Relationships with Teachers

At Marin Day Schools, it is the loving relationship with the teacher that is t= he focus of the infant/toddler curriculum.&nb= sp; Infants and toddlers develop expectations about the safety of the wo= rld by people’s behavior based upon how we treat them. We need to be responsive and affectionate, and in every way tell the babies that we value them and their= needs will be met. It is important = that teachers get into the child’s world, warmly respond to the child̵= 7;s needs and respect children. O= ur mission is to engage each baby and give every child much love and sensitive, responsive care.

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Respect:

·      = Relate to t= he infant as a thinking person.

·      = Recognize v= alue and support the individuality of the infant.

·      = Learn each child’s unique ways of communicating.

·      = Give the in= fant time to process information.

·      = Talk with &= #8211; not at babies. Talk about wha= t you are feeling, and experiencing. Explain what is about to happen.&nb= sp; Keep a running dialogue.

·      = Involve inf= ants in things that concern them.

·      = Model the behavior you want to teach.

·      = Recognize problems as opportunities to learn.

·      = Build secur= ity by teaching trust.

·      = Trust that = babies are competent.

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Attachment:

Young children need physical and emotional attachment to a loving reassuring caregiver. One of the goals o= f this special person is to give them the feeling that they are valued and importa= nt. Infants (birth to eighteen months)= are learning to trust adults and that their needs will be met. Babies depend on others for protec= tion, guidance, coaching and fun. Attachment to caregivers is most meaningful.

·      = Caregivers = are to hold and rock children. Close physical contact is important.

·      = Caregivers = are to quickly respond to discomfort or tears.

·      = Caregivers = are to make eye contact and communicate acceptance and caring.
·      = Caregivers = are to sit on the floor with the children. Be down in the baby’s world.

·      = Caregivers = are to interact with babies. Babies = are to be held and played with as much as they need.

·      = Caregivers = are to give words to situations.

·      = Massage bab= ies throughout the day.

·      = Sing to bab= ies throughout the day.

·      = Caregivers = are to be conscious of their body language and their tone of voice.

·      = Caregivers = are to encourage babies to cuddle and touch people.

·      = Build secur= ity by teaching trust.

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Primary Care-giving:

All children and families are to be assigned to one special adult, a “pri= mary caregiver”. The = Marin Day School= goal of primary care giving is for the family a= nd teacher to form a strong bond and help the baby feel secure. Secure early attachment is importa= nt for healthy autonomy. Both primary caregivers and children gain through the special attachment. Through this attachment a child fe= els cared “about” – no just “for”. Primary caregivers become a surrog= ate parents and are to become so attuned to the babies that they can understand what the children need at various times of the day.

Often at MDS, because of faculty schedules, two primary caregivers will be assign= ed to a family. One of the main functions of primary caregivers is to insure appropriate communication betw= een home and school.

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Although teachers are assigned primary care giving children, all caregivers work as a team to nurture, support, care for and play with all the babies. Caring for children in every MDS classroom is a team effort and we all work together cohesively.<= /span>

·      = The primary caregiver or the Head Teacher will make the initial contact with the parents and reassure them that their child will be loved and given the best of care. The primary caregiver n= eeds to understand the cultural and child-rearing beliefs of the family.

·      = The primary caregiver helps orient the family to the environment. She supports them during the pre-v= isits.

·      = The primary caregiver reviews the needs and service plan with the parents.

·      = The primary caregiver introduces babies to other people.

·      = The primary caregiver needs to be careful not to be too attached to only the babies in = her care. All caregivers are to p= lay with, nurture and tend to the needs of all babies.

·      = Upon arriva= l the primary caregiver greets the family. Whenever possible she is to change the baby and tend to the babyR= 17;s physical needs.

·      = It is the responsibility of the primary caregiver to communicate with the parents. In addition to chatting about the baby’s day it is important to make sure the baby has ample clothes, diapers, etc.

·      = The primary caregiver must inform the Head Teacher of everything that is happening with= the baby and family.