mom all day and does not want to participate in any activities, how do I help ease his separation anxiety? Answer: The most important thing is to be empathetic toward the child. Do not force them to join in classroom activities if they are not ready. It is your job to provide nurturing and supportive care to the child. However, you may not be able to solve their anxiety for them. It may be that the best thing that you can do is be consistent, and provide a stable and safe environment for them and allow them to naturally progress through the stage in their own time. Be sure to keep your relationship with his parent’s positive. You may not want to draw too much attention to his anxious behavior, and instead praise him when he does join in. Question: I believe a child in my class has separation anxiety disorder, how do I help her? Answer: First and foremost, you cannot give a child a diagnosis such as this. Only a medical professional can give a diagnosis so it is important for you to document the behaviors that you are seeing that may relate to separation anxiety disorder. Next, communicate with the family about what you are seeing and use that documentation for support should you need it. In addition to these things I suggest maintaining routines and familiarity as much as you possibly can in order to give the child a sense of security. Question: How do you help ease separation anxiety for an older child? Answer: The best option that I have found is to have consistency and routine. While this may be the case for your center and your drop-off routine, it is crucial to try to get parents to do the same. Often a stressful morning or a difference in routine en route to care can cause a lot of anxiety for older children. Speak with parents and see if they can create a strict and helpful routine each morning to help their child settle into care. If your center does not have a similar routine each and every day then I recommend implementing one. This should include the same person(s) greeting the child, the same types of activities, the same place to put their things, etc. Combine this with some small tasks for the child to be responsible for (hanging their jacket up, putting their backpack in the cubby, etc) and you should see some progress. Question: When a child is clearly upset that their parent is leaving, how do I make the transition easier on both the child and the parent without “taking” the child from the parent? Answer: As with most decisions in child care it is important to know the child and work closely with the parents to figure out the best way to proceed. Often a child with typical separation anxiety attributes will be fine after a few moments after parents “drop off.” It may be best to communicate with the parents about making drop off time a short routine and remaining consistent other than “taking” the child from the parents. Encouraging the child to begin an activity or play with friends is one way to encourage them to separate from the parents willingly. Question: What are the signs of separation anxiety disorder? Answer: Separation anxiety disorder is classified usually as an extreme form of separation anxiety. There are very strong reactions to normal situations including drop off time at school or child care. Providers who can identify separation anxiety disorder symptoms can use this information to communicate with parents and families. Here are some more helpful resources about separation anxiety disorder: http://www.healthline.com/health/anxiety/separation-anxiety#Overview1 http://www.parents.com/toddlers-preschoolers/starting-preschool/separation-anxiety/dealing-with-separation-anxiety/ https://www.turnaroundanxiety.com/separation-anxiety-disorder-signs-and-symptoms/ For more information on Easing Separation Anxiety, register for our one hour course: http://www.cdastars.com/store/p241/Easing_Separation_Anxiety.html Have information to share? Please use the comments section below... |
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Successful Solutions Training in Child Development
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