When the new employee never returns from break and another long-term infant teacher submits a resignation, you know it is a terrible, horrible, no-good, very bad day! Of even more concern is how a high rate of staff turnover among early childhood professionals affects young children. Young children with secure attachments to their caregivers are at an advantage for acquiring a sense of trust and competency in all areas of development, yet the National Child Care Staffing Study Revisited (1993) indicated that one-third of all child care teachers leave their centers each year.
In addition to inadequate compensation and benefits, the stressfulness and vast responsibilities of providing consistent quality care are overwhelming to new staff and result in professional burnout of long-term employees. What can be done to maintain competent early childhood professionals, in order for young children to have opportunities to develop secure attachments with consistent caregivers?
Most people work more effectively when they know what is expected of them and they feel they are doing a good job. Developing clear, specific, and appropriate job descriptions, clarifying the actual tasks to be performed, and outlining the roles and relationships among team members is a crucial starting point for guiding effective, thorough interviews and orientations. But this is just the beginning.
Developing competence and mastering the various skills and tasks involved in providing quality early childhood education is an on-going and extensive learning process that takes time, support, and encouragement. Through continued training and education, open communication and teamwork, constructive feedback, observations of other teachers, and self-reflections, early childhood professionals develop a sense of empowerment and competency. These ongoing learning opportunities reinforce early childhood professionals’ motivational desires to work thoughtfully with young children and remain in the field. Recognition of accomplishments and strengths, as well as incentives and opportunities for career advancement also develop an enhanced sense of job satisfaction.
In conclusion, active professional development support and recognition can result in less staff turnover and more consistent care for young children to develop the secure relationships needed for optimal development in all areas, so encourage and support all employees in pursuing educational advancement through the KIDS NOW Early Childhood Scholarship program or the CDA mini-grants available.
For more information on these educational opportunities, call or e-mail Kim McIntyre, Professional Development Coordinator (kim.mcintyre@wku.edu). To learn more about the supervision and professional development of employees, register for one of the "new" management and leadership training sessions provided by the CCR&R. Please see the training calendar for upcoming dates and locations.
CPR training must be received from the American Red Cross, the American Heart Association, or the National Safety Council (not the American Safety Council). The Division of Licensed Child Care accepts training from these three agencies for CPR training. Please accept our apologies for a lack of clarification in the August, 2001 CCR&R newsletter article Requirements for First Aid and CPR Training.
From the time of birth until around 18 months, young children are learning to connect their minds and their bodies in important ways. We as their parents and teachers have a very important responsibility to ensure that we help them through this exciting journey successfully.
Infants and toddlers learn about their world by sucking, tasting, feeling, smelling, and listening. Give a baby a block and she will mouth it. Watch a new baby a few months old and he will explore his hands by waving them in front of his face. We adults help children make the connections between what the child is seeing, feeling, tasting, or smelling by talking about what the child is doing. "You are tasting the block." "You are waving your hands." It is equally important for adults to talk about what WE are doing. This is helpful to the child in making the connection between what is happening and the meaning of the actions.
Through all of this communication and labeling of actions and motions, the child soon becomes a toddler who will understand the logical sequence of actions. "After we change your diaper, we will read a story." With constant support of the teacher and an established trust built by predictable routines, the toddler will begin to understand the concept of before and after.
This ability to connect ideas makes it possible for the toddler to begin to solve and work through problems, such as how to get a ball that has rolled out of reach or how to work the handle or knob to activate a toy. Toys that produce cause and effect relationships help children begin to experience the concept of scientific reasoning that will be essential in creative and scientific thinking throughout the their lives.
Some materials that can be added to the infant learning environment may include, but are not limited to, such items as: pull toys, rattles, non-breakable mirrors, toys the child activates by touch, stacking toys, nesting toys, and many others. Some materials that can be added to the toddler learning environment may include: pegs and a peg board, paints, crayons, markers, pull toys and push toys, musical instruments, and many others.
Remember, that it is very important to be in communication with young children throughout the day in labeling what the child is involved in, as well as what you are doing with the child in the everyday routines.
(Information for this articled was adapted from Helping Babies to Connect Ideas, by Alice Sterling Honig, Ph.D., Scholastic Early Childhood Today, March 2001.)
We have heard for many years that we should focus our attention on the process that children go through in their learning, rather than the product or the end result. Why is that so important? For one reason, the process that a child thinks through in their learning is very complicated from the way that the child makes a decision on materials to use in the dramatic play or art center, to the creative ways that the materials are then used. The child will learn through this experience that the end product is important, but it does not matter so much what that product is or how it looks. The learning that occurred in getting to that point is critical. We have to remember that the child is the most important part of the process. He/she has to feel good about him/herself.
When the finished product is the focus of attention, a child begins to weigh the exterior recognition for the completed product against the accomplishment of the entire task. The child should feel good about the entire accomplishment from the learning that takes place during the process, the discoveries that are made during the process, and the enjoyment of the learning that takes place.
As we watch a child in the learning process, we will learn about the skills a child already has and then can plan other activities that will provide the child with opportunities to practice the skills that are to be developed next. Regardless of the activity in which a child is involved, it is the experiences that are provided during the activity that are the most important in helping the child develop to his or her highest potential, not the end product of the activity.
