Infants, Toddlers & Caregivers Ch 2
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Infant-toddler education involves facilitating learning through problem-solving and observation, rather than stimulation or babysitting. It is built on a developmentally appropriate curriculum to support cognitive, physical, and socio-emotional growth. Caregivers assess the curriculum's effectiveness through observation and recording of children's interests, needs, and development. They facilitate problem-solving by allowing children to experience an optimal level of stress and providing attention, feedback, and modeling to support learning.
Infants, Toddlers & Caregivers Ch 2
- 1. Chapter 2: Infant-Toddler Education McGraw-Hill/Irwin © 2011 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.
- 2. What Infant-Toddler Education is Not N • Infant-toddler education is not infant stimulation. • Infant-toddler education is not babysitting. • Infant-toddler education is not a “watered-down” version of a preschool model. 2-2
- 3. Infant-Toddler Education is Not Stimulation • In this text, education does not mean “stimulation.” • Stimulation is something that people do to babies; allowing them to have sensory experiences is different because then they have choices about what to take in. • Stimulation in the form of sensory experiences should come from interactions with the environment and people. • In group settings, overstimulation may be a larger problem than lack of stimulation. 2-3
- 4. Infant-Toddler Education is Not Babysitting • Trained infant-toddler caregivers understand how care and education go together. • While instinctually good caregiving is important, caregivers benefit from knowing how to manage: – Difficult behaviors – Babies whose needs are hard to determine – Babies who lack the behaviors that attract adults 2-4
- 5. Infant-Toddler Education is Not a “Watered- Down” Version of the Preschool Model • Infants and toddlers need to use their exploratory urges. • Most preschool activities are developmentally inappropriate for infants. • Toddlers do not use materials in the same manner as preschool children. 2-5
- 6. What is Infant-Toddler Education? • Infant-toddler education is built on a curriculum. • Curriculum is assessed by observing and recording. • Education facilitates problem solving. • The Adult has a role in facilitating problem solving. 2-6
- 7. Curriculum as the Foundation of Infant-Toddler Education • What is an infant-toddler curriculum? – A plan for learning and development – A plan centered on connections and relationships – A plan that links education and care – A framework for decision-making based on a philosophy that guides action 2-7
- 8. Curriculum as the Foundation of Infant-Toddler Education • The curriculum depends on caregivers determining what children need. • The curriculum depends on children’s interests. • There is no way to separate intellectual needs from other needs and interests. 2-8
- 9. Curriculum as the Foundation of Infant-Toddler Education • The curriculum must have goals or outcomes. • Outcomes generally address these domains: – Cognitive – Physical – Social-emotional 2-9
- 10. Curriculum as the Foundation of Infant-Toddler Education • An infant-toddler curriculum depends on caregivers who have skills in: – Understanding typical and atypical development – Understanding diversity – Observation 2-10
- 11. Assessing the Effectiveness of the Curriculum: Observing and Recording • Observation is a skill that should be developed and practiced every day. • Some useful observation methods include: – Anecdotal and running records – Daily logs and two-way journals – Documentation 2-11
- 12. Assessing the Effectiveness of the Curriculum: Observing and Recording • Ongoing assessment tells caregivers: – How a child is doing – A child’s needs and interests – What a child might need next – How to design an individualized program 2-12
- 13. Education as Facilitating Problem-Solving • Infants and toddlers face daily problems including: – Physical problems (hunger or discomfort) – Manipulative problems (grasping objects or balancing blocks) – Social and emotional problems (separation) 2-13
- 14. Education as Facilitating Problem-Solving • Caregivers facilitate learning by: – Allowing children to solve their own problems – Recognizing problems as learning opportunities – Not protecting children from all problems – Being actively and receptively present while children are solving problems 2-14
- 15. The Four Skills Adults Need to Facilitate Problem-Solving • Determining optimum stress levels – Caregivers observe children to learn how much stress is too little, too much, or just right. – Optimum stress is just the right amount of stress. • Providing attention – Meeting children’s needs for attention without manipulative motives. 2-15
- 16. The Four Skills Adults Need to Facilitate Problem-Solving • Providing feedback – Caregivers should provide clear feedback so infants and toddlers know the consequences of their actions. – Caregivers can verbalize the reaction they see in a child. 2-16
- 17. The Four Skills Adults Need to Facilitate Problem-Solving • Modeling – Adults need to perform behaviors, actions, and interactive styles that the children can learn and imitate. 2-17
- 18. Toddler Education and School Readiness – Infant-toddler education can give children the foundation they need for success later in school. – There are programs to help low-income families catch their children up for school readiness 2-18
- 19. Online Learning Center • See Chapter 2 of the text’s Online Learning Center for chapter quizzes, Theory Into Action activities, Video Observations, and more. 2-19