Orientation for Staff Working in Licensed Child Care Facilities

Transcription

1 Orientation for Staff Working in Licensed Child Care Facilities Session 1: The Importance of Child Care Staff Overview and Objectives The purpose of this session is to provide an overview of quality care and examine the role of child care staff. Review the principles of ethical practice in the early childhood setting Begin to understand the meaning and characteristics of quality care Examine the roles of child care staff Reflect on personal qualities of child care staff Session 2: Respecting Diversity Through Inclusion The purpose of this session is to provide some basic knowledge to help increase awareness of diversity and inclusion. Obtain awareness of personal views of diversity and inclusion Expand knowledge of inclusion Obtain an appreciation for the diverse make up of Nova Scotia s population Consider ways that child care staff can help create an inclusive environment Session 3: Observing Young Children The purpose of this session is to consider the importance of observing young children by collecting information and keeping records of children in their play settings. Begin to understand the importance of observing children Select methods to record observations of child behaviour Consider the difference between observable behavior and assumptions about behaviour Obtain awareness of the effect that culture, personal experiences and biases can have on recording observations

2 Session 4: Physical Development of Young Children The purpose of this session is to provide an overview of the stages of physical development from birth to twelve years of age. Examine the between gross motor, fine motor and sensory-perceptual development Consider factors that affect a child s physical development Select materials to help develop motor skills Review practical suggestions that promote opportunities for physical development in a child care setting Session 5: Intellectual Development of Young Children The purpose of this session is to provide an overview of the stages of intellectual development and explore ways that child care staff can support children s thinking and enrich the environment to promote learning. Examine the stages of intellectual development Develop an understanding of the different ways that children learn Consider how children play with materials at various stages of their intellectual development Examine practices that support children s intellectual development Session 6: Language Development The purpose of this session is to provide an overview of how language and communication skills develop throughout childhood and ways that child care staff can support children s language development. Review the basic principles of language development Examine the milestones of language development for children from birth to twelve years Gain an awareness of what children need in order to develop their language skills Consider ways to promote language development

3 Session 7: Social-Emotional Development The purpose of this session is to provide an overview of how children s social and emotional skills develop and consider ways that child care staff can support the development of positive self-esteem. Begin to understand the meaning of and connection between social development, emotional development and self-esteem Examine milestones associated with social-emotional development Gain an awareness of what children need for healthy social-emotional development Select practices that support healthy emotional and social development Session 8: Creative Development in Young Children The purpose of this session is to examine the importance of creativity as it relates to the development of the whole child and focus on the role of child care staff in providing an environment that encourages creative development. Identify the stages of creative expression Examine components of the child care environment that promote creativity Begin to understand the difference between open-ended and closed experiences Consider the role of child care staff in promoting creativity in children Session 9: Developing Through Play The purpose of this session is to examine the characteristics of play and how child care staff can provide and support play experiences that encourage children s development. Consider the five characteristics of children s play Review the developmental stages of play Begin to understand the value of play for child development Consider how child care staff can support and enhance play

4 Session 10: Providing for Play The purpose of this session is to examine how child care staff can plan and provide for play by enhancing the child care environment. Begin to understand how play can be facilitated Examine ways to set up for play Review the development of social play Consider the role of child care staff as part of the playing process Session 11: Health, Safety and Well-Being of Children The purpose of this session is to examine components of the Act and Regulations governing child care and the roles of the licensing officer and the consultant. Obtain an awareness of the Day Care Act and Regulations as they apply to child care programs Examine practices that promote health and safety practices in child care Begin to understand the role of the licensing officer and the early childhood development consultant Consider the responsibility to know how to identify and respond to child abuse Session 12: Communicating Effectively The purpose of this session is to examine essential communication skills needed to work with children in a child care setting. Review the principles of communication and the communication process Obtain an awareness of barriers that inhibit effective listening Begin to understand the benefits and steps to active listening Consider ways child care staff can support positive communication

5 Session 13: Together with Families The purpose of this session is to examine how child care staff can work with families to make the child care experience meaningful for each child. Obtain an awareness of the kind of stresses faced by families Examine the benefits of positive child care staff-family relationships Review practices that child care staff can use when working with families Consider methods for enhancing communication with parents Session 14: Nurturing Through Physical Routines The purpose of this session is to examine the physical routines that make up a good part of the day in a child care facility. Obtain an awareness of how routines promote children s development Examine arrival and departure, eating, resting, and toileting routines Consider appropriate practices used by child care staff in daily routines Consider the importance of planning for smooth transitions Session 15: Guiding Children s Behaviour The purpose of this session is to develop an understanding of what influences children s behavior and how prevention and intervention strategies can be used to help guide children s behavior. Obtain an awareness of factors that influence children s behavior Begin to understand the difference between guidance and punishment Reflect on ways to prevent challenging behaviours Consider ways to promote positive change Review guidance policies for child care programs

6 Session 16: Becoming an Early Childhood Professional The purpose of this session is to use the information gained throughout the orientation program as the child care team plans programs for children and examines the benefits of on-going professional development in the field of early learning and child care. Reflect on a day in the life of a child at a child care centre Obtain an awareness of the importance of team work in the child care setting Reflect on your personal growth and development in child care Begin to understand the benefits of on-going professional development