CDA

What are learning styles?

Learning Style is defined as an individual's unique approach to learning based on strengths, weaknesses, and preferences. Each of us is born with a preferred learning style. That learning style is the best method for how an individual takes in and processes information. Extensive research has resulted in several different models of learning styles. Experts may differ on the names and number of categories, but overall, share the idea that there are three basic ways people learn: Visually Auditorily Physically People who learn best through visual stimulation are visual learners. Visual learners get knowledge and information through their sense of sight or by visualizing data and concepts. Visual learners account for approximately 40 percent of learners and fall into one of two subcategories: Picture learners Print learners Picture learners think in images. These learners use shapes, patterns, and spatial understanding to get information. They learn best by using illustrations, models, and handouts. This type of learner needs visual support to fully comprehend information and rarely learns anything through textual repetition or drill. Picture learners are generally unorganized and unconscious of time. However, they show a great ability to master difficult tasks and concepts. Individuals who are picture learners need a variety of visually stimulating instructions in order to concentrate. They enjoy chart and graph displays, videos, and illustrated textbooks. *Print learners think in words and rely on text or numbers to gain information. Print learners retain material best through reading and taking notes. This type of learner also recalls information based on a textual form. For example, it is more likely for print learners to remember a hotel clerk's name or what they had for dinner at a restaurant than a conversation they had with a clerk or the location of the table where they sat. These memories are stronger because they read a name tag or a menu. Both picture and print learners may not remain attentive when exposed to large amounts of physical or auditory stimulation. Visual learners are easily distracted in noisy or busy environments. Visual learners are frequently thought of as daydreamers, because they tend to "tune out" when a lot of listening is required. They may not absorb information they hear. Visual learners also often miss details because they focus on the big picture, not the smaller processes or steps. Visual learners are usually good at spelling, reading, and writing. They have a great ability to solve visually-presented puzzles and problems. These learners often arrive at correct solutions intuitively, without needing to follow steps. Visual learners are great at seeing relationships between items, pattern recognition, and thinking outside of the box. They also display success in spatial reasoning. -Visual learners are often dramatic, artistic, musical, and emotionally intense. They may also be unusually creative and technologically, mechanically, or mathematically inclined. People who are visual learners: Take notes and make lists Love pictures and diagrams Are good at reading maps and charts Like bright colors Coordinate clothing well Enjoy reading, puzzles, and mazes Have difficulty with simple tasks, but not complex ones Prefer sitting in the front Have vivid imaginations Enjoy and excel in artistic and creative processes Have to think about a lecture or speech in order to process it Are easily distracted by movement and noises Individuals who learn best through audial stimulation are auditory learners. Auditory learners acquire knowledge best through listening, verbalization, and discussion. This type of learner perceives information through sound. Auditory learners account for approximately 30 percent of learners and fall into one of two subcategories: Listeners Talkers Listeners are auditory learners who retain information most efficiently when they can hear it. This type of learner is sensitive to pitch, tone, and other speech characteristics and uses them to interpret information. Listeners like to hear all types of sounds, including the human voice, sounds in the environment, and music. These individuals need to be able to listen as they learn in order to benefit from instruction. Talkers also retain information most efficiently when they hear it. For effective learning, this type of learner needs to participate in discussions and ask questions. *Talkers are similar to listeners in that they need to hear in order to concentrate. However, they also need to make sounds to truly comprehend information. This type of learner often reads aloud, mumbles or hums, and talks to others nearby. Talkers enjoy partner or group activities, question-and-answer sessions, and small-group instruction. Listeners and talkers may lose focus when presented a great deal of physical or visual stimulation. Auditory learners are easily distracted by noise. They are often unclear with written instructions until the instructions have been verbalized. They may appear disruptive, because they speak out and ask a lot of questions. At times, auditory learners have difficulty interpreting complex diagrams, maps, or graphs. They also tend to be slower readers. -Auditory learners can perform well in school because the teaching strategy used most often is verbal stand-up instruction. They are often sophisticated speakers, memorize well, and readily retain information they hear. Auditory learners grasp and repeat verbalized instructions or information quickly. They are precise and logical. Additionally, these learners frequently display musical talent. *People who are auditory learners: Read aloud Are excellent listeners Have a great memory (e.g., past conversations, music lyrics, or jokes) Can follow directions accurately after hearing them Ask questions Prefer to give oral reports over written reports Enjoy listening to music Like talking and telling stories and jokes Hum, sing, or talk to themselves Are easily distracted by noises Those who learn best through physical stimulation are physical learners. Physical learners get knowledge through body movement, hands, and sense of touch. This type of learner takes in information through use of muscles, tendons, joints, and nerve endings. *Physical learners account for approximately 30 percent of learners and fall into one of two subcategories: Kinesthetic Tactile Kinesthetic refers to movement. Kinesthetic learners learn best by using gross motor skills to actively explore the physical world. They immerse themselves in activities rather than waiting for instructions or a demonstration. People who are kinesthetic learners generally are athletic and gather knowledge through imitation and practice. In order to concentrate, kinesthetic learners need to move while receiving instruction. They enjoy role-playing activities. *Tactile refers to touch. Tactile learners learn best by using fine motor skills to explore the physical world. Tactile learners are similar to kinesthetic learners in that they need movement in order to concentrate; however, they need to touch and manipulate versus move and imitate. For example, tactile learners may count on their fingers or manipulate objects to fully understand a math problem. Tactile learners enjoy hands-on activities like building and using models, taking things apart, repairing or operating machinery, and actively participating in experiments. -When engaged in learning moments, kinesthetic and tactile learners may not remain attentive to auditory or visual stimulation. These physical learners are highly active, fidgety, impulsive, and unable to sit still for long periods. They are often distracted by their need for physical involvement, which makes them appear uninterested or causes them to be disruptive. It is common for physical learners to be misdiagnosed with Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). A physical learner is more likely to struggle in a setting that does not include physical activity or active participation. Up until recently, kinesthetic and tactile teaching techniques have been the least used in traditional educational environments. *Physical learners are natural doers and excel at discovering things on their own. They have great ability to remember in detail anything they have physically done before. Physical learners have a skill for any activity that requires muscle memory, such as playing the drums or excelling in sports. Learning Styles? People who are physical learners: Communicate using gestures and body language Want to touch or pick things up Are good with their hands Are highly active and unable to sit still for prolonged periods Enjoy hands-on activities Prefer to use physical objects to learn Prefer active learning such as PE or science experiments Are impulsive May frequently and unconsciously touch others Like to dress comfortably Tend to have messy handwriting and problems with spelling

Early Childhood Program Accreditation

*Accreditation is the seal of approval that a child care facility and/or provider has met certain standards of quality care and education as prescribed by national, state, and/or local child care organizations. Accreditation includes the documentation of licenses and credentials, certifications, and periodic compliance reports that are all validated through, or as a result of, site visits by trained monitors. The purpose of accreditation is to ensure child care providers offer quality care for families in their community. Most national, state, and/or local child care organizations recognize four general areas of quality: relationships, environment, curriculum development, and safety and health. Positive, stable relationships among child care providers, children, and parents include the way child care providers interact with children, the learning experiences they offer, and how they involve parents in the process. When being considered for accreditation, an early education program is evaluated on a variety of factors, such as class size, child-to-staff ratio, personnel qualifications, turnover rate, employee compensation, leadership stability, and level of interaction with parents. These factors may vary from state to state. At a minimum, child care personnel must be at least 18 years old, high school graduates, have experience and training in professional child care, and pass a complete background check. Children in the care of an accredited child care provider demonstrate higher language skills and are twice as likely to be ready for school, regardless of ethnic or economic background. *Numerous child care organizations have developed accreditation systems for early childhood programs with the common goal of exceeding the minimum requirements for child care. Examples of national accreditation systems available include: The American Montessori Society (AMS) provides accreditation service to full-member Montessori schools. The Accredited Professional Preschool Learning Environment (APPLE) is designed to work for all types of child care facilities such as family owned, faith-based, small centers, or corporate centers. The Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI), which is the largest nonprofit association of Christian schools. They provide accreditation services and programs designed for Christian schools and faith-based programs. The Council on Accreditation (COA), which specializes in child services, family services, and behavioral healthcare accreditation. The National Accreditation Commission for Early Care and Education Programs (NAC) supports child care providers by respecting individual program philosophy and autonomy, promoting quality program goals and curriculum; ensuring health and safety; stressing positive interaction between staff, children, and parents; and offering a faith-based component. *Child care accreditation standards exist as a result of identifying and putting into action specific policies and procedures. Most child care related accreditation criteria can be divided into the following categories: relationships, curriculum, environment, health and safety, nutrition and food service, and leadership and staff development. Curriculum development requires designing, evaluating, and revising of age-appropriate curriculum; having clear objectives geared towards expected levels of achievement; developing the intellectual, physical, emotional, and psychological needs of children; planning a daily schedule with a variety of learning activities; and taking into consideration cultural diversity and/or special needs. Areas of physical environment that require policies and procedures include providing safe arrival, departure, and transportation procedures; monitoring the environment to prevent injury and accidents; providing sanitary conditions; communicating with parents concerning health issues; having personnel certified in pediatric CPR and first aid on staff; maintaining up-to-date health records and emergency contact information; and practicing emergency plans for evacuation on a regular basis. Nutrition and food service policies and procedures need to be developed for: food preparation, food storage, menu selection, menu posting, parent-provided food, and eating schedules. *The accreditation process involves four major components: program self-assessment, action plan to improve weaknesses, on-site visits by accreditation professionals, and a formal review by the accrediting organization. Two ways to involve others in the self-assessment process are by asking for "wish lists" or conducting an anonymous survey. Using a collaborative approach lets everyone see the big picture and gain satisfaction from being part of a team whose input and ideas are valued. Most accreditation processes are supported by an assigned professional or mentor who conducts an on-site visit. The professional representative provides oral and written documentation of achievements and recommendations that will be reviewed by the accrediting organization. Once reviewed, the accreditation organization will notify the applicant of his/her program's status—pending, deferred, or approved. Common mistakes for a child care provider or director to avoid during the accreditation process include trying to do it all alone, rushing through the process, excluding others from participating, hiding problems instead of making improvements, trying to fix every weakness as it is identified, being unrealistic in the self-assessment and plan of action, focusing only on certain standards, and ignoring the self-study guidelines when writing reports. *Accrediting early childhood programs benefits children, parents, child care professionals, and the communities in which we live. The benefits of accreditation for children include having a safe environment, being cared for by staff who are caring and competent, being involved in a stimulating curriculum that develops children's individual needs, participating in activities that are designed with the children's interest in mind, and being prepared for success in school. Accreditation benefits the parents by providing the opportunity to be involved through open communication, activities, progress reports, and the support of administration and staff. Benefits of accreditation for child care professionals include working in a stable environment that promotes staff attendance, confidence, morale, and retention; having the support of professional training and staff development; and improving productivity. *Achieving accreditation is valuable to members of the child care profession because it can indicate to the public which facilities offer high-quality child care, motivate professionals to seek professional development, provide structure for professional development, define standards of quality, and create a more confident, united staff. Accredited child care programs benefit communities by attracting families, meeting the developmental needs of children, supporting businesses by providing quality child care for working parents, and supporting the school system by preparing children for school and providing challenging, high-quality before- and after-school care. Areas that can be positively impacted by providing young children with high-quality early childhood programs include youth development, delinquency prevention, and workforce development. Children who attend early childhood programs consistently demonstrate better outcomes in social, emotional, intellectual, and language development. *Quality Rating System (QRS) is defined as, a systematic approach to assessing and improving early childhood programs and facilities. The main purpose of a QRS is to function as a consumer guide that indicates a child care facility's achievement of earning a certain level of quality standards, much like the star ratings of a hotel or restaurant. Most state quality improvement systems include standards, accountability, program and practitioner development support, and financial incentives. Accountability refers to the responsibility a child care provider has to use a valid method of quality assessment and monitoring for an order to comply with quality standards. Most states use an environmental rating scale to conduct on-site observations of the learning environment. Program and practitioner development support is identified as all efforts that promote participation in training, mentoring, assistance programs, professional development programs, and accreditation programs. Depending on the quality rating achieved, a child care provider can receive financial incentives, such as quality bonuses, wage supplements, quality grants, merit awards, loans, tax credits, scholarships for staff development, and/or tiered reimbursements. The most common financial incentive is the tiered reimbursement. The main goal of a QRS is to provide the necessary structure for child care providers to provide quality child care for all children, facilitate staff development, receive recognition and rewards for achievements, and educate consumers and market their facility.

Childhood Anger and Anger Management

*Anger is a normal emotional response caused by injury, injustice, conflict, or hurt and is felt because some sort of wrong has occurred. It is an emotion, not a behavior. Anger's purpose is to produce a response that removes the conflict, hurt, or threat. There are three components to childhood anger: Emotional state Expression Understanding Very young children express anger in different ways, depending on their age and developmental stage. As children develop, they learn how to react to anger by copying the behavior of angry people around them—parents, family, friends, communities, and the media. A tendency towards anger can also be inherited. Circumstances that trigger anger in children include the actions or reactions of others, difficult and/or unexpected situations, conflicts or disagreements, and unpleasant or upsetting memories. Some children suppress anger because they were taught that expressing anger is inappropriate or "bad." When children suppress anger, they can become physically ill. Studies have shown that angry, hostile, and aggressive children often experience failure. Children with emotional problems frequently have trouble paying attention, following directions, getting along with peers, and controlling emotions. It stands to reason that angry children are harder to care for and teach *Anger management does not try to eliminate anger in children. Instead, it helps children learn how to identify emotional and physiological cues that will stop them from responding inappropriately to situations that make them angry. Effective anger management programs teach children emotional awareness, self-worth, self-control, and stress management. In addition, these programs teach respect and empathy for others. Problem-solving and critical thinking skills are introduced and modeled for older children. High-quality anger management programs meet children's emotional needs and help them lead satisfying, nonviolent lives. They allow children to feel safe, secure, and loved. Teachers and caregivers need to provide a safe emotional climate for children. Child care facilities and classrooms need to have clear and consistent, yet flexible boundaries. All children need to be treated fairly and be subject to the same rules. Feelings, whether pleasant or unpleasant, need to be acknowledged. Caregivers need to explain to children that it is okay to be angry as long as their anger is expressed appropriately. Children need to know that it is not appropriate to hurt people or animals, nor should they break things. Spanking children because they cannot control anger is not an acceptable anger management technique. Spanking may be a violation of state child protection laws and could end up causing serious injury to the child. *Techniques to help children manage anger can differ by age. Some techniques that work for newborns or toddlers may not work for preschool or school-age children. Children of all ages respond well when child care providers and teachers create an environment that prevents situations from becoming stressful. Redirecting children's attention away from frustrating situations is an effective intervention. It is sometimes a good idea to ignore inappropriate behavior, especially if it is used to gain attention. Praising good behavior reinforces the appropriate behavior the child is displaying. Intervention is a valuable anger management technique. When children are fighting or arguing with each other, caregivers should get between them and keep them apart. "I" statements can also be used effectivel *IDEAL, STAR, and the Turtle Problem-Solving Models teach children how to: Recognize their anger and calm down Think about why they are angry Discuss their angry feelings with a caregiver Empathize with other children involved Determine the best way to handle the conflict Review the chosen solution and evaluate how well it worked The following types of class activities teach anger management techniques to children: Relaxation activities Communication activities May and May Not discussions Feeling activities Behavior report cards *Becoming involved at a child care facility may require parents to overcome barriers posed by time and resource constraints. The facility can assist in encouraging parental involvement by providing additional staff time for communication. Expanded communication provides opportunities for staff to discuss any concerns about a particular child; provide feedback, resources, and ideas to enhance at-home learning; discover parents' desires and expectations; and encourage parents to become more involved in school or facility activities. Particular attention may be required to increase involvement of fathers. Specific suggestions include making the facility more "father-friendly" and constructively addressing any gender-bias issues detected from staff or parents.

Stages of Physical Growth and Development in Preschoolers

*As preschoolers, children's physical growth rate slows, but they continue to improve old skills and develop new ones. As the preschooler ages, skill abilities increase, and they are able to perform different tasks. Four-year-olds should be able to skip; run; hop; and balance on one foot; play on playground equipment; catch; bounce; and throw balls; run on tiptoes; gallop; ride tricycles; feed and dress themselves; brush their teeth; draw shapes; cut things out with scissors; build towers with blocks; and participate in arts and crafts projects. Five-year-olds should be able to walk backward heel-to-toe; climb steps while carrying an object; jump down three to four steps; jump rope; draw people; print letters, numbers, and their first name; fold paper, and ride a bicycle with training wheels. *Child care providers can develop preschoolers' skills by providing age-appropriate play and toys. Chosen activities should complement the developmental milestones and/or skill level for the child's age group. Age-appropriate physical activities for 4-year-olds include making play dough, playing follow-the- leader, cutting out pictures, walking like animals at the zoo, sorting and counting items, walking lines and balance beams, playing dress-up, turning somersaults, and playing catch. Age-appropriate physical activities for 5-year-olds include jumping over low objects, playing hopscotch, and jumping rope. In addition to age-appropriate activities, preschoolers develop motor skills through playing with toys. Age-appropriate toys that aid in 4-year- olds' physical development include puzzles, board games, play money, trucks and cars, bicycles with training wheels, dress-up clothes, and puppets and dolls. Age-appropriate toys that aid in 5-year- olds' physical development include card games, blocks, and child-size toy tools. *Child care providers should be familiar with developmental milestones and be able to recognize signs and symptoms of developmental delays. Developmental checklists are often used to monitor how a child is progressing. It is important to remember that a child may not be able to perform all the skills by the milestone age, but if a child is unable to do many of the skills, there may be a need to more closely observe the child. By 4 years of age, children should be able to feed themselves, hold a pencil, draw a circle, brush their teeth, build a tower of 7 to 9 blocks, pour liquid from a small pitcher, go to the bathroom unaided, catch a bouncing ball, swing, hop on one foot, ride a tricycle, string small beads, and dress themselves. By 5 years of age, children should be able to walk a straight line, climb steps holding an object, hop on one foot three times, ride a bike with training wheels, bounce and catch a tennis ball, build a tower of 12 blocks, draw angled lines, draw a person, and color inside the lines. In addition to gross and fine motor development skills, child care providers can also look for growth and physical development delays by observing physical characteristics and general skills such as muscle tone, strength, movement quality, motion range, motor strategies, visual skills, and grapho-motor skills. *Recognizing the signs and symptoms of developmental and growth delays is only part of a child care provider's responsibility; there may be times when it is necessary to raise concerns about a child's development with the child's parents. This can be an uncomfortable topic to broach, and knowing how to approach parents will help ease anxiety. Guidelines to follow when sharing concerns with parents include: Setting the stage for a good conversation Beginning with observations, questions, and concerns Being sympathetic, not judgmental Concentrating on milestones Referring parents to other resources, if necessary Stressing the importance of early identification Being assured that sharing the concern is the right thing to do When discussing a child's development with a parent, do not dismiss a parent's concerns, compare one child to another, "label" the child, or be negative.

Stages of Social and Emotional Development in Infants

*Child care providers contribute to the social and emotional development of infants in their care. An important component of an infant's normal development includes social and emotional development. Two factors that influence an infant's social and emotional development are genes and environment. Genes determine the traits infants inherit from their parents, while the environment involves experiences infants have in their home, child care facility, and community. Positive interactions and trust are crucial to an infant's future relationships. *Temperament is the quality and intensity of an infant's emotional reactions to stimuli. There are three factors that affect an infant's temperament: Passivity—how actively an infant interacts with the environment Activity—the reaction an infant displays when introduced to a new person or activity Irritability—the tendency to feel distressed Child care providers should care for infants according to their temperament type. *Each infant develops at a different rate. However, milestones have been established that can be used to track infant development and indicate skills and abilities that are generally attained by specific ages. These milestones occur in sequence and build on each other. For example, infant language skills start with sounds before they build into words and phrases used to communicate with others. Social and emotional development are fostered through quality interaction with others. Activities that may enhance development include: Singing to infants while feeding, burping, bathing, and diapering them Making eye contact when talking to infants Handling infants gently Talking in soft tones Rocking and holding infants when they are upset Holding young infants during feeding Child care providers should engage in simple games with infants. Playing games such as peek-a-boo, pat-a-cake, and chase is an excellent strategy that can help develop an infant's communication and social skills. *Suspected developmental delays must be discussed with parents, even if the subject is uncomfortable. A developmental delay may be suspected when an infant does not reach milestones within an expected age range. Infants are not considered developmentally delayed if they are meeting milestones slightly slower than expected, or if they exhibit a delay for only one or two milestones. Possible causes of developmental delay include hearing loss, birth defects, premature birth, vision impairment, exposure to drugs and/or alcohol while in the womb, neglect, abuse, and genetic or inherited developmental conditions. Physical and emotional signs that may indicate developmental delays in infants include not responding to loud noises or lacking the ability to vocalize. Socially, the infant may show no affection towards caregivers, refuse to be held, fail to smile, or dislike social interaction. After discussing concerns about potential developmental delays with a supervisor or trusted professional, decide whether a meeting with the parents is warranted. Offer parents information and resources concerning development and suggest the parents take the infant to a pediatrician for a more thorough evaluation.

Language Development

*Children use their faces, bodies, and voices to communicate their wants, needs, and desires. Language development involves the understanding and use of language. Listening skills are essential to early childhood language development. Listening consists of three basic steps: Hearing and interpreting spoken information Understanding what is spoken and retaining the information Using judgment to respond Child care providers can aid in the development of active listening skills by: Speaking slowly and clearly Talking often about interesting subjects Using voice inflection and animated gestures Keeping tasks and instructions short Naming and clarifying feelings, such as sad, angry, happy, and excited *Language development is the foundation for a child's literacy, which includes the ability to read and write. Several milestones must be met in order for early literacy to properly develop. Child care providers must be conscious of these milestones and understand the relationship of each one to early literacy. Between birth and 18 months old, infants should be able to recognize voices, respond to their names, follow simple commands, and understand approximately 50 words. Infants in this age range enjoy animated speech and exaggerated facial expressions. *Between 18 and 36 months of age, a child's active listening skills continue to progress. Toddlers should possess a vocabulary of around 450 words; enjoy lively, interesting talk; listen while doing other tasks; and understand words, although they may be unable to identify or describe their meanings. Between 3 and 5 years, the preschooler should be able to understand directions and more complicated language. Preschoolers should communicate in sentences of four to five words in length, as well as use past tense correctly. Preschoolers enjoy listening to longer stories, songs, and rhymes. *Oral language develops over time. With each oral language milestone reached, the broader the understanding of language becomes. Between birth and 18 months, infants should cry, coo, laugh, and babble; recognize basic sounds of his/her native language; remember voices; imitate sounds; and understand the meaning of "no." Between 18 and 36 months, toddlers should put words into short sentences, such as "more juice" and "go bye-bye;" respond to simple requests and commands, ask questions, name common objects, and know their name, sex, and age. Preschoolers between the ages of 3 to 5 years should be able to use complete sentences, such as "I want more juice;" pronounce most alphabet sounds; tell a story; repeat four-syllable words; and mimic other *Children will often use one or more forms of nonverbal communication to express themselves. Nonverbal communication is the process of sending and receiving wordless messages. These messages can be communicated through the voice and/or body language, such as gestures, facial expressions, posture, and eye contact. Nonverbal communication can also be expressed through personal space, touch, and appearance. Child care providers must be aware of the various aspects of nonverbal communication in order to best promote the development of children's oral language. *There are many ways to promote oral language within a child care facility. Encouraging peer interaction, reading aloud, and talking about interesting things are good ways to start. Other ways to promote oral language include: Gently correcting language mistakes, without ridicule Teaching children new words Asking open-ended questions Engaging children in singing Rephrasing questions or statements when necessary Expanding children's statements Modeling good oral language Playing games *Well-developed listening and oral language skills are necessary to prepare children for reading and writing. The better developed children's listening and oral language skills are, the easier it may be for them to learn to read and write as they age. Children should also develop these skills: Phonological awareness—understanding that language is composed of a sequence of sounds Letter recognition—being able to identify and name the letters of the alphabet Letter-sound association—correlating letters to the sounds they represent Print awareness—being aware that print is used for many different purposes and that words heard and spoken are related to print *print-rich environment is one where children are regularly exposed to many types of print. A print-rich environment allows children to see that reading and writing serve real, everyday purposes and to realize that print carries actual meaning. Child care providers should use every opportunity to make connections between printed language and associated messages or meanings. Supplyingage-appropriate materials and books is an important consideration when creating print-rich environments for young children. Having the materials and books located in accessible areas will increase the likelihood that children will use them. *To help children continue to develop literacy skills, child care providers must be knowledgeable about techniques that encourage early literacy for infants, toddlers, and preschoolers. Some techniques, such as providing a print-rich environment and reading aloud, are relevant to all young children. Ways a child care provider can promote literacy in infants include reciting nursery rhymes, singing songs, naming objects and actions to help infants associate words to those objects or actions, mimicking the sounds infants make, introducing new words, and playing games, such as peek-a-boo and pat-a-cake. *Ways a child care provider can promote literacy in toddlers include encouraging toddlers to verbalize their thoughts, feelings, and ideas; using books to stimulate oral language; asking open-ended questions when reading aloud to toddlers and/or during everyday activities; and providing access to writing utensils so that toddlers can scribble and practice prewriting skills. To promote preschoolers' literacy, child care providers can sing songs, such as rhyming songs or the ABC song; play games that reinforce letter shape and sound recognition; familiarize children with the letters in their own names; acquaint children with printed materials used on a daily basis, such as schedules and calendars; and provide access to educational materials in the form of video games and computer software. *Reading aloud is the most important action child care providers can take to encourage literacy. It can help children develop a better understanding of the concept of reading, leading to better school performance and fuller comprehension of complicated concepts later in life. Child care providers who read to children develop positive relationships with them through face-to-face interaction. Many reading techniques enhance the experience for young children. The most common techniques include: Providing comfortable and inviting reading areas Reading a variety of printed materials Reading favorite books frequently so children can become familiar with them and predict what comes next Using sound effects and varied voice inflections for different characters Making exaggerated gestures and facial expressions for excitement and emphasis

Disability Laws Pertaining to Early Child Care

*Six million U.S. children under the age of 18 have disabilities. Many of these children are excluded from education, family life, social interactions, and other normal activities of childhood. To ensure fair treatment of children with disabilities, several protective laws have been enacted, including: Rehabilitation Act of 1973 Americans with Disabilities Act Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act Individuals with Disabilities Education *The Rehabilitation Act of 1973 provides vocational rehabilitation programs to help individuals with disabilities obtain employment, education, and independent living services. Its purpose is to empower individuals with disabilities to assert their right to be included in society. Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 stipulates that no individual with disabilities can be excluded from any federally funded program. Under Section 504, educational institutions and child care centers must provide a free, appropriate public education that offers instruction based on the needs of the child with disabilities. The quality of this education must be equal to that provided for a child without a disability and include the appropriate equipment and services. Every effort must be made to include children with disabilities in normal child care programs. The only time a child with disabilities should be excluded from a program or activity is when his/her inclusion would endanger the child or the other children or require significant modification of the program structure. Children with disabilities should be evaluated to determine their individual needs and then placed in a 504 program based on the capabilities discovered during the evaluation. Noncompliance violations may occur if an institution is not familiar with the regulations of Section 504. Parents may file a complaint with the Office of Civil Rights (OCR), who will investigate and decide if the institution did in fact violate Section 504. OCR will give the institution an opportunity to voluntarily comply, but if its efforts are unsuccessful, administrative action may be taken to revoke the institution's funding or refer the case to the Department of Justice for legal proceedings. *The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a federal law that prohibits unfair treatment of individuals with disabilities. To be protected under ADA, a person must have a disability or have a relationship with a person who has a disability. The four sections of the ADA are: Title I: Employment Title II: State and Local Government Activities and Transportation Title III: Public Accommodations Title IV: Telecommunication Services Title III of the ADA discusses treatment of individuals with disabilities in places of public accommodation, which includes child care centers. Under Title III, public facilities cannot discriminate against children who have disabilities. Equal opportunity to participate in center activities must be provided unless anyone's health and safety will be jeopardized or the program must be significantly changed. Individualized assessment should be conducted to determine if a program, without major modification, could meet the needs of the child with disabilities in question. *Modification to policies and procedures, teaching and testing methods, and facility structure may need to be completed when complying with Title III. Specific modifications may include allowing service animals to enter the facility, incorporating auxiliary aids such as braille and large-print materials into instruction, adding ramps and grab bars throughout the facility, moving instruction or exams to a more accessible area of the facility, and allowing more time for completion of a course or exam. Tax breaks are available to offset the costs of modifications. Noncompliance with Title III could lead to adverse consequences. Individuals or the Attorney General may bring legal action against the noncompliant institution. In some cases, monetary damages and civil penalties may be awarded. *The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) is a federal law that prevents general access to student educational records. The purposes of this act are to protect the confidentiality of educational records, give parents and eligible students access to their child's or their own educational records, and provide guidelines for the correction of incorrect information. Notification of a parent's rights under FERPA must be provided annually. If parents feel their rights under FERPA have been violated, they may file a complaint. The Family Policy Compliance Office reviews the complaint and notifies the complainant and the child care center in writing whether or not an investigation will be conducted. If an investigation is conducted and the Family Policy Compliance Office finds that a violation has occurred, a written notice will be sent to the child care center outlining the results of the investigation and the basis of the results. Steps to follow to comply with FERPA will be included, along with a time frame in which compliance should be completed. If compliance is not completed in the timeframe allotted, funds may be withheld, and future eligibility may be revoked. *The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) is a federal law that ensures that all children with disabilities receive a free, appropriate public education that addresses their specific needs. The purposes of the IDEA are to protect the civil liberties of children with disabilities and their families, assist state and local governments in implementation of early involvement services, ensure that educators and parents have the appropriate tools to improve the educational services provided, and assess the success of the services and programs used to educate children with disabilities. The IDEA is broken into four parts; Parts B and C focus on the specifics of special education of children with disabilities enrolled in early child care programs. Part B provides funding to increase special education programs. To be eligible for funds under Part B, child care centers must have policies and procedures that comply with the state guidelines and are on file with the Department of Education. Funds are based on the number of children in the state receiving special education services and must be used to provide technical assistance, educate personnel, provide professional development training, and assist local agencies in providing behavior and mental health services. Each child receiving services under IDEA must have an IEP that has been cooperatively developed and include information on the child's current educational performance, special education services needed, statement of rights, expected level of participation with children without disabilities, and how parents will be informed of their child's progress. *Part C of the IDEA uses the funds provided in Part B to implement and organize intervention services. Infants and toddlers eligible under Part C are those with a developmental disability. To be eligible for funds under Part C, a child care center must make all early intervention programs at the center available to all infants and toddlers with disabilities and their families. Programs must be offered statewide and contain an appropriate, all-inclusive, multidisciplinary evaluation, as well as an Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP) for each child. The IFSP must address the specific needs of the child and his/her family and incorporate the child's levels of development, family resources and concerns, expected outcomes and the timeline for achieving them, required intervention services, dates when services will begin and end, and steps to follow when shifting the child to other suitable services. This important document must be reviewed and updated every six months. C of the IDEA uses the funds provided in Part B to implement and organize intervention services. Infants and toddlers eligible under Part C are those with a developmental disability. To be eligible for funds under Part C, a child care center must make all early intervention programs at the center available to all infants and toddlers with disabilities and their families. Programs must be offered statewide and contain an appropriate, all-inclusive, multidisciplinary evaluation, as well as an Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP) for each child. The IFSP must address the specific needs of the child and his/her family and incorporate the child's levels of development, family resources and concerns, expected outcomes and the timeline for achieving them, required intervention services, dates when services will begin and end, and steps to follow when shifting the child to other suitable services. This important document must be reviewed and updated every six months.

