Limitations of key teacher programme

Each single teaching programme has its advantages and disadvantages, primary care giving programme no exception. In practice, the key children generally show strong attachment to his/her key teacher and refuse comfort from other teachers. Another limitation of key teacher system is the parents unable to obtain information about their children if the key teacher is absent.

To overcome the natural faults of the primary care giving program, the key teacher needs to encourage the children's social interactions to establish good relationships with other teachers. The children will discover pleasure of being with others. Good communication between the teachers is essential for sharing information within the team. By this way, the parents will get information about their children when the key teacher is not available.

Primary care giving programme

Primary care giving (it is also called the key teacher programme) for infants is a care programme which intends to build up warm, secure and responsive relationships with children and partnerships with their families. The role of the primary care giver is to take the key position in feeding, sleeping, nappy changing, observing and playing with a particular child/children. Primary care giver also has the key role of making connections to the child/children’s cultural background and family contexts, and documenting the child/children’s learning experiences in early childcare settings.

 

Primary care giving is a popular programme for working with very young children. Through this programme, children and families settle into the centre and develop a sense of trust and reciprocity with the primary caregiver, other teachers and the centre environment. The model of programme enables infants to feel safe and secure, and are encouraged and supported for further exploration and interaction with the environment.  

Smoothing children's transition into a childcare centre

Starting to attend a childcare center is a big challenge for young children and their parents. Transition from home to centre could be very difficult time and stressful event and it is very normal for the child and the parents to show a range of emotions. To settle a child into a childcare centre, teachers need to take an extremely careful process and to practice professionally and effectively.

Here are some key aspects of good strategies that summarized from daily practice and research articles:

Allowing the child and parents time to adapt to the new environment. Children need opportunities to become familiar with the new setting, and the parents need take time to getting know the teachers. The length of transition process depends on an individual child and family, so make sure that the individual child needs are met.

It is a good practice to have a key teacher for the new child. The key teacher has responsibilities to share detailed  information such as the child primary care needs, interests, and learning experiences etc. with the parents. The teacher should have the main role of providing primary care, supporting the child's learning, and obtaining information about the child home background.

Encouraging the child saying goodbye to the parents when they make separation. This is a good way to help the child develop a sense and understanding of regular events that he/she attends centre regularly and the parents collect him/her at certain time.