Parents Wish to Locate a Program for Their Toddler and Preschool

Question

Examlex · Accepted Answer

The Answer is Quality teacher-child interactions:
Effective teacher-child interactions are marked by enthusiasm,respect,and mutual enjoyment,without displays of anger,aggression,or harshness.Teachers encourage and support child-child interactions that have the same high quality.Teachers are sensitive and responsive to children's emotional cues.Their conversation is elaborative,tuned in to children's level of understanding,with feedback that helps children to more fully develop their conceptual knowledge.Most teacher-child interactions are one-to-one or with small groups.Children's interests guide these interactions,and children are directly involved in planning daily activities and longer term projects.Activities foster practical opportunities for learning letters,phonemes,numbers,and facts about science,geography,and so on without drilling or rote practice (see Hamre & Pianta,2007).Play,including exploratory,pretend,and physical (rough and tumble)play,is encouraged and supported.Play is encouraged as the medium through which children naturally learn.
Structural elements:
Teachers' education.Look for teachers with bachelors' degrees and preparation in child development and early childhood education.
Teacher-child ratios.For 3-year-olds,maximum teacher-child ratios of 9:1 are recommended,with total class size not exceeding 18.For 4-year-olds,the recommended teacher-child maximum is 10:1,with no more than 20 children per group.
A variety of equipment and materials.Material choices provide children with a range of opportunities to develop skills and knowledge,and they make it possible for children's interests and planning to play an important role in the curriculum.Children should have access to lots of books,art and writing supplies,opportunities to play with water,sand,and other media,blocks and other building toys,as well as a range of toys and materials that support pretend play.
General characteristics.Parents should be welcome to make an appointment to visit a classroom.Look for at least two teachers in each classroom.NIEER suggests looking for "safe spaces with children comfortable and engaged in what they are doing,not easily distracted or wandering aimlessly;children seem happy,not distressed,bored or crying;adults are caring,...responsive to children's needs and requests,and involved (emphasis added)in what children are doing" (Frede,2008).Check the teacher turnover rate if possible.

Parents Wish to Locate a Program for Their Toddler and Preschool

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