Read: Anderson (2018) and McMullen (2018). Complete this handout as you read.
Anderson (2018) McMullen (2018)Answer the following question including including specific information from both of the readings in this activity:
- How do infants learn?
- How do relationships support infant learning & development?
- Based on your responses to questions #1, & 2:
- What should curriculum in infant classrooms be? Why?
- How should infant teachers plan for or develop the curriculum for infant classrooms?
- What policies and practices support infant curriculum?
- How do infant teachers”teach” babies that Black & Brown bodies are important?
1.- Infants learn from what they see, they learn from their parents, other adults, or their peers. They imitate other’s actions. As mentioned in the video “Infant Curriculum,” children learn behavior from their role models in their families, they look up to their oldest sibling. In addition, in the classroom, a 14-month-old has the opportunity to teach a 6-month-old and the 6-month-old has the opportunity to learn from the 14-month-old. Anderson states “A comparison of 2- to 5- years-olds in multiage groups and single age groups found that multiage groups produce greater cognitive and social growth, improved academic achievement and enhanced self-concepts with less time spent in parallel play and with more verbal communication” (35).
2.-Relationships are crucial when supporting infant learning and development because if we create bonds of trust with the children and their families, respect their cultures, and value their work as parents, we can show families that we care about their inputs, for they will share with us important information about their children, we can exchange information and work as a team coming up with the best approach to support the child learning development. Anderson states “In the first months and years of life, children grow and develop best in relationships with familiar caregivers and peers” (35).
3.- Curriculum in infant classrooms should be based on relationship-based practices, in which the interactions with the children and their families are respectful, responsive, and reciprocal. Individualized routines are important because we should personalize the child’s home routines and try to do the same routines in the infant classroom. In addition, it is important to follow the child’s lead, we need to observe children independently and identify their interests, so we can support and expand their curiosity and their play. Finally, family like-environment, as teachers we should provide a classroom in which children can feel like if they were at home, for instance, we can decorate the walls with pictures of their families, practice the same activities that they do at home and provide furniture typically from home in child size, so they can independently move and play.
4.- I think infant teachers should plan the curriculum for infant classrooms always thinking about the children’s wellbeing. Also, the curriculum should be based on the 4 elements stated before: Relationship-Based Practices, Individualized Routines, Following the Child’s lead, and a Family-like environment. Finally, the curriculum must be dynamic, we as teachers must keep on acquiring and updating our knowledge periodically by keeping up with updates to the current education policy and procedures.
5.-Multiage classrooms for infants and toddlers support the infant curriculum because They provide potential benefits to the children’s learning experience, such as developing empathy, fostering attachment and continuity, and building stronger family relationships.
Also, Continuity of Care, McMullen states “COC has emerged as a strongly recommended practice for infant and toddlers care and education … children and their caregiving team are kept together in a consistent group of familiar caregivers and peers over a long period of time” (38). I agree with the author because this is a great practice in which children and teachers have the opportunity to move up together, it is very beneficial for children especially when transitioning to a new classroom. In the video “Infant Curriculum”, our professor mentioned that babies switching teachers every year is very challenging and it does not support practices, for it is very important to make babies feel secure in their relationships with their teachers.
6.- Infant teachers “teach” babies that Black & Brown bodies are important by providing a nurturing safe/ inclusive environment to celebrate diversity, and have children learn to respect and value new cultures, races, and beliefs. In addition, with the help of multicultural books, we can show children the beauty of uniqueness of different races. Also, we can celebrate The International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, 21 March by conducting different activities in our classroom.
Marcela — Thanks for your comment in this activity. You wove the readings into your post. You have a very Vygotskian approach to how babies learn. Babies learn in the context of relationships with people they trust, from interacting with/ exploring their environment. Imitation is a key part of learning, as are sensorimotor experiences. You identified many key components of infant curriculum — following a child’s lead is another element. In addition to continuity of care and multiage classrooms, a key teacher is important for infant curriculum. Embedding activities each day to celebrate Black & Brown bodies is important. I wonder, what would infant teachers do on 3/21?
1. How do infants learn?
-Infants learn in a rich environment that offers opportunities for their development, infants and toddlers learn about their world through their senses, so caregivers can create environments and activities that encourage children to touch, taste, smell, listen, and interact in any way that meets that child’s need. McMullen (2018) argues “The environments infants and toddlers encounter, the relationship they form, and the activities they engage in before age 3 both inside the home and out are key to healthy and positive growth, development, and learning outcomes that can last a lifetime”.