(Information for this article was gathered from Why Promote Process Over Product? by Sally Cartwright, Child Care Information Exchange, March 2001.)
Babies are asleep, time to relax? Maybe not yet, not until you have considered "Just how safe is the sleeping area?" Safety must always be top priority for parents and child care staff when working with infants. Recent studies reveal that many items commonly used with babies are never thought of as being hazardous. Outlined below are only some of the hazards to be considered before relaxing while the babies are sleeping.
The crib itself can hide several safety hazards, including the bedding, toys, and positioning of the infant. The most recent hazard being uncovered is the fitted crib sheet. According to research conducted, there have been five reported deaths that were caused by infants being strangled by fitted crib sheets. Certain types of sheets have been found to shrink after washing, this shrinkage causes the sheet not to fit the mattress. These sheets can become loose enough that infants can pull them loose and strangle themselves. Children as young as seven months, have the ability to pull up the sheets, get tangled up in them, but may not have the ability to untangle themselves and have died due to suffocation.
Approximately 50 babies a year suffocate or strangle when they become trapped between broken crib parts or when using older cribs with unsafe designs. The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has established regulations and guidelines for the safety of cribs both full-sized and non-full-sized cribs, including requirements for spacing of the slats in cribs. When investigating your crib for safety, the following guidelines set forth by CPSC should be considered:
Positioning sleeping infants is also a very important consideration when planning babies’ safety. The American Academy of Pediatrics began a "Back to Sleep" Campaign in 1992. This campaign urged people to place healthy infants on their back while sleeping in order to reduce the number of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). The reason that the sleeping position is so crucial is because babies are weak, and have very weak lungs. When a babies are placed on the stomach for sleeping, they may get their face mashed into the mattress or bedding. If this happens, the breathing passage can become blocked. Sleeping on the back allows the nose and mouth to be uncovered.
Not only is the positioning important, but also the type of bedding used in the crib is crucial. Mattresses need to be firm and flat, all fluffy pillows, quilts, comforters and stuffed animals need to be removed and babies should never sleep on sheepskin. Since this campaign began, the number of SIDS deaths decreased from approximately 5,000 deaths to fewer than 3,000 deaths per year. There may be some exceptions to this rule of placing infants on their backs. One exception is for infants with certain medical conditions or malformations which may mean they should be placed on their side or stomach. If there is any question about a child’s sleeping position, consult their pediatrician.
For more information, contact the Consumer Public Safety Commission by calling (800) 638-2772 or visit the CPSC website at http://www.cpsc.gov/ and the American Academy of Pediatrics at (202) 347-8600 or http://www.aap.org/.
The Afterschool Alliance was launched in September 1999 for the purpose of raising awareness of the importance of after-school programs and advocating for quality, affordable programs for all children. On their web page, the Afterschool Alliance stresses that after-school programs are critical to children and families today. The web page also says that as many as 15 million children have no place to go after-school and that those children are at significant risk of getting poor grades, being victims of crime, participating in substance abuse, or becoming a pregnant teen. The hour between 3:00 and 4:00 p.m. is considered the time when school age children are most likely to be at risk. Even those children who are not involved in dangerous situations, are likely to be engaged in unproductive activities, such as watching television. One report says children watch an average of 23 hours a week of television.
On October 11, 2001 a nationwide event, Lights On Afterschool, is being sponsored by the Afterschool Alliance to celebrate and demonstrate to communities and policy makers how after-school programs improve academic achievement, keep kids safe, and help working families. Local programs can join the national effort by implementing a local event. To be added to the national list of participating programs, complete the short form at the following web address: www.afterschoolalliance.org/lights-on-form.cfm.
Local "Event Tips" are highlighted on the Afterschool Alliance web page. The tips include planning contests, performances, artwork, essays, and demonstrations to let the public know about your school-age program. Some specific suggestions include:
Take advantage of this opportunity to let the community know about your after-school program. Consider contacting the local newspaper, radio, and television station to tell them about your participation in the national program, Lights On Afterschool. The Afterschool Alliance web page has copies of public service announcements available to members of the media. Be sure to tell them about it. Celebrate!
The WKU Child Care Resource & Referral Library has several books covering the topic of after-school care. Please feel free to call (800) 621-5906 or (270) 745-2216, or e-mail Lesley Montgomery, Office Coordinator (lesley.montgomery@wku.edu) and she will be happy to mail these materials to you!
365 After School Activities, TV-Free Fun for Kids Ages 7-12, by Sheila Ellison & Judith Gray. This is a "year-round carnival of after school fun," and contains a variety of activities, such as making a monster mask to going on a bike photo safari.
3:00 to 6:00 P.M.: Programs for Young Adolescents, by the Center for Early Adolescence, Univ. of N.C. at Chapel Hill. The Center for Early Adolescence has worked with support from the Lilly Endowment to identify and document high-quality after-school programs to effectively respond to the key developmental needs of 10-year-olds to 15-year-olds.
