In need of some advice. [New daycare worker]

[ShannonW]

I keep forgetting to log back in! Sorry about that. Thank you all for the posts though, they are helping. I used some coloring time today with stencils and that helped ease some of the stress for the kids. Some of the children are getting used to me (one who can move to four different rooms because he's an older three) but most are still testing the waters with what they can get away with.

It really is helping. I get this weekend off thankfully so I hope I can unwind from this last week and pray the next one if not as tough.

[kendallina]

I keep forgetting to log back in! Sorry about that. Thank you all for the posts though, they are helping. I used some coloring time today with stencils and that helped ease some of the stress for the kids. Some of the children are getting used to me (one who can move to four different rooms because he's an older three) but most are still testing the waters with what they can get away with.

It really is helping. I get this weekend off thankfully so I hope I can unwind from this last week and pray the next one if not as tough.

That's great-having good relationships with the kids helps hugely! And I cannot believe they put you with infants without knowing anything about them! AGH. I'm not an infant person though, so just the thought of that makes my blood pressure go up! haha

[Unregistered]

Hi, here are some links that could help. Anyone with internet access can write whatever they want about their child development theories and how to care for children. I wanted to provide these links because these are the practices that are used for high high quality care.

RIE (for infant-toddler care)

http://www.janetlansbury.com/2013/12/rie-parenting-basics-9-ways-to-put-respect-into-action/

NAEYC

http://www.naeyc.org/DAP

Guidance (discipline)

http://www.earlychildhoodnews.com/earlychildhood/article_view.aspx?ArticleID=578

I know this is a lot but I really do hope it helps!

[Unregistered]

In addition to the guidelines in the above links, here are practical ideas you can use in the classroom!...
First I'll say- being new and having no help: do the least supervision needed and least hands on from adult and least messy activities possible... Just for now in your circumstances. With that in mind, here are my thoughts on easiest activities for you...

Toddlers (18 months to 2.5 years ish):
stuffed animals, board books, play food, bigger cars than matchboxes, put things in boxes (like Kleenex boxes) and let them pull things out, then put them back- they'll like it . Pillows and blankets and baby dolls. Sit and read a short book while you look around the room, they'll probably look and listen from afar, they might come to you. Focus on their daily care needs: feeding, diapering, washing hands will take up basically all of your time! Talk to them about what they are doing.

2.5-3's:
Doll house, easy puzzles, dress up, books, puppets, physical activity!! Throwing balls into a basket, taking care of babies (they like purses and scarves with their babies ), cotton balls in a bowl to be picked up with spoons and transfered to other bowls. Coloring with crayons. In an attempt at a group time do only one book and only 1-2 songs. Don't expect anyone to sing along- but some might!

3-4's:
trains and tracks, dress up, matchbox cars on a road rug (or make roads with masking tape on the floor), blocks, play kitchen with table & chairs & play food & plates, taking care of babies (baby dolls, high chair, bottles, spoons, blankets, diapers, anything you can use to fake these things, crib, etc), crayons and paper (markers will be messier), dinosaurs... You can read one book to this age group in a circle and sing a couple songs- they won't last much longer than that.

4-5's: these guys like to learn more advanced ideas and like some smaller toys: small toy sets of bugs, Dinos, farm animals, building with blocks, smooth stones, little glass gem things (treasure items if you see anything like that in the supplies), magnifying glasses, books about different types of animals and bugs, these kids will enjoy 'writing' (drawing) letters to people and putting in envelopes if you can find some (a lot). Also color pencils, crayons, markers with paper. Board games like chutes and ladders or candy land but let them make up the rules and don't try to make them follow any rules just let them do their own thing- you are much too busy watching over the whole classroom, keeping people safe! If one child asks you to do something that will take too much of your attention (read a book to that one child or play a game with that one child), just let them know you can't right now because you are supervising the whole class. Definitely read to the whole group. Tell them to sit in a big circle and read one or 2 books and sing something standing up with movements (I'm a little tea pot, hokey pokey) then sit down and do a calm song before releasing them (3 monkeys jumping on the bed, wheels on the bus, ABC's, twinkle)...

So much more to say...! Good luck girl! I think you will do well because you obviously care enough to go looking for answers! That speaks well of your interest in these kids wellbeing.

[ColorfulSunburst]

... I literally broke down and cried on my lunch break today. ...
... There are eight classrooms in total and it is a nightmare in almost every classroom.

you remind me my daughter (almost 24 y.o.). She substitute me during one week. She started to cry after the first two hours of working. She did great job during that week, but 2y.o.- 4y.o. is not a right age for her to work with. She prefers to work with 6 y.o.- 8 y.o. Maybe you are same.
I also can say that not every person can work as a sub-teacher. I can't. Just because everything must be in the way what I think is right.:: If I have no right to change things that are wrong or not right enough to my thinking I will not be able to be happy at work and even more I will not be able to stop till I change it into my own way =))). Yes-yes, I can be a nightmare co-worker, but I am a lucky person. All my chefs accept everything what I did and every changes that I made.
So, try to do what they ask you to do but don't be afraid to do it in your own way. It is my advice. In my case it works. Don't cry!

[Silly Songs]

Have you told the director / asst director or whoever is in management about your concerns ? Especially in the younger class, such as infants . Babies are each on a different schedule with feeding and you need to know each child's schedule . When I was in the centers I have worked in , the baby room usually had a sched posted somewhere about each baby . That is the minimum you need to care for them . Really , it's not fair to you , or the children to have you floating from room to room .

