It doesn't matter how many years of experience I have doing this work.
It doesn't matter how well I do it.
The paperwork gods (disguised as state licensing inspectors) must be appeased. This means at least 18 hours per year of training in how to do our jobs.
By the end of the year, we usually have 25 hours or more.
Now you might think someone with over 20 years of experience in this job doesn't need to be trained, and you're not wrong, I could probably muddle through, but most of the time I learn at least one thing or am able to contribute a little around the edges.
Today's contribution from me was a discussion about coercion by taking things away from kids, a practice that annoys me a great deal.
Our activity areas, or zones, are a way of separating play areas. One has construction, one art activities, one is full of games. I have an extra thing at my site, a dramatic play area.
When we've finished with snacks, the snack table is cleaned and the afternoon's planned activity will be set up on that table.
I don't make my kids do the activity of the day, though. I offer it, but there are always young humans who don't want to make a project or do a science experiment. This ensures the ones who do come to the table are excited to participate and are willing to listen and work together without disrupting everyone else or taking the attention of staff.
It also ensures that the ones already engineering block towers or making things with LEGO or playing a rousing game of Go Fish will continue to do those things, allowing the adult(s) to focus on the guided activity.
However.
Some of our site directors take a lack of participation personally and close all the other activities.
So there's nothing else for the kids to do except the activity or cause trouble at the table where they're doing the activity.
Put differently, it means the kids who have already found the thing they're most interested in are being dragged away and forced to do something they don't want to do and will react accordingly. I have specific children in mind because I know my kids, but it's not difficult to apply the concept to other programs, or shouldn't be.
I'd like to say the other directors caught on immediately during this discussion.
They did not.
The idea that kids have their own agenda seems to be a personal affront.
"Well I work hard to plan activities and I think the least they can do is try it."
And the trite, "Well their parents pay to have them there, they're not getting their money's worth if their children aren't participating. And sometimes they even end up liking what we're doing!"
GAHHHHHHH.
Speaking as a parent, the answer to the question, 'is my child having fun' needs to be yes.
I explained about giving the kids a lot of choices and letting them decide how they want to spend their time, but most of the other adults in the room are more focused on what they want the kids to do.
How to control the experiences for our kids.
Aggravating.
"Well I had to do things I didn't want to do when I was a kid, we all have to do things we don't want to do! This is no different."
When I responded that kids should be having fun while they're with us, no one seemed to really get it.
Equally foreign was the idea that our programs should be owned by the kids, not the adults.
Yes, safety parameters and basic lessons about respect and stewardship will have to be addressed. Fire drills and snacks and gym games and messy art projects.
That is our job.
Telling little Cindy that she has to come to the project table and do a project when she's deep in her little world of taking care of the babies and running a restaurant is overbearing and imperious and rude and NOT our job.
Leave Cindy alone, dammit.
Why is this so difficult for some people to grasp?
Justice for Cindy.
ReplyDeleteI'd use it as my rallying cry, "FOR CINDY!!" but everyone would think I'm a lunatic. I mean, more than they think that now. Which is a lot.
DeleteKid-centric....being sensitive to each kid's needs...I love it. Too bad other "lock step" folks don't see that. I have to confess, at one point in my teaching career I insisted that kids do all of the steps my way. Then I learned that there are other ways, and they are OK.... things changed. All was good! I think we adults glom onto the "my way" thinking, and can't imagine that the kids, themselves, know better!
ReplyDeleteI think we tend to say something like, "Well that's how my life was," and not look further. I think that's short sighted and that we can do better for our young humans. But sometimes you'd think I asked people to remove their right arm or something.
DeleteI typed up a nice, long comment full of dribble about adults thinking their way is the only way...and sometimes kids know best. Glad you are on the kids' sides!
ReplyDeleteYour comment went to moderation, all comments do because I had a troll for awhile. Just when I think the troll is finished being stupid, I get another inane comment. Hence the moderation.
DeleteI agree with your Methods, nobody likes to be forced to do something, and it's no different for Children, coercion to conform or punished if you don't won't produce Free Thinkers either. Kids gravitate to what they have Natural abilities and interests in, Learning should be enjoyable and not have Negative associations with it. Some of the best Learning I ever had was Taught by Sage Adults who knew how to get MY cooperation to WANT to Learn whatever it was and make it so that I looked forward to Learning even more and getting better at whatever it was we were participating in. Since you Think outside of the Box and are unconventional in your approach, of coarse they don't grasp it, they're Adults unable to Learn something different and possibly more effective becoz they are mired deep in a Power Trip over Little Humans they CAN Lord over.
ReplyDeleteI just feel that kids have no choice but to be where they are. They are forced to go to school. Forced to be in day care. Without delving into the whys of all that, it's still a complete lack of control for the child(ren). So my idea is that they aren't going to learn to make good choices if they are never allowed to MAKE choices. So present them a bunch of *good* choices and get the hell out of their way when possible. I love my young humans. Part of what makes me good at this work is the fact that I remember what it was like to BE a child and how utterly powerless I was.
DeleteLucky kids to have someone like you who honors their learning styles, moods, interests, quirks, etc! Kids are not widgets who come in the door on one end, and go lock-step through to the other end, all at the same pace. Humans just don't work that way! As for training, I always wanted to be someplace else doing something constructive, but you are right, there's always some nugget to pick up!
DeleteI can always improve. Sometimes I hate the forced participation so much, and overhear similar sentiments. You'd think fellow employees would make the connection about being forced to be there, but nope.. Maybe I will point it out.
DeleteThe adults are more concerned with what they want to do and how they want all the kids doing what they want them to do rather than what the kids want to do.
ReplyDelete"How do I make them do ______?" instead of "How can I give them choices?"
DeleteFrustrating for the kids, too.
The kiddos get told what to do for hours during the actual school day. Let them have some control over what they do or do not do while in after school care. How can the other caregivers not understand that?
ReplyDeleteJFSinIL
I don't know. I really don't. Seems like a no-brainer to me.
Delete