Saturday, January 26, 2013

OBSERVING COMMUNICATION


    On Wednesday around 3:30pm,  I went to a local daycare center and observed 5 four year students engaging with their teacher. I observed two of the students sitting on the outside table engaging in conversation.  I also observed the other two children throwing the ball to each with the teacher. The other child was sitting on the slide by herself.  I observed a lot of verbal communication with the teacher and all of her students, except one.  The teacher was very encouraging and responsive to four of the students.
    I feel that the teacher did not try to communicate with the other child.  I feel that if she was not going to engage in effective communication with the other child, then she should could have least encouraged the other children to communicate with the child.  I listened to how affectionate and playful she was with the other four children.  It actually bothered me that she was ignoring the other child. I feel that the adult-child relationship is very important to the child’s self-worth.  My focus was not on the children that she was communicating with, but the lack of interaction that she had with other child.  I was concerned because was the child sick or what was the reason why the child was not interacting with the other children.  Regardless it is the teacher’s responsibility to communicate with the child.  I cannot make assumptions about the observation but from the child’s facial expression she seemed very sad and lonely.  I believe in always engaging in a healthy relationship with a child.  I love for them to tell me what’s new in their creative world.  I feel that I am a great communicator when it comes to children; and I respect and value what they are saying.  I believe that in the communication process children need to know that they are important.
     
 

2 comments:

  1. Hi Tamieka,
    What an interesting observation to find and take notice of. I would have had those same thoughts about the little girl as well. I hope this is not the same situation every day. Maybe it was just that one moment.
    Lori

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  2. As a teacher and parent it has always bothered me to see a child sitting off to themselves. A child should never have to sit off by themselves with little or no interaction from the adult in charge. If anything the teacher should have tried to engage in conversation with the child to see if everything is okay. Some children need to be invited into the activities going on around them especially if there is some uncertainty. I think that even though I was there just to observe I would have felt compelled to go over to the little girl and see if she was okay and why she was not playing. That is just me though.

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