Activities for Before & After School, by Mardi Gork and David Pratt. This book contains a collection of easy-to-prepare-and-implement activities. All of the special activities, games, and projects were developed and tested in a school age child care program.
School's Out! Resources for Your Child's Time- Afternoons, Weekends, Vacations, by Joan Bergstrom. This book does not simply offer activities, but rather is a true resource book. It covers a myriad of topics, from a child's life out of school, the years of opportunity and the ramifications of allowing children to have "endless, empty afternoons." School's Out discusses parents' roles, such as listening to their children, observing their development, and expanding their interests. It even gives detailed ideas of how to assign and organize home chores, provides guidance regarding television viewing, and offers an entire chapter on protecting children's safety. This great resource is appropriate for parents and child care providers.
Survival Guide: School Age Child Care, by Betsy Arns. This is a "soup-to-nuts" survival manual. It is a readable and useful book for administrators, and covers everything from center administration, developmentally appropriate practice broken down into specific ages from 5 to 11, to helpful ideas on how to deal effectively with special problems and discipline of school-agers. The day-to-day program section contains useful forms, such as staff training questionnaires and sample interview questions for all levels of child care staff. This is a must-read book for school-age child care providers!
Looking for something to do with your family to encourage physical fitness? Well, look no further. The Warren County Council on Physical Activity is hosting its annual Family Fitness Fun Day on Saturday, September 8, 2001 from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at Fountain Square Park in downtown Bowling Green. The event is free!!!
There will be activities and demonstrations for everyone including learning new dance steps, health screenings, Tae Kwon Do demonstrations, yoga, bike safety, hula hoops, tunnels for young children to crawl through, face painting, and much more. You won’t want to miss the Richardsville Volunteer Fire Department’s fire safety house which will be on hand to demonstrate how to safely exit a home on fire.
This is a great event that will encourage families to become more active and healthy!
As part of the KIDS NOW initiative, Community Early Childhood Councils were formed in Kentucky. Counties choose to merge together to form these councils based on individual community needs. In the BRADD area, four councils were established. Edmonson and Butler developed one council; Logan, Simpson, and Allen county formed another; and Metcalf, Monroe, Hart and Barren created a third council. Warren County formed a stand alone council.
Family Resource Youth Service Centers and Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies worked to convene the councils and there is seed money available to these councils. There were 93 grant applications received by the state in May, 2001; 15 councils were approved for funding beginning in July 2001, and 61 councils were given the chance to revise and resubmit their proposals. Child care centers need to watch for more information on what your council can offer to area centers.
Ever wonder what Developmental Assets are? Well, assets are experiences that help young people make wise decisions on choosing positive paths and growing up competent, caring, and responsible. You can show support for the asset program through something as simple as communication. Talk and listen to children, parents, and other community members.
You are invited to attend a community public forum on the results of a local youth survey about developmental assets. The community forum will be held on Thursday, September 13, 2001 at the Capitol Arts Center on the square in downtown Bowling Green. The forum will begin at 7 p.m. and conclude at 8:30 p.m.
The forum will include the results of the local profiles of the student life survey as well as performances by local youth groups, displays by local youth of community and school projects, question and answer time with team members, and stories of asset builders in our community.
This event is sponsored by Spotlight Youth and is a part of Healthy Communities/Healthy Youth from Search Institute. Local members of the Spotlight Youth Coalition include Bowling Green City Schools, Warren County Schools, Community Education, Community Action, Commission for Children with Special Health Care Needs, Barren River District Health Department, Life Skills, Inc., Bowling Green Woman’s Club, WKU, Child Care Resource & Referral, and Warren County Extension Office.
For more information on the Spotlight Youth, visit the Search Institute website at www.search-institute.org or call 842-4281 and mention Spotlight Youth.
September 27 - 28, 2001
Children, Inc. presents the 4th Annual Children: Our Common Wealth IV Brain Research & Emotional Development. This conference will feature Dr. David Elkind, Ph.D., and will take place in Covington, Kentucky at the Northern Kentucky Convention Center. Registration deadline is September 14. If you would like more information about the conference, you can call Children, Inc. at (859) 431-2075.
October 4 - 6, 2001
The Kentucky Association for Early Childhood Education presents the KAECE Annual Fall Conference 2001: Growing Quality Teachers for Young Children. This conference will be held at the Hyatt Regency in Lexington, Kentucky, and is a wonderful opportunity for family child care providers, preschool and primary teachers, administrators, Head Start, child care providers, and higher education. For more information, call (859) 233-7235 and ask for Donna or call (859) 622-1171 and ask for Paul.
The staff of the Child Care Resource and Referral at Western Kentucky University includes:
Connie Jo Smith, CCR&R Specialist
Sherri Meyer, CCR&R Coordinator
Taylor Tucker, Quality Coordinator
Kim McIntyre, Professional Development Coordinator
Lesley Montgomery, Office Coordinator
Amy Hood, Special Projects Consultant
For More Information:
Phone us at (270) 745-2216 or (800) 621-5908
Fax us at (270) 745-7089 • E-Mail us at ccrr@wku.edu
Visit our website at www.ttas.org