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Welcoming a New Child
August 29, 2008
Courage is the most important of all the virtues, because without courage you can’t practice any other virtue consistently.
-Maya Angelou
-Maya Angelou
"When a new child joins a classroom community, there is a great opportunity — not only to welcome the new child, but also to strengthen a sense of cohesion among all of the children in the group. Here are some concrete ways to welcome a new member of the community:
- Prepare the class. Share with them some basic information about the new child. What are some of this child’s hobbies or interests? Draw attention to commonalities. Perhaps you can tell Shawna that Kyle also has a pet dog!
- Explain the goal of welcoming a new child. Ask the group to brainstorm ways they can help the new child to feel comfortable and welcome. Maybe they would like to make a welcome banner or sign.
- Pair up the new child. Assign a buddy. This child can help the newcomer feel welcome and connected as well as serve as a guide by touring the classroom and explaining routines. Pick a child you know would be willing and enthusiastic for this task. An outgoing, highly verbal child is a good choice. Additionally, pairing up children who know each other is an effective way to promote collaboration and teamwork.
- Break the ice. Take the time to revisit “getting to know you” games and activities. Have all of the children wear nametags again. Play games that focus on names and identity (e.g., “My name is Tony and I like tangerines”)."
In her new Exchange book, The Top Ten Preschool Parenting Problems and What to Do about Them!, parenting expert Roslyn Duffy offers parents practical advice for dealing with these common challenges (and more!)...
- Whining
- Not Listening
- Meltdowns
- Negotiation and Manipulation
- Morning Hassles, Mealtime Mischief, Bedtime Blues
- Sibling Fights
- Clean-Up and Chores
- Bathroom Battles
- Hitting, Kicking, Pinching, Spitting, Biting...
- Bad Language
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Motivate Teachers
We've posted 30 questions you can incorporate into a fun team building activity with your staff. Have staff members answer one question per staff meeting as an icebreaker or ask them to interview one another and introduce each other using the information they discovered.
We've posted 30 questions you can incorporate into a fun team building activity with your staff. Have staff members answer one question per staff meeting as an icebreaker or ask them to interview one another and introduce each other using the information they discovered.
Comments (6)
Displaying 5 of 6 Comments [ View all ]United States
In my center when we have a new student we leave him/her to explore the classroom freely the first week of school because every child is unique and some are easy into the new environment but others are shy, the most important as a teacher is to help the child to feel secure about the new environment and make the parent separation easy.
Also it's important that the teacher knows the correct pronunciation of the new child's name and their parents'.
University at Buffalo Child Care Center
Buffalo, NY, United States
Not every child likes to be known as the new person in class! Some children like to ease into the setting. The teacher needs to express the child's welcome, but maybe ease him/her into the new setting with other students depending on the child's situation. That person may be shy, & not like attention from a classroom of kids.
Music with Mar.
Palm Harbor, FL, United States
We've created a piggyback song using "She'll Be Coming Round the Mountain" but changing words to "We Will Have a New Friend in our Family". There are cards for the children to hold while they sing song welcoming their new friend. Then the cards go into a book that the new child brings home on that first day. It completes the tie-in to the family as well. Available to anyone for free by e-mailing me.
Pr-school
rochester, mn, United States
It's a great idea to learn about the new child before starting class. To be able to make any changes needed for the child. Every morning
the children sing this song with their names in it,example( Heather will you stand up and let us see your smile, we glad you are here today won't you stay awhile). You could see all the smiles in the children when their name is sang.
Music 2 Grow 1,2,3
Burns Lake, BC, Canada
Nurturing a sense of community is so important. That's why every Kindermusik class at every age level, infant through age 8, starts with a "hello" song mentioning each child by name, and ends with a group dance and "goodbye" song.
I love these suggestions for welcoming a new child into the class. But how would this work in a day care or preschool with drop-ins? Would honouring a new "permanent" classmate make the casual attenders feel left out?
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