WWB Training Kit

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WWB Training Kit 20

• Expressing Warmthand Affectionto Children

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Discuss

• How do you know when someone cares for you,
  likes being with you, is pleased with your
  efforts and accomplishments?

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Teacher Child Warmth and Affection Are Important
Because They

• Contribute to secure relationships between
  children and adults
• Provide models of positive, gentle, behavior
• Are linked with ability to interact positively
  with peers
• Cause teachers to feel enjoyed and appreciated
• Other reasons?

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Expressions of Warmth and Affection Occur When

• Teachers and caregivers interact with children to
• Protect
• Guide
• Communicate
• Teach
• Play
• Comfort

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How Can You Organize Your Schedule to Increase
Expressions of Warmth and Affection?

• Daily Routine
• Classroom set-up
• Materials and equipment

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Warm and Affectionate Teachers Show Children That
They

• like them
• enjoy being with them
• are having fun with them
• are pleased with their efforts and
  accomplishments

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Scenario 1

• While eating breakfast with her 3- and
  4-year-olds, Mrs. Fosters glance falls on Marcus
  who has been absent for several days. When he
  briefly looks up from his plate, she smiles and
  says, Im happy to see you this morning, Marcus.
  We missed you.

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Scenario 2

• Mr. Cavendish is reading to three toddlers in the
  book area. Catherine leans against his shoulder
  and strokes his hair while peering at the book.
  Julio and Carl are snuggled at his sides. He
  reads in an animated tone, occasionally asking or
  answering questions in a gentle, soothing tone
  of voice.

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Scenario 3

• Ai-lis parents have recently moved to the United
  States from China. Ai-li needs a diaper change,
  but she is engrossed with a ball. Mr. Hareem, a
  new teacher, approaches and attempts to entice
  her to come to him by talking with a sheep
  puppet. Ai-li turns her head and shrinks away
  from Mr. Hareem. Mr. Hareem smiles and says,
  Dont be shy, Ai-li, and picks her up.
  Ai-li begins to cry and struggles to get down.

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Scenario 4

• Ms. Morton is coping with a rainy day by
  organizing a strenuous activity for her 4- and
  5-year-olds under the covered outdoor area. She
  and her assistant, Mrs. Kim, cheer, clap, laugh,
  and shout out encouragement as groups of children
  move across the area by first walking backwards,
  then running, hopping and jumping. Soon, the
  children who have finished first begin to do
  the same for their peers.

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Ways to Convey Warmth and Affection

• Validating
• Hugging
• Holding
• Stroking
• Facial expressions - Smiling
• Laughter
• Voice tone
• Terms of endearment

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More Ways to Convey Warmth and Affection

• Encouragement
• Playful teasing
• Playful physical contact, such as brief tickling
• Patting on the head
• Special handshake

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Smiling Has Impact

• From early infancy
• Conveys positive emotion
• May help child appreciate other forms of teacher
  affection

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Influences on Teachers Expressions of Affection?

• Teachers express warmth and affection in varying
  ways
• What factors might influence these variations

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One Size Fits All?

• Teachers can adjust styles of expression to
  childs
• Needs
• Preferences
• Family
• Cultural background

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More Tips to Remember

• Input from parents can help you attend to and
  individualize based on childrens personal
  preferences
• Some children who engage in persistent
  challenging behavior may need warmth
  and affection the most, and may be using
  challenging behavior to seek attention
• Monitor whether you are adequately expressing
  warmth and affection

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More Tips (continued)

• Avoid showing warmth and affection during or
  IMMEDIATELY after disciplining children
• Avoid frequent expressions of negative emotion
  toward children

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Final Tip

• If the majority of
• the comments you make to children are positive,
  you will be contributing to the emotional warmth
  of the classroom

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Additional Resources

• Copple, C. (Ed.). (2003). A world of difference.
  Washington, DC National Association for The
  Education of Young Children.
• Lynch, E. W., Hanson, M. J. (Eds.). (2004).
  Developing cross-cultural competence A guide for
  working with diverse children and their families,
  third edition. Baltimore, MD Brookes
  Publishing.