Stranger and Separation Anxiety

*Stranger anxiety is an intense fear children display when faced with an unfamiliar person. Infants and toddlers often develop strong preferences for individuals who care for them the most, and they may reject or fear other individuals who want to engage in close interactions. When an unfamiliar person approaches an infant or toddler experiencing stranger anxiety, the child may become upset or cling to his/her parent. This type of anxiety usually presents itself between 6 and 24 months of age. The child's distress may be exhibited through tears, tantrums, or a refusal to separate from a parent. When children arrive at child care centers and must say good-bye to their parents, they may become frightened and difficult to console. This is not because they don't know their child care provider, but because they fear being separated from their parents. Separation anxiety is a part of normal development experienced by infants and toddlers. Infants often become frightened of new people or environments. They recognize their parents as familiar and safe. When they are separated from them, particularly in a new environment, infants may feel threatened and unsafe. Separation anxiety typically affects children between the ages of 8 and 24 months of age and peaks between 12 and 18 months *There are several actions child care providers can take to help ease the stress associated with stranger and separation anxiety. Before the child is scheduled to begin attending the facility, the child care provider can arrange to meet with the parents and the child. During this meeting the child care provider can work with the parents to develop a drop-off routine that will help the child cope with separation anxiety. This may include identifying a comforting device and organizing their routine to help settle the child in the classroom. When the child requires consoling after the parents have left, the child care provider can use a variety of distractions to help calm the child, such as a trip outside, a special song, a toy, or an activity. *Separation anxiety disorder may be genetic, or it can be caused by a traumatic event in the child's life, such as: A natural disaster Separation from a parent for an extended period of time Relocation to a new home, child care facility, city, or state The death or hospitalization of a parent The divorce or separation of parents An illness The birth of a new family member Older children suffering from separation anxiety disorder may complain of physical symptoms such as headaches or stomachaches when separating from their parents. They may also exhibit these symptoms: Worrying excessively about losing a parent Worrying excessively about parents divorcing Refusing to go to school or to new locations Refusing to sleep without being near a parent Recurring nightmares about separation If a child care provider suspects separation anxiety disorder, he/she should suggest that the parents seek medical attention for the child. *Most children beyond the age of 4 have developed the mental capacity to separate from their parents without fear. Older children exhibiting signs of separation anxiety are more likely experiencing symptoms of a more serious condition: separation anxiety disorder. Separation anxiety disorder afflicts children with the fear that harm to, abandonment by, or death of family members may occur if they are separated from them. This intense fear can readily interfere with or restrict children's ability to participate in normal routines, and they are often resistant to attending child care facilities. These children may become isolated and have difficulty developing and maintaining friendships. They are also more prone to other disorders

Communication and Diversity

*This lesson discussed the unique characteristics of communicating across cultural lines. Culture is: The collective way of life of the people in a particular society The standards, perspectives, and physical objects that constitute everyday life The shared sets of understandings and expectations about how to think, feel, and act Transmitted from generation to generation Above and below the surface Culture is comprised of many things. Some of the major components of culture are: Language Dress Religion and philosophy Economics Ethics Personal values Family size and type Family roles Social classes Government and politics Arts and crafts *Some consider ignorance of cultural norms to be the primary barrier to cross-cultural communication. The following are the areas where cross-cultural communication barriers are most likely to occur: Language Gestures Eye Contact Comfort Zones/Touch Directness Time Personal Habits Prejudice is a preconceived opinion or feeling, usually unfavorable, formed without any thought, knowledge, or reason. Ethnocentrism is the belief in the superiority of one's own ethnic group. Cultural relativism is the belief that a culture can only be evaluated from within its own assumptions, and there is no objective way to assess them. *Everyone must develop problem-solving skills that reflect the changed and ever-changing demographics of society. The following are ways individuals can build skills for effective intercultural communication: Becoming educated about other cultures Talking to others and experiencing cultural differences Recognizing problems associated with prejudice, stereotyping, and discrimination The following are skills that individuals need to possess in order to avoid discrimination: Willingness to listen Intentions to effectively communicate Ability to understand other points of view Approachability Empathy Objectivity Patience Rapport building Tolerance Awareness Remember the acronym MEET to create a respectful and inclusive workplace and society.

emotional neglect

Allowing the child to use drugs and alcohol Spousal abuse in the child's presence Refusal or failure to provide needed psychological care Constant be littlement and or withholding affection

Sign of neglectful parent /caregiver

Appearing to have no concern for the child Showing signs of Depression Displaying irrational or bizarre behavior Exhibiting apparent alcohol and or drugs use

The federal child abuse prevention and treatment act (CAPTA)

As amended by the keeping children and families safe act of 2003, defines child abuse and neglect as, at minimum: any recent act of failure to act on the part of a parent or caretaker which results in death serious physical or emotional harm sexual abuse or exploration Or an act or failure to act which presents an imminent risk of serious harm * federal law defines a child as a person who has not yet reached the age of 18 or a or a minimum or who has not been through legal process of emancipation.

Signs of sexually abusive parents and caregivers

Being excessively protective of the child Limiting the child's time with other children , especially the other sex Acting secretive or isolated Exhibiting jealous or controlling behavior towards the child

Where should you report child abuse

Call the police if you suspected a child is in immediate danger can Include recent sexual abuse Aserious physical injuries or abandonment Call child protection agency if immediate danger is not suspected

Motor Development and Physical Activity

Child care providers play a key role in encouraging the healthy development of children's fundamental motor skills, basic cognitive skills, and physical activity abilities. Motor development is a vital skill for young children. One goal of early childhood education is to assist children in the development of fundamental motor skills. Fundamental motor skills include locomotor skills, nonlocomotor skills, and manipulative skills. Developing motor skills is as important for children with disabilities as it is for other children; however, children with disabilities are less likely to participate in activities that develop these skills. **Locomotor skills are needed to travel from one place to another. Children develop these skills between the ages of 13 months and 6 years. When children walk, run, leap, jump, hop, gallop, slide, or skip, they are using locomotor skills. Children with disabilities may also crawl and/or scoot. **Nonlocomotor skills are movements performed in a fixed position, usually while sitting, standing, kneeling, or lying. They include: Pushing and/or pulling Bending and/or stretching Twisting and/or turning Swinging and/or swaying *Manipulative skills are movements used to move other objects, such as throwing, kicking, holding, striking, and catching. Children usually develop these skills between 18 months and 7 years of age. Children with disabilities or special needs may require extra practice, and/or modification of the materials or the activity, to fully develop these skills. *Physical activity can be as simple as performing household chores, walking fast, or playing sports. Physical activity that is performed on a regular basis improves cardiac and pulmonary functions and weight control. It also reduces anxiety and depression, lowers cholesterol and blood pressure, and lessens the probability of developing chronic diseases in adult life. Physical activity also promotes development of emotional, social, and intellectual skills. *Additionally, physical activity develops awareness, perception, reasoning, and judgment, enhancing the following basic cognitive skills: Communication Listening Following directions Awareness of body, space, and relationships School readiness skills *Body awareness occurs when babies first become aware of their bodies and their ability to control the movement of their arms and legs. As they grow, children learn to perform complex movements that require coordination of several body parts. Awareness of space is an important concept for children to grasp. Spatial awareness is defined as either personal or general. Personal space includes the space immediately around a person, while general space is all space that has been identified for a specific activity. *Children develop relationships with objects and people. Relationships with objects can be either contact or noncontact types. Contact entails physically touching an object, such as a bicycle, skateboard, or ball. Activities that require movement, such as jumping over a stick, walking around a book, or running under an arch, are designated as noncontact relationships. Relationships with people help to develop children's social skills. Even though children do spend some time alone, much of their time will be spent performing activities with a partner, as part of a group, or as a member of a team. *School readiness skills can be reinforced during physical activity. Use colors, shapes, and numbers throughout the activity to increase recognition. Teach good manners when taking turns and waiting in line, and encourage development of sportsmanship when playing games. Physical activity also provides a good opportunity to assist children in learning how to appropriately handle stress and anxiety. *Any type of physical activity that raises the heart rate, benefiting the heart, circulatory system, and lungs, is called a cardiovascular activity. Research has shown that the most important factor of health-related fitness is cardiovascular endurance. Children with disabilities often have sedentary routines and are less active than their peers. Child care providers can be instrumental in encouraging these children to participate in physical activities to increase their cardiovascular endurance. Other benefits of cardiovascular fitness include weight control, increased flexibility, and improved cardiovascular functioning. *Flexibility is another component of health-related fitness that benefits children with disabilities. Flexibility is the degree of movement in a joint or series of joints that is increased by stretching. Children who sit in a wheelchair for hours at a time often develop muscle tightness and joint contracture. Stretching should be done as a warm-up before, and a cool-down after, participating in other activities to delay muscular fatigue, reduce low-back pain, ease muscle tightness, and reduce injury. Benefits received from participating in a flexibility program include improved posture and muscle symmetry, increased range of motion, muscle efficiency, mental relaxation, and personal enjoyment or gratification. *Barriers that limit physical activity for children with disabilities include: Public opinion Lack of opportunities Lack of variety in activities Lack of accessible equipment Lack of qualified staff *Disabilities are identified as either physical, sensory, or cognitive impairments, and can range from mild to severe. An individual evaluation of each child's disability is necessary to adapt activities appropriately and allow everyone to participate in an activity modified for his/her need. *Another barrier to participation for children with disabilities is lack of accessibility. This barrier can be overcome by ensuring the availability of the following: Adequate parking Accommodations for vans with lifts Automatic doors Ramps/elevators inside buildings Accessible bathrooms Changing stations/universal access rooms Adaptive equipment Lower drinking fountains Appropriate surfacing for pathways Barrier-free pool entry, if applicable *By lessening the barriers that prevent children with disabilities from participating, child care providers help these children achieve the benefits of physical activity, which include: Increased interaction and friendships Greater self-esteem and confidence Enhanced socialization skills Reduced stress and anxiety Enhanced team philosophy and peer support Improved coordination, balance, and mobility Improved endurance and overall health

Learning through Curiosity and Creative Play

Creativity is important to children. It helps them develop self-expression, which allows them to convey views and feelings about themselves and the world around them. Being able to express themselves also enables them to communicate their needs. Creativity helps children learn and grow in several ways: Intellectually Socially Emotionally Imaginatively *Child care providers should help children develop their imaginations and minds. To encourage creative behavior, providers should: Join in to imagine and create with the children Respond positively to what children do and encourage their individual creativity Discuss ideas and thoughts with the children, allowing them to use their own imaginations rather than giving them specific instructions on how to do, draw, or write something *Children express creativity in all areas of play, but four main creative areas of play that are intellectually stimulating are: Art Language Music Fantasy *Art allows children to express thoughts and feelings visually. Younger children may not be able to verbally express feelings of anger or frustration, but they might be able to draw them in a picture using dark colors and bold, jagged strokes. Encourage the children to express themselves with art. Have them draw pictures that show emotions like happiness, sadness, fear, or anger. This will encourage them to think about emotions, and can lead to discussions about how to express them appropriately, or how to react to others' emotions and feelings. Music offers another means for stimulating intellectual growth, as children often use bodily movements to express their ideas and feelings about the world around them. They may choose to express themselves by dancing, singing, or playing a musical instrument. They may show that they are happy by playing a lively original musical work on an instrument, or indicate that they are unhappy or sad by dancing or walking slowly, with their heads down. ***Play music in the classroom and give the children a chance to learn through movement. For example, having them demonstrate how a fish would swim in the water or how a deer would run through the forest will allow them to express themselves creatively while learning about animals and how they live. Make up a song that will help young children learn the parts of the body or different colors. Children use fantasy to learn about their world. They learn creative self-expression through having imaginary friends, playing make-believe, and daydreaming. When they pretend to be superheroes or airplane pilots, children learn how to interact with others. They learn how to take charge and be the leader. They may develop skills that will be useful later to real-life situations. *Encourage fantasy play by having very young children pretend to "write" a story, then have them "read" it to you. Ask older children to describe how they think a giraffe talks to its children, or join in a "conversation" with them, with each person having an assigned role in the giraffe family. ***A child's creative play can take one of two forms: active or pretend. Active play helps children grow physically, building strong muscles and increasing coordination. This type of play, which may involve construction toys like building blocks or athletic equipment such as bats and balls, gives children the confidence to meet physical challenges. Pretend play allows children to imagine new situations and encourages them to write and tell stories. It can involve toys that encourage creativity, like dolls and dollhouses, action figures, and dress-up clothes. This type of play can help children learn how people interact and work together to achieve goals or solve problems. Children who indulge in pretend play with adults are often intellectually advanced and better able to handle social situations. *Children continually move back and forth between active and pretend play without conscious thought. Child care providers should note when children engage in each type of play, as this information can provide clues to the children's feelings and needs. *Child care providers can build on what children learn by exposing them to age-appropriate educational games and activities. Children's creative stages can be broken up into the following age groups: Infants Toddlers Preschoolers School-age children *To encourage cognitive development in infants from birth to 18 months of age, child care providers can engage them in age-appropriate activities, such as: Smiling and making faces at them Talking and reading to them Repeating the sounds they make Playing music for them, and moving their hands to the beat Singing while dancing with them Hanging colorful pictures and mobiles so infants can see them Providing a variety of toys and household objects for play **Age-appropriate games and activities that child care providers can use to stimulate cognitive development in toddlers from age 18 months to 3 years include: Acting out stories Playing board games that involve matching, counting, and taking turns Putting simple puzzles together Cutting out pictures and mounting them on poster board Pretending to be different animals or objects (such as kites, planes, or frogs) Performing activities that involve naming body parts Making instruments Drawing with paint, crayons, and chalk Creating with play dough, clay, shaving cream, and cornstarch and water Finger painting *Preschoolers, ages 4 to 5 years, enjoy many of the same activities as younger children, but their increased coordination allows for more complicated variations. Age-appropriate games and activities that child care providers can use to stimulate cognitive development in preschoolers include: Helping them create storybooks with both words and pictures Telling group stories, with each child adding something Dancing individually, or in groups Making up songs and music, often using a musical instrument Crafting complex art objects, such as animals or insects created from egg cartons, paint, and pipe cleaners Adding texture to art supplies, such as adding rice to clay or cornmeal to paint Putting together more complex puzzles, with more and smaller pieces *Early school-age children, ages 6 to 7 years, learn by doing. They need time to explore and create. Age-appropriate games and activities that can help stimulate cognitive development in these children include: Having them write and illustrate their own storybooks Encouraging them to read, and asking them to read aloud to you Discussing what they read with them Allowing them to create art, using such items as plastic canvas and yarn, finger paints, or clay Helping them produce a play Listening and watching as they demonstrate new skills for you ***Toys can be used to teach animal sounds, letters and numbers, or musical tones. Constructing with blocks can help develop coordination as a child strives to stack the blocks correctly, and also help sharpen thought processes as the child determines the best place to put the next block. *When selecting toys, focus not only on how they will appeal to children, but also on how they will help them develop intellectually and physically. Choose toys that: Are appropriate for the child's mental, physical, and social development Build coordination Help children value words, writing, and music Promote creativity Build reading, writing, and art appreciation skills Build muscle strength Teach science Build self-esteem Teach geometry and shapes Teach balance and proportion **Examples of toys that child care providers can use to help children develop intellectually and physically include: Building toys Art supplies Board games Puzzles Sports equipment Musical instruments Dolls and stuffed animals

Positive Solutions for Challenging Behaviors

Discipline is defined as the ability to teach and train, but it is often thought to have the same meaning as punishment. Discipline focuses on teaching children how to behave correctly. Punishment focuses on the correction of bad behavior. Guidance goes hand-in-hand with discipline. When you guide children, you help them distinguish between right and wrong. Disruptive, challenging behavior can be avoided by teaching the following social skills: Interacting with others Problem solving Conveying feelings properly Managing anger Children need to communicate their feelings properly. If they can explain their feelings verbally, they are less likely to misbehave. Effective discipline occurs when children are held accountable for their actions. One way to hold children accountable is by using consequences. A child's behavior will cause either natural or logical consequences. Consequences lose effectiveness if you are angry. You must stay calm. Inappropriate behavior will stop if it is always followed by the consistent use of an appropriate natural or logical consequence *At specific ages, different emotions are learned and used. As children grow and mature, different discipline strategies need to be used. The four stages of early childhood development are: Infant Toddler Preschool Early School Age The Infant stage of development is from birth to 18 months of age. Infants are too young to have behavior problems, but their crying can be frustrating. Behavior intervention techniques to use with infants include meeting their needs and diverting or distracting their attention. The Toddler stage of development is from 18 months to 3 years of age. Even though screaming, crying, temper tantrums, hitting, and biting are normal behaviors at this age level, they are still problem behaviors. Effective behavior intervention techniques when dealing with toddlers include: Setting rules and limits Offering limited choices Diverting attention Rearranging the physical setting Avoiding asking questions that can be answered with "no" Validating feelings Using positive reinforcement *Preschool stage of development is from 3 to 5 years of age. Saying "no," acting silly, and using inappropriate language are typical behaviors at this stage of development. Guidance techniques for this age level include: Ignoring the behavior Negotiating with the child Recognizing acceptable behavior Enforcing rules Redirecting actions The Early School Age stage of development is from 5 to 8 years of age. Sometimes early school-agers are rude and disobedient. Effective guidance techniques to use with these children include: Setting limits Showing patience Ignoring inappropriate behavior Recognizing desirable behavior Spanking, slapping, hitting, and making fun of children are not acceptable discipline techniques at any time. Parents may give child care providers permission to physically punish, but they must not do this. *Some inappropriate behaviors are caused by behavioral disorders. These disorders may be rooted in emotional or physical disabilities requiring professional assessment. Children exhibiting difficult behavior may be classified as: Active/Alert Unconventional Difficult Spirited Attention-Deficit or Hyperactive Problem behavior is generally reduced when children interact with each other in a well-organized physical setting that incorporates effective classroom arrangement, proper scheduling and transitioning, and the implementation of rules, rituals, and routines. Discipline problems can be avoided by adjusting schedules to include as few transitions as possible and allowing enough time for children to finish a project before moving on to something else. Providing toys, books, or group activities during transition times helps alleviate boredom and frustration. Children love structured schedules and want their day to be predictable. Schedules are not the same as routines. Schedules are a series of activities that are done at a specific time each day. Routines are established procedures that happen on a regular basis. No child care facility can operate effectively without rules. Rules help children feel secure and promote good behavior. Rules need to be discussed and should be written and posted in the facility. Rules should be realistic, necessary, positive, understandable, and enforceable.

behavioral signs of sexhal abuse

Exhibiting withdrawal or infantile behavior Acting overly needy Having trouble making and maintaining friendship Indicating there is a problem at home by saying "I want to live with you" Showing fear or dislike when left with a certain person Demonstrate an unusual amount of sexual knowledge and or behavior Expressing effection that is not age appropriate Exhibiting strange habits such as thumb sucking biting and rocking Verbalizing that he/ she is being sexually abused

signs of neglect

Frequent absence from school/childcare Lack of needed medical or dental care Poor personal hygiene The child is often dirty with severe body odor Clothing that is often unsuitable/inadequate for the weather

Terrorism

Involves using threatening behavior or words towards a child

Knowing your learning style

It is important to note that one learning style is not better than any other. What is important is to take advantage of what works for you. Just as there are different learning styles, there are different learning techniques that are suited for each style. These learning techniques are study methods specifically targeted for the visual learner, the auditory learner, and the physical learner. Taking advantage of the learning techniques that address your dominant learning style will improve the quality of your learning. If you are a visual learner, learning techniques that best suit your needs include: Sitting in the front Visualizing information Using illustrations Customizing notes Using highlighters Using flashcards Watching videos or films Avoiding visual distractions *This technique also allows you to clearly see the speaker's body language, gestures, and facial expressions. The cues of nonverbal language can carry a lot of meaning and be easily remembered by a visual learner. If you are a visual learner, you need to be able to see information. Visualizing techniques include: *Closing your eyes to picture the information you need to remember Visualizing the spelling of new words Trying to envision things that you hear or material that is read to you Creating a story rich with imagery about the information you are studying; the imagery will trigger the associated information *Visual learners should make use of visual aids, such as graphs, diagrams, symbols, or concept maps. If an individual uses visual aids during a presentation or class, be sure to copy as much of it as you can, and label it properly. Also, ask if there are handout copies for those types of aids. Most textbooks and educational material provide all kinds of visual illustrations. The visual learner should make the most of them while studying. Other ways to incorporate visual aids are to: Draw illustrations, symbols, graphs, or diagrams instead of words when taking notes Solve math problems or illustrate a sequence of steps by drawing a series of boxes with each step in the appropriate box Draw pictures with abbreviated text to use as study prompts, then explain the pictures while you study *Visual learners tend to be note takers and list makers. There are several ways visual learners can customize their notes to their benefit including: Illustrating notes with images, graphs, and symbols Replacing words with symbols or initials Writing down key words, ideas, or instructions Making lists of sequential steps Typing up your handwritten notes using different fonts and formatting the most important ideas in bold or underlined print Reviewing and organizing notes after class with concept maps Reviewing material by rewriting or drawing information from memory -Invest in good textbooks, if not provided as a part of a class. Visual learners should choose textbooks, study guides, or manuals that have lots of pictures, diagrams, and other visual aids. First, look through the overall ideas and concepts by examining the titles, charts, graphs, and pictures before reading an entire chapter. Repeat this process as you go through each chapter. Other tips for reading informational books are to mark important material with highlighters and to write or draw illustrations in the margins. -Visual learners tend to prefer bright colors. Visual learners can use highlighters to help visualize the information in books, study notes, concept maps, or flashcards. One technique is to develop a color coding system to mark important data. To do this, choose a different color highlighter for each category of information. Color coding gives a visual structure, shape, and pattern to information. The association of color will help the visual learner to sort information from memory. -Using flashcards with illustrations and limited amounts of text is a great learning technique for the visual learner. Create your own flashcards by using inexpensive index cards. Flashcards are particularly effective to learn new vocabulary words and definitions, and as study prompts for labeling charts and diagrams. Picture cards of people can be used to help recall biographical information. There are websites and apps that can help to create flashcards to assist with study. However, if you spend the time creating your flashcards it enhances study and review time. Place the visual prompt on one side and details you need to remember on the other side. By the time you have created the card, you may be surprised how much of the information you have retained. *Visual learners should position themselves to avoid visual distractions, for example away from windows and open doorways. This technique reduces the chances that your attention may be drawn to the scenery, people passing by, traffic, or any other type of movement in your view. It is also helpful for visual learners to avoid distractions during study time. Find a study place that will allow you to focus on your task at hand, as free from movement and other visual temptation as possible. Auditory learner If you are an auditory learner, you store information by the way it sounds. Learning techniques that best suit your needs include: Sitting where you can hear Participating in discussions Asking questions Using a recording device Reading aloud Talking to yourself Using mnemonic devices Listening to audios and/or watching videos Avoiding auditory distractions -Because auditory learners take in information best by sound, it is important for them to sit in a learning environment where they can clearly hear a presenter. -Auditory learners are usually great talkers and listeners. Auditory learners mostly remember the things they have said themselves or discussed with others. They also learn from listening to other people's ideas. One of the best learning techniques for auditory learners is to participate in study groups and discussions as much as possible. -Ask questions. Auditory learners naturally ask a lot of questions. The act of asking questions accomplishes multiple goals. It allows the presenter to reword what they have been saying, present the information from a different angle, use a different teaching technique, or provide additional examples. Everyone benefits from reinforced ideas. Many times, someone else had the same question too. Hearing the answer to even simple questions can greatly improve information retention. Asking questions can also spark a discussion that otherwise may not have happened. There are several ways an auditory learner can take advantage of using recording devices including: *Recording presentations or classes to support written notes Making recordings of written notes and later listening to them as review Making recordings of portions of textbooks and later listening to them Speaking aloud writing assignments or reports and typing them later Recording yourself spelling words and listening to the recording Most instructors will allow students to record classes. However, a word of caution; do not expect the recording to take the place of written notes because many technical or quality issues could happen with a recording device. *A similar technique for the auditory learner is to talk to yourself. Do this by: Closing your eyes and repeating information aloud Sounding out new words syllable by syllable Using flashcards to learn new words and saying the definitions out loud Working out math problems aloud by verbally explaining the steps as you go Saying or explaining information aloud as if you are teaching someone else Any learning style can benefit from using mnemonic devices. These devices are especially useful to the auditory learner. A mnemonic device is a learning device, such as a verse, formula, acronym, expression, or song, used to aid memorization and recall. They are a particularly helpful in remembering lists. *Select the highlighted words to see examples of each type of mnemonic device. Verse Formula Acronym Expression Song Auditory learners learn best when information is presented as spoken language. Listening to audios and videos is another great way to do this if you are unable to record your own materials. Some resources that may be helpful include: -Listening to books on tape about a work of literature or a topic of interest Listening to the audio or watching videos, films or documentaries Viewing or listening to educational videos or audio files online Keep in mind that information can be presented with a bias, so approach topics from multiple points of view to gain the most accurate and comprehensive information. Your preference for learning can also be your biggest distracter from learning. Ideally, an auditory learner should choose a study place that is quiet. Some people can study well with music playing or other noise in the background. However, auditory learners are especially sensitive to auditory distraction. A bit of quiet instrumental music might be okay for some auditory learners, but listening to a favorite musical choice or any type of music with distinguishable words will probably work against you when trying to learn. You could quickly end up focusing on the music instead of studying. Physical learners learn Physical learners learn best by touching and doing. Learning techniques for physical learners include: Participating in activities Being physically active while learning or studying Taking and rewriting notes Using manipulatives Using your hands Listening to music Taking frequent breaks Physical learners *Physical learners learn best by touching and doing. Learning techniques for physical learners include: Participating in activities Being physically active while learning or studying Taking and rewriting notes Using manipulatives Using your hands Listening to music Taking frequent breaks -In the classroom or engaged in on-the-job training, physical learners can learn new material or participate in activities by touching, moving, drawing, or role-playing. Studying with other people is also beneficial for the physical learner because they can interact with others, participate in discussion, and confirm what they have learned. If you are a physical learner, find something to physically do—as long as the activity itself does not become your main focus. It is okay to squeeze a stress ball, tap a pencil, fold laundry, or walk around a room. Different movements or gestures can also be associated with the information to aid in memorization. *Sitting at a desk is not the best place for the physical learner. Instead, get up and pace the floor while reading your notes or textbook aloud. Try yoga positions, dance steps, or simple movement exercises. Role-playing is another valuable learning tool for the physical learner. When possible, act out what you need to learn. Some physical learners need to use their hands in order to learn. Some learning techniques that incorporate using hands include: *Using a computer, calculator, or notebook to support learning through touch Constructing models of material being covered Using an index finger as a guide while reading Tracing or air writing words with an index finger to practice spelling Holding or manipulating real objects to demonstrate ideas -Using manipulatives or real objects aids the physical learner with understanding ideas. They are especially helpful when learning math concepts, starting with addition and including algebra or geometry. Other ways the physical learner can incorporate manipulatives is by using alphabet blocks or magnetic letters to spell difficult words or using flash cards arranged in groups to show relationships between ideas. ****All learning styles benefit from taking good notes. For the physical learner, the act of note taking is even more important. Taking notes keeps your hands busy without being distracting to others in the room and helps to maintain focus. A physical learner should edit, rewrite, or type notes later, as a great way to review the material. This act satisfies the physical learner's need for doing something as well as reinforces the information. While editing the notes, try to use plenty of examples. Physical learners tend to make better connections to examples that demonstrate main points and concepts, than to just the facts. -Listening to music during study time can sometimes be helpful to the physical learner. Of all the learning styles, physical learners tend to be the least distracted by listening to music while studying. Listening to classical instrumental music such as Bach or Mozart can actually help physical learners to be less fidgety while trying to focus. *Physical learners can have shorter attention spans. Because it may be difficult for the physical learner to focus for long periods of time, they should take short breaks. If briefly stepping out of a presentation or moving to another location is an option and not distracting for others, the physical learner can use this technique to maintain his/her focus. When studying, it may be helpful for the physical learner to take frequent short breaks. However, the total amount actually spent studying should not be shorter than other learning styles. *Luckily today, more educators are incorporating multisensory learning. A multisensory approach presents material in multiple ways that can address all preferred learning styles. Students have the opportunity to incorporate all the senses to see, hear, and do something. Multisensory learning is also known to reinforce the learning process regardless of individual preferences because it involves a combination of senses and makes information more memorable. Daily life is full of opportunities to teach or train others. Trying a combination of strategies that address visual, auditory, and physical learners is beneficial in several types of situationscommunicating ideas in a business meeting, explaining a process to a coworker, managing a team project, or teaching children in your care.

