Feel Like You Are Herding Cats??

Transitions and group times can be the biggest challenges of the day.

Trying to move a whole group of children at once rarely goes well.  It results in waiting, which results in misbehavior.

From the All About ECERS: 

Generally, large group activities do not promote the type of learning from which young children benefit most because they are not individualized, hands-on, flexible and self-directed. 

If you look at the Group Time item in each of the ERS – ECERS, ITERS and FCCERS, you will notice that they are pretty anti-group time.  They favor limited large group times in favor of smaller groups and individual interactions. 

If you were to list your most challenging times of the day, I bet most of them are large group times and transitions, right?

Try this – list every time in the day you have all the children in your group doing the same thing at the same time, like:

Circle time
Art project
Washing hands
Snack
Getting coats/shoes on
Lining up to go outside
Music time
Storytime
Etc…

Are there any of these you could re-imagine?  Any that you could do in smaller groups?  We get stuck doing things the same way they have always been done, even when they don’t work for the adults or the children.

Try changing just one.  Maybe instead of a full group art project, or music time, you set it up at one table while there is free  choice of other activities.

Perhaps you could have one staff person take out the group of kids that has shoes on while you finish up with the others.

If it is not working the way it is, try changing it up.  If it works fine for you and the children, leave it as is.  Think about the quality of the learning time.  Are 100% of the children engaged?  Would there be another way to meet your learning objective rather than in a large group?

Give yourself permission to experiment.  Try something different and see how it goes. Just because it's always been done in a large group, doesn't mean it can't be different, and better!

What Does It Look Like On The Other Side??

What Does It Look Like On The Other Side??

Now that most of you are moving on to be assessed buy the UW and then to the coaching and $$ phase of Early Achievers, what will that look like??

Since it is just beginning (the first site in the state to get there is just going to begin the coaching now), details are still in the works.

You can expect a few things though:

·         Your coach will have lots more hours to give you that I did.  Expect visits at least monthly or more.  The actual amount will vary by your points and needs.

·         Your coach will work more directly with teachers in the classroom.  While I spent lots of time in the classrooms doing practice assessments, my work was primarily with directors and FCC owners.

·         You will work with your coach to set goals.  My goal with you was primarily to familiarize you with Early Achievers, practice the assessments and gather the points you need to get to the other side.  Your new goals will be your own.

·         You coach will use modeling, reflective practice, appreciative inquiry and other coaching techniques with you and your staff.  Again, my role was more of a point A to point B role.

·         You will get your improvement $$ soon after you area assigned a coach.  That will be great!

Your coach will be from Child Care Resources, but will not be me.  I will be continuing to guide new Early Achievers through the process of Level 2. 

We’ll still stay in contact, and I hope you will continue to come to the reflective practice group.  You’ll still need those 2 points for your next rating in 3 years, and the time to meet with other providers and learn, share and reflect to elevate your practice will be valuable to you ongoing.