2. How do relationships support infant learning & development?
-Relationship support infant learning and development because when teachers and parents build a strong bond they can share information about the child’s routines, culture beliefs, and work together as a team for a healthy development. Anderson (2018) states “Families can build trust in the caregiver, and the caregiver is better able to understand each family’s childrearing beliefs and practices”.
3. What should curriculum in infant classrooms be? Why?
– A curriculum must build trust and establish caring relationships between caregivers and young children, a curriculum must have rich environments and routines that help children learn and grow because babies and young children learn best when they explore their environment. The curriculum in infant classrooms must be based on respect, responsiveness, and reciprocity because teachers must respond to the baby’s needs, wishes and respect their interests and background.
4. How should infant teachers plan for or develop the curriculum for infant classrooms?
-The curriculum should build upon the interests, experiences, and backgrounds of the infants and toddlers. In addition the curriculum should be based on the 4 elements, Relationship-Based Practices, Individualized Routines, Following the Child’s lead, and a Family-like environment.
5. What policies and practices support infant curriculum?
-Policies and practices that support infant curriculum are safety, supervision, attachment and family-like atmosphere because child should be cared in a safe and secure environment, each classroom should have safe and comfortable physical environments that actively promote children’s wellbeing, and support home cultures and languages. Teacher must provide a challenging, interesting, and developmentally appropriate curriculum
6. How do infant teachers”teach” babies that Black & Brown bodies are important?
-Infant teacher “teach” babies that black and brown bodies are important by providing information about other races, cultures, pictures and teach them to respect others regardless of their skin color.
Daniela — Thanks for comment in this activity. You wove in the readings in this activity. Relationships & sensorimotor activities are the key to infant learning. Infant curriculum should be grounded in both sensorimotor activities & relationships. I wonder, what roles does following an infant’s lead have in infant curriculum? Safety, relationships & a family-like environment are important in infant classrooms; I wonder, what role do continuity of care & multi-age classes have in infant curriculum? I wonder, how would infant teachers share info about different races to babies?
1) Infants learn in a classroom where they have the opportunity to be open and explore and try new things. They learn by their caregivers creating an environment where they are able to grow in each developmental domain. They also learn by the 3 R’s (Respect, Response, and Reciprocity)
2) Relationships help support infant learning because McMullen(2018) states, “A benefit found for infants and toddlers is the development of stronger, more secure attachments to their caregivers as long as they are together with them for at least 12 months”. The more secure attachments infants and toddlers have with their caregivers, the more they are willing to learn.
3) Curriculum in an infant classroom should be that the classroom should be a positive environment where the children are able to explore and open to learning everything.
4) Infant teachers should plan and develop the curriculum by getting to know the children and the families before the school year starts so that way they can see how the children are most likely to behave and learn. They also should draw out their classroom and plan what to put in the classroom that will the classroom positive and make the children ready to explore and learn.
5) Some policies that support infant curriculum are attachment, environment, being safe, caring for each other. These policies can help support the infant curriculum because they can benefit the children in wanting to learn and build relationships with their caregivers and other students.
6) Infant teachers “teach” babies that black and brown are important by having materials that represent African American culture. Some examples include dolls, toys, clothing, paintings, etc.
Diamunique — Thanks for your comment in this activity. Relationships are the most important element of our work with babies & families. I wonder, how could relationships connect to infant curriculum?
1) Infants learn from what they say , infants mimic what they see others do. According to the video Infant curriculum infants learn and imitate from the people around them.
2)Relationships support infant learning & development be cause relationships are an important part of trust.Once an infant trust you they will open up more and be more encouraged to explore whats around them.
3)I feel like curriculum she be based on relationships and trust . When you build the relationship with the child and the family it will allow the family to open up more to you about the child and the more you know about the child the stronger the bond will be . Having a strong bond will enable the child to open up and be more willing to learn.
Teachers should plan for getting to know each and family individually. Every family is different, knowing these differences will benefit each child.
4)I think some of the policies would be communication, a safe and healthy environment, an open door policy and being aware and present.
5)Teachers teach babies that from the objects that in the classroom . There can be diverse books, dolls,and or posters.
Brittney — Imitation is an important cognitive skill that babies develop. I wonder, what other skill are involved in infant cognitive development from the videos & Peterson (2012)?
