Thank you for sharing your insights regarding Teacher Sensitivity you see demonstrated in your teaching teams.
Here are those comments. If you haven't had the opportunity to send me an email with your insights, you can post a comment to this blog for all to see.
Creative Play, Kids' Place and PALS+ staff--The ECFE/Family Learning/First Steps/Ready, Set, Kindergarten staff has been working with the University of Virginia Classroom Assessment Scoring System (CLASS) this semester. At the March staff meeting, we discussed the first dimension, Positive Climate. In April we looked at Teacher Sensitivity. In May we will be examining Regard for Student Perspective. I believe that Peggy has shared CLASS with the Creative Play-ers and Lisa will or has done the same with the Kids' Place-ers and I'm pretty sure I gave the CLASS handouts to the PALS+-ers (but maybe not?) You are welcomed and encouraged to post comments about examples of Teacher Sensitivity you see in your classrooms, too!
Kim ( FL ) - is sensitive to the kids' needs and interests, and follows their lead. If the kids are not showing a lot of interest in an activity in the classroom, she quickly and easily shifts gears to accommodate them. And if they are really engaged and enthusiastic about something, she builds on it, and incorporates it into the schedule more. She gives lots of hugs, and laughs a lot with the children.
Kelli ( FL ) - is very nurturing, and always steps in quickly to provide help or support to the infants and toddlers. She is very in tune to each child's interests, abilities, needs, and moods, so they feel very secure and attached to her.
Cindy ( FL ) - As Parent Ed, is sensitive to the struggles and issues the parents face, and acts as a resource for them. Because she is non-judgemental and empowering when they approach her with a problem, they feel comfortable asking for help or support.
Lori ( Primary ) - From the moment she walks into the room, treats the children with gentleness and respect. She kneels down to be at their level when she is talking to them, and treats them as a friend. She makes them feel special and important, and when they return from the playroom, we see them showing more confidence, and smiling more, too. Steph
I think this is an area in which Peg Clark excels - I've enjoyed watching her put her cold hands on someone's ' owie', give an extra hug of comfort, and chat with the kids about what's going on in their lives with complete attention. Stacy and Cindy both show great sensitivity to the parents' concerns by informally catching up with them each week. Marjean
Trish displayed a good example of taking time to notice how students are
doing "in the moment." There were two children playing with the same toy in
the sensory table and it looked as though they might have trouble sharing.
Trish got out another toy that was the same, but when she went to put it in,
she observed that the children were sharing the orignal toy nicely. Instead
of putting the second toy in she pointed out to the parents and the children
how well they were sharing and put the second toy away. Anita
Stephanie: She is always really gentle with the children even if it is a difficult situation (example: a child disobeying the rules).
--Neil (fake name...) is having a hard time with listening to directions, so instead of yelling at him, she gently says, "Neil can you please come to the book area and read a book with the other children, then after you read then we can sing songs."
Kim: In the rec area (which is when I see her at work) she is always willing to jump in when a child is in need for a hug. Very sensitive to what the children really need.
--Kristi (again fake name...) just wants to be held on her lap and talked to. So Kim does just that. Kim also encourages her to play with her friends too. Kelli
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3 comments:
I enjoyed reading the comments. Those teachers are all very good at what they do. They are all sensitive to children, parents and all staff.
Jane is sensitive to our smallest learners and their parents.
As I sit down to to this excersize, I am flooded with examples of teacher sensitivity to the children, to each other, from the office staff to the teachers...I could truly go on and on. Here are only a few examples:
Cindy's organization and gentle persistence is the only reason I will actually complete all of my required observations and reflections. Also, Cindy checks up on families who have made a transition out of family learning and into regualr ECFE classes--it is clear she feels deeply about their continued success.
Stacy has been a great touchstone for me every Monday and Tuesday as we rush around getting our classes together. From a friendly, 'how was your weekend' to sharing her materials and ideas with me as I request them. Stacy has been an all around supportive presence as I work through becoming a better teacher.
There is an office fairy who has consistently started making two pots of coffee so that when I come in in the morning, I don't have to do it. This saves me a good 15 minutes in the morning and I am so grateful to use that time in better ways. Thank you to the office fairy.
Anita has showed amazing flexibility in responding both to the needs of the children in the classroom and to the parents needs as well. For example after every class she writes on the chalkboard the highlights of each child's behavior so that parents have some idea of the social development occuring in the classroom. This was a compromise to the usual 10 minute visit in the parent room at the end of the class.
I don't know how she does it,maybe it's her youth, but Meg knew the names of all the children pretty much after the first day. Also I have seen many examples of her following the lead of the children. One example is that the children have requested doing circle time again, after parents have left the room. She has accomodated their request. Word has it they they sing louder and are more engaged in participated when the parents are gone.
Peggy Rick laughs at my jokes--thank you Peggy, that's very sensitive of you.
There are more, but I need to sleep now.
Susan reinforces positive behavior with words and actions directed specifically to the children. She frequently smiles and gives direct eye contact to the children in her classroom. Susan is sensitive and easily adapts curriculum to meet the needs of the children. She models appropriate behavior and helps the children verbally express how they feel.
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