This material proposes topics and some useful details for teachers, but the main expectation is that they can make each encounter a special moment for them and their pupils.
Let’s look at some tips for teachers at this stage of life:
♦ The infant portions are designed to be given one per week. In case there are meetings in the same week, you only must repeat the content, even if the resources used are different.
♦ — The infant portions are organized in this material in an uncomplicated way to give teachers creative freedom. To this end, the following considered:
1. The Golden Text: It is the biblical text that is responsible for illuminating the purpose for that topic. Everything that is done must be in harmony with him, feel free to use any resource that communicates that truth of God.
2. Understanding the text: This is a commentary on the text to help teachers gain clarity about some details of the text. The more teachers master Scripture, the better use they can make of it.
3. Suggestions: Notice that the word “suggestion” has been used, since what is sought is to help the kindergarten teachers with ideas that can help them, although if they wish to make use of them, they are also in that freedom.
— Remember that a place for infants must have some specifications specific to them: crib to sleep in, changing area, toys typical of these ages, etc.
— It is also important that the place is safe so that babies can have the freedom to explore it, either with their eyes or while crawling.
— Depending on the number of children, the number of teachers should be. One is “recommended” for every two children.
— When the child arrives, the teacher who will attend to him with one of the parents must tour the premises with him, this helps the infant to feel safe in the place.
— If he cries, it must be understood that it is because he does not understand that his relative will return. Do not try to tell him not to cry or that his relative will be coming soon, he won’t understand. You should hug him and show him that you understand his pain. Comfort is the best resource for dealing with them at this stage of life.
— The crib should not be used to control the child, it is only for sleeping.
— Provide activities that stimulate the senses depending on the child’s assimilation (hearing, seeing, touching, smelling, and tasting).
— If they do not walk, do not delay in carrying them, because this is one of the things they enjoy the most at this stage of life. When you do, take the opportunity to impart some of the teaching, either through a song or a personal narrative.
— Encourage them to exercise the muscles they are using.
— Do not do the activities (from carrying him to a certain game) by the same hand always, vary them so that they can develop balance and a dual vision of their environment.
— Surprise your eyes with whole-colored objects or with the play of your face appearing and disappearing. Currently, they are strengthening the muscles of vision.
— They are discovering the relationship with space, so they will throw things away and try to grab others. Understand that this is not indiscipline at this age, but a need to understand the space in which they find themselves.
— Do not be in the same place always, move to help them in that understanding of distances and their relationship with them.
— Vary the activity frequently so they do not get bored but repeat them whenever you can. At this stage, learning is done by repetition. For this reason, there are ten portions that will be repeated for the entire three-year period that they are in this group (16 cycles of 10 topics).
— At this stage they are learning to trust people and God, so their greatest teacher will be the “safe environment” provided for them.
— Whenever you can, praise God and teach Him through repetition to listen positively to amen and hallelujah.
— In case of crying, try to discover your need, which will always be physical. If you have checked him completely and given him water, then he must understand that many times crying is his only way of communication; do not lose your cool and watch for any physical need; it will soon calm down.
— You must be firm with them, but you must strive to make them feel your love.
— Motivate children, youth, and adults to help younger children as facilitators at specific times. This will not only enrich those of their kind, but also the older ones. Never leave them alone, always do this with your supervision.
— Share with parents the achievements you have perceived in infants.
— Around seven months the child begins to distinguish between good and bad, so let them make some decisions on their own.
— Also create well-defined boundaries or rules so they can know what they can or can’t do.
— Give them a chance to use their arms and legs. This can be done by jumping or also walking with hands and feet at the same time.
— Create an environment of collaboration between them.
— When they are talking, pay attention and show your satisfaction by listening to them. For those approaching three years of age, engage in small dialogues to help them with vocalization. Do not rectify their vocabulary, only repeat correctly what is wrongly said.
— The younger, the more limited their memories are feel free to repeat a rule or command to help them remember. Forgetting should not be confused with disobedience.
— Help them put together puzzles of slightly smaller pieces that involve the need to use three or four fingers simultaneously. To learn the more general harmonies of life, they need to understand and know how to use those that have to do with their own body.
— Use simple chants in coordination with the other teachers so that they can be repeated and will make it easier for them to learn them.
— Storytelling will be an important tool in your hands for children over a year and a half, but you must be careful that they are not extensive.
— The closer they get to three years old, the more mature children will seem to them, and the way to express that maturity is with obedience, but also with stubbornness and tantrums. They will use “no” more to develop their own personality, boundaries and independence. Do not lose patience and achieve your purposes wisely. Be firm but loving at the same time. Do not shout or try to impose yourself by force; His patience in the face of the situation is what can calm him down. Also avoid too much comfort so that the child does not interpret it as a reward for his attitude.
— Also approaching three years of age, they will need clearer things before starting a new activity.
— Remember that each child develops in his or her own time, so never expect the same reaction from everyone to a given situation.
— Remember that no one knows children better than parents; the educator is an assistant to them. So, try to relate to them to understand the child better. Share with them the progress you are seeing in the child and the opposite.
— God’s truth must be illustrated and colored in the child’s mind. It is important that in each class you have a story that illustrates your teaching. Since at this stage we are relying on repetition, the teacher has the freedom to repeat a story he has already made or bring in a new one. When you are going to do this, we recommend sitting on the floor in a group and illustrating the story with dolls or puppets.
— Take time teaching them how to share and collaborate with others. Remember that sin makes us inherently selfish, but you can learn the importance of being different.
— We recommend that you keep an eye out for the feasts of the Bible. God considered all the resources described in this book in each of them. Take advantage of its symbolic force. No modern holiday or celebration compares to any of them .