Preparing your Assistant Part 2

 

Part 2

Part 1, talked about starting the process to prepare your new classroom assistant to become comfortable in the classroom and to grow in their understanding of Montessori. Our new classroom assistants are often new to Montessori, and it takes time and care to support them in feeling confident in the environment. Let’s face it, Montessori can feel like an overwhelming new world for some! Having a plan is essential for you to be able to support their learning but it also sets the expectations that you are not only organized, but that you care about their success.

 Setting training goals is important:

1. Familiarize the adult with how the environment feels.
2. Familiarize the adult with what Montessori is and why we do what we do.
3. Familiarize the adult with the "need to knows" in your local Childcare Licensing regulations.
4. Outline what their role is and what their role is not.

 In Part 1, we covered #1 & #2.

Let’s dive into #3: Familiarize them with what they need to know about childcare licensing. Each state and area has its requirements so specifics here may not be entirely helpful here. That said,

• What training do they have to have according to licensing?
•  Food handlers?
• CPR/First Aid?
• Mandatory reporting?

• What resources are available as a quick reference? If you don’t have a quick reference, please take the time to make one. A resource like this will help so much in training a staff member. Not only can you go through the binder together to ensure nothing is missed. It will also be there as an independent resource they can access if they need it. We know how children need independence, and adults do too. Being able to seek an answer for themselves is often more empowering than having to ask another person. And in those first few weeks of training, there are A LOT of questions, having a resource can be empowering.
• Playground safety
• Nap procedure and supervision
• Pick up and drop off safety procedures
• Sick policy
• Sanitizing and disinfecting procedures
• Soiled clothing protocol

#4: Outline what their role is and what it is not. This is a biggie. Different schools/classrooms/programs utilize their classroom assistants in different ways. If you have a new staff member coming from another Montessori school, you can bet, they will be adjusting to new expectations. It is a bit of a dance, isn’t it? The more explicit you are, the better! Again, think about a resource to keep all the aspects of classroom support and explanations of what they look like in practice. Here are examples to get you going knowing some may not apply to your program:

• Morning environment prep:
• Pulling materials to the edge of the shelves.
• Straightening.
• Refilling papers, yarn, thread, sharpening pencils, etc.
• Setting the laundry out for the children to fold.
• Wetting the sponges.
• Filling the pitchers for pouring.
• Carline or drop-off/pick-up time:
• Are they supervising the group coming into the classroom or helping to take children out of the cars?
• Are they handing off the child to the parent and checking ID?
• Snack preparation:
•  What time?
• What will be prepared?
• With or without the help of the children?
• Snack clean up.
• What time?
• How are the dishes handled?
• Child support with work: 
• What does that look like?
•  How much is too much support?
• Can they do bring me games?
• Can they do three-period-lessons after you show them how?
• Can they give representations in Practical Life or other areas?
• Redirection techniques:
• Do you have recordkeeping available to help them offer work choices to the children?
• What can they say instead of “go find a work”?
• Can they read with a small group?
• Can they sing inside with a small group? Is there a list of songs available?
• Can they take a group outside?
• Transition activities:
• Can they lead transitions?
• What activities should they do with the children?
•  Singing, reading, finger plays, hokey-pokey, clapping syllables, eye spy, etc.
• How can they help when a child soils themselves?
• What does dignity in support look like?
•  How do they help the child change?
• What does it sound like to be encouraging in those moments, so the child does not accidentally feel shamed?
•  Playground:
• What are the expectations for supervision? Are cell phones allowed on the playground?
• What are the playground rules?
• How do they handle potentially dangerous behavior?   
• Parent communication:
• Can they update parents on the child’s day at pick-up?
• How do they answer when a parent wants to know about the child, and you prefer to speak to the parent directly?
• Environment care and cleaning:
• What should be sanitized each day?
• What areas of the classroom should be dusted each day?
• Can the children help?
• How are you contributing to the maintenance of the classroom?

We know the work that it takes to make a classroom run smoothly, and it takes a team! The more information you can offer, the better. Especially, when you can tie it into the videos and resources you already offered to them from Part 1. So much of the role of the classroom assistant is supporting the development of the children and supporting the environment that allows children to thrive with as few obstacles as possible.

Something NEW!!

Art for Early Childhood is published in paperback on Amazon! Reignite the creativity of the 3-6-year-old child with this manual of open-ended art presentations. Children are sensorial learners and should connect with art in the same way! Perfect for the classroom, homeschool, or home, these easy-to-prepare and present lessons open a whole new world of creativity for children!

  Art for Early Childhood: Open-ended Exploration for the 3-6 Child to Foster Independence and Discovery