强奸视频

What is something a child has taught you?

The听most important thing a child has taught me is to never quit. I have encountered children who strive to complete a听task that is challenging, and they continue to work hard, use the resources at their disposal, and persevere until they have accomplished their goal. For example, I had a student who did an alphabet puzzle every day until she was able to put every piece in place without assistance. At times, she got frustrated to the point of tears, but never quit.听Instead, she would recite the alphabet or look to the wall where the alphabet was displayed while completing the puzzle. Occasionally, she would incorrectly place pieces into the puzzle board, take them all out, and start over until she got them all to fit.听

This child taught me to never quit and that the power of encouraging words truly can be a source of strength just when you鈥檙e ready to give up.听Take a deep breath and look up鈥攖here are clues all around to help you, so don鈥檛 forget to use your resources. When a task gets tough, keep going, stay focused, and never be afraid to start over again.

What is most important in your classroom?

Children are the most important aspect of my classroom.听I am an advocate for children first. I believe the classroom should reflect a warm and inviting energy where children feel safe and know that they belong in this community.听It should be exciting, organized, and predictable.听The classroom should be print-rich and safe, and should tell a story that is inclusive to the lives of the children鈥檚 culture鈥攁ll while keeping them engaged and excited without over stimulating them. There should be a variety of materials and experiences always accessible to captivate and promote the children鈥檚 interest and inquiry skills. It should feel like a partnership with families and the community. Having a routine and schedule is an essential part of the classroom so that children know what to expect and what comes next. Maintaining a sense of safety and security through smooth transitions, classroom rules, and student jobs also supports how to care for the classroom and for one another.听The classroom should always have exploratory, hand-on experiences that can make it exciting, fresh, and fun.听

How do you build on children鈥檚 individual and family strengths, cultural backgrounds, and experiences?

To build individuality into my classroom, I first get to know the children and families, and then I bring the children鈥檚 cultures into the classroom through the environment (what鈥檚 displayed around the room) and through learning experiences that connect children鈥檚 cultural identities with ongoing projects and play.听Invite families to provide labels in their home languages and volunteer to share their cultures.听Allow the children to share stories and activities with each other about their cultures and backgrounds.听 听

How do you show children you value them?

I show children I value them by always trying to be an active listener. I engage children in extended dialogue where I ask open-ended questions to encourage them to expand their thinking and maximize their learning.听Taking the time to listen to them describe a picture they created can turn into a story about an uncle's funeral. Listening shows the children that you care about them, and it shows children that you value their thoughts and feelings.

How do you communicate with children鈥檚 families?

From the very beginning, my goal is to establish strong relationships and gain the trust with families.听It is important they feel comfortable with their child鈥檚 teacher. I strive to demonstrate professionalism and honesty, keep the child as the number one priority, and to act with the goal to work in partnership for their best outcome.听Sometimes I may have to provide uncomfortable feedback, but having a strong relationship as a foundation can make a big difference.听Other times, I use the 鈥渟andwich鈥� method: first, I focus on the positive things and what the child is doing well; then, I move on to areas where the child needs improvement; and finally, I always attempt to end on a positive note. I want my families to feel confident and to trust the decision they made to have their child in my care every day.

What do you do when things don鈥檛 go as planned?

When things don鈥檛 go as planned, I try to navigate my day based on the response of the children, and I try to flow with what happens next. Flexibility is a necessary skill as a teacher. I always say, 鈥淧repare for the unpredictable.鈥� Change is inevitable with children, and when you know your children well enough, you know when it鈥檚 time to read a story or to get up and dance to shake out those wiggles. Rather than get upset or overly focused on schedule mix-ups, I have found that it鈥檚 better to just keep going and adapt based on how the children respond.

What is your proudest accomplishment?

My proudest accomplishment has been watching my oldest son go off to college on a full academic scholarship. He is in his second year and completing it with great success.听Also, being able to watch my youngest son grow musically with learning how to play every instrument he touches. Raising my sons to love God and to trust that He has an awesome plan for their futures has been more than fulfilling.听I am grateful and thankful.听听

What is your favorite children鈥檚 book?听

My favorite children鈥檚 book is Chrysanthemum by Kevin Henkes. I love this book because I relate to it so well. Chrysanthemum didn鈥檛 like her name and was teased in school by her friends because of her name. Her parents would tell her that her name was perfect and beautiful. I relate to this story because I hated my name as a kid. I would get teased terribly by my peers because of it. As an adult, I鈥檝e come to appreciate my name and its meaning. I love how my name inspires and uplifts people who have given up hope in their lives.

What are you听reading now?

The Happiness Guide for Early Childhood Educators: Secrets to Living Your Best Life In and Out of the Classroom, by Brian Duprey and Kris Murray. This book gives insights into leadership, health, and wellness, and how to develop goals, follow your dreams, and keep your commitment听to a strong work ethic. I am enjoying reading this book because I can identify with and learn something from almost every chapter so far. Especially recently, it has encouraged me to keep on pushing forward and to always remember why I choose this field.听听

How do you take care of yourself?

I believe rest is important. Listening to your body is the key to self-care. Even though I鈥檓 always on the go, I find time to rest and unwind; I鈥檒l enjoy a good book, journal, spend time with my children, and write poetry. I also take care of myself by taking vacations and breaks to refresh myself so I won鈥檛 find myself burned out at work.

When did you know you had to teach?

Since I was a young child myself, I knew I wanted to give back to my community in a way that was impactful to the lives of others. And I knew that being a teacher would provide me with the outlet to contribute to the growth and development of young children. I always saw myself as a teacher that would help children learn through music, arts, and hands-on exploration. I enjoy seeing the smiles on families鈥� and children鈥檚 faces when they have reached a milestone, and that鈥檚 when I know I鈥檝e done my job.听Feeling the joy of families for their children鈥檚 growth is a remarkable experience.听听

How are you teaching and engaging children during the COVID-19 pandemic?

Engaging the children virtually during this pandemic has been an experience. My teaching team works together to create a learn-and-play lesson plan to help families engage their children with their learning while at home and when possible within their situation. We created private Facebook group pages to engage the students daily, to interact with family members, and to post photos of projects and daily activities. We also hold a weekly Zoom video call to have face-to-face interaction. Distance learning has become the norm, but it can be difficult for some. While I have still enjoyed this time, I do miss my friends and my school鈥檚 family community, and I am looking forward to when we can safely return to the classroom.

What is your听teaching style in three words?

Protect, educate, nurture.

I am a 强奸视频 member because. . .听

强奸视频 has been a beneficial part of the early childhood education community for many, many years. I enjoy the conferences, and the teaching strategies that I have learned during these events encourage every educator to be intentional and to create more challenging activities for our children. 强奸视频鈥檚 philosophy and standards have been a resourceful blueprint for early childhood educators to follow.

How has being part of 强奸视频 positively impacted your teaching?

强奸视频 has especially helped me with effective ways to work with children with disabilities to engage them in playful learning at their own pace. More broadly, being a part of 强奸视频 has inspired me to offer more active, more hands-on experiences so that children can literally grasp concepts right at their fingertips. I believe learning should always be playful.

Photographs: courtesy of Hope Cain.
Copyright 漏 2021 by the 强奸视频 for the Education of Young Children. See permissions and reprints online at听.