Garden City Nursery School - Parent Participation

Parent Classroom Participation

Parents are required to serve as "Parent of the Day" on a rotating basis throughout the school year. This allows parents to observe firsthand the social and intellectual development of their child in relation to the class and permits parents and teachers to get to know each other better. Please remember that parent participation at this level effectively boosts the self-esteem and emotional well being of the child and enhances the parent-child relationship.

Guide for Participating Parents

Smooth functioning of the school depends as much upon the efficiency of the participating parents as upon the teacher. You are a member of the teaching staff on duty. Promptness in arriving 10 minutes before the start of the session is essential if the day is to start well for the children, unhurried and free from confusion. Plan to stay until clean-up is completed. Do not drive a large car pool on your participation day.

Supervision

Supervision is your primary responsibility. Our first concern is for the health and safety of the children.Supervision is more important than cleaning up, snack preparation, etc. Be ready to drop such tasks at a moments notice, and only engage in them when you can watch the children at the same time.

1. Choose a strategic position.

2. Be alert to the total situation. Avoid turning your back on the group while helping one child.

3. Alert supervision prevents trouble.

4. Do not immediately jump in to resolve a conflict - allow the children time to work on these skills. Do immediately intervene if you sense physical danger.

5. Avoid chatting. Two adults together usually means that some area is unsupervised.

6. One adult always remains free to help the teacher at music, story or rest periods.

Guiding the Children

1. Allow all creative initiative to come from the children. Art for them is experimentation or an expression of feeling. Be interested, but do not ask what a child is making. He may not know.

Clay - avoid making models. When sitting with the children, merely manipulate the clay.
Easel painting, crayoning, pasting - refrain from suggestions or questions. Never criticize, but do not overpraise. Say for instance, "You worked hard on that picture," or "You made it all red, didn't you?"

2. Use positive suggestions when working with children. Give the child a choice only when you will abide by his decision.

Example: "It's time to wash hands before juice," instead of "Do you want to wash your hands for juice now?" (What if the child says, "No!"?)A choice may be given when there are two possibilities, either of which you are willing to accept.
Example: "Do you want to throw the stick over the fence, or do you want me to do it?"

3. Avoid the "Don'ts."Example: "The sand stays in the sandbox," instead of "Don't dump the sand out of the box." Or, "Use both hands," instead of, "Don't fall."

4. Routines: (Outdoor clothing, pick-up, bathroom, hand washing, snack period, rest): Explain what is expected and then give the child time. He will usually cooperate if you have an attitude of expectancy.

5. Activities: Children may be encouraged but not forced to join in group activities.

6. Help the children to help themselves. Encourage independence and praise achievement. Never criticize.

7. Ignore annoying behavior as much as possible. Attention rewards and reinforces it.

8. Refrain from unnecessary conversation with the children when they are busy working.

9. Be careful not to discuss a child in his presence.

10. Do not motivate a child by comparing him to another child. To call attention to how nicely Johnny is doing won't make him like Johnny!

11. Assume that the child always means well, that he never intends his mistakes or aggressions. He is never "bad" or "not nice," only learning. Children need adults with whom they can comfortably make mistakes.

12 .When a problem or conflict occurs:

Don't be too eager to help. Children may learn more by solving their own problems.
Step in only when physical danger is involved, when one child is always dominating, or when you know what has happened.

13.Know the rules and be firm but patient in enforcing them.

14.When in doubt, check with the teacher (unless safety is involved.)

REMEMBER: "A child needs Love when he is Least Lovable."

Warning: Information is subject to change and review

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