Together in Care: Meeting the Infancy Needs of Infants and Toddlers in Groups [Video]. SUPPORTING MATERIAL: Trainer's Manual Module II: Group Care; A Guide to Setting up Environments
The Program for Infant/Toddler Caregivers, WestEd, Center for Child and Family Studies, California Department of Ed., Child Development Division
Summary for Video - Together in Care: Meeting the Infancy Needs of Infants and Toddlers in Groups
Young children and infants need deep connections with both their parents and their caregivers in group care settings. This intimate contact is essential to healthy growth and development. This 30-minute videotape presents three child care program policies that will lead to this special kind of care. First, each child should be assigned to one caregiver who is principally responsible for that child's care. A second essential ingredient of quality care is that the child is cared for in a small group. Finally, there should be continuity of care. The video illustrates these recommended guidelines in scenes from child care centers and through the views expressed by child care center directors, based on their experiences with children and caregivers. Recommendations are presented on optimal group sizes and ratios for different settings and age groups.
Summary for Trainer's Manual - Module II - Group Care:
This trainer's manual covers module II of the Program for Infant/Toddler Caregivers (PITC), a four-module video training course for providers of family and center day care. The manual is intended to be used by module instructors and includes an overview of the PITC and instructions for using the manual and its accompanying videos. The module contains 16 lessons, most of which are designed to be covered in 45- to 90-minute sessions. The Infant/Toddler Groups," which contains four lessons on creating intimacy in groups, primary care, small groups, and continuity of care; (2) "The Environment," which includes three lessons on planning and setting up the physical environment; (3) "Routines," which includes six lessons on the importance of greetings and departures, dressing and bathing, health and safety, record keeping, and recognizing child abuse; and (4) "Respectful Care," which contains three lessons on goals, observation of children, and self-motivated learning. An outline of the four accompanying videos for this module, and pricing and ordering information for all four PITC modules, are also included.
Summary for A Guide to Setting up Environments:
For use in conjunction with training videotapes illustrating key concepts and caregiving techniques, this guide aims to help caregivers set up environments for infants and toddlers that promote young children's health, safety, and comfort, meet their developmental needs, and provide caregivers a comfortable and convenient place to work. Section 1 identifies and describes eight key concepts that need to be considered when designing any child care environment: safety, health, comfort, convenience, child size, flexibility, movement, and
choice. In addition to defining each concept, the section suggests practical steps that caregivers can take to improve certain features of the environment. Section 2 considers those aspects of the environment that make each setting unique and suggests how to work with that uniqueness in environmental planning. The section provides a framework for looking at particular caregiving environments. Rich in illustrations and devoted to practical concerns, Section 3 explores specific areas in the child care environment, including the entrance and parent communication area, learning and development centers, peer play areas, multilevel areas, rest and sleeping areas, toileting, washing up, feeding, and food preparation areas, storage and shelves, and outdoor space. The guide closes with practical tips, suggested
resources, and a glossary of environmental terms.
The Program for Infant/Toddler Caregivers, WestEd, Center for Child and Family Studies, California Department of Ed., Child Development Division. Together in Care: Meeting the Infancy Needs of Infants and Toddlers in Groups [Video]. SUPPORTING MATERIAL: Trainer's Manual Module II: Group Care; A Guide to Setting up Environments (1990). California Department of Education: Sacramento, CA.
Sponsoring Agency: California Department of Education and various private foundations
Language: English
Reading Level: Average
Formats Available: Printed Material, Videotape
(Trainer's Manual cost 20.00; accompanying Guide to Cognitive Development and Learning cost
$12.50; package of three Spanish videos and accompanying guides= $199.00. PITC videos are
available in Spanish, English and Cantonese; accompanying video magazine in English and
Spanish; Trainer's Manual Handouts and Transparencies in English and Spanish. Guides English
only at the present time.)
California Department of Education
CDE Press, Sales Unit
P.O. Box 271
Sacramento, CA
95812
Phone: (800) 995-4099
Fax: (916) 323-0823
Email: jblack@cde.ca.gov
URL: http://www.pitc.org/
Languages Available: Chinese, English, Spanish
Intended User Audience:
The Program for Infant/Toddler Caregivers was developed primarily for professional providers working in family child care homes and centers serving children zero-to-three years old. Beginners and individuals with advanced level of experience will find these materials useful.
These materials were developed for a universal population. These materials may be used in a variety of settings including inservice training and college settings. These materials were initially developed for use in the state of California. However, they are being used throughout the United States and its territories.
