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Webster’s dictionary defines a toddler
as someone who walks unsteadily with short steps. Mrs.
Kelley Hutchison, Director of Junior Junction Day School, believes
this limited definition does not convey the explosion of personality
and mobility that is happening in the child of 18 to 36 months.
Toddlers are extremely active young
people. Their world is all about tasting, touching, pushing,
pulling, observing, bouncing, rocking, balancing, and, yes,
toddling. It is a delightful challenge to provide care for and to
teach a child whose total focus is mastering their body. Teachers
that work in a toddler environment must truly adore this age and
have an understanding of just what a “planned curriculum” really
looks like in a wobblers’ classroom. The toddler teacher must be
constant, consistent, planned, structured, and well organized, so
that they can enjoy supporting and protecting their very young
students.
In the joyous chaos of “herding”
toddlers, JJ makes sure that the children are stimulated and invited
to explore, learn, and develop. We do this not only because we
believe that the children are keen learners, but also because we
believe that the more we can aid with their development, the more
they will thrive and become confident, accomplished young children.
Child psychologists and scientists agree
that by the time a child is age three, the foundations have been set
for the many ways they will learn and live as older children and
adults.
The Toddler Classroom: A magical setting for
growth and exploration
Q: What is your ratio of
caregivers to toddlers?
Mrs. Hutchison: We have one teacher for
every seven toddlers, with a maximum group size of fourteen with two
instructors.
Q: What will the toddler
classroom look like?
Mrs. H.: I think the toddler room is
magical because it’s designed totally for environmental learning.
You see, at this stage, children learn by experience in a very
primitive fashion. What they can repeatedly touch, grab, taste,
hit, and feel is what they know. That’s why the classroom has
experiential stations full of brightly colored — learning- and
age-appropriate — furniture and toys. In one area we offer toys
that a toddler can squeeze or pound. Another area is stacked with
intriguing foam blocks for adventuresome climbing or maybe just
pulling themselves up and holding on. The climbing and toy areas
are where children can be observed but often allowed to be
independent. The art station is set up for paint exploration. Here
the teacher would be closely involved while the child experimented
with paint, over and over!
We also have wall mirrors placed at
toddler height so that children can see themselves and others. They
never tire of looking at themselves. An outside dedicated play area
is also available very close to their classroom. Our toddlers can
experience outdoor fun in total safety. Of course, the room is also
equipped with size-appropriate toilets and hand- washing sinks.
It’s very fun for the toddler to have fixtures just their size and
height. And they are really handy for the children in the toilet
training stage.
The Curriculum: Fun and educational routines
Q: What is the curriculum for a
toddler?
Mrs. H.: Although I have heard of
genius toddlers who are reading and talking in complete sentences,
we focus our curriculum for the typical child who is learning
through their daily routine. Our children have been taken from the
home environment and put in a professional group setting, so our
first task is to recreate all the best features of being at home.
They need predictable, consistent schedules that they can count on
and learn to expect. In that way, they can develop confidence and
feel secure to experiment.
I spoke earlier of environmental
learning through a variety of play stations. Now let’s take that
idea and expand it into other activities like eating, socializing,
and developing sensory awareness, language skills, and physical
coordination. We organize a toddler’s day so that the normal
activities happen on a recognizable schedule and are consciously
planned and enhanced
 for
optimal learning.
Q: How do you make eating
educational? And what skills does it develop?
Mrs. H.: Eating hones small motor
skills. When you see a toddler with corn all over her face, you
might see a child who needs to be washed up. A toddler teacher will
see an adorable little person who is learning to manage a spoon,
finding her mouth, and finding out if she likes the feel of food on
her face! After eating, they offer us the opportunity of assisting
them with the clean up (and believe me, this is a hoot)!
Q: You said you have a consistent
schedule. What would that look like? And why is it important to a
toddler?
Mrs. H.: Let’s look at the Full Day
program for an example. Teachers have the flexibility to create
different schedules, but this is a sample of a typical schedule.
Routine breeds security in the heart of a child. In any of our
classrooms you will find a basic daily routine followed, whether it
is in the Full Day or Half Day programs.
6:00 – 8:30 a.m. Typical Student
Arrivals
(Breakfast is served until about 8:00
a.m.) Arrival at school can be a challenging transition for most
children, so there will be pleasing soft music to help soothe the
changeover. The teacher becomes familiar with each child’s
transition behavior and will know whether the child will want to
be held for a while, play in an exploration area, or lie down for
quiet time. The parent-to-teacher changeover can at times be more
difficult for the parent — so we want to be sensitive to them,
too.
