Educators must respond to children’s individual needs and support the development of self-esteem, self-expression, autonomy, social competence, and school readiness.
Educators must nurture and respond to children by:
frequently expressing warmth by holding babies, having conversations, joint laughter, eye contact, smiles, and communicating at children’s eye level
providing attentive, consistent, comforting, and culturally sensitive care
being consistent and predictable in their physical and emotional care of children, and when implementing program rules and expectations
recognizing signs of stress in children’s behavior and responding with stress-reducing activities
Educators must support children in the development of self-esteem, independence, and self-regulation by:
demonstrating courtesy and respect
encouraging expression of both positive and negative emotions
encouraging their efforts, work, and accomplishments
assuring all children have equal opportunities to take part in all activities and use all materials
offering opportunities for children to make choices and decisions
Educators must support children in the development of social competence by:
promoting language use by talking to and with children frequently
encouraging children to share experiences and ideas, and to listen, help, and support each other
modeling cooperation, problem-solving strategies, and responsible behavior
teaching social skills such as sharing, taking turns, and working together
coaching children to resolve conflicts, problem-solve, and make decisions
helping children to:
understand and respect people different from themselves
respect each other’s possessions and work
learn effective ways to deal with bullying, teasing, or other forms of intolerance
Educators must guide children in a positive and consistent way by:
encouraging self-control, recognizing and reinforcing children’s appropriate behaviors, having reasonable and positive expectations, setting clear and consistent limits, and redirecting
helping children learn social, communication, and emotional regulation skills they can use in place of challenging behaviors
using environmental modifications, activity modifications, adult or peer support, and other teaching strategies to encourage appropriate behavior and prevent challenging behaviors
intervening quickly when children are physically aggressive and helping them develop more positive strategies for resolving conflict
explaining rules and procedures and the reasons for them to children, and where appropriate and feasible, allowing children to participate in the establishment of program rules, policies, and procedures
discussing behavior management techniques among staff to promote consistency
Educators must have a method of communicating effectively with each child.
Educators must guide children with the goal of maximizing growth and development, while protecting the group and the individuals within it.