Product Development:
These materials were developed through funding received from the California Department of Education and various private foundations. For more information regarding funding sources, please contact WestEd. The staff of the California Department of Education and WestEd
collaboratively developed these materials with the help of practitioners, administrators, and nationally-recognized experts from the field of early education with a focus on children ages
zero-to-three years. In addition, film experts assisted in the development of the videos. A California-based professional translator did the Spanish translation of the trainer's manual handouts and transparencies. An early childhood professional and translator did the Chinese (Cantonese) translation of the materials.
Product Evaluation:
The developers of these materials are in the process of evaluating the project and the module training institutes. Based on anecdotal reports from users (e.g., practitioners, trainers, and experts), these materials have been highly rated and are well received. The program has also been awarded a Golden Apple award from the National Educational Film Festival.
Product Dissemination:
As of 1998, over 150,000 copies of these materials have been distributed and sold in the United States (including its territories), Australia, Israel, Italy, Korea, Mexico, and New Zealand.
Review #1
About the reviewer:
The reviewer was born and raised in Taiwan. She had 15 years
classroom experience teaching preschool, kindergarten, elementary
school and college in Taiwan, Saudi Arabia, and the U.S. She also
has had 12 years of experience coordinating multicultural and
multilingual services in a large urban California school district.
She holds a master's degree in early childhood education and a Ph.D.
in education.
Audience:
The materials were developed primarily for professional caregivers working in family childcare homes and centers serving children from birth to three years old. These materials may also be used in a variety of settings, including in-service training and college settings. The materials were intended for use in California, but can be -- and have been -- used throughout the United Sates.
Strengths of the Material:
The materials reviewed here are contained in Module II, which is one of the four modules of the Program for Infant/Toddler Caregivers. The Program for Infant/Toddler Caregivers is a very comprehensive training system for providers of professional care to infants and toddlers. The program includes videos, video magazines, curriculum guides, trainer's manuals and train-the-trainer institutes. Like all other modules, various components included in this module not only reinforce the recommended philosophy and key concepts in infant/toddler care, but also complement each other. While the video is the centerpiece that succinctly presents the recommended practices in real situations with real children and caregivers, other written materials present detailed, in-depth information for further understanding. The video is available in English, Chinese (Cantonese) and Spanish. The video magazine and trainer's manual handouts are available in English and Spanish.
Limitations of the Material:
While there is a module focusing on culturally sensitive care, this particular module on group care does not address the issue of cultural and linguistic sensitivity. The language does not acknowledge, nor do the children and caregivers who appear in the video reflect, diversity in terms of family structures, abilities, religion, generations, etc. There is no evidence that the materials promote awareness of, address attitudes toward, or address knowledge about cultural and linguistic diversity. There is no mention of promoting the importance of honoring the child's first language or discussing the factors that impact second language acquisition. While some components of the training materials are available in Chinese and Spanish, the training materials in this module do not acknowledge the encouragement of instruction by culturally and linguistically diverse presenters.
Adaptations:
To become more responsive to and reflective of cultural and linguistic diversity, the following adaptations are suggested:
· Encourage matching the cultural and linguistic backgrounds of the child and the caregiver, if possible.
· Encourage caregivers to learn a few simple phrases of the child's home language.
· Add ethnic posters/family photos, ethnic food and utensils, books and music representative of the child's culture, etc. to reflect the home atmosphere, environment, and culture in childcare homes or centers.
· Encourage caregivers to learn and try to match the culturally specific adult-child communication and interaction styles.
· Have a qualified presenter from the same cultural and linguistic background as the audience. Deliver the training materials, being specific to the community in which the material will be used.
Generalizability:
The materials, reflecting the recommended practices, can be useful for many communities in the US. The availability of some of the components in Chinese and Spanish further enables the training materials to reach some caregivers with limited English proficiency. The group size guidelines are recommended ideals. In some communities, the group size and ratio, though appropriate and highly recommended, may not be realistic.
Recommendations:
The materials systematically and comprehensively present the recommended practices regarding infant and toddler caregiving in groups. This reviewer recommends the materials with the above-noted adaptations.
Producer's Response:
See producer's response after second review below.
Review #2
About the reviewer:
The reviewer has a bachelor's and master's degree in communication
disorders from New Mexico State University. She has served
preschool and kindergarten children with a wide range of speech and
language disorders. These children are Hispanic, Native American,
and European American in origin. She has been instrumental in
bringing into the classrooms a number of community people who are
multicultural. She has worked closely with families in home-based
programs. In consideration of proper school placement, she has
tested bilingual children for language dominance.