1.- Infants gain from what they see and what they learn from their parents or other adults around them. They impersonate other’s activities. As referenced in the video “Baby Curriculum,” kids take in conduct from their good examples in their families, they admire their most established kin. What’s more, in the study hall, a 14-month-old has the chance to show a 6-month-old and the half year old has the chance to gain from the 14-month-old. Anderson expresses “An examination of 2-to 5-years-olds in multiage gatherings and single age bunches found that multiage bunches produce more prominent intellectual and social development, improved scholarly accomplishment and upgraded self-ideas with less time spent in equal play and with more verbal correspondence” (35).
2.- Relationships are vital when supporting baby learning and improvement since, supposing that we make obligations of trust with the youngsters and their families, regard their societies, and worth their work as guardians, we can show families that we care about their contributions, for they will impart to us significant data about their kids, we can trade data and work as a group thinking of the best way to deal with help the kid learning advancement.
3.- Curriculum in baby homerooms ought to be founded on relationship-based practices, in which the communications with the youngsters and their families are conscious, responsive, and corresponding. Individualized schedules are significant in light of the fact that we ought to customize the kid’s home schedules and attempt to do similar schedules in the baby homeroom. Furthermore, it is imperative to take cues from the youngster, we need to notice kids autonomously and distinguish their inclinations, so we can uphold and grow their interest and their play.
4.- I figured that instructors should design the educational plan for baby study halls continually contemplating the kids’ prosperity. we as educators should continue getting and refreshing our insight occasionally by staying aware of updates to the current training strategy and systems.
5.- Multiage homerooms for infants and toddlers support the babies educational program since They give expected advantages like creating compassion, encouraging connection and coherence, and building more grounded family connections.
In the video “Newborn child Curriculum”, our educator referenced that infants exchanging instructors consistently is extremely difficult and it doesn’t uphold rehearses, for it is vital to cause children to have a sense of safety in their associations with their educators.
6.-Infant teacher “teach” babies that black and brown bodies are important by providing information about other races and cultures
Selanie — Thanks for your comment in this activity. Relationships with families are important, I wonder, what role do relationships with babies have in infant curriculum? I wonder, what are baby study halls? I am not familiar with the video “Newborn Child Curriculum, can you share the link? I wonder, how do infant teachers provide babies information about other races?
1)The way infants learn where they feel comfortable and are able to explore, also learn from the people they are surrounded by. In the video “Baby Curriculum” kids take in good deeds from their families. Also Anderson (2018) states infants are born with predisposition to feel what those around them are feeling.
2)Relationships support infant learning & development because we have to build a connection with the child it self have trust as well with their family so that we are able to comprehend each other concerns and etc.
3)The way Infant teachers plan for or develop the curriculum for infant classrooms would be by having activities on relationships practices ways to communicate with the parents. Also try to make one on one time meaning to learn about the parents, so that can help you understand the chid and them more because every child is different.
4)Some policies and practices that support infant curriculum would be having a happy environment for the children, safety is also very important, showing love to one another.
5)The way infant teachers”teach” babies that Black & Brown bodies are important is by having diverse books as well as dolls and also having discussions about it.
1.How do infants learn?
Infants learn when they cared for and nurtured. Through “Serve and Return” interactions, the child’s brain begins to develop communication skills that will serve them in early childhood education.
2.How do relationship support infant learning & development?
Relationships are the cornerstone that supports infant learning and development. Relationships help nurture attachment and empathy in children. According to Shonkoff (2009, Center on the Developing child 2011) “Serve and Return also fosters close relationships that lead to children feeling loved, valued, confident and ready to explore the world”.
3. What should curriculum in infant classrooms be? Why?
Curriculum in infant classrooms should include Return and serve interactions with a teacher who cares for wellbeing and helps them foster empathy and building of relationships.
3.
1.How should infant teachers plan for or develop the curriculum for infant classroom?
Teachers can plan for and develop a curriculum for infant classrooms by understanding child development and milestones. The teacher can adjust the classroom setting while fostering attachments through play time that is age appropriate and helps the learning infant’s brain development.
2. what policies and practices support infant curriculum?
Policies and practices that support infant curriculum are “Serve and Return”, as well as Continuity of care.
3. How do infant teachers “teach” babies that black & brown bodies are important?
Infant teachers can teach infants that black, and bodies are important through empathy and treating them equally.