[ShannonW]

Hi, here are some links that could help. Anyone with internet access can write whatever they want about their child development theories and how to care for children. I wanted to provide these links because these are the practices that are used for high high quality care.

RIE (for infant-toddler care)

http://www.janetlansbury.com/2013/12/rie-parenting-basics-9-ways-to-put-respect-into-action/

NAEYC

http://www.naeyc.org/DAP

Guidance (discipline)

http://www.earlychildhoodnews.com/earlychildhood/article_view.aspx?ArticleID=578

I know this is a lot but I really do hope it helps!

I've actually had to read these articles for school already and they do help some, thank you for the refresher!

[ShannonW]

In addition to the guidelines in the above links, here are practical ideas you can use in the classroom!...
First I'll say- being new and having no help: do the least supervision needed and least hands on from adult and least messy activities possible... Just for now in your circumstances. With that in mind, here are my thoughts on easiest activities for you...

Toddlers (18 months to 2.5 years ish):
stuffed animals, board books, play food, bigger cars than matchboxes, put things in boxes (like Kleenex boxes) and let them pull things out, then put them back- they'll like it . Pillows and blankets and baby dolls. Sit and read a short book while you look around the room, they'll probably look and listen from afar, they might come to you. Focus on their daily care needs: feeding, diapering, washing hands will take up basically all of your time! Talk to them about what they are doing.

2.5-3's:
Doll house, easy puzzles, dress up, books, puppets, physical activity!! Throwing balls into a basket, taking care of babies (they like purses and scarves with their babies ), cotton balls in a bowl to be picked up with spoons and transfered to other bowls. Coloring with crayons. In an attempt at a group time do only one book and only 1-2 songs. Don't expect anyone to sing along- but some might!

3-4's:
trains and tracks, dress up, matchbox cars on a road rug (or make roads with masking tape on the floor), blocks, play kitchen with table & chairs & play food & plates, taking care of babies (baby dolls, high chair, bottles, spoons, blankets, diapers, anything you can use to fake these things, crib, etc), crayons and paper (markers will be messier), dinosaurs... You can read one book to this age group in a circle and sing a couple songs- they won't last much longer than that.

4-5's: these guys like to learn more advanced ideas and like some smaller toys: small toy sets of bugs, Dinos, farm animals, building with blocks, smooth stones, little glass gem things (treasure items if you see anything like that in the supplies), magnifying glasses, books about different types of animals and bugs, these kids will enjoy 'writing' (drawing) letters to people and putting in envelopes if you can find some (a lot). Also color pencils, crayons, markers with paper. Board games like chutes and ladders or candy land but let them make up the rules and don't try to make them follow any rules just let them do their own thing- you are much too busy watching over the whole classroom, keeping people safe! If one child asks you to do something that will take too much of your attention (read a book to that one child or play a game with that one child), just let them know you can't right now because you are supervising the whole class. Definitely read to the whole group. Tell them to sit in a big circle and read one or 2 books and sing something standing up with movements (I'm a little tea pot, hokey pokey) then sit down and do a calm song before releasing them (3 monkeys jumping on the bed, wheels on the bus, ABC's, twinkle)...

So much more to say...! Good luck girl! I think you will do well because you obviously care enough to go looking for answers! That speaks well of your interest in these kids wellbeing.

In my experience so far I have had no rime to even make an activity with the children, no reading, group time, or remotely time for these activities. My days have been filled with trying to keep up with the regulations of the center and what I am suppose to do at what time (meals, changing, nap, and outside time being the only things I've been able to do besides the free center times.

I hope so, I want this job to work, not only because it is something I want to be able to do but I need the income even though I'm being paid minimum wage.

[ShannonW]

you remind me my daughter (almost 24 y.o.). She substitute me during one week. She started to cry after the first two hours of working. She did great job during that week, but 2y.o.- 4y.o. is not a right age for her to work with. She prefers to work with 6 y.o.- 8 y.o. Maybe you are same.
I also can say that not every person can work as a sub-teacher. I can't. Just because everything must be in the way what I think is right.:: If I have no right to change things that are wrong or not right enough to my thinking I will not be able to be happy at work and even more I will not be able to stop till I change it into my own way =))). Yes-yes, I can be a nightmare co-worker, but I am a lucky person. All my chefs accept everything what I did and every changes that I made.
So, try to do what they ask you to do but don't be afraid to do it in your own way. It is my advice. In my case it works. Don't cry!

Honestly my goal is for elementary education, preferably children from third grade or higher but this is the only job I am qualified for right now. But you don't sound like a nightmare! Just a person with a strong head on their shoulders! =D Someone who knows what they want and how to get it. ;D

[ShannonW]

Have you told the director / asst director or whoever is in management about your concerns ? Especially in the younger class, such as infants . Babies are each on a different schedule with feeding and you need to know each child's schedule . When I was in the centers I have worked in , the baby room usually had a sched posted somewhere about each baby . That is the minimum you need to care for them . Really , it's not fair to you , or the children to have you floating from room to room .

I have but with being understaffed I doubt my concerns matter. All this makes the director and people sound awful but they are not! I work with some of the best people I have ever met but I think their hands are tied a bit with where I would be most useful with my abilities and what room they need a teacher located.