Being Aware of Children's Needs
Moderator: Welcome to this short presentation, which highlights the importance of being aware of and responding to individual children's needs. This presentation will highlight the importance of being aware of individual children's needs in the learning environment and being responsive to those needs. This is one in a series of modules on building relationships.
In this module, we will look closely at the importance of noticing and responding to the individual needs and successes of children in the moment.
Adults who notice when children need support or encouragement in the moment can more readily connect with children to provide necessary guidance. Gaps in developmental domains can be addressed immediately when adults are watching for individual differences to provide guidance or adaptations in the moment, encouraging continued engagement and learning. Home visitors can encourage and model this practice for families by sharing tips for responding to their child's cues and modeling this practice during home visits. When adults respond to the learning, social, emotional, and physical needs of each child, connection and relationship building increases.
When children experience responsive relationships with adults, they have a greater sense of security, predictability, and comfort in the learning environment. Children who learn to trust that their caregivers will support, teach, and reassure them when problems arise are much more likely to engage in their environment. Slowing down and observing each child is the first step in building a relationship and an emotional connection to understand and respond to a child's emotions and the ways they express feelings. Let's see how adults demonstrate awareness of children's needs in the moment.
[Video begins]
Woman: Let's try and use our words again. Ask him, "Caden, can I please hold that?”
Adam: Can I please hold it?
Woman: Caden, can Adam hold this for a minute? Oh, that was so nice. Thank you for sharing.
[Video ends]
Moderator: Watching and being aware means that the adult notices and often anticipates when the child might struggle and need support or encouragement.
[Video begins]
Girl: Oh, it didn't.
Woman: Did it work?
Girl: No.
Woman: No? Can you try again? I bet if you tried again, you might be able to do it.
[Video ends]
Moderator: In this interaction, the adult, aware that the child was struggling with an activity, provides encouragement to try again. Being aware means the adult responds to the expressed or demonstrated need of the child. This can look like providing encouragement or assistance to a child feeling frustrated with an activity or suggesting a short break to come back and try again. In this next clip, the adult acknowledges the infant's excitement and readiness to explore the board book.
[Video begins]
Woman: Come sit on my lap, and that way, when you want to push off, I can help you better. OK ? Ready? [Gasps] "Both of these babies, as everyone knows, had 10 little fingers and 10 little toes.” Oh, my gosh! Lilia, look! Your toes a nd your fingers.
[Video ends]
Moderator: Consider the impact on the child when being acknowledged and supported to look at the books she is showing interest in. Notice the adult's tone of voice and overall affect as she matches the child's excitement and joy. Here are examples of adults demonstrating awareness that help foster responsive relationships with each child. Check in with each child by greeting and connecting with them as they arrive. Checking in with children about how they feel as they arrive can benefit both adults and children. Adults better understand the emotional states of each child, and children see that their teachers care about how they feel. It also helps them know which children may need extra attention that day based on their emotional states.
[Video begins]
Woman: Hi, Kariana. How are you doing today, my friend?
Kariana: My mommy bought new shoes for me and I'm wearing them.
Woman: She did? Oh, they're so pretty. I like that.
[Video ends]
Moderator: See and be seen. Making sure that you can see all the children in your care with a quick scan of the learning environment is an important aspect of being aware and responsive.
[Video begins]
Woman: What is this? Is it a school bus or a van or an SUV? What is this?
Girl: Bus.
[Video ends]
Moderator: Be close. Increase your proximity to children or to a particular child you can see what children might be needing and be ready to provide support. Adults who maintain a more static position during activities can easily miss out on opportunities to support a child in need or opportunities to celebrate a new discovery with a child. In this short video, we reviewed the importance of being aware of individual children's needs to anticipate and respond to those needs in the moment.
These practices help adults build their relationships with individual children, and help children feel comfortable and safe to explore and grow. To learn more about being aware and responsive to children's needs, check out our Being Aware of Children's Needs tips, tools, and resources for learning leaders, educators, and families.
Watch this video to learn practices that foster being aware of children’s needs. Which practice will you try in your learning environment?
