Building Positive Relationships Discussion

Building Positive Relationships

After reading Chapter 5, reviewing the checklist, and watching the video, go out on your own and find a resource to share with the class about building positive relationships. It can be a website, article, blog, book, video, movie, etc. Be creative.

* In your post you should reference what you learned in the chapter, the checklist and the video and then relate it to the resource you chose.

* Compare and contast and share why you chose this particular resource.

* Share what best practices for building positive relationships you observed during your recent site visit.

* If the resource is not specific to working with youth, explain how you can modify it or apply it to working with youth in afterschool programs.

Include the internet link or attach the article(s) about the resource you chose.

Respond to at least one of your classmates’ posts (below)

Student’s post that needs response:

This week’s lesson explained to me the different ways we are able to strengthen program networks with families. I also learned that there are many practices and checklists to help with building relationships with children, staff, and families. We have checklists made and ready for consistent observation within the relationships between staff and children in the school-age care program. When parents and caregivers hand their trust over to the staff of a school, after-school program or club, it is their responsibility to ensure the children are gaining their trust as well. Examples of forming relationships with children include supervision, social conversations, asking questions, greetings, treating the children equally and respectfully, and setting examples of kindness. I’ve found an online blog that discusses the importance of building positive relationships and positive learning environments for young children. What better way to learn about learning environments then from program specialists who have first-hand experience? Sarah Merrill and Jamie Sheehan discuss the ways staff and children can form everlasting relationships that promote positivity and teach children valuable life and social skills.

Head Start – Early Childhood Learning & Knowledge Center (ECLKC) helps low-income families prepare to succeed in school through local programs. After a little research, I found this blog to be reliable and trustworthy. I believe they are helping children and parents in need by providing low-income families with staff that care about their children and want to see them thrive. These opportunities should be taken advantage of, the younger your child is, the more vulnerable they are for positive growth and wholesome activities can be shared and learned. For example, while a child may believe they are the only one who enjoy pineapple on pizza or who dislike salmon, a staff member could really connect with them by having the same likes and dislikes as well.

Sarah and Jamie are program specialists of the Office of Head Start ECLKC, the blog they’ve written together provides a checklist of their own. I’ve observed healthy outlets to manage my emotions, exercises to help with stress and how to identify feelings and reactions when stress occurs. I also have observed key parts to building a positive early learning environment that provide children with the co-regulation they require. Our goal is to understand their development, communication style, and temperament.

Building Positive Learning Environments for Young Children Starts with You | ECLKC (hhs.gov)