Modifying Physical Activities

Many motor development activities are appropriate for all young children. There are general guidelines to consider when choosing and modifying physical activities for inclusion of children with disabilities. Simple adaptations can be made to make inclusion easier for everyone involved. *Some children have a short attention span, so keep instructions and directions short and simple. Limit the number and complexity of rules by introducing only one or two at a time; allow children to perform and master those before introducing new ones. Use demonstrations to visually illustrate directions. Establish clear start and finish points and/or boundaries by using cones or brightly colored tape. *Success is important. Children will enjoy activities and have fun doing them if they feel successful. Child care providers should make adaptations to help children feel they have accomplished something because, like adults, children need to feel a sense of accomplishment for the things they do. Positive feedback and reinforcement help children to learn new skills and encourages children to practice further. *Children with disabilities may need extra help with some activities. A child care provider's goal is to devise adaptations to accommodate the needs of children. These adaptations may include: extra practice to master a skill; modification of an activity or material; extra help from teachers, volunteers, or peers; or the substitution of different movements. *Areas where physical activities can be adapted for children with disabilities include: Equipment Environment Directions Goal setting and difficulty Time Participation *Equipment can be adapted to include children in physical activities. The type, size, or texture of balls, bats, or racquets can be modified to make them easier to hold or hit. Balls can make noises, be brightly colored, and/or be tethered to reduce the need for chasing. Modification can be made to shorten the handles of racquets or bats. Changes can also be made to the way a bat or racquet is held, or to reduce its weight so that it is easier for a child to handle. Adaptations to a playing field can be made by adding barriers along the sides, reducing the size of the playing field, and changing boundaries, nets, goals, and/or targets so they make noises or are brightly colored. *Consider whether rules and instructions need to be adapted to meet the needs of the children in your care. Keep the rules short and simple. Start out with just one or two rules, then introduce others later. Take vision or hearing impairments into consideration by minimizing other noises while giving instructions and using pictures or demonstrations in addition to explanations. *Rather than encouraging competition between children, teach children to set individual goals for themselves. This way the children receive a positive challenge, on an individual basis, to learn or improve a skill at their own pace. When a child has difficulty completing an activity, consider whether any part of the activity can be adapted to make mastery easier. Consult the child about changes that might help. Some children enjoy the challenge of attempting the activity without adaptation, so discuss it with the child before adapting any activity. *Adapting the level of participation includes allowing children to perform the activities with a friend or partner. Breaking into small groups may also encourage participation by reducing waiting time. *There are several strategies child care providers can use to modify activities for children. To further instill useful adaptations, some physical activities will be described that child care providers may use with their students. These activities will also detail specific adaptations that can be incorporated. This activity may be used as a warm-up exercise. While standing on the right foot, grasp a fixed object with the right hand. Use the left hand to grasp the left ankle and lift it backward. Keep the back straight, and do not allow the knee to move forward of the standing leg. Hold for 10 seconds; repeat 10 times for each leg. *Adaptations: While seated, press downward with the left foot; raise the right knee towards the chest, using only the thigh and stomach muscles. Hold for 6 to 10 seconds; repeat 10 times for each leg While seated, press downward with the left foot; raise the right leg straight out in front, using only the thigh and stomach muscles. Hold for 6 to 10 seconds; repeat 10 times for each leg For running or walking activities, allow children to run and/or walk around for 12 minutes. Assess each child's heart rate before beginning, and at one- and five-minute intervals after completion. *For running or walking activities, allow children to run and/or walk around for 12 minutes. Assess each child's heart rate before beginning, and at one- and five-minute intervals after completion. Adaptations: Adjust the time/distance as necessary Children with mobility impairments can cover the distance in their wheelchairs, or by crawling or rolling Provide sound devices around a track for children with visual impairments; they can also hold a guide rope or the hand of another child *For activities that involve catching, have the children practice catching different objects alone or with a partner. Adaptations: Children with mobility impairments can catch from wheelchairs or floor mats Use various sizes of balls, balloons, or flying discs on tethers to reduce the need for retrieval Provide equipment with sound devices for children with visual impairments For children who are unable to catch a device, the device can be stopped using a net, bat, or racquet *For activities that implement kicking, have children practice kicking a ball alone or with a partner. Adaptations: Children with mobility impairments can bat the ball from wheelchairs or floor mats Provide markers at several distances, and use brightly colored large targets Provide equipment with sound devices for children with visual impairments For children who are unable to kick, carrying or rolling the ball can be an alternative *Activities that involve flexibility exercises increase range of motion and elasticity. Have children stand with feet and arms outspread, then bend to touch toes alternately. Adaptation: This exercise can be modified to use a sitting position for children who use a wheelchair by having the children place their hands on opposite knees, then extend their arms out to the sides at shoulder level before bringing them back to their knees again.

Neglect

Most common type of child abuse it accounts for 63% of all verified abuse cases there are several types of neglect physical educational emotional medical

Effective Teaching

One role of a child care provider is to help prepare children for school. School readiness refers to the experiences that children need early in life to prepare them to succeed in school. There are five areas of school readiness that child care providers should address: Physical well-being and development Social and emotional development Language development Cognitive and general development Approaches to learning *They can help smooth the transition between home and the child care site, thus preparing the children to make the transition to school. They can teach the children basic information—letters, numbers, colors, printing their names—so that when they get to school, they will feel more confident and prepared to build on that foundation. Children belong to different races, social backgrounds, and development levels. Child care providers can encourage the children to interact and socialize, thereby minimizing their differences. They can pay attention to the children's learning styles and alter teaching to match the children's needs to encourage learning success. **Effective child care providers use a variety of teaching strategies to help children achieve. They are aware that there are three types of learners, who learn in different ways. *Effective child care providers use any tool, including combining teaching models, to ensure children acquire skills. Examples of teaching models that can be used to help children learn include: Collaborative learning Lecture Group investigation Role play Mastery learning *In the lecture model, the teacher guides and facilitates the learning process, supplying both information and direction. The teacher provides the avenues that children use to learn. Direct instruction *In group investigation, children learn to define problems, discover solutions to the problems, and study together to master the information and skills presented. This model also helps children to develop social skills. *In the role play model, children explore problems by acting them out, such as taking opposite sides in a conflict. Doing this helps them learn about social interactions and their roles in them, as well as guiding them to develop problem-solving skills. It also helps them gain insight into the attitudes and values of others. Teaching The mastery learning model allows children to complete an agreed-upon course of study at their own pace. The material is divided into units that children study and are tested on. The instructor assesses the test results and decides on advancement or remediation. Direct instruction is similar to mastery learning, but includes guidance from the teacher. When using this method, teachers present the material to be learned, explain it, and work examples. Then they watch as the children try to work similar problems on their own, offering assistance as needed, until the children have learned the material *When child care providers combine and use multiple teaching models, they are working toward one goal—helping children learn easily and effectively. Evaluation criteria help measure the effectiveness of a program. These criteria involve evaluating child care providers on how well they do the following: encourage active learning, provide a variety of activities for different learning styles, keep children on task, communicate expectations to children, manage the classroom, and interact with coworkers and parents.

Risk factors for abuse that involves individual parents/caregivers characteristics

Personality Mental health Age and knowledge Personal experience Substance abuse

physical abuse

Punching Beating Kicking Biting Burning Shaking Strangljng/choking

Signs of physical abuse

Unexplained injuries such as burns,bites,bruises,broken Bones, black eye, and or internal injuries noticeable marks or fading bruises after an absence from childcare Crying when it is time to go home Statements that he/she is being hurt by parent/ caregivers

Helping Children Cope with Grief

*Grief is an emotional response experienced by adults and children following the death of a significant person or something important, such as a pet. Grief can also be an emotional response to the loss of a significant relationship caused by divorce, family relocation, or a loved one suffering from an illness. Typically children enter the following three phases of grief: disorganization, transition, and reorganization. Children in the disorganization phase of grief often revert to infantile behaviors, such as thumb sucking or bed-wetting, exhibit extreme mood swings and/or outbursts, unexplained fears, an inability to focus, and/or physical symptoms. As children struggle to cope with the host of emotions they are experiencing, they enter a transition phase and may become depressed, feel hopeless, withdraw from others, or become aggressive. When children are encouraged to openly discuss their feelings and accept a loss, they enter a phase of reorganization. Children under the age of 2 have no understanding of death. Preschool children may think death is a temporary state or is reversible because of how television portrays cartoon characters. Children between the ages of 5 and 9 begin to understand the finality of death and form spiritual beliefs about death. *Disasters, such as hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, fires, earthquakes, and violent acts, often strike without warning. The following are suggestions for helping children cope with their emotions after a disaster: Limit exposure to the images of destruction Give reassurance and physical comfort Provide structure and routine Encourage talk about the event Give simple, honest answers to questions Provide healthy opportunities to relieve tension Help identify feelings and safe ways to express them Be aware of long-term emotional, physical, or behavioral changes Child care providers can help grieving preschoolers by restoring order as quickly as possible. Offer affection and nurturing. Answer questions truthfully and sincerely, and allow children to talk openly about their loss. Provide children with occasions for group discussions so they can communicate painful feelings and express empathy for others. Teach children how to identify their feelings. Discuss their fears and reassure them that they are safe. Plan activities to keep them busy. Be patient with children who revert to infantile behaviors. Help children to explore and understand their feelings. *When answering children's questions about sensitive issues, talk calmly about what has happened, tell the truth, keep it simple by using words a child can understand, and be patient with repeated questions. Exchange feelings about the child's loss, and help the child explore memories of the one who is gone. When a child has questions about divorce or separation, discuss the situation in simple terms. Explain to the child that he/she is not responsible and parents sometimes make adult decisions to live separately. Be patient. Sometimes just listening is extremely helpful. Most importantly, reassure children so they feel safe and loved. Child care providers can help children develop a positive, healthy response to grief by letting them make memory books or boxes containing drawings and photographs or other memorabilia that belonged to a loved one. Other activities that stimulate healing and acceptance of loss include collecting pictures of people in various situations and talking about them, holding group discussions about grief-inducing circumstances, communicating feelings to lost loved ones by writing balloon messages, and gardening. *Children from birth to 2 years old who are having difficulty coping with grief may exhibit any of the following behaviors: Continual crying Sickliness Indigestion Thrashing Rocking Throwing Sucking or biting Sleeplessness Children from 3 to 5 years old who are having difficulty coping with grief after the death of a loved one may exhibit any of the following behaviors: Exhibiting regressive behaviors, such as thumb sucking or using baby talk Asking repetitive questions Withdrawing Playing out scenes of death, change, and feelings Showing interest in dead things Acting as if death never happened Having intense dreams Experiencing physical complaints Crying Fighting *Follow these guidelines when sharing concerns about children's coping difficulties with parents: Set the stage for a good conversation Begin with observations, questions, and concerns Be sympathetic, not judgmental Discuss observed coping difficulties Refer parents to other resources, if necessary Stress the importance of early identification Be assured that sharing the concern is the right thing to do When discussing a child's difficulty coping with grief, do not dismiss parental concerns, compare one child to another, "label" a child, or be negative.

Creating a Positive Climate for Learning

The main purpose of behavior management is to ensure that each child displays appropriate behavior for effective learning. When the entire class's behavior is suitable, both child care provider and children benefit. Benefits that child care providers receive from well-managed classrooms include: Safe and distraction-free learning environment Respect from other students and staff Efficient and organized teaching and learning Increased teaching time *Benefits that children receive from being in a well-managed classroom include: Increased learning opportunities Opportunity to practice and develop social skills Positive social interactions with adults and other children Experience with procedures for effective learning Learning to meet behavior expectations *To ensure that the learning environment benefits everyone, child care providers must work at being proactive to redirect inappropriate behaviors before they can cause problems. Most children want to do what is right. Providing clear, consistent rules and explaining what is expected of them will often help children meet behavioral goals. Keeping children actively engaged in productive activities and maintaining control of them during transitions from one activity or location to the next are other ways child care providers can divert misbehavior before it happens. *Children spend most of their time playing in groups. Child care providers need to develop strategies for redirecting the behavior of misbehaving children when they are playing in a group situation. Strategies for effectively managing group behavior include: Ignoring inappropriate behavior when possible Providing cues, such as establishing eye contact, to let a child know that his/her behavior is inappropriate Moving to stand near a child who is misbehaving Motivating the children through praise or showing positive interest in what they are doing Providing individual help when needed Removing items that may distract others or be used by a child to disrupt the group *Praising children who are behaving appropriately is an effective behavior management tool. The following guidelines may help child care providers determine how and when to effectively offer praise that will reinforce children's positive behavior: Focus the praise on the actions that elicited it Offer praise as soon as the appropriate behavior occurs Give praise only when it is really earned Be consistent and sincere when praising children Give praise that is appropriate for the child's age and development level *Along with praise, children should be rewarded when they do well. Examples of rewards that child care providers can use include: Providing extra play time Giving badges of honor Displaying their names on a special bulletin board Doing a victory dance with the group Letting them choose a group activity *A well-organized classroom can be an effective tool for maintaining classroom discipline. The following are suggestions that can help child care providers maintain an orderly, positive setting for children: Design and decorate the classroom to make it pleasant Designate separate areas for active and quiet play Keep the classroom free from hazards Establish an area where children can engage in activities as soon as they arrive Play classical music in the background during classroom activities Arrange the classroom so children can move freely from one area to another Establish behavior rules to follow when moving from one activity to another List the day's activities on the board Make an attractive bulletin board with the classroom rules

Physical abuse background

In the United States approximately 1.4 million children. Fall victim to some sort of child abuse which equates to around 3 percent of the US population under the age of 18. Approximately 160000 of these children sustain critical injuries every year

Denial

Parents or caregivers fails to provide care or concern in a sensitive and responsive manner to a child

Assessing Child Care Business Practices

*As a general rule, assessments should be conducted at least annually; however, individual facilities should determine the frequency at which they assess the following functions: Record keeping—child/emergency information Information management Documentation of issues or events Compliance with codes and laws Emergency plans Resource management *Efficient operation of a high-quality child care and early childhood education organization requires periodic assessments of operational and financial practices. Each facility should determine how frequently it assesses operational practices to ensure objectives are being met. As a general rule, assessments should be conducted at least once a year. Assessments should determine the extent to which the facility keeps accurate records of enrollment information, authorizations, medical and health information, parent communication, and daily attendance records for each child. They should also determine if the facility has an emergency plan and if staff members and children are trained to implement it. Assessments of business practices will examine adequacy of the facility's budget and determine if budget requirements are being adhered to. *Business assessments should evaluate the effects of certain fee policies, such as decreased rates for multiple children, no charge for absences, age-based fee structure, and bad debt forgiveness. Schools and child care businesses should also assess the effectiveness of both family and community relations by determining the extent to which parents are regularly invited to observe activities, drop by for a visit, attend a birthday/holiday party, or join their child for lunch, and if actions are taken to involve parents who are unable to attend. *Communications assessments will examine the facility's efforts to promote sensitivity to cultural and language differences and family relations, as well as actions to involve community leaders, government officials, school board administrators, other prominent individuals and professionals from other areas, including health care and social service providers, and early intervention service providers. *Staff assessments should begin by looking at the hiring process to determine if a thorough job analysis has been performed to determine what needs exist and how many people should be hired to fulfill those needs. It should continue with the interview process by determining if a sufficient number of applicants are interviewed and if procedures are in place to provide an unbiased, objective determination of each applicant's suitability for employment. Staff assessments should continue on the job by determining each employee's understanding of children's physical, social, emotional, and intellectual development needs; job knowledge; and potential need for training in specific areas. Staff member self-assessment questionnaires may also be used in the assessment process.

Conflict Resolution Strategies

*Conflict is a situation that occurs when individuals or groups are in disagreement because of opposing positions, ideas, values, or beliefs. Individuals generally respond to conflict in three ways: Emotionally Cognitively Physically Conflict resolution involves solving disagreements by reaching solutions that benefit everyone involved. *Workplace conflict can happen any time two or more individuals interact with each other. Workplace conflict can be problem-based or personality based. When not resolved, workplace conflict can escalate. Workplace conflict can often be avoided by expressing thoughts and opinions in a nonthreatening manner. Be sincere and respectful, and listen to and value others' opinions and points of view. Speak softly and express concerns clearly, while controlling emotions. Address people face-to-face rather than through a third party. State facts and avoid making broad general statements or accusations. *Conflict Resolution Strategies Summary Company goals and expectations should clearly state company policy and employees own job descriptions and responsibilities, including handling workplace conflicts. Employees should communicate openly with each other, expressing opinions while actively listening to each other. When a conflict arises, employees should identify the problem as soon as it occurs and work to resolve it before it has a chance to grow. When a large group is involved, brainstorming can be a productive way to allow everyone involved in the problem to contribute to finding a solution. A mediator or facilitator may be needed if negotiations become deadlocked. Mediators must understand all sides of the conflict and remain objective and nonjudgmental.

Assessing Child Care Programs

*Periodic assessments of the physical child care environment, staff qualifications, and curricula and programs implemented at the facility are necessary to ensure that children are receiving the best care and educational guidance possible. When performing an assessment, evaluate items as satisfactory or not satisfactory; a chart listing the area being assessed and its assessment will provide a quick visual guide to what areas are satisfactory and what areas need improvement. Child care providers must ensure that children are safe from potentially harmful objects, people, and situations throughout the day. Child care facilities must provide safe, secure drop-off and pick-up points, as well as making sure strangers cannot enter the facility unobserved. Safety equipment should receive routine maintenance. Display fire extinguishers where they are easily seen. Post evacuation routes and practice evacuations on a regular basis. *Encourage frequent hand-washing to help eliminate germ-related health problems. Maintain sanitary conditions by cleaning all areas regularly with antibacterial cleaning agents. To help prevent the spread of health problems such as head lice and ringworm, each child should have his/her own storage area, and cribs, beds, and nap mats should not be shared. Assessment of the child care environment should include use and organization of space. Activity areas should be uncluttered, designed and arranged for use by all ages, and provide a mixture of play and learning experiences. Check areas accessible to children for choking hazards, unsanitary conditions, chemical spills, and dangerous objects. When not being used, electrical outlets should be covered to make them inaccessible to small children. Facility grounds must be free of physical hazards. Buildings should be free of cracked and peeling paint. Indoor and outdoor equipment must be clean and in good repair, with impact-absorbing materials in place. *Check federal, state, and local requirements to be sure all staff meet stipulated qualifications for providing child care in your area. Verify each staff member's training and qualifications when hired and keep records of new training that is completed. Caregivers must be familiar with age-oriented developmental milestones. This knowledge will enable them to identify potential developmental problems, as well as use effective, age-appropriate teaching methods. In-service training, conferences, classes, and other training venues offer a variety of choices to caregivers who wish to keep current with developments in the field or acquire new qualifications. Communication is a vitally important part of providing child care. Caring for children involves talking and corresponding with a wide variety of people, from the children and their families to colleagues and other professionals.

Professional Practices

*Professionalism is how individuals present and conduct themselves in the workplace. It is an investment in one's self and can be described as how one looks, acts, and abides by personal moral codes. Professionalism is an important quality in child care providers as they uphold ethical principles and become lifelong learners by joining professional organizations, attending workshops, earning certificates, or seeking degrees. Professional development is important to every child care provider. It can help improve communication and interactions between employees and employers in a child care facility, as well as with the children and their parents. Working environments, which support individuals who voice their thoughts and suggestions, are known to have higher levels of job performance. Professionalism helps individuals look at their strengths as well as their weaknesses. Identifying professional practices helps child care providers learn respect for new experiences and ideas they may encounter. Professional development is obtained by furthering the education process, whether it involves taking classes or joining a professional organization. Professional development not only helps the individual, but also the entire child care facility. Learning presents an opportunity for child care providers to share new ideas with other members of the staff and this transfer of knowledge ultimately benefits the children. *Three items that may improve professionalism within a child care facility are licensing, accreditation, and credentialing. Licensing is a process that requires a child care facility to meet specific health and safety requirements. It is mandatory when caring for children from more than one family, excluding your own. States issue individual licenses based on the size and capacity of the facility. When a facility obtains a license, any child care provider who comes into contact with children must undergo a series of procedures and tasks, including: A background check and fingerprint verification CPR and first aid certification A physical exam that includes a TB test Accreditation is the formal acknowledgement that a child care facility complies with required health and safety standards. It is voluntary, but verifies the credibility of the facility. Accreditation is obtained through a formal evaluation of the child care facility, including its environment, staff, educational activities, and business practices. Many national and local agencies assist with accreditation. Credentialing is a voluntary process that assesses a child care provider's overall qualifications. An example of a child care credential is the Child Development Associate (CDA), which is earned through continuing education credits. Every state has different credentialing standards, so child care providers are advised to contact state or local agencies for more information about credentialing. *Many professional practices contribute to a child care provider's professionalism, and these practices are reflected in the child care provider's actions. Professionals are honest, reliable, and well-prepared. Acting with honesty maintains credibility and this quality fosters respect from others. Child care providers are expected to have good attendance records, dedication to the facility, pride in their appearance, professional communication skills, flexibility, and stress management skills. Today's child care providers are establishing professional plans and conducting self-analysis. Personal assessment may be challenging because it requires inner truth and self-honesty. Conducting a self-assessment helps child care providers address both strengths and weaknesses. If self-assessment seems too difficult, a child care provider may ask a colleague to observe him/her while working. Feedback from a trusted colleague can be a useful tool when determining good and bad practices. Working hand in hand with colleagues creates a support system, which can be very beneficial to child care providers as they attempt to improve their skills. Support networks can be formed through continued education. Options include attending training workshops, engaging in formal education, seeking specialized certification, or joining professional organizati

Sexual Harassment Awareness Overview

*Sexual harassment is a problem that concerns everyone. Uncontested, this unethical and illegal behavior has a direct and debilitating impact on morale, ultimately affecting productivity and performance. All individuals have the obligation to prevent and avoid sexual harassment by conducting themselves in a professional manner, addressing the behavior of offenders, and refusing to accept anything less than a professional work environment. The legal definition of 'sexual harassment' is: 'Unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature, when: a. submission to such conduct is made either explicitly or implicitly a term or condition of an individual's employment; or b. submission to or rejection of such conduct by an individual is used as the basis for employment decisions affecting such individual; or c. such conduct has the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with an individual's work performance or creating an intimidating, hostile, or offensive working environment.' *There are only two forms of sexual harassment: one in which a hostile or offensive work environment is established, and quid pro quo harassment. Although ''quid pro quo'' and ''hostile environment'' harassment are theoretically distinct claims, the line between the two is not always clear, and the two forms of harassment often occur together. Harassment can occur in several ways: graphic, physical, verbal, nonverbal, third-party, and retaliatory. An incident must meet the ''reasonable person standard'' in order to be considered harassment. Always follow established procedures for reporting harassment. Document incidents, witnesses, and details that support a claim. Inform someone of the incident immediately. An incident must be reported within 45 days. Review the ''appropriateness test'' if in doubt about whether something said or done could be considered sexual harassment. Every person in the workplace is responsible for preventing harassment or discriminatory practices.

