In another week I'll be going back to school. I work with the Pre-K in the "Play and Exploration" program. I have now been turning my mind to prepare for the new school year where things will look quite different from the previous year.
One thing I learned early on with working as an EA is to be flexible especially when it is in a child directed program geared to the children's expressed interests.
Now with the Covid epidemic the need to be flexible has really come into play.
Guidelines have been put out by the school division based on the government guidelines for Covid-19. These have raised two main concerns for me in how to effectively run the Pre-K program.
The first is that all staff must wear masks and the other is we need to practice physical distancing (they don't want to call it social distancing because school is suppose to have an element of socialization.) How does it effects young children when you keep yourself physically distant?
With working with young children it's all about building a relationship with them, making connections. You are in a position to make a difference in their lives, open doors and take them to new levels.
With the young children I work with, 3 and 4 year olds, I rely on getting down to their level, being close to them, there to comfort them if needed with hugs. I use my facial expressions a lot when communicating for they are still building their vocabulary. Even the notes the school children came up with about staff members, for staff appreciation day, for me was:
Mrs. Porter - Always smiling!
Now I'll have to rely more on smiling with my eyes.
The saving grace within the guidelines, they encourage us to have as much of our class time be outside where we don't have to wear masks - Hallelujah! We have a lovely park right behind the school and a lovely playground with a line of large spruce trees at the back which the children enjoy exploring in.
A really good resource that is helping me make these adjustments is "Kids These Days - a Game Plan for (Re)Connecting With Those We Teach, Lead & Love" by Dr. Jody Carrington (a child psychologist).
She has made available to teachers and support staff, an online course (which she thought she may develop into a podcast but instead made it into a course) based around the topic of her book, so I've been listening to that plus our principal bought us her book. .
On the back cover of her book is written:
Her mission has become to shift the way educators think and feel about the holy work they do, and to refocus us on supporting them in that work.
The first print of this book was in February 2019 and the second printing was in January 2020 so it is very relevant to these times when there is a rising concern for mental and emotional health with the effects of all that has been happening with Covid-19. In the book there is a focus on making sure those that "hold our children every day" are okay, for it is then that we know our children will be okay.
She gives us a powerful, practical plan for making sure the kids are okay.
For an idea about this practical plan she had given us an acronym - FIELD (although she admits she isn't the best at making acronyms and there is so much more to it in her writings describing the keys) for the five keys (or strategies) to (re)connect.
F - feed them
I - (show) interest that is genuine
E - (get) eye contact and say their names
L - leave them never - especially when they tell you to go away
D - down on their level is where I want to be
It a wonderful read and inspired me to be creative so I can continue to build relationships, find different ways of connecting with the children, working towards them growing to their greatest potential.
Take aways from the book "Kids These Days":
Dr. Jody Carrington is really big on lighting up when you greet the kids, all the kids, even the difficult ones.
Usually in Pre-K we have home visits at the beginning of the year to get to introduce ourselves and get to know the children a bit. This year we will not be going into the homes but we can meet in their yards or the playground or we can do it virtually (that doesn't cut it with me). I like the idea of meeting in their yards where it is a familiar place for the kids on our first meeting. My way of lighting up will be to start the smile from a distance and let my enthusiasm bubble over so it can be felt even if we are keeping physical distancing.
Some children have separation anxiety when there parents leave. We usually overcame that by holding and hugging them or staying really close. This year they are trying to keep other people than staff and students (this would include parents) from being in the building. This wouldn't matter when we are meeting outside in the playground where the parents can stay close by until their child becomes engaged in play but on cold day we would be there by the entranceway to greet them enthusiastically, being aware of our own personal energy (something I work at to keep positive) keeping their experience one where the children will enjoy and can learn and grow.
Something Jody pointed out was the need for children to be able to emotionally regulate to be able to as she says: "keep their lids on"for they can not learn anything if they are dysregulated. She addresses this issue very well in her book and describes how and when we can teach children to regulate, seeing every time they "flip their lids" as a chance to teach them to regulate.
Another important factor bought up in the book is to show children that they matter, giving them our undivided, curious attention as much as we possibly can, if we do that first they will be more open to learning from us. It's about building relationships and making connections and realizing that you, just you is enough, you and the connection you have with the child, being a safe base, a safe haven.
Jody works towards changing how we often describe kids as attention seekers, to see it as connection seekers, for it is those connections that we all crave.
There is a whole chapter on making sure that you, as an educator are okay. It is on figuring out how to look after ourselves with a wonderful saying
Taking care of yourself doesn't mean "me first." It means "me too."
It includes putting the "basics" of our needs into our daily routine,then she gave us six practices to help you carry on, keeping in the game or as she says" keeping lit"
First one, although they were not mentioned in any particular order of importance, involved thinking of people you admire, look up to, folks you would want to make proud or as she says "your bottomhand, folks you would live well by." Think of them when you are making big decisions or at big moments in your life, do it so you would either make them proud, make a decision knowing it is what they would do or want you to do, these people who's opinion matters to you.
The second one I really like - choose joy. Jody states that if you are constantly preparing for the worst you may be missing out on the joy of the present moment. She encourages us to lean into the joy. Find it in small things or like me through your hobby. Mine is photography and being out in nature, taking in the wonder and awe. That brings me joy!
Number three is gratitude and intention which we are encouraged to make a practice of and also to actually write it down for that seems to give it more substance. Jody pointed out that it is in slowing down, taking the time to be grateful, that you come back to yourself, the place where the best you resides. With intentions what you set an intention for will bring it into focus.
I use this regularly when I sit for my morning meditation, I set my intention and that brings my focus on it.Number four was practicing forgiveness, something to keep in your back pocket. We are encouraged to take forgiveness past the "forgive and forget" and to offer empathy, compassion, understanding - something positive, working towards forgiveness and repair, for when you forgive someone you are doing it as much for you as for them, there are benefits to be had for being forgiving.
The fifth one she called "Collective Effervescence" - a term introduced by Emile Durkheim. I shows how a community or team when they unify become a force of one. It's about staying connected with your team/community, finding things that bind you together that helps you stay connected. Have these communities or connections so someone will be there when you stumble.
And the last one was to lean in, lean in as your true self. To show up as authentically as possible, for it is doing this that you can create your own magic, your true power can emerge. She asks us to remember our successes and celebrate them. Keep the stories about the people you made a difference for.
Dr. Carrington reminds us that we have the capacity to change the trajectory of a life - that is big!
Images from graphicstock
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