Here are some key ideas I observed during my field experience with toddlers.
Section 1: I’m a toddler
- Providing abundant and safe opportunities to explore with their bodies and senses fuels the learning process for toddlers: I had the students do a sensory water activity using ducks and water containers.
- Adults need to offer encouragement, but be selective in their intervention to increase a toddler’s independence and self-confidence: I encouraged a child to do a puzzle but didn’t help/do it for her.
- Building independence will foster a sense of power and competency: I observed the children washing their own hands, without me needing to make them.
Section 2: How does that work
- Toddlers use most parts of their body to explore and learn about objects and people: Using their hands and arms to wear costumes and holding materials that match the costume, I saw a student put on bracelets with long ribbons and act like a butterfly
- Toddlers gravitate toward adults or where there is action; dispersing the adults around the room will reduce potential problems: having an adult in different play areas encourages them to join there, I saw a teacher in the kitchen area and a student make a “meal” for her and another teacher is sitting by the blocks, so another student joins her to stack some
- As toddlers “swarm” in imitative group action, this can become a group time activity; this is more appropriate than requiring toddlers to sit for other forms of teacher initiated group times: I saw, after storytime when singing a song, some kids joined in singing/dancing and some kids go to other play areas instead
Section 3: I want that
- Toddlers must first learn about “possessing and owning” before they understand concepts of sharing; talk of “taking turns” rather than “sharing”: I observed a kid playing in the block area with a purple pop-it. Another child snatches it to play with it, and the teacher comes along and tells the second child to take turns with the pop-it.
- Caregivers best serve autonomy and problem solving when they use descriptive language rather that intervening to resolve a squabble or punish for not sharing: I observed two kids being upset with each other and one pushed the other, the teacher approaches them and tells the child “That hurts her body, you need to use nice hands with our friends.”
Section 4: Gentle touches
- Toddlers need to be shown how to interact with their peers; when they grab, hit, or bite they rarely are intentionally mean, but rather are exercising their sense of autonomy and control in the absence of social skills: I observed three kids dancing during the morning song, one child hugs her friends and then drags them down with her as she falls. The teacher shows the child how to play with her peers without hurting them by having them hold hands and dance.
- Toddlers learn appropriate social behavior from adults demonstrating rather than punishing; emphasize the behavior you want, rather than stressing what you don’t want: A child is coloring and starts coloring on the table, I get a sheet of paper and show the child how to color the paper instead of the table.
- Avoid rewarding a child who has been a victim of aggression; It will be hard to unlearn the self-image; children need to cultivate a sense of power and confidence in taking care of themselves: When I observed a child get pushed, the teacher instructs the child to tell his peer not to push him and that it hurts his body.
Section 5: I can do it myself
- Use caregiving opportunities to give individual attention, build autonomy; and give the child a role: We are taking the students outside, the teacher helps Jay get his jacket on before she grabs the zipper, he pulls away and says he can zip it by himself, he does so.
- Respectfully alert children to your planned actions so they learn what to expect and don’t feel powerless: When taking a toddler to the potty and changing their diaper, I observed the teacher explain each step, like “I am going to take off your diaper and put a new one on you.”
- Provide a relaxed atmosphere for eating; model desired behaviors and create self-help opportunities: The teacher and I engage in conversation with the children while eating the same food with them. We also allow the students to serve themselves as the table is set up in a family-style way.
Section 6: Don’t leave me
- Allow ample time for child to adjust to the transitions between parent and teacher: The teacher and I greeted the child in the morning as the parent is signing them in and waited for the student to walk over to the potty area as a cue to take them inside to wash their hands.
- Acknowledge and empathize when a toddler has separation anxiety: When I saw a child crying over their parent leaving, the teacher offered them help; she asked if they want space or if they would like a hug. I told them that I understand and validated their feelings.
- Create goodbye rituals and make use of family photos for reassurance and comfort: The teacher created a goodbye ritual by getting the children undressed and ready for breakfast, they allow them to sit in the calming space and come out when they’re ready.