Computer Technology in Early Childhood Education

*There is no one way to protect children from Internet dangers. Parents, teachers, and child care providers can protect children by: Supervising Monitoring Establishing rules Children need to know how to safely search for online information. Many Internet search engines supply users with information and material children are interested in, but they also can list Web sites that contain inappropriate material. Some Internet search engines have "family-friendly filters" that reduce access to inappropriate or offensive Web sites. Software to block or filter out undesirable Web sites is available, but using these filters does not guarantee that a child will be safe online. *One out of every five children gets sexually propositioned online. Tell children to report to you anything they see on the Web that may be illegal, so you can report it to the proper authorities. Any illegal Internet activity should be reported to the Internet Watch Foundation. Children should be made aware that spam, spyware, and viruses can be sent in e-mail attachments. Parents should know children's e-mail addresses and passwords so that they can monitor who is sending them mail. *Instant messaging, or IM, chat rooms, and blogs are dangerous because strangers can share information or carry on conversations with children. These strangers can be people masquerading as someone totally different from who they really are. The Children's Online Privacy Protection Act, or COPPA, enforced by the Federal Trade Commission, requires Web site operators to obtain parental consent before collecting any personal information about children under the age of 13. COPPA allows teachers to act on behalf of parents during school activities that take place online, but it does not require them to do so. *COPPA also states that Web site operators must obtain: Parental consent before collecting, using, or disclosing children's personal information New consent when information collection practices change Web site operators must allow parents to: Review information after verifying their identity Revoke consent and delete all children's information collected, upon request Web site operators must stop collecting, using, or disclosing children's information immediately after a parent revokes consent, and may have to end children's involvement in any activity if the information was necessary for completion of that activity. *Computers allow children to play creatively, master learning skills, solve problems, and communicate properly. Children with disabilities benefit from computer use. When appropriate software is used, children with special needs can do things they would not otherwise be able to do. *Children face many dangers when they use computers. They risk: Meeting online predators Losing privacy Having online fights Receiving threats Breaking the law Viewing inappropriate material Being misled by online information Placing themselves and others in jeopardy Finding illegal drugs Computer safety guidelines change with age. An online activity that is safe for teenagers may not be safe for eight-year-old children. Choosing the right software for children is extremely important. The software must be appropriate for the children's age, skill, and development level. *Filtering software can block incoming and outgoing Web information. It prevents children from revealing personal information, buying items with a credit card, or answering questionnaires. Some filtering software can even block the use of instant messaging, e-mail, and chat room conversations. *Cybercrime is any illegal behavior that threatens computer security. Individuals who commit cybercrime write and distribute viruses, worms, Trojan horses, and the malicious software that disrupts and interferes with computer hard drives, files, and programs. Some viruses, worms, and Trojan horses just send irritating messages or flash insulting remarks, but others can cause irreversible damage to computer hard drives, software, systems, and networks. Ways to protect computers from cybercrimes include: Logging off and shutting down the computer when it is not in use Using virus and firewall protection software Keeping software up-to-date Downloading programs from well-known Internet sources only Using a separate complex password for every online account, including social networking and bank accounts Deleting e-mail messages from strangers without opening them, especially if they have attachments And Protecting all wireless connection by turning on WEP (wired equivalency privacy) or WPA (Wi-Fi protected access)

Bloodborne Pathogens Awareness

*This content discussed the major bloodborne pathogens (BBPs) such as HBV, HCV, and HIV. Symptoms associated with these pathogens can be acute and/or chronic. The classes of symptoms are very similar for each: Fatigue Fever Loss of appetite Mild nausea or vomiting Muscle or joint pain The more serious symptoms are: Bloated, swollen stomach Dark urine Jaundice *Pathogens live in the host of the bloodstream. Pathogens can also live on other potentially infectious materials (OPIMs). Examples of OPIMs are: Razors, needles, or knives Soiled laundry Tattoo, dental, or medical equipment BBPs can be found in and on the following: Breast milk Dental extraction Dried blood (can remain infectious for up to six weeks on hard surfaces) Saliva Semen and vaginal secretions *Any item that has come into contact with a BBP should be considered contaminated. Universal precautions should be applied when BBPs are present to avoid transmission of disease. BBPs can be transferred from infected individuals by: Exposure through cuts or exposed skin Exposure to infected blood or body fluids From mother to baby during birth Mucous membrane exposure Unprotected sexual contact Injection drug use and unprotected sex are the major modes of transmissions for all BBPs. Intravenous drug users are 28 times more likely to contract HIV than non-needle users. A combination of unprotected sex and intravenous drug use dramatically increases the risk of contracting a BBP. HIV can live in a needle for 42 days. HIV has been found on a human corpse 16 days after death. Men who have sex with men are 19 times more likely to contract HIV than heterosexuals. Sex workers are ten times more likely to contract HIV than most other professions. Health care workers are at the highest risk of work-related BBP exposure. Employees who are first responders, in law enforcement, or who work in dangerous environments are also in a higher risk class of BBP exposure than other occupations such as administrative work or retail. *BBPs are a concern for many professionals who come into contact with blood or bodily fluids on a daily basis. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has developed exposure control plans for employers. Basic to all plans are: Exposure determination Implementation schedule and methodology Preventing exposure to BBPs is the best method to prevent transmission of disease. Prevention methods and risk-reduction plans include: Good hygiene practices Learning ways to avoid high-risk behaviors OSHA standards that should be followed by all employees Universal precautions Use of proper personal protection equipment (PPE) Waste regulation guidelines including proper labeling of containers *After incidental exposure of BBPs, employers and employees must follow the OSHA plan for cleanup and follow-up. Part of this process includes documentation of the event and investigations into the BBP exposure. All employer-generated reports concerning employee health documents are required by law to remain confidential. After the investigation is complete, the employer may change standard operating procedures, equipment, or PPE. HBV treatments are available for infected individuals, including new babies. However, at this time, there are no vaccines available for HCV and HIV. Medications to control all six strains of the HCV are available; however, many are very expensive. The current HCV treatments are 90 percent effective in managing HCV. The combined drug therapies available for HIV are also effective in helping individuals manage symptoms and live a higher quality of life. Both HCV and HIV pose lifelong health issues for many. Individuals infected with HCV and HIV often contract both diseases. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle can help offset some of the symptoms *All employers who deal with BBP exposures and all individuals who have contracted infectious diseases, by law, are required to follow state and local health department guidelines concerning: Transportation of waste Storage of waste Treatment of biohazard waste Special sharps containers are available for sharp objects such as needles. Hospitals and dentist offices reuse tools after treatment. The most common method for surgical equipment to be sanitized for reuse is by steam or use of an autoclave. Other treatment methods include microwave and irradiation treatments. Disposable waste infected with BBPs should be incinerated.

Environmental Safety

*This lesson introduced common environmental hazards that can be found in a child care facility. Both outdoor and indoor safety hazards were discussed. Outdoor hazards are caused by the natural environment, and human error or negligence. Wild and stray animals that wander onto child care property, poor air quality, and excessive sun or heat are hazards that can be avoided or contained. Water, sandbox, and pesticide hazards must be closely monitored to prevent injury or disease. *Children should not be permitted to approach, or have contact with, wild or stray animals. These animals have a higher probability of disease, and may bite or scratch children or child care providers. If a wild or stray animal comes on to child care property, call your local animal control agency for immediate removal. Water hazards should be avoided. Children may fall into these areas and not be able to get out. Children can drown in a few inches of water. Standing water is also an insect hazard. Mosquitoes breed in vast numbers in pools of standing water. *Indoor hazards can be caused by lack of cleaning, poor building maintenance, and negligence. Exposure to toxins, such as PVC, radon, carbon monoxide, and mold, are all preventable. Electrical hazards are also easily prevented if they are detected and corrected promptly. Sockets should be covered, and power cords should be kept out of reach.

Using Visual Arts to Enhance Development

*Whether children are learning about the world around them, recognizing letters, or learning to play cooperatively, art can be used to teach them. By participating in visual arts activities, infants can begin to develop: Small muscles in their hands and fingers The muscles in their arms Awareness of touch, color, and textures Hand-eye coordination Language skills through adult-child interaction In addition to the skills developed by infants, toddlers from 18 months to 3 years old will develop hand, wrist, and arm muscles by participating in visual art activities requiring cutting and pasting. Encourage decision-making skills by giving toddlers choices about which colors to use in their paintings. * addition to the skills developed by infants and toddlers, art activities can help preschoolers 4 to 5 years old experience enhanced development in prereading and math skills. Elementary children 5 to 8 years old will experience the following enhanced development skills by participating in visual arts activities: Spatial reasoning skills Ability to perform abstract mental processes Patience, sustained attention, and self-control *Teaching children with special needs can be a challenge requiring patience and a positive attitude. Children with special needs may have oral, tactile, visual, and/or motor difficulties, and may have excess energy or shorter attention spans than other children. These children require more time and attention, but the difficulties they face can be overcome and concepts they need to learn can be mastered with repetition and lots of encouragement. Children with special needs can be introduced to the arts using many of the same activities that are used with children without disabilities. A child care provider's goal should be to build the child's self-confidence and foster a sense of achievement. Focus attention on the progression of ability, rather than the results or the child's disability. Creating an appreciation for art and encouraging children to be creative can be achieved by providing art materials, stoking children's interest, and encouraging experimentation. Make sure children have their own space and adequate materials. Provide a model, story, or other source of inspiration. Allow children the freedom to be expressive with their creation. *Tips for incorporating non-age-specific visual arts teaching into an integrated curriculum to foster inspiration include: Limiting the use of preprinted materials Providing art supplies for a variety of projects Limiting instructions to a demonstration of how to use the materials Organizing workspace to enhance creativity Providing smocks/old clothes for children to wear Allowing children to decide when their creation is complete Showing an interest in the artwork, and allowing children to tell you about it *Child care providers can influence a child's learning and thinking by asking effective questions. These questions should begin by eliciting recall of information. As the questions progress, they should require classifying, comparing, or evaluating information. Finally, they should necessitate application of new knowledge to existing information. Use effective questioning strategies when teaching visual arts to develop critical thinking skills, help children recall and process information, and take part in group discussions. Refrain from asking closed-ended questions that require only a yes or no *Children enjoy it when adults read to them. Child care providers can use books that are informative as well as entertaining to teach children about art. Developmentally appropriate art software involves children as young as 3 years old in imaginative play, mastery learning, problem resolution, and dialogue. Benefits of using technology to teach art include: Controlling the speed or action Being able to repeat a process or activity Trying different variations Taking part in decision making Sharing discoveries and creations *Child care providers have a responsibility to provide a safe environment in which children can learn and engage in activities. All safeguards should be followed to protect children from harm. Supplies and materials not in use should be kept out of the children's reach and locked up, if necessary. In order to maintain a safe environment, children should not be allowed to eat or drink during art activities and should wash their hands after doing any visual art activity. Be aware of children's allergies and/or health concerns, and check regularly for cuts or scrapes on children's hands and arms that might cause a reaction if exposed to an allergen.

Effective Written Communication

*Written communication can support and reinforce other forms of communication. It should include information that is relevant for the intended audience. Child care providers may need to communicate general information to the entire child care facility or more specific information to an individual, such as a parent or guardian, school administrator, or government official. Written communication that is distributed to the entire child care facility concerns a variety of general subjects, such as changes in policies or procedures, upcoming events, incentives to encourage appropriate child behavior, new laws affecting the child care facility, lunch menus, and staff meeting information. Child care providers often use written communication in the form of monthly newsletters, flyers, bulletins, and/or press releases to provide general information to the local community. Individual written communication intended for parents should be specific to the parents' interests. *Many organizations realize the value of distributing a newsletter as part of their written communication program. A newsletter's primary purposes should be to provide information, educate the reader, and promote the facility. A well-written newsletter can create interest and goodwill in the community. It is one of a child care center's best public relations tools, regarded by some parents as the most significant resource for information other than feedback from their children. Make a newsletter stand out by including links to interesting Web sites, adding colorful photos and images, anecdotes and related humorous stories, parenting advise, homework tips, or inspirational quotes. Include an activity parents can do with their child that reinforces what is taught in child care or an "Ask the Expert" column where parents can ask child-related questions. *Child care providers can communicate effectively through various methods. Community bulletins can be used to spotlight specific achievements of children and staff; announce school functions and fund-raising events; and publicly thank organizations for donating goods, money, or services. Form letters can inform parents of illness outbreaks and include symptoms and precautions that need to be observed. Activity schedules keep parents informed of daily events and should be located in a prime location. Providing parents with schedule change forms or drop-off/pick-up release forms to complete, helps parents or guardians communicate with the facility and should be maintained for written documentation of the schedule change or authorization to release the child to a specific person. Basic, concise forms of communication flyers, can be used to announce a hosted event for fund-raising or other purposes. Welcome letters are also used as tools to enhance communication with parents by introducing the director and staff and providing general information about the facility. Communicate effectively through limiting publication size to two double-sided pages, which increases the likelihood that it will be read in its entirety. Write in a clear and concise manner and allow special events to be posted on the publication. *Parent handbooks generally include topics like a welcome from the director, the facility's mission statement and operating schedule, contact information, policies and procedures, tuition information, meal programs, and authorization requirements. A parent questionnaire can be used to obtain feedback on program operation. Child care center staff use forms like the injury report, medication administration form, medication authorization form, behavior report, and the daily report to communicate important information to parents. Parents also communicate information and authorize child care staff to act on their behalf during emergencies by completing an emergency medical authorization form and an emergency release form. These forms should be updated and verified annually. handbooks generally include topics like a welcome from the director, the facility's mission statement and operating schedule, contact information, policies and procedures, tuition information, meal programs, and authorization requirements. A parent questionnaire can be used to obtain feedback on program operation. Child care center staff use forms like the injury report, medication administration form, medication authorization form, behavior report, and the daily report to communicate important information to parents. Parents also communicate information and authorize child care staff to act on their behalf during emergencies by completing an emergency medical authorization form and an emergency release form. These forms should be updated and verified annually. *Having the option of communicating with parents through electronic mail (e-mail) is convenient for both child care providers and parents or guardians because of conflicting schedules. E-mail messages, like all written communication, need to be written using common language and correct grammar. Communication should be proofread carefully before sending. Use the spell-check option to find misspellings, but also carefully read the message for other mistakes or omissions of words or punctuation. Your center's Web site should open with a main page that states the objectives of the facility and introduces the director and staff. A virtual bulletin board posts general information that affects the entire population, as well as listing volunteer opportunities and community events. Providing an online calendar of events allows parents to confirm exact dates and event information.

Managing Your Child Care Business

*Your credibility as a child care professional is established, in part, by the use of well thought out policies. Documenting your policies in a letter, brochure or handbook provides a starting place for discussions about the services you provide and your expectations of each parent. Review your policies at least once a year to make sure they reflect your current business practices. A clearly written contract, signed by the child care provider and parent or guardian, defines the responsibilities assumed by both parties. If changes must be made to a signed contract, the changes must be documented and signed by both the provider and parent or guardian to be enforceable. You may terminate your services with any parent unable or unwilling to follow established policies and/or honor their portion of a signed contract. *A budget is a fundamental planning tool that can provide guidance when developing your business's short- and long-term financial goals. Key elements of a budget include income and expenses: Income—Fees and tuition, funds from government agencies, and other funding sources Expenses—Direct and indirect business expenses, and capital expenditures As a child care professional and a business owner, it is important that you maintain accurate and current records. Organize your records into two general sections, children's information and business records that are subdivided into income, expenses, insurance, and tax information. Complete, accurate, and up-to-date records should be organized with your tax return in mind. *As your child care business grows, it may be necessary for you to hire additional help. Finding the right person to add to your team involves screening potential candidates for the characteristics, knowledge, and skills needed to be an excellent child care provider. Effective training will allow your child care team to develop and improve their skills, grow professionally, and maintain a high quality program. *Parents are looking for safe, nurturing, professional environments for their children. As a provider of quality care, it is important that you get your business name out where parents can see it. The first step in promoting your business is to select a name. Next, develop a logo to compliment the business name and to include on low-cost promotional materials such as business cards, flyers, door hangers, coupons, and letterheads. Make sure local agencies and associations that provide the names of licensed child care providers have your up-to-date contact and program information. Attending local professional association meetings and networking with other child care providers is another excellent opportunity to promote your business. Word-of-mouth is a tried and true marketing strategy! *Child care providers running a small business out of their home must address the risk of financial loss if found responsible for a child, child's parent, or employee being injured, or worse, killed. Consider the following options to address liability risks: Self-insure Purchase an endorsement or rider to extend the liability and medical coverage of your homeowner's insurance policy Purchase commercial liability and accident insurance *In most states, if you have full- or part-time employees, you are required to purchase workers' compensation insurance (WCI). If your state does not require WCI, consider purchasing it as a way to reduce your business risks. No matter what decision you make regarding insurance coverage, providing a safe environment for the children in your care and your employees is the best way to limit liability.

Emotional abuse

Rejection Isolation Degradation Exploitation/corruption Terrorism Denial of emotional responsiveness * Rejection and isolation are two more signs of sexual abuse in children *Rejection is the act of not acknowledging or recognizing the child * Abuse involving isolation can vary from extreme physical confinement of the child to limiting the child's freedom within his / her environment and or restricting normal contact with others

Two commonly accepted definition standards further define physical abuse as Harm- endangerment

Harm standard- actions are considered abuse only if they leave obvious of assault such as bruises or broken bones *Example: parent or caregiver who chokes a child and punches him/ her in the stomach leaving bruises and internal injuries *Endangerment standards High probability of injuries even if they do not leave visible signs *Example: parents or caregivers who force a child to bathe in cold water feed him/her only raw foods and force him/her to sleep in a locked closet with no blanket every Night

play it safe

Infants should only be allowed to play with toys while directly supervised. Appropriate toys for infants include large, soft, and lightweight balls; bright mobiles; toys to rattle; cloth books; stuffed animals; and activity boxes with sounds and music. *Early toddlers should also be directly supervised while playing with toys. Appropriate toys for toddlers include activity tables; plastic bowling sets; percussion instruments; large, lightweight balls; small doll strollers; squeeze toys; toys that are propelled by the child's feet, with no pedals; and low, open wagons. *Late toddlers can play with smaller, more complicated toys. Some of these toys include light wheelbarrows; play barrels; stringed pull toys; realistic ride-on toys, such as motorcycles and tractors; tricycles; simple musical instruments; rocking horses; spinning seats; and child-sized sleds. *Preschoolers are able to play with toys that are more physically challenging. These include hula hoops, bowling sets, roller skates, jump ropes, small tennis rackets, low-lying balance beams, pedal-driven toys, nonmotorized scooters, see-saws, soft baseballs and bats, tricycles, and wading pools. School-age children are capable of a wide variety of physical activities. At this developmental stage, they are able to use almost any toy. Recommended toys include basketballs, baseballs and bats, horseshoes (plastic or rubber), soccer balls, toy cars, kites, and bicycles.

The benefits of music education

Music is an art form and an educational tool that provides multiple benefits for children, including social, emotional, physical, and cognitive benefits. Social benefits of music include: Providing a means of communication Strengthening emotional bonds Encouraging participation and socialization Developing sharing skills and cooperative play * Music is often the first means of communication between very young children and their care providers. For example, parents and care providers often hum and sing to babies or play soft, soothing lullabies. Though children this young cannot speak, the soothing tones of their care provider's voice will enable them to associate music with a sense of well-being and comfort. Music, as a means of early communication, paves the way for developing meaningful relationships by strengthening emotional bonds through face-to-face interaction. *Music and musical activities such as singing, dancing, and playing instruments encourage group participation. Music can be an icebreaker for children who are uncomfortable in new situations and around unfamiliar faces. While these children may be reluctant to interact with their peers and care providers, they are usually agreeable to clapping and dancing to interesting and cheerful music when they see how much fun other children are having when they participate. *Young children learn best when their environment is both physically and socially pleasant; music can create such an atmosphere without adding unnecessary stress. Music can be used to teach new words and language skills through play, laying the foundation for socialization. As children become more comfortable with language, they are more likely to interact with others. They may discuss what they learned during musical activities, or ask peers or caregivers about the words to "Row, Row, Row Your Boat" or what materials are used to create handmade maracas. Involvement in musical activities encourages sharing and cooperative play as, for instance, children learn that they must take turns so that everyone has a chance to play and experience different types of instruments. They also learn that not everyone likes the same types of music and songs they like, and to allow other children to listen to what they find enjoyable. -When involved in activities such as making instruments, children communicate and cooperate with each other to reach common goals, like creating the loudest or most colorful drum. They learn to work together to solve problems that arise during the process. For example, children may share tasks. One child may add the musical element to the instrument—bells, beans, or rice—while the other child decorates it. This teamwork teaches children to interact with each other appropriately and build friendships through cooperative play. Music and musical activities provide emotional benefits for children, with self-expression and creativity being two of the most important. When children listen to music, they form opinions about what they like and what suits their current mood. They can express their moods and feelings through dance and other movement, or by singing. When they are excited, children tend to move spontaneously and quickly, and may jump around or sing loudly. When calm, they may gently sway from side to side, rock back and forth, or walk in slow, lazy circles. *Children may create their own versions of songs they hear or dances they see. It is important to remember that creativity is not always wholly original. For example, children may replace words in "Mary had a Little Lamb" with words that relate more to themselves and their environment, such as "Bobby went to summer camp," or may make up new dance moves for the Hokey Pokey, like "Put your left ear in, take your left ear out." Music provides additional emotional benefits, including: A feeling of security A sense of pride and accomplishment Increased self-esteem When children hear familiar songs and music, they are soothed and feel secure. They will often make an association between music and feelings of comfort and security. Children feel a sense of pride when they have learned something new, such as words to a song, new dance steps, or how to play an unfamiliar instrument. This new knowledge will foster feelings of accomplishment, thereby raising a child's self-esteem. Music can be used to communicate the entire range of emotions. Children who are unable to express themselves, often become frustrated or insecure. Children who can't find the right words to describe their anger, sadness, or happiness, may use music as an alternate outlet. -Such self-expression, though nonverbal, expands children's communication capabilities and encourages independence. Musical activities offer physical benefits for children, who can learn about their bodies and how they work while moving to music. They learn how to keep rhythm and improve reflexes, balance, and coordination by moving their bodies in different ways to different beats and tempos. *Movement stimulates physical development. Examples of developmental movement involving music include the rocking of an infant, a toddler's dancing, or older children playing percussion instruments. Other benefits that children receive through physical movements associated with music include fine and gross motor skill development and hand-eye coordination. Gross motor skills are enhanced through large muscle stimulation, such as jumping, twisting, hopping, and running. Fine motor skills can be refined through musical activities such as playing instruments or singing songs that involve hand movements, such as "Where is Thumbkin?" *Hand-eye coordination can also be improved through playing and making instruments, such as when a child strings bells onto a string or plays the different drums in a drum set. Cognitive benefits may be the largest group of benefits that music and musical activities provide. Studies have shown that music and singing are especially engaging ways to learn. -Using music to teach young children isn't a new concept. For generations, children have been learning the alphabet through hearing and singing the ABC song. Children learn about the world around themselves through television programs that include musical segments. Music stimulates and engages children in a nonthreatening manner. For example, singing introduces new vocabulary in a way that's easy for them to understand and follow. *Music has been proven to strengthen concentration and both short- and long-term memory through repetition and familiarization, leading to higher academic achievement. Studying music has also proven beneficial in achieving an understanding of reading and mathematical concepts. Such achievements build the child's self-esteem, encouraging a lifelong love of learning. *Experiences that very young children have with music help to develop language and reasoning skills. Studies indicate that musical training actually helps develop the left side of the brain, which processes language. Music study has also proven beneficial in training the brain to quickly and accurately organize and conduct multiple activities at one time. There are clear links between music and perception, specifically the ability to perceive the world accurately and form mental images, which is known as spatial intelligence. Spatial intelligence is critical to the types of thought necessary for performing tasks such as advanced mathematics, scientific thinking and activities, and gathering all the tools that will be necessary for a given task, such as packing for a trip. Research has shown that students who study music and other arts do better in academics, achieving higher grades and getting better test scores. Studying music helps children communicate, cooperate, and take risks, as well as widening children's perceptions about the world around them. An additional cognitive benefit of music is that it reinforces logic and perception concepts, such as beginning and ending, and cause and effect. *Music education develops and enhances many cognitive processes that enable children to transition from home to school, and other areas of the world around them; therefore, it is important to incorporate music into their day-to-day routines.

Strategies for promoting physical activity

Strategies that will assist in promoting interest in physical activity include: Providing positive feedback and encouragement Making the activity fun for the children Avoiding competition Offering a variety of activities to choose from Encouraging the children to use physical activity in their daily life Providing play areas with the necessary equipment Offering both indoor and outdoor activitie * Children involved in physical activity will continue if there is a structure in place for positive feedback. Encourage the children to keep playing and give praise to all children. Another way to promote physical activity is to make the activities fun. If the children are not enjoying themselves, they will become bored and want to stop. *Younger children respond better if activities are noncompetitive. This prevents a single child, or a group of children, from becoming the loser(s) of a game or activity. Make sure that everyone feels like a winner after participating in an activity. -Offer several different activities for the children. This will give them a choice and enhance participation. Before the activities begin, make sure that the play areas are properly equipped with all materials that are needed for each individual activity Model the activities for the children. Showing them instances where they could use the physical activity in daily life enhances the possibility of continuing the activity later in life. *Make sure that opportunities exist for physical activities, either indoors or outdoors. Be prepared for inclement weather by planning indoor activities ahead of time.

Physical

physical neglect accounts for the marjorty of neglect cases. Physical neglect refusal or major delay in acquiring needed Healthcare for a child abandonment inadequate supervision failure to provide for the child's safety and physical and emotional need Low self Esteem failure to thrive malnutrition and physical harm or injury due to lack of supervision are all effects of physical neglect

Types of abuse

physical, neglect, sexual, emotional

Print rich environment

print-rich environment for young children expands on their early literacy skills. The exposure that children gain from their surroundings enhances the awareness of print functions, purposes, and conventions, all necessary for beginning the process of learning to read. A print-rich environment is one where children are regularly exposed to many types of print. These can include everything from signs, cereal boxes, and labels to magnetic alphabet letters, coloring pages with letters or words, and books. Child care providers should use every opportunity to make connections between printed language and associated messages or meanings to help familiarize children with reading and writing. * Children gain an early understanding that reading and writing have a functional purpose because they live in a print-rich environment. For example, they see older children reading for pleasure and adults reading for knowledge (e.g., recipes, newspapers, and billboards that advertise). Several considerations must be made when creating print-rich environments for young children, including: Supplying appropriate materials and books for infants, toddlers, and preschoolers Ensuring the placement and organization of materials and books is adequate and appropriate Creating comfortable and organized reading center settings - Materials appropriate for infants include: Brightly-colored letter/number decorations Soft, comforting music Bright toys that encourage interaction High-contrast pictures/posters with labels, captions, and other types of print Toys with print (i.e., soft letter blocks) Books appropriate for infants include: Soft cloth, plastic, or vinyl books Board books Books with bright, appealing colors Rhythmic, rhyming books Textured books Books that make sounds *verbalized language at this age is the most beneficial action that can be taken. When providing materials to infants, interact with them in a comforting and reassuring manner to reinforce positive print experiences. * Many materials appropriate for infants are also appropriate for toddlers; however, toddlers can use more advanced materials and books, including: Puzzles Writing materials Pictures/posters with labels, captions, and other types of print Interesting pictures, signs, and posters with labels Toys with print *Books and other reading materials appropriate for toddlers include: Picture books (wordless) Nursery rhymes Predictable books Board books with flaps or windows Books with simple writing Newspapers and magazines *Preschoolers should be provided numerous experiences with reading and writing. In addition to many of the materials previously mentioned for infants and toddlers, materials for preschoolers may include: Alphabet sorting boxes Non-English materials to support primary languages Reading games Tape recorders Dramatic play props with print Computers equipped with age-appropriate software *Appropriate books for preschoolers include those with: Oversized print Traditional literature (e.g., folk tales, fables, myths, and legends) Number and letter concepts (e.g., counting and alphabet) Alliteration (e.g., Sally sells sea shells down by the seashore) Multiple characters and situations Interesting language and rhythm (e.g., poetry) Information about animals, plants, and people from different parts of the world *Children will be more likely to use materials and books as intended when they are easily accessible. It is the individual child care provider's decision as to how they display age-appropriate materials and books; however, there are general guidelines that should always be followed. Writing materials should be easily accessible and displayed prominently, kept on sturdy, low tables, and placed in various locations around the room. Books should also be displayed prominently and kept on sturdy, easy-to-reach shelves or in containers on the floor.

brain development

*One of the main factors that affect early brain development is environment. Infants have two environments: Biological Physical - biological environment affects an infant's developing brain through the quality of early nutrition, health care, and protection from dangerous drugs, viruses, and toxins. *The physical environment affects an infant's brain development by providing opportunities to safely explore, as well as hindrances that prompt the infant to learn. Relationships are an important part of an infant's physical environment. It is important that an infant's environment be nurturing and safe because early experiences can increase or lessen an infant's potential for development later in life. *As a child's brain grows, so do abilities. These abilities or skills develop in an orderly fashion according to the child's age. Child care providers should be familiar with the different stages of intellectual development and encourage the child to learn. These stages include: Birth to 1 year of age 1 to 2 years of age 2 to 3 years of age 3 to 4 years of age **Babies also learn at a young age that objects exist when they are not visible. If an item was hidden under a blanket, a newborn would be sure the item was gone; by 4 months of age, however, the infant will realize that the item still exists and will continue to look for it. *First Year By the end of the first year, children should be able to: Understand that their actions cause things to happen Rummage through cabinets and drawers Take objects out of trash cans Drop, throw, roll, and submerge objects to determine their use *Second Year By the end of the second year, children should be able to: Form mental images of things, actions, and concepts Solve simple problems in their head Understand the relationship between objects Recognize the purpose of numbers when counting *Third Year By the end of the third year, children should be able to question why things happen, reason (usually one-sided), and understand time. *Fourth Year By the end of the fourth year, children should be able to explore basic details, such as the day being divided, and ask universal questions like, Why does the sun shine? or Why is the sky blue? -From birth, children's minds are active. They want newness. Their sensory organs are waiting for events to occur from which they can learn. This early learning lays the groundwork for concept development, as well as memory, language, and emotional and social development. *It is not until late in the first year of life that their focus becomes specific to the language they hear at home. By 3 years of age, children can put words together to form simple sentences, mastering grammar rules, and learning new words at an incredible rate. By age 6, a child's vocabulary may include 10,000 words. This rapid language development early in life establishes a foundation for complex reasoning and communication as the child grows and progresses. *Development Mental achievement contributes to a child's emotional development. It reveals the underlying emotions that drive children to try and understand the world. For example, while shaking a rattle, an infant learns that he/she is causing the sound it makes, which in turn makes the infant happy. Everyday experiences, other people, constant mental activity, and natural abilities provide the avenues that children use to learn. ***child's social development is helped through mental achievements because learning occurs in a social environment. Children, including newborns, respond to social experiences. Their interest in social sights, sounds, and speech helps them to focus on understanding human words, facial expressions, vocal tones, and behavior. This helps children familiarize themselves with the people who care for them and provides the experiences from which they learn.

