188宝金博页面版

~ n today's society where small nuclear families are in the major- ity, the sustained supportive rela- tionships in child care centers can provide extended child relationships that are wholesome and nurturing for children. Multi-age group care can foster a cooperative attitude among children whocan elect to function as leaders or followers in a wider variety of interaction situa- tions, without feeling they must com- pete against their peers to gain status and approval. Multi-age grouping allows children the opportunity to have a behavior curve with a wider range of acceptable variables that re- flect normal irregularities in devel- opmental growth patterns. It pro- vides situations where younger chil- dren can be exposed to and partake in experiences they are ready for and curious about, rather than depend on superimposed experiences based on adult concepts of developmental norms. Children often group and regroup during activities, depending upon their focus and needs at a particular time of day. Developmental levels and concomitant skills vary with each child. In a multi-age setting each youngster has more opportunity to interface with others in activities that can accommodate the uneven growth rate with which each child must cope. Multi-age groupings encourage the acceptance of children with de- velopmental growth problems. The child who for some reason is develop- ing at a slower than average rate need not feel rejected or out of tune with his peers because he cannot achieve at a specific task competency of his age at that time. In a flexible setting, it is easier for the caregiver to have a variety of task achievement MULTI[-AGE LET THEM BY HELENi goals and match the child to the task rather than the task to a specifically designated age group. Under these circumstances more supportive child- centered growth goals can be the objectives when planning for each child, rather than focusing on meet- ing the needs of the group. Young children choose to model the behavior of their older peers more frequently than the adults around them who are too large and whose behavior is too remote for a youngster's ability to achieve. The older preschooler is more able to internalize some of the adult stan- dards for behavior and, in turn, to serve as the model for the younger child. In a multi-age setting, a youngster who remains at a center for a period of time can move from the emulator position to serve as a model for others. He is provided with a real opportunity to con- ceptualize his own growth and com- pare where he has been to where he is now. John, who was a bully in the "four-year-old group" and had caused many problems as a result of his insistence upon wanting to be the strongest among his peers verbally as well as physically, reacted very well to the center's switch to multi-age grouping. As he watched a two-and- a-half-year old struggling to put on a jacket, he approached the frustrated toddler, offered help, and said, "It's okay. When I was little I couldn't do that. I'll help you. I'll take care of you today. I will be your friend." During the outdoor time, John led 24 DAY CARE AND EARLY EDUCATION