The Diary of Laura” Questions
“Difficulties During Diaper Change”
What is going on at the emotional level during this diaper changing?
What do you think Laura’s mother might feel about this diaper change?
How does this episode relate to a relationship-based approach to infant-toddler care?
Does Laura now seem more “adjusted” to the infant-toddler center?
By this time, Laura has been going to school for 4 days and hasn’t become familiar with her new caretakers. It isn’t a surprise that she has stranger anxiety and separation anxiety which both occurs around 9 months of age. Her care takers should expect Laura, at 10 months old, to react differently to strangers in a new environment. It’s normal that Laura becomes fussy with her teachers during a diaper change. Laura can have many different feelings at this time, such as: sad, mad, scared, hurt, she may be moody and become easily upset at things, she can feel shy around new people, and also sensitive to other people’s moods.
This is only the fourth day of infant-toddler care and Laura needs time to get used to the new situation and the people who care for her. Her teacher must realize that everything Laura sees, tastes, smells, hears, or feels is a new experience for her and gives Laura the time she needs to understand it and adjust to it. From the observation I could tell that Laura’s teacher, Eluccia, was very understanding, patient, and gentle with Laura throughout this episode. Eluccia was very considerate to Laura’s feelings by not forcing the diaper change right away, cuddling her when she became stiff or almost crying; during the next attempt her teacher was more careful and gentle when placing Laura onto the changing table in an upright position (probably thinking that this position might be easier for Laura to handle); she also tried used distraction with a toy while changing Laura’s diaper, and used her calm body and soothing voice to calm Laura in the final process of the diaper change.
Laura’s mother might have thought what patience and understanding this teacher must have with Laura. She may not have expected the teacher to be so patient with Laura; after all it’s just another diaper change. Eluccia was so careful with each step she took throughout the diaper changing process that Laura’s mother must have felt like she picked the right environment and people to care for her daughter.
This episode does show the relationship-based approach to infant-toddler care. Eluccia knows that Laura has only been coming to school for four days, which means that everything is still new to Laura and Laura needs time to adjust to her new environment and the people who take care of her. Eluccia used a calm and soothing voice throughout this episode, she also didn’t force the diaper change on Laura, then the teacher used distraction with a toy and later with her glasses to ease Laura into finishing the diaper change, and of course the teacher used her body to make Laura feel more at ease during the process. Eluccia knows that she needs to develop a trusting relationship with Laura.
Laura is still adjusting to her new environment and the people who take care of her. Eluccia knows how important it is to have Laura feel secure in her environment and by tapping into Laura’s sensitive cues is an important step for Laura to develop a positive relationship with her caregiver and become adjusted to the infant-toddler center.
“The Contested Doll”
What was the teacher Eluccia trying to do when she intervened in this conflict?
What do you think of her strategy, and how does it compare to strategies you have seen?
Why did Laura become contented at the end of the incident?
When Eluccia tried to intervene during the conflict of the doll she was trying to stop the episode from getting bigger and helping Laura to calm down because the doll she was playing with was taken by the other child, Silvia. I believe that distraction works well with younger children and I think that Eluccia did a good job by intervening so the situation wouldn’t get out of hand and then going one step further and encouraging both children to participate in question and answering game with the toy they were fighting over. Laura is an only child and by reading the book seems not to have the interaction with other children and hasn’t learned how or what to do in this type of situation. Laura becomes content in the end because the teacher distracted her with the question and answer game.
How do we empower young children like Laura? When I think about the scenario with the diaper change, one of the things that I saw was the way in which Ellucia empowered Laura. She observed that Laura was not ready to have her diaper changed. Even when Laura resisted Ellucia did not take personal offense to it and did not grow impatient. She persisted and continued to soothe Laura until she was calm and ready to have her diaper changed. There is sometimes a mentality that because we are bigger than the children that we can have them do what we say. It's sad, but true! However, Ellucia and the other staff from Arcobaleno Infant-Toddler classroom nurture the children's needs, feelings, and wants through and through.
ReplyDeleteWhat are some of the ways that you empower children?
Hi Susan,
ReplyDeleteIn the scenario, "The Contested Doll," would there any other ways that Ellucia could have handled the situation? If you were the teacher in this scenario, how would you have handled the situation?
In the scenario, "Difficulties during diaper change," how do we create an environment where the children feel secure and nurtured? How do you build a trust-relationship with the children in the classroom?
Hi Susan,
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed reading each of the scenarios in "The Diary of Laura, because it was a unique way of documentating Laura's growth, discoveries and milestones at her infant-toddler program. Do you think "observation training" should be mandatory for early childhood teachers? In the book it mentions that there is a difference between the United States and Reggio Emilia's styles of training...
The questions presented us the readers, a chance for us to have lots of interesting discussions. In the scenario, "The Contested Doll," this is the first incident that Laura argues over a toy and also the first time that we see her interacting with a peer. As a teacher, how would you begin to teach Laura about "interacting with peers"?
-suzanne-
Hey Susan,
ReplyDeleteYour thoughts about the difficulties during diaper change is a very interesting and something to consider when there is a new child who is still an infant and coming into the program. We do have to take into consideration that its only the 4th day and Laura has some adjusting and trust to overcome yet, we work with them and provide them with all the care we need to show them that we are her for them and provide a safe environment. What may have happen if there were several child there that had wet diapers? Would Eluccia may have rush Laura to change her diaper or would she still be patient and gentle with helping Laura. Because Laura is not the only one in the program and as a teacher we don't want the child to feel uncomfortable.
Laura's mother might have thought that the teacher was patience yet, would she also think that her child is wet, and wants her to get out of that wet diaper before she may have a diaper rash? The relationship-based approach to infant-toddler care, I agree with you that developing trust is very important for this stage, because Laura, will be the one who will be coming in everyday for school and needs to be shown that this is a safe and trusting place to be in. What might have happen if Eluccia forced on the diaper change and didn't help sooth her? Do you think that Laura will be traumatize from changing diapers every time.
Laura had her doll taken away from Silva and she got upset. What may have happen if the teacher did not step in. Would Laura get frustrated more or forget about it and move on. Is question and answering game a good idea at this age?
Angela
Hi Susan,
ReplyDeleteThe diaper change is such an interesting story -- it really makes me think about how important listening and reflection are to our teaching practices. I think the "Contested Doll" also offers a way for us to think about how we listen and how we respond as teachers.
Do you think listening and response is a common part of teaching practice? How often to we respond without truly listening? What is left out of teaching and learning when reflection is not present? How might have Eluccia responded without thinking or listening to Laura? What role does documentation have in this process?
Jeanne
Diaper changing could be a hot topic for most caregiver because the child may show different emotions during their first time diaper changing by new caregivers. Do you think that the caregiver needs to show respect to Laura when changing diaper? How do you think about different ways of diaper changing?
ReplyDeleteHow can we as teachers learn to be like Laura's teacher Ellucia in the "diaper changing" scenario? Do you feel their are better ways to handle the diaper changing situation? I feel Ellucia did an excellent job being patient. Laura had only been their for 4 days, she needs time and routine to know that everything is ok in the new environment.
ReplyDeleteAlso when talking about "The contested Doll" I feel that children who are "only child's" (or no other children to play with at home, such as cousins, etc), definitely have different social qualities then children whom grow up with one or more siblings. Do you feel the same way? Do you think their are differences when it comes to sharing with others?