Special Care: Inclusion

*Past experiences often play a role in how child care providers feel about caring for children with disabilities or special needs. Many feel that these children will be too difficult to handle without proper training or experience. These feelings are normal, but they must be acknowledged and addressed because they may affect efforts to help children reach their full potential. Child care providers may have stereotypes and misperceptions about children with special needs. They might think these children cannot participate in the same activities as other children, or will be neglected or teased by their peers. It is the responsibility of the child care provider to get to know children to the extent that they are seen as being no different from one another. Accepting and appreciating children for who they are is the most important aspect of an inclusive child care environment. Establishing ongoing communication with parents through phone calls, newsletters, and meetings keeps communication flowing and helps dispel myths. Understanding personal feelings about disabilities and learning new ways to cope with those feelings enables child care providers to meet the needs of each and every child in their care. *Children experience four basic areas of development: physical, cognitive, communicative, and social/emotional. Child care providers must be knowledgeable about basic developmental milestones and potential indicators of issues with development. Visual impairment indicators may include red, itching, swollen, watery, or crossed eyes; squinting, rapid blinking; persistent tilting of the head, or rubbing the eyes; sensitivity to bright light; and disorientation. Children with fine motor impairments may have difficulty imitating facial expressions, blowing bubbles or whistling, grasping with thumb and forefinger, coloring, drawing, cutting with scissors, using building blocks, or feeding themselves. Children with gross motor impairments may have difficulty sitting without support after 12 months of age, standing on one foot, running, skipping, jumping, climbing, reaching, or throwing a ball. Indicators of possible cognitive impairments or intellectual disabilities may include difficulty processing or recalling information, difficulty transitioning, and inability to search for hidden objects or imitate facial expressions by 12 months of age. *Communication impairments fall into four basic categories: hearing, speech, language, and voice. Children with hearing impairments may watch others' mouths when they speak, have frequent ear infections, speak very little or not at all, or constantly misunderstand what others say. Children with speech disorders may stutter or experience pain while speaking. Children with language impairments may use only gestures after 24 months of age, have a very limited vocabulary, or have difficulty understanding or following directions. Children with voice impairments may speak too rapidly, slowly, softly, or loudly, or in an abnormally high-pitched, deep, nasally, gravelly, or breathy voice. Children with social and emotional impairments may play alone or alongside other children, but not with them; be excessively aggressive, withdrawn, or impulsive; fail to make and keep friends; have extreme outbursts of crying, yelling, and tantrums; or react inappropriately to everyday situations. Child care providers must be able to recognize these indicators of developmental delays, impairments, or disabilities to ensure that the needs of children are addressed so that each child is able to operate to the best of his/her ability. *Ensuring inclusion is essential. Children with impairments or disabilities must be exposed to the experiences that other children have. Inclusion enables these children to receive various community services in one location, and allows them to learn behaviors and skills from children with typical development. There are three requirements for creating an inclusive child care environment: ensuring that all children have access to all activities, ensuring that children with special needs interact with other children, and ensuring that children are situated as similarly as possible. *Most materials and toys can be adapted. To make toys easier to hold, add handles, grips, or cork stoppers. For children with visual impairments, use colorful toys, add texture cues to toys, and use tape, Velcro®, and suction cups to keep materials from slipping during activities. When working with children who have speech or language impairments, child care providers should listen attentively without interrupting, ask open-ended questions, use gestures to enhance instructions, and use the correct names for objects, places, and actions. *To help children with cognitive impairments, child care providers should keep directions simple, use gentle physical contact to direct a child's attention and behavior, and give children additional time to complete activities. To accommodate children with motor impairments, child care providers should position children so they are comfortable, arrange the facility so that children who use wheelchairs and walkers can get around, and provide opportunities for children to rest between activities. Approaches for children with hearing impairments include providing lighting conducive to lip-reading; teaching all children to face children with hearing impairments, get their attention before speaking, and use sign language; and letting children with hearing impairments know when they are speaking too softly or loudly.

Stages of Physical Growth and Development in Infants

*Physical development and growth of infants progresses rapidly and can occur at different rates for each child. Understanding physical development enables child care providers to offer activities that promote early learning, which will serve as the basis for later learning. Physical development focuses on two significant areas: gross and fine motor skills. Gross motor muscles control the legs, arms, back, and shoulders. These muscles are used to help the infant sit, walk, crawl, climb, and run. Fine motor muscles control the hand and fingers and are used to help infants grasp and hold, cut, draw, button, and write. As infants develop, muscle skills improve, and infants of different ages perform different tasks. At birth, infants have physical abilities called reflexes. Some of these reflexes are needed for survival, while others last for a few months and disappear. These reflexes include rooting and sucking, Moro/startle, grasping, tonic neck, and stepping and walking. *infants 1 to 3 months of age should be able to lift the head and chest when lying on the stomach, wiggle and kick legs and arms, roll from back to front, slap at objects, follow moving objects with their eyes, bring objects to their mouth, play with their hands, grasp a rattle, and open and close their hands. Infants 4 to 7 months of age should be able to stand with help, pull up to a sitting position, roll in both directions, bounce up and down when standing, sit with support, arch the back and rock while on the stomach, wiggle forward on the floor, push up with the arms, reach for and grasp objects, hold a bottle, shake a rattle, mouth and bang toys, transfer objects from one hand to the other, turn objects for examination, and pick up objects. Infants 8 to 12 months of age should be able to sit unsupported, stand when leaning on another object, climb, walk with help, rock on all fours, help dress themselves, knock two blocks together, poke or point fingers, feed themselves chopped foods, and place and remove blocks from a container. Infants 12 to 18 months of age can throw and kick a ball, dance and bounce to music, climb stairs, run, stand on tiptoes, grip a crayon, scribble, empty a container, build a four-block tower, use hand gestures, and walk forward, backward, and in circles. *Infant development is not only measured by skills and abilities, but also by growth. An infant's growth is measured in terms of height and weight. Infant height and weight averages are grouped into percentiles. These percentiles were determined by measuring a large number of infants, then grouping their heights and weights into growth charts. Growth charts are grids used to compare a child's height and weight to other children of the same age, and indicate growth patterns. Growth charts are beneficial because they can indicate growth problems. *Play is how infants learn and understand their environment. Child care providers can encourage infants to develop and learn through age-appropriate activities and toys. Age-appropriate activities for infants newborn to 18 months of age include making facial gestures, tummy time, playing music, talking, singing, clapping the infant's hands and moving the legs, hide-and-seek, peek-a-boo, crawling, reading, climbing, bouncing a ball, chase, dressing and undressing, and pretend play. Toys that may help infants learn and develop include rattles, mobiles, musical toys, busy boxes, see-through toys that show motion, board books, blocks, balls, toy telephones, transportation toys, peg boards, toy vacuums, shape sorters, and puzzles. *Child care providers should be familiar with developmental milestones and be able to recognize the risk factors and indicators of developmental delay. Each child develops at his/her own rate; however, missing milestones may be cause for concern. Developmental delay risk factors include being born to teen mothers or mothers over 40, inadequate nutrition, chronic poverty, non-stimulating home environment, child abuse or neglect, premature birth, and exposure to lead-based paint. *Recognizing the signs and symptoms of developmental and growth delays is only part of a child care provider's responsibility; there may be times when it is necessary to raise concerns about a child's development with the child's parents. This can be an uncomfortable topic to broach, and knowing how to approach parents will help ease anxiety. Guidelines to follow when sharing concerns with parents include: Setting the stage for a good conversation Beginning with observations, questions, and concerns Being sympathetic, not judgmental Concentrating on milestones Referring parents to other resources, if necessary Stressing the importance of early identification Being assured that sharing the concern is the right thing to do When discussing a child's development with a parent, do not dismiss a parent's concerns, compare one child to another, "label" the child, or be negative.

Using Portfolios in Early Childhood Programs

*Portfolios are examples of children's work collected over a period of time. Portfolios can document mastery of skills, showcase interests, or track breakthroughs in understanding. They are extremely useful in parent-teacher conferences and end-of-year reports. Portfolios allow children to evaluate their own work. After viewing their portfolios, they can see how much progress has been made in mastering different skills. Teachers can view portfolio work, evaluate performance, and see how children think, question, and analyze. The four most common types of portfolios are: Evaluation Progress Showcase Archive Portfolios used in early childhood education can be divided into two categories: Process-oriented Product-oriented Process-oriented portfolios show children's growth and document learning, while product-oriented portfolios showcase children's best efforts. *Teachers, parents, and children decide what items are placed in portfolios. Items, called artifacts, vary according to portfolio purpose. Artifact selection is based on: Developmental level and age of the child Ease of collection of the artifact Information the artifact provides Accomplishments of the child Artifacts selected should show typical work performed, new skills taught, and objectives met. Artifact selection depends on teacher requirements and portfolio purpose. In order for portfolios to be effective, various types of work must be collected that show children's unique abilities. Traditional paper-based portfolios require a lot of storage room. Electronic portfolios do not require physical classroom storage space and therefore allow children to save more of their work. *Children benefit from portfolio use as they evaluate their own work and see their strengths and weaknesses. When they compare work done recently with work done in the past, they can take pride in their accomplishments. Portfolios provide teachers with an ongoing record of children's development over time. They also complement the hands-on approach to learning. Teachers need training in portfolio purpose, format, and procedures. They must learn how to document observed behaviors, create anecdotal records, and use checklists and rating scales. *Formal assessments measure what students know, while performance assessments measure what students can do. Portfolio assessment is based on performance, reflecting children's application of what they have learned. Standardized testing has had a negative impact on curriculum because it forces teachers to use teaching strategies that focus on memorizing basic information rather than leading to true understanding of the material. To be effective, assessments must be valid and take children's development levels into consideration. Assessment observations must be repeatable, and a variety of evaluation methods from various sources should be used. Children's progress must be based on individual standards. Steps for planning and implementing effective assessment portfolios for young children include: Determining the philosophy of the program Establishing program goals and performance objectives Planning and implementing strategies for data collection Creating a planning profile for each child Evaluating portfolios Sharing portfolios and planning profiles with parents Reviewing and updating planning profiles

Working and Communicating with Families

*The provider-parent relationship is important; effective communication between child care providers and parents is vital. Communicating with parents about comprehensive child care programs—including child development, nutrition, health, and family services—strengthens and supports the family. Sending home daily newsletters, e-mails, and notes keeps parents informed about classroom activities. Include suggestions for things parents can do at home to reinforce what their child learns each day. Communicate your message to parents regularly, and ask them about their concerns. *One of a child care provider's most important responsibilities is conducting conferences. Reasons for conferences include: Child-related issues Parent-related issues Sensitive issues Children often spend a large amount of time in child care facilities, and a child care provider may be the first person to observe signs that a child has special needs. Before approaching a child's parents, child care providers should document observations over several occurrences. Record the date, time, and exact events that were observed. Write down the names of any other adults or children who were present. Preparing and providing documentation helps child care providers remember important facts, and helps parents understand and accept such reports. In situations where a child's safety is concerned, as in a custody battle, photos may be kept on file of all individuals who are authorized to pick up the child. A password may also be implemented. The child care provider should verify the identification and check the photo and password in the file before releasing the child to an individual. Call the parent or guardian immediately if an unauthorized person tries to pick up a child. Consult state laws regarding custody and biological parents. The custodial parent should provide legal documentation if a judge forbids a noncustodial parent to pick up a child. *Talking with parents about abuse is never easy. Remember that abuse happens in the best of families, regardless of race, gender, income, or education level. Anyone can report abuse, but a child care provider is required by law to report it. When meeting with the parents, select a quiet, comfortable place where you can conduct a meeting without interruption. Begin the meeting by thanking the parents for coming. Explain that you will be asking personal questions and tell them how the information will be used. Reassure them that the information they share is private and will not be shared with others. Allow ample time for parents to express their concerns and ask questions about anything they don't understand. Make a point to actively listen to what is being shared. To encourage parents to share information and ideas, ask open-ended questions like "What do you think about this?" or, "Would you share how you feel about that?" Listen patiently, keep an open mind, and give them time to explain things in their own words. At the conclusion of the meeting, present a plan of action. Explain what you hope to achieve and how the parents can help reach those goals. *Every child care facility is required to maintain up-to-date emergency information for each child. Maintain copies of these documents in a portable file in the event of an emergency evacuation. These forms should be checked for accuracy at least once per year, and parents should notify you of any changes. The emergency information card designates people that should be contacted in case of emergency and contains: The child's full name and birthdate Name and phone number of child's physician Parent/guardian's name, address, and phone number The names of individuals authorized to pick up the child It must be kept current because child care providers rely on this information to determine if a child should be released to a particular individual. Emergency plans should provide specific instructions for procedures to follow when serious illness/injury, lost or missing children, abuse or neglect cases, and natural disasters occur. Post contact numbers for emergency organizations (i.e., fire, police, ambulance, hospital, and poison control center) near the phone in a clearly visible place. Once the children are safe following an emergency situation, child care providers should notify parents or guardians. Child care providers should provide parents with the location of their children in the event of an evacuation.

Stages of Physical Growth and Development in Toddlers

*The toddler stage is a time of great physical change for children. Toddlers are learning to control the use of their large and small muscles in order to run, climb, draw, and explore the world around them. The most obvious physical development of a toddler is motor skills. Gross motor skills control a child's mobility and can use either the whole body or several parts of the body in combination. Activities such as crawling, walking, running, and jumping demonstrate gross motor skills. Fine motor skills include the body's smaller, intricate movements and usually refer to a child's ability to use his/her hands properly. Activities such as holding items, drawing, and buttoning clothes demonstrate fine motor skills. As the toddler ages, skill ability increases, and toddlers of different ages are able to perform different tasks, such as squatting, walking, pulling off clothes for children 18 months of age; standing on tiptoes, kicking, digging, drinking from a straw for children 24 months of age; and turning somersaults, cutting with scissors, throwing overhanded, and riding a tricycle for children 36 months of age. *A child care provider should be familiar with developmental milestones and be able to recognize signs and symptoms of physical development delays. Developmental checklists are often used to monitor how a child is progressing. It is important to remember that a child may not be able to perform all the skills by the milestone age, but if a child is unable to do many of the skills, there may be a need to more closely observe the child. By 18 months of age, a child should be able to walk without help, run awkwardly, turn pages in a book, scribble with a crayon, and pull off socks and hat. A 24-month-old should be able to climb stairs with help, step backwards, build a tower of 3 to 4 blocks, string up to four large beads, hold a crayon with straight fingers, draw horizontal and vertical lines, use a spoon, drink from a straw, and get dressed with help. By 36 months of age, a child should be able to jump in place, kick a ball, ride a tricycle, stand on one foot, swing, build a tower of nine blocks, cut with scissors, hold a crayon with bent fingers, draw shapes, and use a spoon and fork. In addition to observing the development of the gross and fine motor skills, child care providers can also look for growth and physical development delays by observing other physical characteristics and general skills, such as muscle tone, strength, movement quality, motion range, motor strategies, visual skills, and grapho-motor skills. *Child care providers must be on the lookout for growth issues like malnutrition and childhood obesity. Signs of malnutrition include: Inflamed, swollen eyelids Dull, glazed eyes Red, cracked lips Sores in the corners of and inside the mouth Swollen thyroid gland White, patchy fungus on the tongue Muscle loss Dull, yellow complexion Hair loss Tooth decay, pitting, or stains Red, swollen gums Listlessness Warning signs for the development of childhood obesity include: Not getting enough exercise Excessive snacking Unhealthy diet Poor family attitudes toward food and exercise Genetics or a family history of obesity *Recognizing the signs and symptoms of developmental and growth delays is only part of a child care provider's responsibility; there may be times when it is necessary to raise concerns about a child's development with the child's parents. This can be an uncomfortable topic to broach, and knowing how to approach parents will help ease anxiety. Guidelines to follow when sharing concerns with parents include: Setting the stage for a good conversation Beginning with observations, questions, and concerns Being sympathetic, not judgmental Concentrating on milestones Referring parents to other resources, if necessary Stressing the importance of early identification Being assured that sharing the concern is the right thing to do When discussing a child's development with a parent, do not dismiss a parent's concerns, compare one child to another, "label" the child, or be negative.

Stages of Cognitive Development in Toddlers

*The toddler stage is very important in a child's life. It is the time when a child's cognitive development is very apparent. Cognitive development is the process of learning to think, reason, and solve problems. Cognitive development is different for each child; however, there is a pattern of development that toddlers follow as they age. Toddlers 18 to 24 months old should be able to point to wanted objects and name body parts, imitate animal sounds, use objects correctly, hold a pencil and scribble, complete a three-piece puzzle, and be active, but only be able to focus for short periods of time. They should be able to name familiar people and objects, form two-word sentences, use the pronouns me and mine, say the word "no," repeat words spoken by others, talk and chatter to self, hum or vocalize a tune, and say "please" and "thank you," if prompted. Toddlers of this age often favor a particular toy and struggle with what is real and what is imaginary. *Developing cognitive skills prepares children for school and life and equips them to become successful learners. Child care providers can help toddlers develop cognitively by sharing the toddlers' curiosity, showing interest in their work and ideas, and encouraging them to try new things and to ask questions. Child care providers can also aid development by providing age-appropriate activities and toys. Age-appropriate activities for 18- to 24-month-old toddlers include rolling a ball to catch, looking in safe mirrors and discussing reflections, making comparisons of items, looking at picture books and discussing pictures, introducing cause-and-effect concepts, playing dress-up, and playing hide-and-seek. Toys for this age group include shape sorters, large snap-and-lock beads, beads to string, nesting cups, riding toys without pedals, large crayons, animal pictures, three- and four-piece puzzles, books, and musical instruments. *Age-appropriate activities for 2-year-old toddlers include singing simple songs, acting out songs with movements, teaching them finger plays, telling them short stories about themselves or other toddlers, providing things for them to take apart and put back together, naming things in a picture book, giving them simple instructions to follow, and establishing routines. Toys for this age group include large blocks, pegboards, toy telephones, riding toys, water and sand toys, bubbles, large and small balls, dolls and accessories, nursery rhyme tapes and books, crayons and blunt scissors, stuffed and wooden animals, shape sorters, and three- or four-piece puzzles. Age-appropriate activities for 3-year-old toddlers include telling and reading stories, listening to CDs, throwing and catching balls, helping with simple task, participating in pretend play, imitating sound and movements, and drawing and coloring pictures. Toys for this age group include nesting toys, stacking cups, three- to six-piece puzzles, matching games, puppets, tables and chairs, play dough, art supplies, wheeled toys, slide, and a wagon. *Milestones are skills and abilities gained as a child learns and grows. These skills are gained in a sequence and build on one another. Children reach milestones at different rates; however, missed milestones can indicate developmental delays. Child care providers should be aware of indicators of potential delays during development. Indicators of cognitive delay for 18- to 24-month-old toddlers include the inability to use hands and words to express thoughts, say and comprehend five to ten words, recognize people and identify body parts when named, engage in uncomplicated pretend play, follow one-step directions, laugh at silly actions, or solve problems by repeating an action until the desired result is reached. Indicators of cognitive delay for 2-year-old toddlers include the inability to take items apart and put them back together, explore surroundings, multitask while pretend playing, exhibit the desire to play with other children, search for hidden items, or form sensible two-word sentences. *Indicators of cognitive delay for 3-year-old toddlers include the inability to include different people in pretend play, provide "speech" for dolls/toys, exhibit the desire to play with other children, answer who, what, and where questions, understand and perform easy instructions, or focus attention up to three minutes at a time. Attentiveness to the indicators of a potential delay can lead to early diagnosis, which is key for early intervention. Early intervention is important because it allows children to receive necessary help so that they learn skills in the appropriate order and can continue to advance their development in other areas. Early intervention can influence self-confidence; without the proper support, children with delays may shy away from peers, teachers, and various school activities. *Recognizing the signs and symptoms of developmental and growth delays is only part of a child care provider's responsibility; there may be times when it is necessary to raise concerns about a child's development with the child's parents. This can be an uncomfortable topic to broach, and knowing how to approach parents will help ease anxiety. Guidelines to follow when sharing concerns with parents include: Setting the stage for a good conversation Beginning with observations, questions, and concerns Being sympathetic, not judgmental Concentrating on milestones Referring parents to other resources, if necessary Stressing the importance of early identification Being assured that sharing the concern is the right thing to do When discussing a child's development with a parent, do not dismiss a parent's concerns, compare one child to another, "label" the child, or be negative.

Stages of Cognitive Development in Infants

*This lesson discussed cognitive development skills of infants from birth to eighteen months. It discussed encouraging cognitive development skills of infants through activities and play, and stressed the importance of recognizing and communicating developmental delays with families. Cognitive development involves mental and intellectual growth, which occurs as a result of successive experiences that help build mental processes such as reasoning, memory, and problem solving. To encourage brain development, interact physically with infants using tender touch. Describe things around them using voice inflection and facial expression, play interactive games like pat-a-cake or peek-a-boo, hold them while looking at books, supply developmentally age-appropriate toys, provide a safe environment that promotes exploration and security; and allow infants to discover new sensations by introducing new textures, sounds, and smells. *Although each child develops at his/her own pace, cognitive development skills of newborns should include responding to voices and other auditory stimuli, displaying signs of excitement, visually investigating surroundings, and reacting to what they see. Cognitive development skills of 1- to 3-month-olds include recognizing faces, focusing on and following objects, responding with facial expressions, recognizing high-contrast and colorful items, remaining alert about 10 percent of the time, developing associations between actions and responses, discovering their hands and feet, and establishing memories. Cognitive development skills of 4- to 7-month-olds include using different cries for different needs, discriminating between known and unknown faces, smiling and responding to images in the mirror, using one hand to grab items, exploring items by placing them in their mouths, pushing away disliked actions, concentrating on one toy at a time, showing preference for items, knowing their name, and looking for dropped items. *Cognitive development skills of 8- to 12-month-olds include imitating actions of others; responding when called; imitating different sounds; going around, under, or over objects; naming objects or people; holding a crayon and scribbling; following simple directions; retrieving hidden objects; and stacking or assembling objects. Cognitive development skills of 12- to 17-month-olds include walking by themselves, standing up without help, turning pages of a rigid book, identifying a toy or body part, saying two or more words, using gestures to communicate, imitating interactive social games, answering to their own name, imitating the actions of others, placing small items in containers, attempting to imitate scribbles, exploring objects, and sorting objects by color, shape, and size. *The elements of cognitive development are displayed in the way that children play, communicate, interact, and understand their surroundings. Some activities to encourage cognitive development in infants include talking to them about their surroundings and your actions, hanging visually stimulating mobiles, shaking rattles, responding to noises an infant makes, filling and emptying containers, looking at and reading books aloud; singing action songs with simple movements, playing interactive games, stacking blocks, taking things apart and reassembling them, and drawing with crayons, chalk, and finger paint. Toys that encourage cognitive development in infants include rattles; musical toys; colorful mobiles; brightly colored, easy to grasp toys with no small parts; cloth books; brightly colored rings; safety mirrors; toys that make different noises; board books with simple bright pictures; activity toys; large toys that serve as containers for smaller toys with large parts that can be assembled and disassembled; plastic measuring cups, bowls, and spoons; push and pull toys; soft, washable dolls and stuffed animals; riding toys; and puzzles. *Developmental milestones are skills and abilities gained as a child learns and grows. Milestones happen in a sequence, and one skill often builds on another. For instance, a child often learns to crawl and pull up to standing position before walking. A developmental delay could be indicated for a 1- to 3-month-old if he/she does not turn his/her head toward brightly colored items, turn his/her head towards voices, recognize a bottle or breast, respond to a rattle or bell, pay attention to a face in his/her direct line of vision, or follow objects with his/her eyes. A 4- to 7-month-old may indicate a developmental delay if he/she does not open his/her mouth for food, imitate actions, watch his/her hands and feet, reach for objects, smile at familiar faces, smile when playing, look at objects, shake items or place them in his/her mouth. *Developmental delays for an 8- to 12-month old might be suspected if he/she does not crawl, stand when supported, search for objects he/she sees being hidden, say words such as mama and dada, use gestures, or point at objects and pictures. A developmental delay could be indicated for a 12- to 17-month-old if he/she does not walk, imitate actions and words, point, use gestures and words to get his/her needs met, use and understand ten words, recognize names, recognize body parts, engage in pretend play, and exchange smiles, sounds, and gestures. *Recognizing the signs and symptoms of developmental and growth delays is only part of a child care provider's responsibility; there may be times when it is necessary to raise concerns about a child's development with the child's parents. This can be an uncomfortable topic to broach, and knowing how to approach parents will help ease anxiety. Guidelines to follow when sharing concerns with parents include: Setting the stage for a good conversation Beginning with observations, questions, and concerns Being sympathetic, not judgmental Concentrating on milestones Referring parents to other resources, if necessary Stressing the importance of early identification Being assured that sharing the concern is the right thing to do When discussing a child's development with a parent, do not dismiss a parent's concerns, compare one child to another, "label" the child, or be negative.

Teaching Tolerance

*Tolerance is respect for, and acceptance of, people's differences. Prejudice occurs when a person assumes something based on differences without getting all the facts. Opinions based on these assumptions lead to unfair treatment and hurt feelings. Diversity refers to an assortment of people. A diverse population includes people of various races, religions, cultures, and opinions. Respecting diversity means accepting all people, not all behaviors. Harmful behavior should never be tolerated. *Children begin to establish prejudices at a very young age. For this reason, it is extremely important to teach them tolerance as early as possible. Children should be taught to value their own uniqueness while embracing diversity and the qualities of others. Children should be made to feel comfortable around people who are different. Adults must be tolerant of others in order to teach tolerance to children. Adults should be open to differences and evaluate their own stereotypes and misconceptions. Children are extremely observant and will adopt the attitudes of adults close to them. Children should be monitored closely to ensure they are not excluding other children based on biases and are not victims of prejudice. Persuade children to learn about other people and to play with children who are different. *Parents and the media are important influences on a child's life. Encourage parents to be active in educating their children about diversity and tolerance. When children witness prejudice in the media, address the issue quickly and directly. Teaching tolerance can be challenging. It requires that people examine their own beliefs and ideas for biases and prejudice. Open discussion of intolerance issues can be painful. However, self-examination and open communication are necessary for eliminating negative stereotypes and exclusionary behavior. Tolerance and respect for other people promotes achievement in school and life. Success often depends on an individual's flexibility and ability to work well with others.

Music activities

A good alternative to store-bought musical instruments is to have the children make their own out of common household items. Some instruments that can be created include: Drums and drumsticks Bell bands Kazoos Maracas After the children have created instruments, have them form a makeshift marching band, and let them show off their newly created instruments. Another activity to try is to allow the children to form a rock band. In this band, the children will change the words to songs they already know. When the children are done with the song, allow them to perform the song for the other children. Another great activity for young children is the creation of their very own opera. This will give the children the opportunity to sing, dance, play music, and, most importantly, to exercise their creativity. Explain to the children that an opera is a story told through song, and ask them to sing and act out a situation that would be common in their lives, such as taking a bath, caring for a pet, or playing with a friend. . Try playing sounds from a farm, a river, or a city. Have the children close their eyes and see if they can identify where the sounds are from, and what is making the sounds. Another approach to this activity is to take the children to these places and have them attempt to identify sounds that they hear. Child care providers may also share books or use the Internet to discover and discuss musical instruments, stories, and music from other cultures.

