Training Guides for the Head Start Learning Community:
Individualizing: A Plan for Success
Module 1
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| Contents | Preface
| Introduction
| Module 1
| Module 2
| Module 3
| Module 4 | | Professional Development | Resources | Training Guides | |
Learning About Each Child--The First Step in Individualizing
Handout 3: Why Do We Do What We Do?
Example #1: Mrs. R. Helps Luis Get Use to His Baby Brother
What was the setting of this incident?The incident took place during a home visit to the R. family. I was talking to Mrs. R. about what the nurse practitioner had said during her baby's two-month check-up.
What did the child do?
Luis tried to push his baby brother out of his mother's lap.
What did you do?
I stopped talking and watched while Mrs. R. responded to Luis. She redirected him to another activity--building with milk carton blocks.
What did you know about the child and family that led to your specific response?
I knew Luis had been the youngest member of his family for three years before the birth of his baby brother and that he had mixed feelings about being a big brother.
I knew Mrs. R. would let Luis know she understood and accepted his feelings, but she would not let him hurt the baby.
How did you know this about the child and family?
Luis and Mrs. R. have been enrolled in Head Start for several months. During our initial visit, Mrs. R. told me that Luis seemed unhappy about the new baby coming. She said she heard him tell neighbors and relatives that the new baby was going to stay at the hospital.
Before the baby was born, Mrs. R. asked what she could do to help Luis get used to sharing her attention with the new baby. We anticipated the kinds of problems that might come up and discussed strategies she could use to help Luis feel like he was still an important part of the family, even if he was no longer the youngest child.
During last week's home visit, I observed Mrs. R.'s response when Luis exhibited similar behaviors. When Luis left the room, we discussed how he was doing. She said that Luis was getting used to the baby and was gentle and caring toward him more often than when she and the baby first came home from the hospital.
Example #2: Charlene Masters Separation
What was the setting of this incident?The incident took place during arrival time on a Monday morning.
What did the child do?
Charlene came to the door of the classroom, holding on tightly to her father's hand. Tears rolled down her face. Her father said, I think we might need some help this morning.
What did you do?
I took Charlene's free hand as her father helped her let go of his. I bent down to Charlene's level and whispered, Your daddy loves you very much. He's going to work while you stay here and play at Head Start. She said good-bye through her tears. As her father left, I said, Would you like to look at one of the new books in the library area?
What did you know about the child and family that led to your specific response?
Charlene spends every other weekend with her father.
Charlene misses her father in between their visits.
Charlene can handle her sad feelings as soon as she becomes involved in something.
Charlene's father understands and respects his daughter's feelings.
Charlene loves books.
How did you know this about the child and family?
Charlene's mother had let us know when she and Charlene's father started living apart. She reminds us when Charlene will be spending the weekend with her father.
I've observed Charlene painting several pictures of her family. Sometimes she put her mother over to one side of the picture, and sometimes she put her father over to one side.
The last few times that Charlene arrived in tears, we observed how she handled her feelings. We noted that she got involved in an interesting activity more quickly when an adult intervened. We discussed our observations with her father and planned the strategy that I used today.
Charlene's mother and father have both told us that Charlene loves books, and we have observed her reading in the library corner and eagerly participating during story time.
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