Article Link: http://exchangepress.com/article/ideas-for-training-staff-transitions-rituals-and-celebrations/5015219/
As I watch programs continually ride the seasonal waves of enrollment and staffing transitions, I've been wondering what kind of mindset, systems, and traditions could be put in place to make these constant transitions go smoothly? How could the ever-present changes be seen as part of the curriculum, rather than a difficult disruption for the program? What kind of training would help staff approach things this way so that they could invent meaningful rituals and celebrations to take them through all the comings and goings in child care programs?Give Staff Time to Experience Comforting Rituals
The world today seems to be in constant upheaval with hunger, war, natural disasters, and politicians jockeying for resources and power. Nearly every month new technology is transforming our everyday lives. We are clearly living in a time of permanent white water, unprecedented rapids, and a climate of fear and uncertainty. The specifics of all of these changes are beyond the cognitive experience of very young children, but there is no doubt they feel the essence of anxiety in the adults around them.
In this context, everyday changes assume larger significance and may be harder to handle. Children and teachers, friends and parents can suddenly disappear. What and ...