Appropriate development is dependent on activity levels. The National Association for Sport and Physical Education (NASPE) has published age-appropriate activity recommendations. These recommendations are broken down by age group: Infants-birth to 1 year of age Toddlers-1 to 3 years of age Preschoolers-3 to 5 years of age School-age-5 to 8 years of age

According to the NASPE, infants should interact in a safe environment with parents/child care providers in daily age-appropriate activities specifically designed to promote exploration of their environment and establish the foundation for healthy physical activity habits. The NASPE suggests that children between the ages of 1 and 4 years of age should have, at a minimum, 30 minutes of structured physical activity and at least 60 minutes of unstructured physical activity daily. Except when sleeping, toddlers should not be sedentary for more than 60 minutes at a time. Preschoolers require more physical activity than infants and toddlers. They require no less than 60 minutes of structured physical activity per day, and a minimum of 60 minutes for unstructured physical activity

reporting child abuse and neglect

Always contact a consultant first when there is suspected abuse *child abuse steps Reassure React calmly Do not force the child to talk Do not force the child to show injuries Do not teach new words or terms * Ask appropriate questions That looks like ir hurts what happened(OK to say) Do not say did you get that bruise cause someone hit you DO NOT ASK WHY Find out what the child is expecting Be honest Assure the child Be supportive Safety first * Child safety is most Important get help immediately if there is any reason to believe a child is in danger

sexual abuse of children

Approximately 1in4 girls and 1in6 boys will be sexually abused before they turn 18 Forms of sexual abuse Forced or unforced vaginal or anal intercourse Having the child perform sex or touch the abusers genitals Having the child look at pornographic activity movies , photos Having the child pose remove clothing and or perform in sexually ways Spying on a child for sexual gratification

Signs if emotionally abusive parents and caregivers

Blames belittles or berates the child constantly Show little or no concern dor the child and refuses offers of help for problems the child may have Openly reject the child

Risks from being inactive

Children today do not get enough physical activity. Unfortunately, a side effect of this fact is that one child in five is overweight. A generation ago, this statistic was half that number. A pattern of physical inactivity can begin early in life, leading to numerous health issues that can span a lifetime. *Lack of physical activity puts children at risk for the following: Childhood obesity High cholesterol Type 2 diabetes Premature physical development Asthma Sleep apnea Gallstones Low self-esteem Depression

signs of emotional abuse

Inappropriate adult and or infantile behavior such as parenting other children Frequent rocking or head banging Delays in physical and or emotional development Lack of attachment to his /her parents

Substance abuse

Is a major risk factor for child abuse researchers indicates that children of parents who abuse alcohol or drugs are nearly 3 times more likely to be physically abused And four times more likely to be neglected than children raised in homes where no substance abuse occurs * children's actions and individual characteristics have been associated with increased risk of abuse. Stressed parents may find it difficult or impossible to cope with behaviors associated with a child's age and / or development * risk of abuse is almosted twice is high for children with disabilities or chronic illness, due to the long term stress and possible burnout experienced by parents and caregivers caring for them

Letter recognition

Letter recognition, also called alphabetic knowledge, is the ability to name the letters of the alphabet and identify them based on shape. Learning about letters of the alphabet allows children to form a connection between letters in words and sounds detected in their pronunciations, and to store such associations in memory for later use. Letter recognition can be encouraged through many different techniques, including teaching the ABC song, familiarizing young children with the letters in their names, identifying words and letters consistently in everyday situations, and providing magnetic letters during play.

Print awareness

Literacy Knowledge- Print awareness is an integral component of learning to read and write. Children with print awareness know that print is used for many different purposes, and understand that words they hear and speak are related to print. Print awareness encompasses several sub-areas of growing development, including print values, purposes, and conventions. When children become aware of print value, they recognize that print is a functional tool used to convey many different types of messages (i.e., stories, precautions, or information) and realize the relationship of speech to print. They also understand common print conventions, including: Print, not pictures, relates the message Printed materials are read front to back, left to right, and top to bottom Letters are grouped to form words, and words are separated by spaces *

early literacy

Many reading techniques enhance emergent literacy for young children. The most common techniques include: Ensuring that reading areas are comfortable and inviting Ensuring that children can see books being read from wherever they are positioned Reading a variety of printed materials Reading favorite books often so children can become familiar with them and predict what comes next Using sound effects and varied voice inflections for different characters Making exaggerated gestures and facial expressions for excitement and emphasis

Medical neglect

Medical neglect occurs when appropriate Healthcare is not provided

Degradation

Name calling Ridiculing Insulating Intimidating Condescending comments

Basic Elements of Music and Instruments

Musical instruments are categorized into families by the way they make sounds. There are four families of instruments: Woodwind Brass Strings Percussion Woodwind instruments make their music by a reed vibrating, as air passes over it. Different air pressure changes the notes. The woodwind family includes: Oboe Clarinet Bassoon Saxophone Brass instruments make their noises from the vibration of the player's lips as they blow into the instrument and the force of the air being blown into it. These instruments are generally louder than woodwinds and string instruments. Some common brass instruments are: Trumpet Tuba Trombone French horn String instruments are wood instruments that make their music by the vibration of the strings. The vibration of the strings is made by either plucking the strings or dragging a bow back and forth over the strings to create a steady tone. String instruments include: Violin Guitar Bass Cello Percussion instruments make their tones by impacting an object against another object. Drums, the most common percussion instrument, are made from a barrel of wood covered on one end by a tightly stretched membrane. When a drumstick is tapped on the membrane, it makes a musical note. Other percussion instruments include: Rhythm sticks Cowbell Tambourine Cymbals When listening to music, young children's responses are often demonstrated through movement, as they bounce or sway to the music they hear. As children age, they develop the cognitive ability to understand the concepts of simple music elements, including: *Dynamics—the loudness or softness of a sound Duration—the length of a tone, how long or short Tempo—the speed of a song, how fast or slow Pitch—the level of a tone, how high or low It is important for child care providers to encourage children to talk about music and its elements in context. This strategy helps children form connections between the element's concept and the appropriate musical term.

What happenes after a report is filed

Once a report is filed it goes through many steps: through report filed must support the legal definitions of child abuse If the report contains substantial information an investigation will be conducted * the investigation will determine weather or not protective services are needed

Letter sound associated

Once children have mastered letter recognition, they begin to correlate letters to the sounds they represent. This is known as letter-sound association. Learning that verbalized words contain sounds, and that letters of the alphabet represent those sounds, provides a base knowledge necessary for children to achieve word recognition as they continue down the path of early literacy.

phonological awareness

Phonological awareness involves understanding that language is composed of a sequence of sounds, along with the ability to hear and manipulate those sounds. Being skilled in this area is critical for obtaining the ability to read. Phonemic awareness, the specific ability to identify and manipulate the individual sounds (phonemes) in spoken words, is part of phonological awareness. The level of phonemic awareness is one of the best predictors of a child's success in learning to read. When young children do not possess the ability to read or write, phonological awareness is often noted through rhyming and through the use of alliteration (e.g., Hey diddle-diddle, the cat and the fiddle, and Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers). Additional phonological awareness abilities become apparent in older children when they acquire the ability to divide sentences into words and words into syllables.

physical activity

Physical activity strengthens the heart and improves the delivery of oxygen to the body, as well as diminishing the risk of health problems later in life, such as coronary heart disease, hypertension, colon cancer, and diabetes. Physical activity habits established in childhood contribute to healthy habits in adulthood. *Organized sports require children to play in teams, which enhances social development. Team participation allows more opportunities for socialization, which builds teamwork and promotes the ability to compromise - In addition to health and social benefits, physical activity also provides psychological benefits. Children who are physically active for the recommended lengths of time experience a reduction in stress and anxiety and an increase in self-esteem and self-confidence.

Motor skills/ transitional skills

The rate of motor skill mastery varies from child to child, but consists of running, galloping, jumping, hopping, skipping, throwing, catching, striking, and kicking. Physical activity plays an important role in this mastery. Motor skills are developed through play, but transitional skills are fundamental skills in various combinations. Entry-level team sports require transitional motor skills.

When should you report abuse

Those mandated to report child abuse should file a report as soon as they are aware of an abuse situation or have reason to believe a child is being abused or has been abused at anytime

exploitation

Using a child for one's own advantage or profit by encouraging behavior that opposes legal standards and or crosses personal boundaries

Motivating Children to Learn

Tips and techniques child care providers can use to motivate children to learn include: Persisting Making learning exciting and enjoyable Encouraging asking questions Creating strong relationships Being enthusiastic, warm, and accepting Being eager for the child to learn Allowing ample time for children to explore and be creative during activities Using games to stimulate interest Providing positive feedback Encouraging teamwork *Motivating techniques can also be used for specific educational subjects. For example, introduce social studies when reading a story or article. Discuss it with the children to make it come alive. Have them imagine what life would have been like for a historical character, or for the children, if they lived in another place or time. Also use current TV, newspaper, and magazine articles whenever possible, and relate what you are reading to real life -Motivational strategies to use with children to encourage reading include: Choosing the right book, and sometimes letting a child choose Looking at pictures in a book, as well as words Explaining new words Running your finger under the words while reading aloud to illustrate that letters carry the story Using funny voices and animal sounds when reading aloud Having the child reiterate repetitive phrases Relating events in the story to real life Continuing to read aloud after a child learns to read Listening to a child read out loud Praising a child for reading accomplishments *Strategies for developing spelling skills while maintaining motivation include: Fostering listening and speaking skills Writing letters and tracing words with the children Letting children paint words with their fingers Having children write words without assistance Clustering similar words for children to spell Pronouncing words and decoding messages Playing word games Letting children write stories *Strategies for enhancing math skills while maintaining motivation include: Making sure children can write numerals correctly Playing number games Letting children keep score when playing games Counting forward and backward Grouping objects to count, add, and subtract

Music center

To physically define a music center's location in a classroom, a child care provider may use tall bookshelves, portable chalkboards, large pieces of cardboard, fabric, or cubicle dividers. These items must be arranged so that they will not interfere with the child care provider's line of sight. The child care provider may also enhance the music center's atmosphere by decorating the music center with music-themed pictures to encourage the children's interest in learning and playing music. Materials should be rotated often to enrich the children's play. When not in use, the music center should be kept neat and orderly. Equipment should also be inspected regularly to ensure safety. The music center should also have carpeting, to provide a comfortable place for the children to sit, and also to help absorb some of the sound that can disturb other children. A piece of carpet may define the boundaries of the music center. *Music centers may contain low-lying shelves and drawers that store various kinds of musical instruments, keeping them available for the children to use. Classrooms for preschoolers may contain a cabinet with a CD player or cassette player, with headphones available for the children to listen to different varieties of music. *Materials that children are allowed to use should be stored in accessible areas. Providing children with access provides them with the freedom to choose their path of learning and also teaches them to responsibly put away items when they are finished using them. Be sure to make any necessary modifications to support children with special needs. If assistance is needed, consult the child's parents or an early childhood special education teacher on the issue for special insight. The role of a music center in a child care facility is to facilitate the introduction of music to young children. Simply put, this is a place where the children go to allow their creative side to shine. The music center should allow the children to be as creative as they wish to be with music. *Keeping children engaged in lessons and activities is the biggest obstacle when teaching music. Children may have different tastes in music, and some may not want to participate in the activities at all. No matter what the children do, acknowledge and praise every experience that they have. This will encourage the children to try more difficult activities, and it will also assist in building self-esteem.

Necessary information (reporting child abuse)

Your name Phone number Relationship to child Location of the child and weather or not the child is in immediate danger Where the abuse occurred and what happened to the child A description of thr child injuries Name and address of thr child and child's parents or caregivers Information about any witness to thr abuse Any other information that may be helpful

child development and physical activities

Within the first six months of life, physical activity development focuses primarily on the upper body. The six-month-old child sits, reaches, grasps, and has full control of the head and neck muscles. Children of this age need to be held and given love and attention, while also being provided with stimulation and a sense of security. The second half of infancy, six months to 1 year, is marked with dramatic physical development. A 1-year-old child crawls, pulls to a standing position and stands, uses thumb and forefinger to grasp, and may begin to walk. Children this age can play peek-a-boo and pat-a-cake, follow simple instructions, respond with sounds, and interact with caregivers and family members. *Toddlers can be broken down into two age groups: early toddler (1 to 2 years of age), and late toddler (2 to 3 years of age). Children in the toddler stage are going to be developing gross motor skills. They are going to need room for movements such as jumping, kicking, pulling, pushing, walking, climbing, and balancing. -A good activity to try with the early toddlers in your facility is to have the children follow the leader with body part movement. Move your body part, and then direct the children to move their body part in the exact same motion. Another activity involves having the children imitate things that they see; for example, have a child act as though he/she is a tree swaying in the wind or a cat arching its back. *Late toddlers rarely fall while walking. Movements that need to be enhanced include balancing, climbing, holding, jumping, and running. To develop the children's balance, as well as help them learn to follow instructions, create a balancing trial using wooden planks, rope, and taped pathways that are at ground level. *Preschoolers are perfecting gross motor skills by running on tiptoes, hopping on one foot, galloping, and skipping. At this stage, children have more than quadrupled their birth weight and are speaking coherently. Activities that can help further improve children's physical movement skills include having the children imitate the movements of a zoo animal or the actions and expressions of characters in a book. *School-age children develop muscle strength, transitional motor skills, and increased stamina. Transitional motor skills are complex combinations of fundamental motor skills that are more challenging and require more endurance. Activities that can enhance these skills should focus on fun, require little instruction, and be repetitive in nature, such as running, swimming, and playing catch. These activities will aid muscle strengthening.

Inclusion in the Classroom

*Benefits of inclusion for children with disabilities include: Interaction among children with varying degrees of ability in a challenging environment Participation in a variety of school and extracurricular activities *Benefits of inclusion for children who do not have disabilities include: Improved attitudes toward children with disabilities Increased interaction with children with disabilities Greater knowledge of disabilities and appreciation for individuals who have them Improved self-esteem *Strategies used for inclusion of children with disabilities include: Peer involvement Adapted curriculum Adapted instruction *Inclusion is a concept that supports the idea that all children, regardless of differences, should be valued and given the same opportunities. Children with special needs should be provided with support services in the form of adapted materials, modified instruction, and/or support personnel to accommodate needs and ensure that education can be obtained.

Open House

*Caring for children requires open communication and teamwork between child care providers and parents. Open houses provide opportunities to inform parents of their children's progress and day-to-day activities. They also help establish vital relationships based on the common goal of helping children reach their full potential. When planning an open house, always consider the preferences and availability of those attending. Because attendance is so important, parents' needs should be given priority when selecting a date and time. Factors that should be considered are other community events occurring at that time, as well as the time of year. Conflicting events can decrease attendance and distract those who do attend. Creative, flexible scheduling enhances opportunities for parents with demanding schedules to attend open houses. Inform parents well in advance of an upcoming open house. Send reminders home with children, mail them, or give them to parents *Open houses emphasize student achievement. An open house can be a fun event for families. Games, scavenger hunts, and presentations can be used to create engaging, informative open houses and increase parent satisfaction. Include children in planning, preparing for, and conducting an open house. Giving them age-appropriate tasks builds self-esteem and teaches social skills. Student participation may include: Designing and preparing invitations Writing letters to their parents Preparing the facility with artwork and decorations Guiding parents through open house activities During an open house, parents want to see how their children spend the day. Display photos of students playing and participating in activities. Display art, writing, math, and science work to demonstrate children's achievements. Encourage parental involvement by having a scavenger hunt, letting parents review their child's work, or having parents complete an activity or assignment themselves..

Relating with Parents

*Child care facilities are businesses that provide parents a service. Therefore, it is important that all employees relate to parents on a professional level and use sound business practices. Sound business practices that should be used in a child care facility include: Understanding parental needs Asking the parent questions Working at building good parent/child care provider relationships Offering suggestions and advice Finding workable solutions to problems Exceeding parental expectations Child care providers interact directly with parents every day. Therefore, it is essential to establish good relationships with parents. Children benefit when the child care provider works closely with their parents. *Child care providers who establish good relationships with parents help children feel cared for and secure. At times, both parents and child care providers can have insecurities and tensions. Tension can be caused by: Possessive feelings Parental expectations Normal separation anxieties Defensiveness Child care providers create good working relationships by communicating with parents daily, being accessible to parents, and understanding normal anxieties and tensions. *To establish good relationships, both child care providers and parents have significant responsibilities. Parents' responsibilities include: Discussing their cares and concerns Identifying their child care preferences Establishing a trusting relationship with child care providers Actively participating in the child care program Communicating respectfully when upset Child care providers' responsibilities include: Knowing each child and parent personally Being able to negotiate and solve problems Allowing for cultural and family differences Communicating daily with the parent Providing parental support *Developing and maintaining good working relationships gains parents' trust and can help stop many problems before they start. Strategies for developing and maintaining communication with parents include: Providing brochures or handbooks Signing a written contract with parents Distributing newsletters listing weekly activities and upcoming events Posting a list of daily activities on a bulletin board or facility wall Sending weekly notes home that briefly describe activities enjoyed or skills mastered by their child Handing out free or low-cost pamphlets on child development, discipline, and nutrition Communication is the most effective way to maintain relationships with parents. When communicating with parents, important strategies to remember are to listen effectively, say what you mean, and negotiate solutions. Do not be aggressive or accusatory in any way. Send messages that will not make parents defensive, but rather encourage open communication.

Stages of Social and Emotional Development in Preschoolers

*Child development is a process of learning and mastering lifelong skills. Social and emotional development begins at birth and includes learning to interact with others, to express feelings, and to exhibit self-control. Healthy social and emotional development is important at a young age because children who possess those skills are more likely to transition well into school, work cooperatively and independently, and behave appropriately. A child that does not develop skills within expected time frames may have a developmental delay. By the age of 4 years, a child who has no developmental delays should be interested in new things, cooperate with playmates, play "Mommy" or "Daddy," explore new ideas in fantasy play, dress and undress self, engage in conflict resolution, exhibit increased independence, and see himself/herself as a person with body, mind, and feelings. By the age of 5 years, a child who has no developmental delays should cooperate and be eager to please; want to be liked by his/her peers; enjoy singing, dancing, and acting; be aware of gender; be able to distinguish fantasy from reality; and be somewhat demanding. *One of the most important skills for preschoolers to develop is self-control. Preschoolers need to learn how to express themselves without causing pain and suffering to others or damage to property. Self-esteem is another aspect of social and emotional development in preschoolers. Child care providers can encourage healthy self-esteem in preschoolers by treating them with respect. Helping preschoolers achieve a level of social competence appropriate to their age is another important aspect of social and emotional development. Social competence is apparent when preschoolers learn to get along with others, form social relationships, and express their feelings in a positive way. Child care providers can provide a variety of activities that encourage social and emotional development in preschoolers. Activities can be used to encourage kindness, good manners and politeness, and taking turns and sharing. Child care providers can also use activities to raise preschoolers' self-esteem, to help preschoolers who feel unaccepted or teased by their peers, and learn to express their feelings and engage in conflict resolution. A developmental delay may be indicated when a child does not develop specific skills within established time lines. Only a trained professional can actually diagnose a developmental delay. *Guidelines to follow when sharing concerns about developmental delays with parents include: Setting the stage for a good conversation Beginning with observations, questions, and concerns Being sympathetic, not judgmental Concentrating on milestones Referring parents to other resources, if necessary Stressing the importance of early identification Being assured that sharing the concern is the right thing to do When discussing a child's development with a parent, do not dismiss a parent's concerns, compare one child to another, "label" the child, or be negative.

Levels of Social Play

*Children's level of social development depends largely on their ages. Social play can be categorized at six levels of interaction: Early Solitary Parallel Associative Cooperative Later *Social play is important for a child's growth and development. It teaches children about cooperation, communication, and appropriate social behavior. Through social play, children discover that fairness and consideration lead to more positive experiences. The six stages of social play are early, solitary, parallel, associative, cooperative, and later. Early play occurs during infancy and involves adults engaging babies in play that develops the senses. Early play involves singing and talking to babies to develop hearing, surrounding babies with colorful images and objects to develop vision, and providing soft toys to develop the sense of touch. Toddlers generally prefer to play alone and engage in solitary play. It is during this time that children begin to develop their own identities. As toddlers get older, they should be socialized with other children *Preschoolers progress through parallel, associative, and cooperative play. Each level brings them closer to interaction with other children. Parallel play occurs when children play alongside one another, yet still play alone. During associative play, children acknowledge one another and even copy the actions of another child. Cooperative play involves children interacting with one another. At this stage, children often engage in group make-believe play, which helps them relate to one another. Later play refers to the organized play of young elementary school children. At this level, children's play can involve puzzles, games, and educational activities that foster an understanding of rules and teamwork. *Child care providers should be informed about the fundamentals of child development and should understand the behaviors of children in their care. Observation provides helpful information about children. Information collected through observation of play helps child care providers to effectively plan activities, set development goals, and recognize developmental delays. Direct interaction with children provides the closest view of their habits and behavior and helps child care providers provide rich play experiences. Safety is an important aspect of children's play. Child care providers should monitor children closely to ensure their toys are safe, appropriate, and being used properly. Infants are especially susceptible to hazards. As children age, play areas must be appropriate and safe for each stage of development.

Stages of Cognitive Development in Preschoolers

*Cognitive development includes both what a child knows and the progression of the child's thinking and reasoning skills. It includes language, perception, mental imagery, intuition, thinking, reasoning, problem solving, and memory development. Every child is unique, and development rates vary from one child to another. Child care providers must be aware of the stages of cognitive development in preschoolers in order to assist children in the further development of their cognitive skills. *By 4 years of age, children can place objects in order by size, understand concepts of space and proximity, recognize letters and familiar words, count up to seven objects, understand routines, form complex sentences, sing simple songs, adapt their language to the listener's comprehension level, name some colors and shapes, follow unrelated directions, and recite their ABCs. By 5 years of age, children can name basic colors, enjoy telling their own stories, identify some letters and numbers, draw and describe pictures, mimic sounds and words, count up to 10 objects, and remember their address and phone number. *Child care providers can help develop preschoolers' cognitive skills by providing age-appropriate play and toys. Chosen activities should complement developmental milestones for the child's age group and/or the skill level of the child. Some age-appropriate activities that encourage cognitive development in 4-year-olds include playing letter and word games, reciting nursery rhymes, sorting and counting items, using the telephone, visiting places of interest, and playing board games. Some age-appropriate activities that encourage cognitive development in 5-year-olds include asking "what if" questions, telling stories, mixing paint to make new colors, and creating letters out of clay. *Toys that encourage cognitive development in 4- and 5-year-olds include puzzles, dominoes, board games, magnetic letters, blocks, books, card games, play dough, matching games, balls, cars and trucks, play money, puppets and dolls, and child-size tools. Reading is important for language development. Child care providers should encourage an interest in reading by having story time and recommending age-appropriate books. *A child care provider should be familiar with developmental milestones and be able to recognize signs and symptoms of cognitive developmental delays. Developmental checklists are often used to monitor how a child is progressing. It is important to remember that a child may not be able to perform all the skills by the milestone age, but if a child is unable to do many of the skills, there may be a need to more closely observe the child. By 4 years of age, a child should be able to speak in sentences over three words in length, engage in pretend play, follow up to three instructions given at one time, recognize some colors, sort items by shape, count up to five objects, and use "we" and "you" correctly. By 5 years of age, a child should be able to understand the concept of time, understand two-part commands, know the difference between real and make-believe, and know his/her full name. *Early detection of developmental delays can help to provide beneficial support to the child and family. Mental retardation is described as below-average intellectual development caused by congenital malfunction, brain injury, or disease. Children with mental retardation may learn motor skills and communication skills later than other children; absorb information or gain abilities slower than other children; and have difficulty remembering things, understanding social rules, thinking logically, and solving problems. A learning disability is a cognitive, neurological, or psychological disorder that hinders the brain's ability to receive and process information. Warning signs for learning disabilities include delayed speech and pronunciation problems; short attention span; difficulty learning new words, learning to read, learning numbers, learning the alphabet, and following directions; and poor grasping ability of writing utensils, such as crayons. *Recognizing the signs and symptoms of developmental and growth delays is only part of a child care provider's responsibility; there may be times when it is necessary to raise concerns about a child's development with the child's parents. This can be an uncomfortable topic to broach, and knowing how to approach parents will help ease anxiety. Guidelines to follow when sharing concerns with parents include: Setting the stage for a good conversation Beginning with observations, questions, and concerns Being sympathetic, not judgmental Concentrating on milestones Referring parents to other resources, if necessary Stressing the importance of early identification Being assured that sharing the concern is the right thing to do When discussing a child's development with a parent, do not dismiss a parent's concerns, compare one child to another, "label" the child, or be negative.

Overcoming Difficulties Communicating with Parents

*Communication is the sharing of thoughts, opinions, and other information. It is a two-way process between the person who sends a message and the person who receives it. Effective communication happens when people are able to understand each other. Communication will be more effective when you remember to: Identify your reason for communicating Consider others in the conversation Use an approach that sends out a clear message Sometimes nonverbal communication can be more powerful than verbal communication. Nonverbal communication occurs through the use of body positioning, voice tone and volume, language patterns, facial expressions, eye contact, actions, distance, silence, and physical contact. *Communication with parents can be improved by: Giving parents time to respond Asking parents for their thoughts and opinions Understanding that parents' thoughts and suggestions are important Stating truthfully what you have to say Showing respect Staying on the subject Listening and repeating what parents have said *Transactional Analysis (TA) is a psychotherapy model that describes how people interact with each other. TA analyzes personal relationships that are in either conflicting or complementary ego states. It is based on the premises that our personalities have three ego states and that we communicate with each other using one of these states. The TA theory proposes that we communicate by using either the Parent, Child, or Adult transactional analysis states. Problems arise when opposing states are used to communicate. Knowing which ego state a person is using to communicate helps everyone communicate more effectively. The best way to communicate with parents is on a rational Adult-to-Adult level. In the Parent ego state, the individual copies how parental figures acted, behaved, felt, and thought. The Parent is the voice of authority. When communicating in this state, we act like a parent. The Parent represents what life has taught us. In the Adult ego state, the individual behaves, feels, thinks, and reacts to what is going on now. All past experiences become resources, and reality is viewed objectively and rationally. The Adult represents how life is. In the Child ego state, individuals return to the behavior used during childhood. They behave, feel, think and react to situations the same way they reacted to them as children. The Child represents how life feels. *Berne stated that transactions occur when two people talk to one another. Berne believed that successful communication must have balanced transactions. Crossed transactions happen when people are communicating from conflicting ego states. Complementary transactions occur when both people are speaking to the appropriate ego state. Difficult parents can be categorized into three groups: Hostile, threatening, and abusive Anxious or incompetent Denying or indifferent *Many techniques can be used to overcome poor communication and help defuse angry confrontations. You should: Listen Stay calm Be understanding Encourage parental involvement Display positive body language Control your voice Repeat what you hear Refocus the parents' thoughts When you deal with difficult parents, it is important that you stay professional. Never argue with them and do not raise your voice or use sarcasm. Keep your emotions in check. Stay calm, cool, and collected. Show professionalism by providing a positive atmosphere where good communication can take place.

Time Management Overview

*Time management is defined as the use of tools and systems to manage daily activities. Understanding time management myths, symptoms of poor time management, and methods for utilizing good time management practices helps individuals to be more efficient. Time management myths include the thoughts that life is controlled by outside occurrences, expectations set by others must be met, and that limits should not be set. Effective use of time management tools and practices can help dispel time management myths. *There are many indicators of poor time management: Procrastination Exhaustion Hurrying from one thing to another Poor scheduling Feeling overwhelmed Allowing interruptions Misuses of time can be avoided if good time management practices are followed. *Some good time management practices to follow include: Making good decisions Breaking tasks down Creating a comfortable work environment Overcoming procrastination Banning distractions Learning to say no Banning perfectionism Managing disruptions and distractions Making time for rewards

Physical Activities for Students with Disabilities and/or Special Needs

*Encourage students with disabilities and/or special needs to participate in physical activities. Physical activity provides several benefits for these children, including: Gaining and maintaining independence Conditioning underused or misused muscle groups Contributing to a higher quality of life *Participating in physical activities enables students with disabilities and/or special needs to gain the strength and willpower to help them become independent. A lack of physical activity may cause other problems, such as Type II Diabetes, bedsores, and depression. Any of these conditions may lead to a decrease in independence. *If an infant or toddler in the group has trouble sitting or balancing, try placing the child in a rubber tube or a swimming ring. This will enable the child to participate with the other children. *Toddlers and preschoolers having trouble standing during physical activities, such as dancing, can still perform the arm and hand movements associated with the activity. For example, children unable to stand for long periods of time can still dance while sitting by moving their upper body, arms, and hands.

