Administering Inclusive Infant-Toddler Child Care O’Brien Chapter 11

Administering Inclusive Infant-Toddler Child Care Effective Administrative Structure includes: The Lead Teacher The Assistant Teacher The Family Service Coordinator The Intervention Team The Program Director The Advisory Board

The Teacher is Important! Relationships The teacher-child relationship is at the heart of all childcare situations; therefore, the selection and training of teachers and staff is crucial. Teachers should be supported and encouraged in their day-to-day work. Last week’s homework…Sharing Time! Draw a picture of yourself and add the different attributes as a child care practitioner that you have to share with young children and their families.

The Lead Teacher Primary responsibility=know the day-to-day management of the classroom. is present in the classroom most of the time daily communication w/parent, keep accurate records, helps prevent & solve problems as they arise, provide high-quality & responsive care Promote inclusion by helping children w/special needs participate fully. be the liaison between special service providers & teachers May assist in classroom transitions. Involved in training new teachers. Observes assistant teachers & provides feedback; supports assistant teachers.

The Assistant Teacher Should know the day-to-day management of the classroom. Promote inclusion by helping children with special needs participate fully. How does the assistant teacher fit into the inclusive classroom to support the lead teacher?

The Family Service Coordinator Seeks out services to support the child and the family. Possibly helps with financial resources to pay for child care. Helps teachers understands the family’s point of view. Helps the intervention specialists understands the family’s point of view.

The Intervention Team Professionals who work together to meet the needs of each child. Early Childhood Special Educator: provides special instruction which focuses on cognitive, social, emotional and behavior abilities Audiologist: focuses on the hearing abilities of the child Speech-Language Specialist: focuses on communication abilities Occupational Therapist: focuses on fine motor development, feeding, sensory, functional skills Physical Therapist: focuses on gross motor development Health professionals: nurses, physicians Other members of the team include the family services coordinator, the child care teachers, and of course, the family!

Early Intervention Services in a Child Care Setting Sometimes children will receive all of their early intervention services in the child care setting; others may be transported to an IU classroom for ½ day and return to child care or some participate in “outpatient” services. Due to specific laws, early intervention services are separated by age group (as well as funding sources). when a child moves into a new early intervention “level,” it is called transition. Watch the video- CONNECT: Foundations of Transition (8:18 min)-Transitions in Early Intervention http://youtu.be/CUHkAENZiRc Today, most families of young children use and move between different types of early childhood services -- like Head Start, private child care, public preschool, or kindergarten. Moving between and among these various programs is often referred to as 'transition'." This 8-minute video provides an overview of the desirable outcomes of transition, research identifying effective transition practices, as well as the legal requirements of early childhood transition.

The Program Director Ensure policies and procedures are being followed. Help to ensure financial stability. Hiring teachers and staff. Supervising teachers and staff. Provide training opportunities and resources for teachers and staff. supporting teachers & staff Supporting the collaborative efforts of the intervention team. Maintaining a high-quality early intervention & inclusive child care program. Involved in the community’s early intervention network. Aware of local, state, & national policies and trends in child care & early intervention Usually not involved in the direct care of the children. must be familiar with all of the classroom routines, the staff, children, & parents and available to consultation & problem solving * Handout-CSEFEL What Works Brief-Inclusion: Role of Program Administrator

The Advisory Board Most community-based programs have advisory boards. composed of community leaders, reps of educational organizations and parents Evaluate policy and possible changes to the policies. Examine fee increases. May be on a personnel selection committee. May help to develop or review written materials for families Often assist with fundraising and publicity. Can also serve as a professional liaison with the public schools, local institutions of higher education that train future teachers/service providers.

Training & Supervision of Classroom Teachers Characteristics of successful teachers of infants & toddlers Knowledge of child development Flexible thinking & a willingness to tolerate change Positive attitude Focus on strengths & successes of children & families Outgoing, energetic, expressive, openly affectionate Willing to become actively involved in children’s care & play Be silly & enjoy themselves Alert, able to supervise children closely Follow caregiving routines accurately & completely Work well as part of a team Communicate effectively Be willing to accept suggestions from other teachers Be healthy & highly reliable

Training & Supervision of Classroom Teachers…cont’d Training new teachers Often new teachers are thrown into the position/classroom without much training; however, they should receive it (everyone must learn responsive teaching & responsive guidance!) Step #1-read a description of each of the care & teaching routines to be learned & then spend 1-2 days “shadowing” an experienced teacher who can provide demonstrations & guidance Step #2-give the new teacher regular, descriptive feedback about his/her performance of all assigned teaching tasks Feedback Evaluation forms, written feedback Personal discussions Regular staff meetings (feedback as a whole, not individually)

Training & Supervision of Classroom Teachers…cont’d Helping teachers learn about children’s special needs Often, child care staff will be unfamiliar with working with children who have disabilities or developmental delays. Dealing with the unknown often serves as a barrier to inclusion. Some teachers have fear and anxiety over working with children who have disabilities. Teachers should get to know as much as they can about the child through the family. have a meeting where the child’s strengths, needs, likes, dislikes, preferences, etc. can be discussed family can provide specific direct training, as needed family knows their child best! An inclusive program should maintain a small library of books, articles, handouts, videos, etc. regarding disabilities and developmental delays. The Internet is a good source of info, too. Teachers can attend specific trainings, webinars, conferences, workshops, etc.

Teacher Training and Performance Checks Various Teacher Performance Checks on pgs . 228-242 Play, feeding, meals, diapering, arrival, departure, nap, transitions Overall performance