Space & Furnishings
How do you keep the cozy area protected from active play?
Children need to be redirected and engaged in other activities.
How often does water need to be offered?
Daily, especially in-between meals and after vigorous activity.
Demonstrate what teaching a skill to a toddler would look like outdoors. How can you encourage vigorous activity?
Encourage children to run and get their heart rates up.
Model a conversation with a toddler as they use art materials.
You should talk about the colors they are using, the patterns their utensil is making
How much time is required for outdoor play? How is the time calculated?
30 min. The clock starts when the last child is on the playground and ends when the teacher says it is time to clean up.
What does a well-maintained classroom look like?
Toys are constantly being put back into the correct areas, and no food is ever left behind after meals/snacks. Any messes such as water spills are cleaned up immediately.
How often does every child need to be checked/changed?
Every 2 hours, but you don't have to wait for the 2 hours to be up.
How would you respond to a child looking at a book on their own? Demonstrate a short story read with all required components.
Acknowledge the child and praise them for choosing a book. During story read you should use a fun voice, point to the words, use your fingers for any numbers, and encourage the children to interact.
Model a conversation in the classroom involving comparing shapes, quantity or sizes? What materials could be used for this?
Use words such as "more" and "less" when referring to groups of objects, use "smallest" "bigger," other other size words, etc.
What is a wait time and how long are toddlers allowed to wait? What kinds of activities can help to avoid these wait times?
3 minutes - a wait time is anytime that children are waiting for an activity with nothing to do and no engagement. Coat transition, meal transition, clean up, transition, etc.
What is the best procedure for getting jackets on before going outside?
Slowly transition by putting jackets on one-on-one while children are playing. Once all jackets are on, then have children clean up to go outside. When coming in, take jackets off one at a time and put straight into their cubby and then send them to wash hands.
When should hands be washed? Demonstrate a handwashing routine both individually and with a child.
Before sanitizing tables, when re-entering the classroom, with children after outside play, before putting on serving gloves, after wiping noses, after visibly soiled, after diapering.
What does comparing and contrasting sound like for a toddler? How many times does this need to be observed?
This needs to be observed twice.
What does drawing children's attention to and appropriately talking about nature/science sound like? How many times does this have to be observed?
It needs to be observed 3 times. Talking about weather, talking about animals outside, talking about the plant, talking about science toys in the classroom, pointing out pictures in science books about animals, weather, etc.
How should art be handled in rooms that have children older than 18 months?
Children can be encouraged, but continue to remind them that they are more than welcome to leave and do something else. As children appear to be over the activity, ask them what they want to do next and make sure they know that they do not have to stay there.
What is free art and how can it be individualized to fit the theme?
The child gets to create the work in a way that is meaningful to them. Labels or dictation can be added to emphasize the theme.
How would you respond to a child who keeps climbing up on the table?
Explain WHY they cannot do that, and redirect and help engage them in a different, interesting activity.
Demonstrate what it would sound like to add more words or ideas to expand what children say.
"Yes, that is a blue truck, see it has wheels"
Model a conversation in the block area where you are pointing out concepts and modeling creating simple structures.
Be sure to compare block colors/shapes; sizes of structures such as tall/short, big/little, wide/narrow; etc.
What does meeting the needs of children look like in terms of your schedule?
Follow through with the needs your identifying. (Sleepy child, hungry child, bored child, etc.)
What is ample space & how can ample space be achieved?
Teachers should intentionally spread out to encourage children to utilize the entire classroom.
Demonstrate the correct diaper changing procedure with required interactions.
Make sure to include teaching interactions for each child.
How would you respond to a child who takes another child's toy and then hits them?
Acknowledge the hurt child's feeling, name the action the other child did, and then uncover the intention and help resolve.
What kinds of comments/questions can you ask children using fine motor materials in order to help them understand concepts?
Count materials; talk about differences in color, shape, size; talk about how interlocking blocks fit together; talk about how to get a puzzle piece to fit
(Ex: move on to a new activity if children lose interest, help them to become engaged in an interesting activity, ensure no child is wandering and bored)