8:30 – 9:00 a.m. Toileting and
Breakfast Cleanup
9:00 – 11:00/11:30 a.m. Curriculum
Activities Begin
Circle Time begins the day’s scheduled
activities. Circle Time includes, but, of course, is not limited
to, singing, finger play, storytelling, reading, signing, and
music.
Toddlers have short attention spans and
need to move in order to refocus. There will be lots of movement
involved in any given activity. Toddler dancing is a must! We’re
not talking Broadway musicals
here, but rather lots of bouncing and hopping. Todds are delighted
by the opportunity to learn simple finger play. “Patty Cake” and
“Itsy Bitsy Spider” are used all day long. As the teachers sing and
tell stories, they use simple sign language so that the children
mimic the signed words just as they mimic the singing or rhythm
words. This not only develops language skills, it also develops a
fun attitude toward learning and creates the foundation for
concentration skills. On a side note, signing while learning to
talk can increase a child’s future ability to learn at multiple
levels. There are many studies about brain development and sign
language available on the Internet for parents who want to know more
about this exciting subject. A good place to start is
www.zerotothree.org.
10:00 a.m. Toilet Time
In the Full Day program,
toilet time is a must! Many children at this age are learning
their independent toileting skills, and we are here to help them
master this very important social skill. So we place Toilet Time
in the schedule!
10:15 a.m. Snacks
All that energy needs nourishment.
Tasty, healthy snacks are prepared in our kitchen and are
delivered to the classroom.
10:30 – 11:30 a.m. Messy Art
Messy art incorporates activities like
finger painting. With a group of seven to fourteen toddlers, the
teachers assist each other during activity time by keeping
watchful eyes on small groups of students in independent play
areas while assisting the developing Picassos at the
finger-painting easel.
It is important to point out here that
the time in the environmental play stations is very
important to toddler development. At this age, a child is not only
learning to manipulate objects, they are also learning to socialize
with other children. The teachers attentively monitor their
activities. In this social classroom setting, Todds will explore
their environment and each other. An innocent game
of friendly thumping on the leg of
another classmate can quickly become a safety issue between two
children. The toddler teacher is quick to redirect children so that
harmony can prevail and children can feel safe. Todd teachers are
masters of the early body language of the wobbler! Proper,
consistent intervention when children are learning to be together is
the basis of peer group entry skills and social development.
11:30 a.m. Toileting and Washing for
Lunch
Washing hands is an
important life skill, and we do lots of it!
12:00 p.m. Lunchtime
Lunch is a fun time, and toddlers are
allowed — within boundaries — to experiment with their eating
skills. Meals are served in the classroom in a traditional family
group setting. The children are served meals at little tables and
chairs. JJ meals are prepared in our school kitchen; they are
well balanced, tasty, and nutritious.
12:30 p.m. – 3-ish Naptime Prep and
Sleeping
Toddlers need lots of time to
replenish their bodies. Naptime is a must for these little ones.
3:00 – 3:30 p.m. Toilet Time — yes,
again!
You are always welcome to thank your
Todds teacher for assisting you in empowering your child with this
very important social skill.
J
3:30 p.m. Afternoon Snack
3:30 p.m. Outside Fun
Fresh air is important to young
children, and, weather permitting, children go outside to play and
experience nature. Preparing to go outside can be a learning
experience in itself! Teaching children to put on jackets, boots,
mittens, and hats can be quite a task. Once accomplished, however,
being outside with fresh air, birds, grass, trees, rain, and
sunshine replenishes both the children and teachers. The outdoors
offers additional opportunities for repetitive motor activities like
digging, pouring, scooping, running, and jumping.
4:00 – 7:00 p.m. Typical Student
Departures
When parents are expected, it’s good to
do something really fun, so this is often another time for group
singing, finger play, storytelling, and signing.
Loving Care: Building relationships with
caregivers and other toddlers
Q: I understand that you call the
caregivers “teachers." Doesn’t that make them more removed from the
children?
Mrs. H.: Quite the contrary, all good
teachers have a caring and tender heart for their young students.
Teachers of young children should show and verbalize appropriate
affection. They should also use holding and hugging to build
confidence and ultimately independence. Remember how you felt when
your parent held you on their lap and read a story? It made you
feel secure. By the time they are in grade school, children with
confidence do not need touch from their teachers.
A good care-giving routine facilitates
strong bonds between the teachers and the toddlers. If the same
person is feeding them, encouraging their toilet training, cheering
on their block climbing, and singing and dancing with them, the
toddler feels loved and safe. That is the feeling we are knocking
ourselves out for, because a child who feels loved and safe will be
more daring and exploratory and will build self-confidence and
succeed.