Audience:
The Program for Infant/Toddler Caregivers is a comprehensive training system for providers of professional care to children from birth to three years of age. It was developed primarily for professional providers working in family childcare homes and centers. The materials are appropriate for both beginning level and experienced caregivers providing care for a universal population. The materials include a video, video magazine, curriculum guide, trainer's manual and train-the-trainer information. These provide trainers with a deeper understanding of strategies for using the materials for training of childcare providers. For the purposes of this review only one of the four modules was reviewed, with supportive information regarding setting up environments. The three additional modules in the series include: Social-Emotional Growth and Socialization; Learning and Development; and Culture, Family, and Providers. These materials may be used for training in a variety of settings, including inservice training and college settings. They were initially developed for the state of California, but are being used throughout the United States and its territories.
Strengths of the Material:
The video as well as the accompanying video magazine and trainer's manuals is very well presented, clear, and appealing. The video and the printed materials acknowledge diversity by nicely presenting a variety of ethnic groups in the graphics. The comprehension level of the reading material and the video are average.
The video discusses the importance of having a primary care provider throughout the child's infant and toddler years. This person would ideally be someone who gets to know the child and his/her cues readily, and who the child is comfortable and familiar with. The video also discusses the importance of keeping group sizes small and the adult-to-child ratio low when providing childcare to the 0-3-year-old population. Specific information regarding group size, adult-to-child ratios, and room sizes are given with additional information regarding mixed-age guidelines. The important issue of continuity of care is emphasized with a variety of options for the childcare center to consider.
In the trainer's manual regarding group care, the following aspects are discussed: organizing infant/toddler groups, the environment of the childcare center, routines such as feeding, diapering, napping, etc., and respectful care. Very practical, useful information is provided in each of these sections. Additionally a section is provided on record keeping, and a profile is included of typical development between the ages of 0-3 years with checklists in each of the developmental areas. There is also a section on special issues to consider with children and families including suspected abuse and neglect. Finally, there is a lengthy discussion about the meaning and importance of respectful childcare settings.
In the Guide to Setting Up Environments the authors discuss the importance of providing a place for children that is comfortable for the childcare provider as well as the child. Creating an environment with these considerations is emphasized: safety, health, comfort, convenience, child size, flexibility, movement, and choice. Detailed information is provided to help caregivers plan specific areas to enhance their daily routine and caregiving activities. Attention is given to providing information for both caregivers who are working with the same-age level groupings and mixed-age groupings.
Limitations of the Material:
Overall this reviewer finds the information well presented. The comprehension level is very understandable, the graphics enhance the materials by depicting a variety of ethnic groups, and the information presented is important and well organized. This reviewer notes one limitation, with some hesitation: that cultural and linguistic differences were not addressed. There is a whole module in this series that does address this issue which this reviewer has not had the opportunity to review. She does believe, however, that cultural differences are very pertinent to the concept of grouping children. The reviewer would have liked some information in the area of cultural and linguistic differences, even if it had been a reference to the other materials.
Adaptations:
This reviewer recommends that the material be adapted by adding information/comments regarding the importance of cultural and linguistic differences when making considerations regarding grouping of children. One very important consideration that comes to mind regards maintaining and enhancing the child's first language if their first language is other than English.
Generalizability:
This reviewer believes this material would be beneficial to most childcare providers when making important considerations regarding grouping children and enhancing the environment of the childcare setting. The graphics also enhance the desirability to a variety of culturally and linguistically diverse groups.
Recommendations:
This reviewer recommends the material with adaptations.
Producer's Response:
We appreciate the opportunity to respond to the very appropriate comments of the reviewers of these materials. As pointed out, the PITC Module IV, Culture, Family, and Providers, addresses issues of cultural continuity and inclusion. We recommend that the materials in Module IV be used to support training in Module II, and that training in the PITC modules be comprehensive, rather than piecemeal, and interwoven, rather than discrete. We strongly endorse the adaptations recommended by reviewers with respect to encouraging matching of children with caregivers of the same cultural and linguistic background, promoting the use of the child's home language, and having presenters from the same cultural and linguistic background.
With respect to the group size and ratio recommendations, we expect that many programs will be able to move toward these goals gradually, if they cannot achieve them immediately at the present time. In any case, changes in staffing and the organization of groups in ongoing programs work best if they are part of a thoughtful process that includes teambuilding, training, and sensitivity to the concerns of staff.
If you have used this item and would like to comment on it, please send a message With your comments to the
CLAS Webmaster. In your message, please indicate the title,
author, and CLAS Accession Number (see Bibliographic Information above) for the document.