Child Development Center Volunteer Orientation Guide

1. The Child Development Center Volunteer Orientation

2. Objectives For Training • Aware of philosophy, curriculum, schedule. • Understand volunteer responsibilities. • Aware of health and safety policies and general rules of CDC. • Aware of adult-child interaction strategies. • Understand the child guidance policy.

3. Introductions – tell us • Your name • Your year in school • Your major • Why you want to volunteer in the CDC • Your favorite childhood memory

4. Volunteers make a difference in the lives of lives

5. Philosophy of CDC * Children are active learners. * Children are unique individuals. * Children develop at their own pace. * Teachers and volunteers are facilitators. * The environment needs to be stimulating. * Families and teachers are partners. * Activities are developmentally appropriate.

6. VolunteerJob Description • Assist with supervision. • Assist in maintenance of classroom. • Supervise a small group of children in an activity. • Assist with routine procedures. • Help prepare materials. • Help with an individual child. • Read to children. • Modeling appropriate behavior. • Follow example and directions of teachers. • Maintain confidentiality. • Other duties as assigned.

7. Some of your responsibilities • Please wear your name badge that has been provided • Record your total time each day on your timesheets • Leave your cell phone with your personal belongings • Limit adult conversation and focus on the children • Inform teacher of your arrival and departure and always sign in on the attendance sheet for the day in the classroom • We count on you! If you cannot volunteer during your scheduled time please call/text Carey at 541-441-3017

8. Health and Safety • Wash your hands upon your arrival • Stop any activity that is NOT safe • Be aware of where the children are • Report accidents to teacher in charge • Volunteers cannot be alone with children

9. General CDC Guidelines • We use gentle touches. • We use kind words. • We listen to each other’s words. • We treat our toys carefully and put them away when we are finished. • Everyone can play.

10. Classroom Guidelines • Children keep their feet on the floor and bottoms in their chairs. • Encourage children to draw their own pictures, build their own buildings. When adults actively participate in activities (art, building) it should look like a 3 year old did it. • Let children express themselves creatively. This is learning at its best.

11. Playground Guidelines • Children stay in the gated area. • Tricycles stay on the paved areas. Children follow the arrows. • Shoes may be taken off in the sandbox. • Children can climb on areas where there are bark chips. • Children can go up the slide and down the slide. • Volunteers can hold the door open for children using the bathroom. If a child need assistance I the bathroom you may ask a teacher for help.

12. Interacting with Children • Be at their eye level • Avoid competition • Be an appropriate role model • Establish a positive relationship • Allow children to be independent • Encourage problem solving • Have fun and play with the children • Put directives/requests in the positive. • Respect the children’s space.

13. Indirect Language Stimulation Techniques • Information Talk • Parallel talk • Self talk • Description • Comments • Open Ended Questions

14. Indirect Language Stimulation Information • Parallel Talk – short phrases that adults say that describe what the child is seeing, hearing or doing, as he/she does it. “You are dipping your paint brush into the bucket.”

15. Information TalkIndirect Language Stimulation • Self Talk –Short sentences to talk about what you are doing. “I’m riding in the fire truck.”

16. Information Talk Indirect Language Stimulation • Description – The adult uses short sentences to label or describe the objects the child is playing with, touching or seeing. “The purple crayon.”

17. Information TalkIndirect Language Stimulation • Comments– The typical “teacher talk” that sets the stage for activities. “Two more minutes and we will go outside to play.”

18. Indirect Language Stimulation Information Talk • Open Ended Questions –Questions that are broad in their content and allow for multiple responses. Ex. “What do you think will happen next?”

19. Indirect Language Stimulation - Responses Open Ended Questions - Questions that are broad in their content and allow for multiple responses. What open ended question would you use? .

20. Indirect Language Stimulation - ResponsesExpansion – The adult adds more information to the words the child used. The child says, “The shaving cream is squishy”. How can we expand this sentence?

21. Indirect Language Stimulation - Responses • Repetition – The adult repeats exactly what the child says. This is often used when children mispronounce a word.

22. Giving Directions • Be specific and clear when giving directives. • Avoid using questions you do not mean to ask. • Tell Children what to do. • Avoid repeating directives • Provide win-win choices.

23. Directive Samples Mike sees children tossing books around. He kneels down to their eye level, and says, • “Books are for using gently. Let’s pick up the books and I will read one to you.” • “Book are for looking at or reading, which would you like to do?” • I see our books being tossed, books can get torn when they are tossed. Its time to pick them up.”

24. Directive Samples While Jill is reading a story to a small group of children, Suzie begins to poking a Johnny, Jill says. • Please keep your hands to your self Suzie. • Suzie what do you see on this page. • Johnny it’s okay to tell Suzie to stop poking you. • Johnny you can ask Suzie to stop poking you.

25. Directive ActivityHow would you re-word the following? - At cleanup time, Karla says to the children, “Will you please put the play dough away now?” • When Jill sees children climbing on the railing she says, “Be careful.” • The children are using loud voices before going outside. Henry says, “Stop using loud voices.”

26. Guidelines for Effective Praise • Offer specific feedback • Initiate the praise. • Focus on improvement and effort • Be enthusiastic and sincere, direct comments • Avoid competition and comparison

27. Corrective Feedback • Corrective feedback is used when a child does not follow directions or breaks a rule or expectation. • Deliver corrective feedback as soon after the inappropriate behavior as possible. • Gain the child’s Attention before delivering the feedback.

28. Corrective Feedback • Acknowledge and express respect for the child’s feelings. • Be specific and clear. • The feedback should provide what ever assistance the child needs to perform the appropriate behavior. • Always end on a positive note.

29. Behavior Intervention Guidelines“B.I.G.’s” for short • BIG’s is a systematic approach for managing common problem behaviors. • BIG’s enables all staff to be consistent in their response to behaviors and is a simple process that can be used by all. • Children are better able to understand behavioral expectations and consequences. • The BIG’s system has proven to be an effective tool for dealing with problem behaviors.

30. Behavior Intervention Guidelines of the CDC Continued • BIG’s sorts problem behaviors into one of the three predetermined areas and then responds to those behaviors using agreed upon responses. • Aggression – Hitting, Biting etc. • Self indulgent- Whining, Pouting • Non-Compliant – Running to avoid task

31. Volunteer EvaluationsTo assist you in your learning process of working with children an evaluation will be given to youat the mid-term and during finals week. • Self-Direction/Initiative, and Involvement with the opportunities offered to him/her: • Communication with supervisor and other staff: • Interactions with children: • Professional skills: • Attendance and punctuality.

32. The best things you can give children, next to good habits, are good memories.Sydney J. Harris Let’s begin making memories.