Ethical Behavior Classroom

*Ethics refers to standards of conduct or principles that influence how an individual behaves and makes decisions. Personal values, such as trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, fairness, caring, and citizenship, comprise the foundation of character and influence ethical decision making. The steps of ethical decision making include: Thinking it through Identifying goals Discovering facts Determining options Determining possible effects on others Making the decision Observing the outcome and making adjustments *By establishing an ethics program and providing staff with standards, training, and resources to guide employees in making decisions concerning ethical issues, organizations establish a work environment where employees do not feel threatened to acknowledge that they are struggling with an ethical situation. One main reason for having an ethics program is to provide employees who want to make good decisions with the proper tools. Employees who work in ethically focused organizations have a more positive experience and relate the following benefits: Fewer incidents of misconduct at work Increased willingness to report misconduct Reduced pressure to compromise ethical ideals Improved overall satisfaction with the organization Increased feeling of being valued as an employee Increased satisfaction with response to reported misconduct *Organizations that either do not implement an ethics program or do not enforce it are inviting civil and criminal charges, as well as moral and financial bankruptcy. Employee fraud costs organizations billions of dollars each year. Encouraging ethical behavior reduces the probability of incurring the consequences of unethical behavior and also provides the following benefits: Increased market share Reduced employee turnover Increased customer retention Reduced employee absenteeism Reduced misconduct in the workplace Increased retention of highly skilled employees

Toilet Training

*For toilet training to be successful, children have to be physically and emotionally ready. Children show toilet training readiness if they can sit for short periods, follow simple instructions, and understand the meanings of toilet training words. Other signs of readiness include staying dry, communicating the need to go, and showing discomfort when in wet or dirty diapers. *Toilet training requires a calm attitude and a sense of humor. It is important to show children exactly what to do and teach them appropriate vocabulary terms. Potty chairs, toilet attachment seats, and disposable training pants are helpful tools for toilet training. It is important to teach children correct wiping, flushing, dressing, and hand-washing practices. Toilet training requires patience. Children may have accidents while learning to use the toilet. Children often regress when they: Are experiencing stress Are ill or are having medical problems Are going through a negative emotional stage Begin training too early or are pushed too hard Care providers can help children avoid accidents by frequently taking them to the toilet or asking them if they have to go. Taking children to the toilet before naps or car trips also helps prevent accidents. While traveling, ensure that a toilet is accessible to children who are training. Care providers can use praise, stickers, and age-appropriate prizes to reward children after successful potty use. *When toilet training, it is important to: Use toilet training charts to help establish elimination patterns Stop daytime diaper use as soon as possible Allow boys to sit on the potty at first Ensure that toilet seats are positioned securely and will not accidentally fall and cause injury Have multiple potty chairs when training more than one child Give children plenty of water, along with food that is rich in fiber It is important NOT to: Start toilet training before children are ready Make children sit on the toilet for long periods of time or against their will Start toilet training before or during stressful periods, such as the arrival of a new sibling, a change in care providers, traveling, or moving Punish children for having accidents or for not being interested in toilet training

Staffing Child Care Programs

*Hiring the right employee for a child care facility requires screening potential candidates for the skills, knowledge, and characteristics needed to be an excellent child care provider. A good child care provider is responsible, reliable, and dedicated to the child care program. Caring for children requires good health and an abundance of energy. It also requires flexibility, patience, and the ability to keep cool under pressure. Child care providers should acknowledge children's needs, respect cultural differences, and communicate effectively. They should also be professional and tolerant of high-stress situations. *Employers must be prepared to comply with all state and federal tax requirements, such as acquiring a taxpayer identification number, completing Form I-9, and having the employee complete Form W-4. It is also necessary to withhold Social Security and Medicare taxes. If you employ one of your children under the age of 18, and he/she earned less than the law requires to be reported to the IRS, the employee is not required to pay Social Security or federal income tax. Wages paid to your minor children who work in your child care business are 100% deductible. If you hire family members over the age of 18, this tax benefit does not apply. Maintaining detailed, up-to-date records is crucial when employing family members. These records can be used to verify the individual's job responsibilities and document the work agreement. *You must comply with federal and state minimum wage laws when paying any employee. It is also necessary to purchase insurance to protect you and your employees in case of injury, lawsuit, or any other unexpected event. Workers' compensation insurance covers injuries sustained by an employee while working. Liability insurance covers medical expenses or other damages if a child or anyone else is injured at your facility. Liability insurance also protects you and your assets if the injured party decides to sue. When recruiting new employees, it is helpful to list the position at college placement offices, staffing agencies, Internet job boards and referral organizations. Also, spread word of the opening through friends, staff, and parents. When interviewing candidates, inquire about their interests, experience, and desire to work with children. It is important to check references and even conduct criminal and credit background checks. *Retaining quality employees is important to the success of a child care business. It helps to clearly define employee roles and responsibilities, provide regular feedback, and offer training opportunities. Training is crucial to providing quality child care. Examples of required training include: CPR and first aid Recognizing and reporting child abuse and neglect Discipline Emergency evacuations Hand-washing procedures Dispensing medication Effective training and evaluation allow the child care team to develop and improve skills, grow professionally, and maintain a quality program. Supervisor evaluation and employee self-evaluation should be conducted regularly.

Guiding Children's Behavior in Child Care Settings

*It is impossible to keep children from getting into trouble. The most a child care provider can hope for is to mimimize the temptation to misbehave. This can be done by: Childproofing the environment Establishing a routine Setting rules Leading by example Being concise Offering choices Focusing on appropriate behavior Supplying appealing toys and activities *Children misbehave for many reasons. Understanding why a child is behaving in certain ways can help a child care provider find a solution. Possible reasons that children display inappropriate behaviors are: They are testing the limits Rules at home are different from the rules at the child care facility They do not understand the rules They are asserting their independence They are sick, bored, tired, or hungry They have gotten attention by behaving the same way in the past They are mimicking the actions of adults *When a child chooses to misbehave, there are many guidance techniques available to help child care providers including: Natural consequences Logical consequences Fix-up Redirection Remove or isolate Distraction Ignoring Active ignoring Proximity and touch Holding

physical activity

*Physical activity has many benefits, including: Controlling weight Lowering blood pressure Reducing the risk of Type II Diabetes Increasing circulation Improving lung function Strengthening bones Keeping joints healthy Improving coordination and balance Improving sleep quality Strengthening psychological well-being Increasing self-esteem **Moderate physical activity increases the breathing rate and can be sustained for 30 to 60 minutes without fatigue symptoms. *Vigorous physical activity causes heavy breathing and sweating and is hard to sustain for longer time periods. *Infants should participate in physical activity totaling at least 60 minutes per day. This activity must be appropriate for individual motor skills and physical maturity. *When choosing physical activities for an infant, promote the exploration of his/her environment. Select activities to enhance movement and motor skills. *Toddlers should engage in approximately 30 minutes of structured physical activity, including both moderate and vigorous activities, at least 5 days per week. In addition, toddlers should have approximately 60 minutes of unstructured physical activity at least 5 days per week. *Physical activities for a toddler should: Develop movement skills Be conducted in safe indoor and/or outdoor areas Include activities promoting large muscle development *Preschoolers should participate in approximately 60 minutes of structured physical activity, including moderate and vigorous activity, at least 5 days per week. In addition, preschoolers should have approximately 60 minutes of unstructured physical activity at least 5 days per week. *Physical activity guidelines for preschoolers and toddlers are very similar. Physical activities for preschoolers should: Develop and refine movement skills Be conducted in safe indoor and/or outdoor areas Include activities promoting large muscle development ****Throughout the day, toddlers and preschoolers should not remain sedentary for more than 60 minutes at a time, except during naptime.

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

*Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder occurs after a severe traumatic event. Trauma occurs when an incident threatens a person's sense of physical or emotional well-being. Individuals with PTSD sometimes react physically or emotionally to thoughts, situations, or objects that remind them of the event. People handle trauma differently. Not every person will develop post-traumatic stress symptoms. A person's reaction to traumatic events depends on the trauma itself, personal characteristics, and the amount of support he/she has in the home and community. *Children respond differently to trauma depending on their ages. Children aged 5 years and younger are usually afraid of being separated from their parents and cry, yell, or tremble. They often become clingy or regress into behaviors from early childhood, such as thumb-sucking. At 6 to 11 years old, children may withdraw, display disruptive behavior, have trouble paying attention, or experience nightmares and sleep problems. Children this age may also regress, refuse to go back to school, or become irritable, angry, or aggressive. Adolescents aged 12 to 17 often experience flashbacks, nightmares, avoidance, and depression, much like adults. They may also exhibit antisocial behavior, isolation, refusal to go to school, trouble sleeping, and confusion. PTSD is diagnosed if an individual displays reexperiencing symptoms, avoidance or numbing symptoms, or emotional arousal symptoms for longer than one month. Reexperiencing symptoms involve mentally reliving a traumatic event. Avoidance symptoms are a person's efforts to avoid situations that could trigger painful memories. Emotional arousal symptoms occur when a person is in a constant state of alertness after a traumatic event. Traumatic experiences can alter children's emotional, physical, cognitive, and social development. Research indicates there may be a link between PTSD and a variety of health problems including the heart, muscles, bones, cartilage, and digestion. *When exhibiting symptoms of traumatic stress, children should be reminded that it is normal to think about the traumatic event and that the pain of these memories will ease as time passes. They should be encouraged to talk about how they are feeling. Anxiety and panic can have strong physical symptoms, such as increased heart rate and dizziness. To calm children, remind them that this feeling is normal and is not dangerous, and help them breathe slowly until the feeling passes. If a child experiences a flashback, remind him/her that the trauma happened in the past. Calming activities, such as reading or listening to soft music, help soothe the child. Traumatic stress can cause changes in mood. If a child exhibits irritability or rage, allow some cooling-off time. Encourage regular exercise to relieve tension. When a child struggles to concentrate, slow down and give him/her time to process what needs to be done. *The best way to manage traumatic stress is to address issues before they become a problem. Set limits for children and be consistent. Follow a routine. Traumatized children need to feel that their caretakers are organized and capable of caring for them properly. Protect children from situations that are upsetting. Stop activities that seem to upset the child. Traumatized children also need to feel a sense of control. Offer children choices regularly. Do not avoid discussing the traumatic event, but let the child initiate the discussion. Recovery occurs when children feel more comfortable discussing their experiences. PTSD is often accompanied by other symptoms. Treatment is most effective when PTSD and the additional disorders are addressed together. Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is a treatment method in which an individual adopts new ways of thinking and behaving in order to overcome PTSD. Techniques utilized in CBT include cognitive therapy, exposure therapy, and eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR). Medication is often helpful for treating certain symptoms, including depression, anxiety, and difficulty sleeping. Serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are the most common drugs used in the treatment of PTSD. Group therapy is also beneficial for individuals with PTSD.

Transitioning to Kindergarten

*Transition from child care into kindergarten can be a one-time set of activities or an ongoing practice spanning several years. Transition practices are needed because kindergarten rules, routines, and learning techniques differ greatly from those used in preschool child care settings. According to the Ecological and Dynamic Model of Transition, transition is an ongoing process, not a one-time event. This process is shared by children, family, child care providers, teachers, and the community from the time a child enters preschool through his/her entrance into kindergarten. Effective transition practices involve the following core partners: School faculty members Parents and children Child care providers Preschool teachers Head Start teachers Community organizations *Ready Schools: Provide quality preschool learning Have early intervention programs for at-risk children Have ongoing transition activities Meet individual needs Ready Families: Have adequate incomes Show stability Read to their children Ready Communities: Have poverty-free neighborhoods Make available adequate medical, nutritional, and family support services Provide community enrichment activit Five Domains of Children's School Readiness are: Physical well-being and motor development Social and emotional development Approaches to learning Language development Cognitive and general knowledge Physical well-being and motor development includes: Health Growth Gross motor skills Fine motor skills Social and emotional development includes: Playing independently, participating in group activities, and sharing toys Interpreting and expressing feelings and developing sympathy Respecting others' property and following rules and routines Taking turns, waiting patiently, and paying attention Taking care of personal hygiene and toilet needs *Approaches to learning include the use of skills, knowledge, and abilities. In order to approach learning effectively, a child must have values and be: Enthusiastic Task-persistent Curious Even tempered Able to complete multistep instructions Able to understand cultural patterns Independent Creative A problem solver Language development includes: Communicating with others by having conversations, listening, and understanding what is said Developing vocabularies and recognizing the printed word Identifying sound-letter combinations and drawing letter shapes Cognitive and general knowledge includes: Thinking, problem solving, asking questions, examining, and being able to imagine Knowing objects and people; noting similarities and differences Understanding society, abstract thought, mathematical concepts, spatial relationships, and shapes *Schools play an important role in preparing children for kindergarten. Ready Schools maintain a curriculum that: Builds on the child's prior learning experiences Includes child-initiated activities Emphasizes hands-on learning Ready Schools should: Provide a smooth transition between home and school Allow ongoing collaboration with care providers and preschool teachers Help children learn and understand their multifaceted world Allow every child and adult an equal chance for success Raise achievement by using numerous approaches and interventions Alter practices and programs when they are not working Refer children to appropriate community services Take responsibility for what happens Provide strong leadership *Ready Families prepare children for kindergarten by: Providing readiness experiences Having sufficient incomes Exhibiting stability Ready families: Encourage all forms of reading at home Allow children to "author" their own books Make math concepts part of daily routines Teach listening skills Support caregiver and preschool rules Discuss problems with caregivers Visit child care and preschool facilities Encourage independence and responsibility Ready Families need to: Support kindergarten, preschool, and child care staff Attend school activities such as open houses, conferences, and programs Nurture healthy parent-child relationships *Communities play an important role in preparing children for kindergarten. They are prepared and ready when they provide children with: Intervention and support services Quality health care Effective preschool programs In order for children to be successful in school, they must be physically and mentally healthy. Health, nutrition, medical, and family support services must be available to all children. Service centers need to be easily accessible, and hours of operation must be staggered so that working parents can receive help without having to take time off work. Ready Communities have quality child care facilities. These facilities do not just care for children, but also provide learning experiences. They provide children with: Cognitive stimulation Language experiences Social interaction Emotional growth Motor development *Readiness assessment is difficult because: Physical, social, emotional, cognitive, and language development are interrelated, and all determine school success Children develop quickly and erratically; they can lag behind one day and be advanced the next Children have short attention spans and are too young to complete pencil and paper tests Performance may reflect prior experiences rather than potential for success in school If readiness assessment is used, it needs to: Benefit the child Be age-appropriate Be used for designated purposes only Take disabilities into consideration Use real-life assessment tasks Be linguistically and culturally appropriate Observe all developmental domains Use multiple information sources Readiness assessment tests should never be used to decide if a child will start kindergarten. The decision should be based on other factors, such as classroom work, parent input, and teacher observations.

Risk Management

*When used effectively, risk management practices combined with proper insurance policies can contribute to a successful child care facility. The advantages of a good risk management plan make it worth the effort to create one. In order for risk management to be successful, it must be integrated into a child care facility's everyday tasks. Most child care facilities have accepted risk management policies and procedures, but putting those policies and procedures into a formal risk management plan will provide a set of guidelines for employees to follow. Risk management plans include: Areas of vulnerability Goals and policies Strategies Duties of key individuals Employee screening practices Facility risks Transportation risks Crisis management plans Insurance coverages *Distinguishing vulnerabilities or identifying potential losses is an important first step to creating a risk management plan. When identifying potential losses look at each activity in the facility. For each activity, determine the things that could "go wrong." This list will indicate areas of potential loss. Areas to consider include: Property losses Liability losses Personnel losses Once potential losses have been identified, child care providers must decide what risk management measures are most beneficial. Determine what can be done to prevent or limit loss by avoiding or transferring risk. *Very few businesses have sufficient cash or financial reserves to protect themselves against the losses they may incur. Determining a child care facility's potential losses and how much insurance protection is enough are difficult and stressful tasks. An insurance agent can alleviate some stress. Most insurance professionals have been trained in risk analysis and are familiar with insurance regulations, coverages, and financial strategies. Insurance companies also provide: Legal defense Inspection services Loss control services Claim management services Before purchasing insurance, investigate ways to reduce coverage costs, including: Deciding what to insure against/how much loss might be suffered Covering the largest loss exposure first Using the highest deductible the business can afford Avoiding insurance duplication Buying in units; many package policies provide more adequate protection Reviewing the insurance program to ensure that coverage is adequate and premiums are low *Attaining funding for a child care center can be a difficult task, especially if a child care provider does not know where to start. There are six basic sources of financing: Private Venture capitalists Commercial banks Government agencies Grant programs Other sources, including credit unions or life insurance companies The first step to building a sound financial plan is a start-up budget. A start-up budget will include: One-time costs Sixty to ninety days' operating costs Child care providers should prepare an operating budget when the center opens. The operating budget will reflect spending priorities, expenses, and how to meet expenses. As child care providers estimate expenses, they should depend on operators of other centers to help project actual costs. An operating budget should include information on fiscal policies, such as: Staff pay periods Tuition due dates Late fee payment policies Policies for when children are ill/on vacation, and holidays *A common risk/mistake that child care providers make is not using a formal written contract. A well-written contract is the cornerstone of good business practices and risk management planning. A contract is an arrangement between two parties. In a contract, one party agrees to provide a service and the other party agrees to provide compensation for that service. The following are guidelines to consider when drafting contracts: Get it in writing Be specific Get pertinent information Get it signed The following items should be included in a contract: Hours/days of operation Vacation/holiday policies Emergency policies Sick child procedures Meals and snacks provided Enrolling/withdrawing policies Sign-in/out policies Fees Acceptable payment methods Payment due dates Consequences for late and non-payments *Because a child care facility's staff is a direct reflection of its philosophy and goals, this may be the biggest risk for a facility manager. Before any selection of staff can be made, it must be determined how many staff members are needed and the responsibilities of each. Job responsibilities depend on job descriptions, which must be written for all staff members. In addition to regular staff, the following personnel must be considered, if desired for the program: Cook Secretary Bookkeeper Custodian Substitute Staff In order to guarantee consistent and qualified staff, competitive salaries and fringe benefits should be offered. Some fringe benefits to consider are: Payment of social security Health Insurance Vacation leave Sick leave Personal leave Paid maternity/paternity leave Paid training at workshops, conferences, or colleges Retirement plan *Recruitment and hiring can follow after jobs are defined. Resumes should be accepted and screened using the qualifications published in the job advertisements. Once a selection has been made, the new employee must be screened, including a background check. Research has shown that staff training is related to the quality of child care and by encouraging formal staff training, many risks are minimized. A national credential, the Child Development Associate (CDA) Program is one form of training available to child care providers. Another option is a two- or four-year degree in early childhood education. *The risk of injury or harm to a child is any child care facility's greatest risk. Two areas with potential of injury or harm are the play areas and field trips. Steps must be taken to reduce risks. Play area design can reduce injuries when site location, equipment, and equipment position are considered. Play areas should be located away from driveways or streets, and fences should be present to separate children from traffic. Children should play on equipment designed specifically for their age group. All outdoor equipment should be inspected on a regular basis, at least once per week. An equipment checklist should be developed and used to ensure cleanliness, safety, and proper working order of equipment. Most serious injuries result from lack of proper supervision. All injuries can't be eliminated, but their frequency and severity can be lessened with proper supervision. Supervision requires full attention; therefore, reading, chatting, and resting should be avoided while on duty. The best way to minimize the risks encountered during field trips is to plan ahead. A complete plan should include actions before and during the field trip. Before the trip, the site should be contacted either by phone or visit, parental permission forms and liability waivers must be signed, emergency contact information must be secured, and the children should be prepared for what they will see and what is expected of them. During the field trip, a predetermined itinerary and route must be followed, a first aid kit should be taken, and adequate adult-to-child ratios must be maintained.

Praise and Rewards

*Praise promotes positive behavior in children by letting them know when their actions are appreciated and encouraged. Praise offers children positive attention and increases the likelihood that the child's positive behavior will be repeated. Rewards can also increase the occurrence of positive behaviors. Rewards can include gifts, activities, or privileges. Children respond more strongly when rewards are accompanied by praise. Children should be praised and rewarded for effort, as well as accomplishment. If a child is not recognized until a task is completed perfectly, the child may become frustrated and quit trying. Reinforcement, such as praise and rewards, should be offered within seconds of positive action from a child. Avoid bribing children with tangible rewards. Offer such rewards only occasionally and as a surprise after an accomplishment. If tangible rewards are overused, children may expect them every time they complete a task. *Children should be praised and rewarded frequently as they are learning a new behavior. Once the child exhibits the behavior regularly, reinforcement can occur less often.

Using art as a teaching tool

*Research shows that the brain is divided into two hemispheres. The left and right sides of the brain control movement and sensations on opposite sides of the body. The left and right hemispheres are also responsible for different functions and modes of thinking. The right hemisphere controls imagination, creativity, and intuition. It is responsible for development of artistic abilities, such as song writing, singing, painting, drawing, sculpting, and poetic or fictional writing. *The left hemisphere controls analysis, logic, and accuracy. Children who are left-brained tend to score higher in math, science, and word skills, like spelling. To exercise both hemispheres of the brain, child care providers should incorporate music, dance, drama, and visual art into the reading, calculation, and analytical activities already practiced in the classroom. The goal of early childhood education is to give children the tools to understand how, when, and why to apply the knowledge they have acquired since birth to a lifetime of successful learning. Hands-on visual arts, such as drawing, painting, and sculpting, can help children visualize the characters portrayed in history, develop an understanding of spatial relationships between objects, or discover how an organism functions. *Children have learned the alphabet through music for centuries; yet the instances of integrating music into learning are limited. Memorization is increased and information is retained longer when put to music. Music can be used to enhance a child's language development and encourage self-expression, cooperative play, and creativity. Research indicates that there is a direct link between listening to music with complex rhythms and tonal patterns and the improvement of spatial reasoning performance. Spatial reasoning skills are vital for the development of advanced brain functions, such as those used in complex math. *Dance is a socially expressive experience that helps children explore their feelings. Introducing preschool children to dance makes them aware of their body, increases flexibility, develops motor skills, improves circulation, tones and develops muscles, and also improves body alignment, balance, and coordination. Dance movements are regulated by the cerebellum, and the memory of them are retained for long periods. Drama can make history come alive with a dramatic presentation of a historical event, or increase children's understanding of science when used to portray healthy eating habits or a blood cell's path to the heart. Drama can also be used to resolve social problems and develop analytical problem solving skills. *Using a curriculum integrated with the arts helps to motivate children and increase self-confidence. It also increases their attention spans and enhances abilities like decision making, goal setting, observation, and self-discipline, while helping them develop social skills like self-expression, tolerance, empathy, courtesy, self-control, and conflict resolution. Research has shown that humans are sensory learners that have one dominant learning style. Learning styles include: Kinesthetic or haptic Visual Auditory *Approximately 45 percent of children are kinesthetic learners. These children learn best by using visual arts to create models of science concepts, math manipulatives, and drawings or paintings of historical events. Approximately 40 percent of children are visual learners. They learn best by seeing what is being taught, such as a dramatic production of a historical event, or a dance depicting the life of a butterfly. *Approximately 15 percent of children are auditory learners. They learn best by hearing what is being taught. Examples of this include using music to teach grammar rules, multiplication tables, and other factual information. Some appropriate arts activities for children from birth to 18 months of age include: Playing soft music or soothing sounds, like birds singing or water gurgling Hanging pictures or mobiles of bright, contrasting colors at eye level Playing games with movement, like pat-a-cake A few appropriate arts activities for children 18 months to 3 years of age include: Making or bringing simple instruments and letting the children create music Using socks to make puppets to act out stories Listening to music and dancing *Some appropriate arts activities for children from 3 to 5 years old include: Providing opportunities for children to watch themselves dance Assisting children in creating new lyrics to go with a familiar tune Making collages using paper, glue, scissors, and magazines A few appropriate arts activities for children 5 to 8 years of age include: Instructing children to sculpt something using clay Exhibiting children's artwork on gallery night for viewing by parents/guests Allowing children to make up dances and asking them to explain why they chose the movements they performed

Child self-esteem

*Self-esteem is self-respect, or the confidence in your own value as an individual. It develops and changes throughout life. The strongest influence on young children's self-esteem is parents. There are many ways parents influence their children's self-esteem. Genetic factors, including gender, and environmental experiences play significant roles. Females are slightly more susceptible to low self-esteem than males. Most parents don't understand the extent to which their own behavior affects their children. This behavior is known as parental modeling. When parents don't feel good about themselves, it's nearly impossible for them to teach their children to feel good about themselves. Children have a tendency to misbehave to get attention they may not otherwise receive. Negative behaviors are learned largely through parental modeling. Parents may damage their children's self-esteem by placing a high value on specific abilities, making children feel incapable and incompetent. Allowing children to witness ongoing family conflict, such as constant tension or explosive arguments between parents or other members of the family, is also damaging. *Neglect can be emotional or physical, and may be defined as failure to acknowledge children's feelings, interests, efforts, or accomplishments. Neglect often leads children to believe they aren't valued as individuals. Abuse can be emotional, verbal, or physical. Emotional abuse can take the form of unrealistic expectations, criticism, or intimidation. Verbal abuse includes name-calling, relentless questioning, screaming, belittling, accusing, or insulting. Physical abuse can be sexual, or any nonaccidental physical harm to a child, such as punching, slapping, burning, hair-pulling, and pinching. *Low self-esteem doesn't occur instantaneously. Because it is a feeling and not a skill, it can only be recognized through direct observation and interpretation of children's actions and behaviors. Indicators are often unclear because feelings and thoughts fluctuate. Children disguise low self-esteem with over-achievement, competitiveness, rebellion, perfectionism, or indifference. Low self-esteem causes children to feel unworthy, unloved, and unimportant. One of the most prevalent causes of low self-esteem results from perceived physical differences, usually involving weight, height, race, features, and physical abnormalities or disabilities. Low self-esteem in overweight children can lead to eating disorders. Being bullied in early childhood can cause harm that lasts throughout life. Bullying consists of verbal, emotional, and physical assaults, and extreme intimidation. For males, it is mostly physical; for females, it is mostly psychological. Bullied children will either be passive and timid, or angry and aggressive. When children do not feel good about themselves, they often display self-defeating attitudes and actions. Talking to a therapist or counselor should be the first course of action if a child talks about, threatens, or attempts suicide. *Child care providers must be good role models and aware of their body language, tone of voice, and general demeanor. They should not provide empty praise to children. Child care providers should ensure that children know they are loved and respected. When children are speaking, stop and listen, always being sure to keep eye contact. Catch them being good and compliment them. Giving words of encouragement and occasional pats or hugs; never comparing a child negatively to another child; and teaching children to set realistic, age-appropriate goals also enhance positive self-esteem. Avoid any type of harsh criticism, ridicule, or shame intended to humiliate a child. Lessen children's unrealistic thoughts and self-opinions by focusing on the positive rather than the negative. Don't let children criticize themselves; if you don't intervene, they may think you agree with their negative opinions of themselves. One activity child care providers can offer that helps develop positive self-esteem in children is called "Star of the Day." This activity fosters children's self-confidence and pride in their accomplishments and abilities, as each child has a day to "shine." Another self-esteem-building activity is called "I Like Me." In this activity, children share things they like about themselves. These can be written down and displayed around the room to foster self-confidence and pride in accomplishments. Creating "Me Dolls" is an activity that promotes self-awareness and helps to establish a healthy self-image.