Q: Can you recognize personality
differences in toddlers?
Mrs. H.: Oh, yes! The whole
personality is budding. Todd teachers very quickly learn whether
the child is easygoing and often happy, or a little anxious and
worried, or a future world leader who wants to try everything right
now!
Understanding the different
personalities is crucial because the teacher uses this knowledge to
lead the children into understanding each other. Toddlers are very
egocentric people, and learning that fellow classmates are both
alike and different is a huge development in their psyches. Really,
it’s the basis of being able to respect differences as adults.
Recognizing milestones: The developmental
stages of toddlers
Q: You have discussed all the
motor, language, and cognitive skills that toddlers are developing.
What are the milestones that parents should look for?
Mrs. H.: Wow, that is a big question!
Yes, there are developmental milestones, and all children need to
accomplish them. But they can be unpredictable in the order they
develop. In general, toddlers 18 – 36 months will usually
accomplish the following list. But please keep in mind that normal,
healthy children develop at their own pace, and our job is to
stimulate and entice them, and then to stand back and cheer them on.
Parents: The power of communication
Q: How will parents know what
their toddlers are accomplishing?
Mrs. H.: Communicating with parents is
a crucial part of the JJ philosophy. If the parent doesn’t know
what is happening, they will not know what to look for, ask for, or
praise. We keep daily record sheets of the children’s
accomplishments, and the parents receive a copy each day. We also
publish a monthly newsletter telling the parents what signs, songs,
and activities we are focusing on that month. In addition, teachers
have email so parents can contact them whenever they have questions
or information. We also have phones in each classroom — so please
call anytime.
We do request that parents not use the
drop-off and pick-up times to do problem solving with the teacher.
Children are most in need of attention when their parents are coming
and going, and teachers must be available to assist the children at
that time. We prefer to schedule a parent-teacher conference or
phone conference to communicate outside the ears of the young ones.
Q: Are parents allowed to spend
time or volunteer in the classroom?
Mrs. H.: Absolutely. In fact, we
encourage parents to spend a few hours in the classroom whenever
their schedules will allow. They are, of course, more than welcome
to come often.
Q: Some parents like to dress
their children nicely for toddler class. Will the teachers make
sure that their good clothes don’t get dirty?
Mrs. H.: I’m so glad you asked this
question. I make this same request of all our parents. Please
dress your toddlers in clothing they can play in and get messy!
This is a hands-on learning environment, and we practice joyful
experiential learning. That means we do messy art, pick up handfuls
of dirt and smell them, and do summersaults in the grass. There are
times and places to learn to keep clean, but toddler class is the
time and place to experiment and feel brave. It’s not the place to
be afraid of soiling clothing.
Q: Do you have facilities for
developmentally disabled children?
Mrs. H.: Yes. We have
exceeded the ADA standards in our classrooms & school wide. We have
disability access to our playfield as well!
Q: Do you accept children into
the school who haven’t been vaccinated?
Mrs. H.: Yes. In the state of
Washington, parents have the choice to vaccinate or not. However,
the parents who choose not to vaccinate their children must sign an
immunization exemption statement. This is a Washington State
Department of Social and Health Services requirement for a child
enrolled in a state licensed facility. Also, if there are local
outbreaks of diseases that would be prevented by vaccination, the
child may be required to stay home until the outbreak is over.
Q: It is often very hard for
parents to leave their little one, whether it’s for a Full Day or
Half Day program. What advice do you have for them?
 Mrs.
H.: Although we all have days when we are happy to turn our
children over to others, most of us have children because we want
them. In addition, we are emotionally attached to them, and it is
natural to feel a real physical distress about leaving them. First,
let me state very clearly that your child is safe with us. Our
environment is nurturing and
trustworthy. All our teachers and I truly have compassionate hearts
for children and take joy in hosting their growth and learning.
However, there are some techniques that
will help with separation issues. Plan a routine that will support
you and your child. Talk with your toddler every morning about how
fun school is and what they will be learning that day. Ask them to
remember something special to share with you when you pick them up.
Take pride in bringing them to a classroom that will protect and
inspire them, and be proud of yourself for doing the best job you do
— being a parent!
A Few Closing Words
I am a parent. I have four children
(all adults now) and I can say with pride that my husband and I
practiced so much of what is here in print. Of course, I am biased
and proudly say they have all grown to be strong, self-sufficient
adults, willing to take on social challenges and manage their own
lives. This is why I really want to encourage you to enjoy your
toddler now. It sounds cliché, but you will never experience the
tender years again. Keep your cameras and tape recorders handy —
capture your child’s magic as it happens.
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