Organized Indoor and Outdoor Activities

*Since infants develop at a rapid pace, the type of physical activity performed will also change quickly. Activities appropriate for infants up to six months old include: Massaging Changing infant's position Kicking Reaching Playing games These activities can be done inside or outside. *Infants become more mobile and ready for solid foods between 6 and 12 months old. Physical activities during this time should focus on increasing the infant's ability to feed him/herself while improving dexterity and mobility skills. Examples include: Crawling Pulling up Walking Developing a pincer grasp Learning to use a sippy cup and a spoon *Toddlers are very curious and active. When you are outside, try the following activities to promote muscle development: Playing chase Riding or pushing self-propelled toys Kicking and throwing playground balls Imitating the child care provider Navigating simple obstacle courses *Try the following activities with toddlers while indoors: Popping bubbles Dancing and playing musical instruments Playing pretend **Outdoor activities appropriate for preschool-age children include: Jumping rope Using a hula hoop Playing Red Light/Green Light Playing Hide-and-Seek *Indoor physical activities for preschoolers include playing: Simon Says Freeze dancing Ring Around the Rosy ****Toys play an important role in a child's development. Toys promote learning and help children develop mentally, intellectually, socially, and physically. *Toys that promote physical activity in infants include: Baby or crib gyms Soft toys Rattles **Toys promoting physical activity in toddlers and preschoolers include: Self-propelled riding toys Balls Jungle gyms Balance beams

Stress in Young Children

*Stress is the body's emotional, physical, and chemical response to challenges, situations, experiences, or events that require change or adaptation. Stress is normal and predictable, and unavoidable. Stress can have both positive and negative effects on children. Stress can be categorized as normative or life-change. Normative stress occurs at different stages of child development. Life-change stress generally has a deeper impact on children. Stress can be acute (short-term) or chronic (long-term). Acute stress is generally sudden, and brought about by experiences like changes in routines, anticipation of upcoming events, or scary, exciting, or confusing situations. Chronic stress is caused by ongoing experiences that don't allow the body to return to normal; in essence, it is a build-up of stress. Stress is normally defined as internal or external. Internal stressors are felt within the body and include pain, hunger, and fatigue. External stressors are situations or events occurring in the environment, including loss of personal property, bullying, and events within the family environment. *Stress in young children comes from a vast variety of sources, and its effects on behavior, physical and mental health, and emotional well-being depends on the individual child. Some professionals believe children may be predisposed to stress by genetic inheritance. Other professionals do not see a direct correlation between a mother's stress and her unborn child. Temperament is a person's manner of thinking, behaving, and reacting, that characterize them as an individual. Children's individual temperaments play a large role in how they deal with stress. Some of the most common sources of stress in infants/toddlers include starting a new child care program, excessive stimulation, and unfamiliar situations. Preschoolers commonly feel stress when separating from their parent, becoming independent, and practicing newly-acquired social skills. Common sources of stress in school-age children include fear of being ridiculed by peers, wetting themselves in public, and academic failure. Sources of stress in children of any age include changes in family structure, basic needs not being met, and witnessing or experiencing abuse. Parents may contribute to child stress by having unrealistic expectations, exposing them to adult situations, and discussing personal issues or concerns where the child can hear. Children have high levels of stress after experiencing traumatic events. This severe, ongoing stress is known as Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). *The way children cope with stress depends on a variety of factors, including age, stage of development, duration of the situation, and support received from significant people in their lives. It is often difficult to notice signs of stress in young children because they are growing and changing very quickly, and changes can often be attributed to normal childhood growth and development. Signs and symptoms of childhood stress are grouped into five categories: physical, emotional, behavioral, social, and intellectual. Physical symptoms include changes apparent in the body. Chronic stress can have severe, long-lasting effects on a child's physical health. Children with unresolved stress have higher risk factors for serious medical complications like high blood pressure, heart disease, weakened immune systems, and diabetes that can result in premature death. Emotional symptoms are apparent changes in a child's normal temperament. Behaviors are the most easily recognized symptoms of child stress. The most common behavioral symptom of stress is drastic change in normal behavior. Social symptoms include changes in the way children interact with others. Intellectual symptoms of child stress include changes in cognitive processes. *Stress affects children in many of the same ways it affects adults, but young children often don't understand their stress or possess the knowledge necessary to manage it. The child care provider's role in reducing stress in young children is twofold; they should be aware of situations and events that cause stress for children and be aware of causes and symptoms of stress so they can minimize stress levels children are exposed to and assist them with coping skills. Child care providers should never underestimate effects of their behavior on children. Child care providers must model self-control. Because emotional reactions to stress are learned largely through observing adults' responses, child care providers must model positive ways of reacting to stress. Child care providers should also let children know that it is okay to make mistakes. Some children have little difficulty managing stress, and seem to adjust to new situations and events with very little effect on their mental well-being. These children are known as resilient. The more coping strategies children have in their arsenal, the more resilient they become. Showing children they are important and acknowledging and accepting their thoughts and feelings helps them find their own solutions for dealing with stress. These actions and others instill optimism in children by giving them the tools they need to handle challenges. *Creating an environment where children are protected from stress-inducing events is an extremely important responsibility. While every stressor can't be removed from the environment, many strategies can be used by child care providers to reduce the amount of stress children are subjected to. Developing a routine and sticking to it, creating clear and concise rules, and implementing consistent discipline all help contribute to a supportive, nurturing environment where children can feel safe. Child care providers can also reduce environmental stress by preparing children in advance of upcoming events or situations that may be stressful, and by using physical contact to reassure and comfort children. Physical activity allows children to release pent-up tension before it reaches an unmanageable level. Teaching relaxation skills and exercises provides young children with additional means of managing their stress. The most common techniques include imagining a peaceful place, deep breathing, remembering a happy experience, listening to soothing music, drawing or coloring, and taking up a hobby. Using stories and books is also an excellent way to get children to relate their feelings to those of the characters in the story. When a child is suffering severe effects from stress, causing persistent anxiety or ongoing functioning difficulties, seeking professional help may be in the best interest of the child. Child care providers may need to suggest this course of action to parents.

Stress Management Overview

*Stress is the nonspecific response of the body physically, emotionally, and interpersonally to any demand; the stress response prepares the body to fight or flee. Job-related stress is recognized as a major health problem. It often results in physical illness and disability, marital and family problems, reduced job satisfaction, lowered job performance, alcoholism, drug abuse, and even in some cases, premature death or suicide. Real stress exercises flight or fight; after the threat is defeated, a relaxation response is experienced. Symbolic stress exercises flight or fight to a degree, but has no relaxation response. Sources of stress can be personal, administrative, public- or resource-related, or the result of personal work habits. As individuals are exposed to stress, their responses to the long-term effects of unmanaged negative stress can manifest into an internalization, externalization, or burnout. Short-term effects of stress can result in physical, emotional, and interpersonal problems. *The ABCs of Stress are: A—the activating event or the source of stress B—the belief system or the evaluation of events as positive, negative, or neutral C—the consequences experienced as a result of your evaluation of the source of stress People are encouraged to deal with stress by developing a life outside of work, living in the present, engaging in aerobic exercise, eating properly, thinking positively, managing time effectively, and using relaxation responses.

Multiculturalism

*Teaching multiculturalism promotes social interaction, and helps children develop positive feelings about their cultural uniqueness and the cultural uniqueness of others. Multicultural education teaches children about other cultures and ethnic groups. It ensures social justice, equality, and promotes social change. All teachers enter the classroom with prejudices and biases. These prejudices and biases should not be passed on to their students. Educators should never send out stereotyped messages to children in their care. *Administrators set the tone for a positive educational experience in a multicultural environment. They should examine curriculum content and, if needed, restructure it to include information on diverse cultures. Administrators should also modify and adjust curriculum to accommodate different learning styles and needs. They should examine academic policies and counseling services for discriminatory practices. Testing, grading practices, textbooks, and all teaching methods should be reviewed for bias, stereotyping, and labeling. Any discriminatory practices must be removed. Policies allowing parental involvement should be implemented, and students should be allowed to share their unique customs, dress, and language in the classroom. Administrators should work with faculty and staff to incorporate multicultural teaching in daily lessons and activities. They should observe and evaluate their faculty and staff on a regular basis. They should ensure multiculturalism is being taught and teachers are not discriminating, labeling, or showing bias. *To foster and maintain a healthy and successful multicultural environment, educators need to make allowances for how children of different cultures develop and learn. People of different cultures communicate and interact with people in various ways. All educators can improve the multicultural environment of their classrooms through collaborative teaching. There are two primary sources for collaboration—internal and external. The students themselves provide the primary internal resource for collaborative teaching. External resources for collaborative teaching include educational specialists, professionals, and peers. *Children that receive help from parents are much more successful in school than children whose parents are not involved in their learning. Good teacher and parent communication helps parents become involved. Methods to establish and maintain teacher and parent communication may include: Using enrollment forms to gather information about family traditions, holidays, and languages Making teacher home visits to see the child's cultural environment Providing opportunities for parental program participation Maintaining continuous teacher and parent communication Sending messages home in the language the parents speak Using wording that can be easily understood Practicing active listening Responding to returned messages quickly

Working with Children with Disabilities

*The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was enacted to protect the civil rights of United States citizens with disabilities. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) ensures that children with disabilities are provided with a free, appropriate public education. The IDEA is split into four parts. The first part includes the legal provisions, purposes, and definitions of the Act. The second part of the IDEA contains the stipulations regarding preschool and school-age children's education, program funding, evaluations for services, eligibility requirements, Individualized Education Programs (IEPs), and educational placement. The third part of the IDEA states the intervention and services that are available for infants and toddlers with disabilities and their families, and provides grants to fund these services. The fourth part provides support for national activities that help improve education opportunities for children with disabilities. *The IDEA calls for an Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP) to be drawn up for children with disabilities ages birth through 3. This plan details how the child will receive early intervention and other services and establishes future development and performance goals. Each child with disabilities over the age of 3 will be the focus of an IEP, developed by the child's parents and teachers, along with personnel involved in providing related services for the child's needs. An IEP details the child's academic achievement and functional performance, how inclusion will be accomplished, annual goals for the child and how they will be measured, services and accommodations that will be needed, and how the child will be assessed. *Inclusion of children with disabilities in a child care facility benefits not only those children, but also the nondisabled children, the children's families, and the community. Children with disabilities benefit from inclusion because: they are no longer segregated and negatively labeled they learn how to adapt to a nondisabled environment they learn social and adaptive skills Children without disabilities benefit from inclusion because: they are given the opportunity to learn more about disabilities and their effects they can develop positive attitudes towards people who are different they learn unselfish behaviors and when and how to use them they have the opportunity to see their peers achieve goals despite the challenges presented by their disabilities Communities that include children with disabilities in their education and child care systems will benefit financially. *Barriers to inclusion include: Lack of properly trained personnel Lack of available services Negative attitudes of staff and parents Easy ways to help with the inclusion of children with disabilities include modifying toys and making small environmental changes. Strategies child care providers can use when adapting a child care program to make it inclusive for children with hearing, visual, learning, physical, and behavioral disabilities include: Reducing the amount of background noise during activities Providing large, bright toys that children with visual impairments can see and play with Keeping instructions simple and easy to understand Planning activities that encourage movement of the entire body Intervening quickly to stop or redirect aggressive behavio

Finding and Using Resources on the Internet

*The Internet can serve as a vast resource for child care providers who want lesson plans, activities, or other new ideas to incorporate into their classrooms. Understanding commonly used terminology can aid in the efficient use of the Internet. A URL is an Internet address that includes the access protocol and domain name. Search engines are the key to finding specific information via the World Wide Web. Without them, it would be virtually impossible to locate anything on the Internet without knowing the specific URL. A search engine searches through databases of documents initially gathered by a spider. The search engine then summarizes the content retrieved by the spider and adds the links to their databases. *Internet safety is important in any organization. Numerous laws and regulations have been developed to protect children. The Children's Online Privacy Protection Act requires Web sites to explain their privacy policies on the site and obtain parental consent before collecting or using a child's personal information. The Children's Internet Protection Act requires schools and libraries receiving federal technology funds to install pornography-blocking software on their computers. An array of sexual predator laws has been enacted to protect children from people who lure, or attempt to lure, children into an offline meeting for the purpose of performing illegal sexual acts, or coercing them to provide sexually explicit photos of themselves. *The Internet, paired with instructional knowledge and careful evaluation, can be an effective teaching tool. The Internet may also be used to communicate with peers to obtain ideas and support. Using educational concepts and activity sites found on the Internet to supplement learning and broaden knowledge benefits both children and teachers. The Internet offers many opportunities for learning, constructive entertainment, and personal growth. At the same time, parents are concerned about the risks children face online. The challenge for parents and child care providers is to educate themselves and their children about how to use the Internet safely.

Behavior Management for Young Children

*The goal of behavior management is to teach children appropriate behaviors that make learning possible. Child care providers play a significant role in helping children learn social responsibility, practice self-control, and develop self-discipline. The development of these behaviors is essential. Using behavior management techniques benefits child care providers by creating an atmosphere favorable for exploration and learning, and by promoting respect for the child care provider and other children. Children benefit from behavior management because social skills are developed and interactive experiences are enhanced. Behavior management techniques include: Setting limits Knowing when to ignore or to intervene Discussing problem situations Using proximity control Increasing motivation Using humor Appealing to student values Listening Removing nuisance items Using ethical behavior management *Strategies for increasing and reinforcing positive behaviors include: Positive behavior modeling Praise and encouragement Rules and instruction Behavioral contracting Some proactive behavior management actions a child care provider can take include: Arranging the classroom Scheduling activities Establishing a behavior management plan Providing group-building activities Selecting a group leader Adapting instruction Bullyproofing the classroom Managing classroom behavior is one of the most challenging issues child care providers face. Children misbehave for a variety of reasons, including inappropriate teaching strategies, the child's inability to comprehend, bidding for attention, transitions, disabilities, and mental health disorders. *Regardless of the guidance approach and/or caregiving style used, discipline must be consistent and effective. Some considerations and tips for effective guidance include: Attitude Communication Picking battles Use of a technique Natural and logical consequences Child care providers should adapt discipline to the age and ability of the child and make it appropriate to the situation. Child care providers have to be able to determine which guidance method will work best for a child. Not all children respond the same way to the same style of discipline.

Conflict Management for Children

*The goal of conflict management is to teach supervisory adults the necessary skills needed to manage conflict in any environment and at the same time guide children to manage conflict for themselves. Experts will agree that conflict is necessary for meaningful social and emotional development. The management of conflict resolution is a skill that has to be taught and practiced. The knowledge of conflict management will undoubtedly be useful throughout life. Conflict management incorporates the two distinct components, conflict and conflict resolution. Conflict resolution is achieved only when both parties' interests and concerns are fully heard, understood, and addressed. Conflict management does not equate to resolution, but it does ensure a more equitable solution can result through understanding and communication. The management of conflict determines whether the results are productive or destructive *Conflict is natural and is neither good nor bad. It has its beginnings in a perceived basic need deficiency. When our psychological well-being is threatened, we engage in behavior that is intended to reduce that deficiency. The resulting behavior can be grouped as acceptable or unacceptable. The perception of a deficiency is the key and, with training and education, we can change that perception, thus reducing unacceptable behavior. Resolving conflict can be a great learning tool. Skill sets acquired during conflict resolution include: Emotional Communication Orientation Perception Creative Thinking Critical Thinking *Conflict resolution strategies can be in two behaviors, less effective and effective. Less effective strategies include: Fleeing Tattling Fighting Effective strategies include: Negotiating Compromising Taking Turns *Adult assistance is needed many times to help children navigate through the conflict resolution process. There are six steps to assist in teaching conflict resolution: 1. Bring order to the situation. 2. Don't show favoritism. 3. Allow all children to state the problem. 4. Allow the children to state potential solutions. 5. Support the children's ownership of the chosen solution. 6. Periodically check the status of the agreed-upon solution. Adults assisting children in conflict resolution should: Use age- and development-appropriate communication Demonstrate instructions when necessary Give choices Redirect activities when necessary *There is a difference in the conflict management styles used by adults and children. Adult styles include: Accommodating Avoiding Cooperative Problem-Solving (Collaborating) Compromising Competing Conflict Management styles typically used by children include: Soft Loud Think and Share There are four conflict management models: Curriculum Infusion Mediation Programs Conflict Management as a Classroom Management Strategy Comprehensive Conflict

Surviving Toddlerhood

*This lesson discussed elements of toddler development and common toddler behaviors. It also discussed how to guide toddlers using positive strategies. Behavior issues in toddlers are generally the result of the child's inability to communicate, boredom, or striving for independence. Toddlerhood is marked by brain structure, communication, and social, emotional and cognitive development. A toddler's brain is in a constant state of development. Learning is completely based on experiences at this stage. Toddlers' experiences lay the groundwork for their future development. Because of the developing brain, toddlers usually have emotional challenges related to trust, independence, separation anxiety, and emotional expression. Toddlerhood is also an important stage for developing gross and fine motor skills. *Toddler behavioral challenges include: Tantrums Hitting Hair pulling Biting Whining Separation anxiety Thumb sucking Mood swings Food struggles *Child care providers can use a variety of guidance techniques to promote positive toddler behavior. Providers need to establish a consistent routine, provide healthy meals and snacks, a pleasant atmosphere, and communicate with toddlers. Other techniques include trying to anticipate any problem situations and balancing active and quiet play. Being close to and touching toddlers is also helpful in some situations. Guiding toddlers requires a balance of observation and action. Using positive guidance techniques will help toddlers learn how to interact with others and use materials properly. Child care providers are role models for toddlers and should conduct themselves as such. Specific guidance techniques that are effective with toddlers include: Distraction Redirection Ignoring Active ignoring Intervention

Stages of Social and Emotional Development in Toddlers

*This lesson discussed how toddlers develop socially and emotionally. It also described how parents and child care providers can support children's development, defined developmental milestones, and described signs of developmental delays. *A child's social-emotional development is influenced by two primary factors. They are "nature," that results from both parents' genes, and "nurture," that is basically the environments a child experiences during his or her formative years. Social development involves the ways a child relates to other people. Emotional development involves how children feel about themselves. Social-emotional development is often referred to as temperament, and normally undergoes significant changes during the toddler years. *Parents and child care providers can assist toddlers' social-emotional development by controlling their own feelings, viewing toddlers as unique individuals, praising toddlers' achievements, and communicating with them in age-appropriate language. They can also assist development by providing safe, comfortable environments and designing activities that enhance cognitive processes, and provide opportunities for social interaction. *Child care providers often spend more waking hours with children than do the parents, and may therefore more readily recognize cues that are indicative of delayed social-emotional development. Indications of possible developmental delay include, language delays and impulsive or aggressive behavior. Delay may also be indicated by a child being withdrawn, having trouble establishing relationships, or being completely uninterested in other people or their immediate environment. *Childcare providers who suspect possible delayed social-emotional development have the responsibility to discuss the issue with parents or guardians. Generally, it is better to do this after talking over your observations with a supervisor or other trusted professional. Although difficult by nature, these discussions can be eased by following established guidelines. Parents should be encouraged to take the child to a pediatrician or developmental specialist for further evaluation. The National Information Center for Children and Youth with Disabilities (NICHCY) is a good source of information on programs and assistance available to parents, guardians, and care providers dealing with developmentally delayed children.

Teaching science to children

*This lesson discussed teaching science to young children through the use of hands-on learning and activities. Science is defined as the observation, study, and experimental investigation of natural processes and the products of those processes. Science helps to develop the imagination, and shows a way to understand why events happen in the manner that they do. Hands-on learning is the best method for teaching science to children, because the children are actively involved. They can touch, smell, taste, hear, and see what they are working with, and actually learn faster because of the sensory connection. *Several science process skills are used when studying science, including: Observing Predicting Drawing conclusions Classifying Comparing Communicating Measuring Experimenting Interpreting data Exploring *A space in the classroom large enough to accommodate several children should be dedicated to the discovery of science. The area should be bright and have age- and size-appropriate tables. It should also contain objects that will help children discover science at their own pace, placed within easy reach of the children. Child care providers can expose children to other stimulating environments by exploring the school grounds or through approved field trips. The benefits of teaching science to preschool age children include: Better retention and comprehension of information Stronger sense of accomplishment from completing a self-directed task Students are more often "on-task" because they are a part of the process Greater motivation to learn Improved independent thinking Development of logical thinking patterns ***Other skills that may be improved while learning science include: Critical thinking skills Cause and effect thinking Communication skills/development of language Reading readiness Creativity Perception Math skills

Encouraging Parental Involvement

*This lesson discussed the importance of parental involvement at child care facilities and schools. It described activities and methods to encourage parental involvement, identified barriers to parental involvement, and presented activities that may assist in overcoming these barriers. Children of parents who are significantly involved in their out-of-home care and education attend school more regularly, make better grades, graduate from high school at a higher rate, and are more apt to enroll in higher education than children whose parents are less involved. Becoming involved benefits parents by providing a better understanding of what takes place in the child care facility or school and how to support facility activities, as well as providing a forum for effective communication about their children's progress, problems, and individual needs. *Other activities that enhance parental involvement include creating a parent center at the facility, maintaining a robust home visitation program, and coordinating with community organizations, outreach programs, and civic groups. Some parents may have additional barriers to increased involvement, including language and transportation difficulties, and lack of competent care for other children. Assisting these parents may require "going the extra mile" by providing bilingual written communications and providing translators and on-site child care, particularly during special events. Potential long-term benefits to the children make all reasonable efforts to increase parental involvement well worthwhile.

Reading Prescription Labeling

*This lesson discussed the three components of prescription drug labeling—package insert, vial labels, and warning labels. Package inserts contain information about a drug's uses, hazards, risks, side effects, chemical composition, dosage, and addiction risk. These inserts were initially developed to help medical professionals quickly obtain information needed to prescribe a drug. However, the inserts were confusing and very few doctors read them. In an effort to make it easier for medical professionals to obtain important prescribing information, the FDA redesigned the content and format of package inserts. The redesigned insert includes three new sections—highlights, table of contents, and patient counseling. It also includes formatting requirements for subheadings, font size, cross-referencing information, and removal of omitted sections or subheading *Understanding the label on the prescription vial is also important. The order of information displayed on the label may vary, but the components do not. The components include pharmacy name and phone number, prescription number, doctor's name, patient's name, date, dosing instructions, name of the medication or the main ingredient, manufacturer, quantity, refills, and expiration date. Information and instructions on vial labels must be followed precisely to ensure medications are taken properly and safely. *Prescription vials may also contain brightly colored warning labels with special instructions and additional information. This information can be categorized one of three ways—safe storage instructions, use instructions, and possible side effects. Information provided by these warning label special instructions are just as important as that conveyed by the vial label. Failure to pay attention to these warnings or special instructions may lead to a loss of drug strength, additional health problems, or even death.

Introduction to Computer Technology

*While computers can be intimidating to those who are not technologically savvy, learning about them can help to alleviate some of that fear. This lesson defined some of the terms that computer experts use and discussed the different types of available hardware and accessories, the functions of computers, and the needs of computer users. The following are definitions of some computer-related terms and types of computer hardware and accessories. Central Processing Unit (CPU)—the brains of any PC, the CPU allows the user to operate software Monitor—a device that resembles a television screen and displays output from the computer Keyboard—a device for putting information into a computer Mouse—a hand-operated device that controls the cursor and allows users to enter information and navigate Printer—a device that can produce a copy of what has been done while using a computer Universal Serial Bus (USB) Port—a quick and efficient way to connect peripheral *Definitions of some computer-related terms and types of computer hardware and accessories continued: Jump/Flash Drive—technology that allows for transferring data between computers Hard Disk—the main storage device in a computer system Random Access Memory (RAM)—the main working area of the computer Peripheral Device—any device that is added to a basic computer system Software—any application that a computer runs *technology advances, the tasks a PC can perform are becoming more and more essential. A PC can: Produce documents comparable in quality to those formerly produced only in print shops Find and track any item in an inventory Print checks and store a payroll Conduct online employee training Provide easy access to personal and client records The use of computers adds a degree of imagination and enjoyment to child care programs. Computers are beneficial to child care administrators and children alike. Administrators can use computers to manage records, curriculum, billing, and payroll, while child care providers can use them to promote learning in the classroom. *When shopping for a personal computer (PC), consumers must first determine exactly what they need from a computer. This can be done by asking simple questions like, "What do I want to accomplish with this technology?" Next, consumers must determine what type of computer system and what other hardware items they need. The following is a list of computer systems and their functions: Laptop—a portable personal computer Desktop—a static personal computer Pocket PC/Personal Digital Assistant (PDA)—small computers with limited functionality used primarily to organize information Smartphones—combination cellphone/PDA with some PC capabilities; primarily used for Web browsing capabilities and applications (apps) Touch Screen Computer Device—a portable device that has more capabilities than a smartphone but fewer than a laptop computer

Early Childhood Programs for Multilingual Children

*multilingual child is a child who speaks more than one language. The increase in cultural diversity among children in America has amplified the need for multilingual and multicultural learning programs. Family is the most influential social structure in a child's life. Child care programs should feature aspects of each child's family and home life. Culture affects behavior and how children relate to those around them. Language is a reflection of culture. *Language minority children should continue to learn their first language while learning English. Loss of the first language makes it difficult for children to communicate with family members who do not speak English. The greatest challenge of caring for multilingual children is effective communication. Children with limited English skills have difficulty understanding instructions and rules. It is also difficult to assess children's development if they cannot communicate clearly with caregivers. Communication difficulties hinder children's social skills, leading to negative, antisocial behaviors. Each child care or educational program has its own culture that can be adapted to reflect each child. By creating a stable, diverse environment, child care providers can bridge the gap between children's home and school lives. *Successful learning programs for multilingual children value each child's individuality and learning style. Each child's needs and cultural values should be considered when developing a child care program. Caregivers should examine their own assumptions and misconceptions about various cultures. They should be aware of stereotypes and misunderstandings among children in their care, and address prejudice promptly and directly. Each child should be treated equally. People from different cultures express themselves in different ways. Standardized learning programs may not be appropriate for multilingual children.

Sign of physically abusive

- giving an explanation for a child's injury that is conflicting or unconvincing or giving no explanation at all Speaking poorly about the child previously

signs of sexual abuse

-Bruises or scratches in the genital or breast area -Fear or an unusual amount of anxiety related to either routine or necessary exam of the anogenital area -Torn undergarments or presence of blood

Areas of Literacy Knowledge

Literacy knowledge encompasses multiple areas. Becoming proficient in the following functional abilities is required in order for children to achieve literacy:Listening skills Oral language Print awareness Phonological awareness Letter recognition (alphabetic knowledge) Letter-sound association *Literacy knowledge depends on the development of listening skills, beginning at birth when infants first hear people talking. Listening to pleasant and comforting sounds is an infant's first experience with literacy; if the infant enjoys the sounds, early listening skills, such as turning toward a familiar voice, will begin to develop. To encourage listening, child care providers should use expressive and interesting language when they talk to children. They should also provide daily listening activities for the children, particularly reading aloud, to encourage listening comprehension and help expand vocabulary. * Literacy knowledge depends on the development of listening skills, beginning at birth when infants first hear people talking. Listening to pleasant and comforting sounds is an infant's first experience with literacy; if the infant enjoys the sounds, early listening skills, such as turning toward a familiar voice, will begin to develop. * iteracy Knowledge Children should be encouraged to build on spoken language. To become literate, children must hear conversation and be encouraged to talk. *Infants begin oral language development with babbling, which progresses throughout childhood into traditional speaking. Repeating noises and words to young children reinforces the connection between spoken words and their meanings. Supplying unknown words to children enables them to speak in more complete sentences. Reading aloud to them helps to build vocabulary and expand oral language patterns.

Reading Techniques

This involvement helps reinforce print awareness. While reading, child care providers should physically follow along with the text, using their finger as a guide. This action helps the children associate print with spoken words. While reading aloud, allow children to tell their own stories based on their interpretation of the pictures, and let them ask questions. Always answer any questions about the book or characters before continuing. These techniques for reading aloud should be used consistently in the daily routine so each child can realize how fun and exciting reading can be. *Children will continue to be exposed to printed matter throughout their early years, expanding their ability to construct meaning from print. This increasing ability is known as emergent literacy. * Techniques for infants include: Naming simple objects and actions repeatedly Playing Peek-a-Boo and Pat-a-Cake Techniques for toddlers include: Verbalizing more often Asking questions about pictures in books Techniques for preschoolers include: Playing letter-sound games Familiarizing children with the letters in their name