ACTIVE SUPERVISION SIX STRATEGIES TO KEEP CHILDREN SAFE

Position Staff Set Up the Environment

Scan and Count Listen

Anticipate Children’s Behavior Engage and Redirect

Everyone has a responsibility to keep children safe! To learn more about Active Supervision visit the OHS website

http://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/hslc/tta-system/health/safety-injury-prevention/safe-healthy-environments/active-supervision.html

This document was reprinted with funds from Grant #90HC0013-01-01 for the U.S Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Office of Head Start, Office of Child Care, and Health Resources and Services Administration, Maternal and Child Health Bureau by the National Center on Early Childhood Health and Wellness. This resource may be duplicated for noncommercial uses without permission.

Fostering a culture of health and wellness for Head Start children, families and staff

This document was prepared under Grant #90HC0005 for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Office of Head Start, by the National Center on Health.

Active Supervision A Referenced Fact Sheet from

The Head Start National Center on Health

Keeping children safe is a top priority for all Head Start and Early Head Start programs. The Head Start Program Performance Standards require that “no child shall be left alone or unsupervised while under their care” (45 CFR 1304.52[i][1][iii]). But what is active supervision and how will it benefit children and staff? Active supervision is the most effective strategy for creating a safe environment and preventing injuries in young children. Educators from all over the world use this strategy to make sure that children of all ages explore their environments safely. Each program can keep children safe by teaching all educators how to look, listen, and engage.

What is Active Supervision?

Active supervision requires focused attention and intentional observation of children at all times. Educators (all Head Start staff who care for children) position themselves so that they can observe all of the children: watching, counting, and listening at all times. They also use their knowledge of each child’s development and abilities to anticipate what they will do, then get involved and redirect them when necessary. This constant vigilance helps children learn safely.

Strategies to Put Active Supervision in Place

The following strategies allow children to explore their environments safely. Infants, toddlers, and preschoolers must be directly supervised at all times. This includes daily routines such as sleeping, eating, and changing diapers or using the bathroom. Programs that use active supervision take advantage of all available learning opportunities and never leave children unattended.

Set Up the Environment

Educators set up the environment so that they can supervise children at all times. When activities are grouped together and furniture is at waist height or shorter, adults are always able to see and hear children. Small spaces are kept clutter free and big spaces are set up so that children have clear play spaces that educators can observe.

Position Staff

Educators carefully plan where they will position themselves in the environment to prevent children from harm. They place themselves so that they can see and hear all of the children in their care. They make sure there are always clear paths to where children are playing, sleeping, and eating so they can react quickly when necessary. Educators stay close to children who may need additional support. Their location helps them provide support, if necessary.

Fostering a culture of health and wellness for Head Start children, families and staff

This document was prepared under Grant #90HC0005 for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Office of Head Start, by the National Center on Health.

Scan and Count

Educators are always able to account for the children in their care. They continually scan the entire environment to know where everyone is and what they are doing. They count the children frequently. This is especially important during transitions, when children are moving from one location to another.

Listen

Specific sounds or the absence of them may signify reason for concern. Educators who are listening closely to children immediately identify signs of potential danger. Programs that think systemically implement additional strategies to safeguard children. For example, bells added to doors help alert educators when a child leaves or enters the room.

Anticipate Children’s Behavior

Educators use what they know about each child’s individual interests and skills to predict what they will do. They create challenges that children are ready for and support them in succeeding. But they also recognize when children might wander, get upset, or take a dangerous risk. Information from the daily health check (e.g., illness, allergies, lack of sleep or food, etc.) informs educators’ observations and helps them anticipate children’s behavior. Educators who know what to expect are better able to protect children from harm.

Engage and Redirect

Educators use active supervision skills to know when to offer children support. Educators wait until children are unable to solve problems on their own to get involved. They may offer different levels of assistance or redirection depending on each individual child’s needs.

HANDOUT # 3: What Does Active Supervision Look Like?

To understand what active supervision might look like in your program, consider the following example. As you read the vignette, identify the specific strategies used in the bolded text.

Maria and Yasmin have taken their class of 3 year olds out to the playground for outdoor playtime. The 15-foot square playground has a plastic climber, a water/sand table, and a swing set. Maria and Yasmin stand at opposite corners of the playground to be able to move quickly to a child who might need assistance. 1 ________________________________________

The children scatter through the playground to various areas. Some prefer the climber, while others like the swings. Many of the children play with the sand table because it is new. Maria and Yasmin have agreed on a supervision plan for the children they will observe2 __________________________ and are always counting the children in the areas closest to them, occasionally raising their fingers to show each other how many children are close to them.3 _____________________________

This helps them keep track of where the children are, and to make sure no one is missing. If one child moves to a different area of the playground, they signal each other so that they are both aware of the child’s change in location.4 _______________________

Maria has noticed that Felicity loves to play in the sand table. She hears children scolding each other 5_____________________________ and notices that Felicity throws the toys without looking. As Maria sees Felicity and Ahmed playing at the sand table, Maria stands behind Felicity and suggests she put the toy back in the basket when she is done with it. 6 _____________________________By remaining close, she is also able to redirect Ahmed who has never seen a sand table before and throws sand at his classmates. 7 _______________________________Kellan has been experimenting with some of the climbing equipment and is trying to jump off the third step onto the ground. While he is able to do this, some of the other children whose motor skills are not as advanced also try to do this. To help them build these skills, Yasmin stands close to the steps on the climbing structure. 8_______________ She offers a hand or suggests a lower step to those who are not developmentally ready.9__________________________

Maria and Yasmin signal to each other 5 minutes before playtime is over, then tell the children they have 5 minutes left to play. When the children have 1-minute left, Maria begins to hand out colors that match color squares they have painted on the ground. 10 ___________________She asks Beto, a child who has trouble coming inside from play time, to help her.11_____________________ When the children are handed a colored circle, they move to stand on the colored spot on the playground. As the children move to the line, Maria guides them to the right spot. 12 _________________When all the children are in line, both Maria and Yasmin count them again. They scan the playground to make sure everyone is in place, then move the children back into the classroom. 13 __________________________They also listen to be sure that they do not hear any of the children still on the playground. 14______________________ Yasmin heads the line and Maria takes the back end, holding Beto’s hand. 15 ___________________When they return to the classroom, there are spots on the floor with the same colors that were on the playground. The children move to stand on their matching color in the classroom. 16____________________ Maria and Yasmin take a final count, then collect the circles, and begin the next activity. 17 _____________________

Both Yasmin and Maria are actively engaged with the children and each other, supporting the children’s learning and growth while ensuring their safety. They use systems and strategies to make sure they know where the children are at all times, and to support children in developmentally appropriate risk-taking and learning.

TIPS FOR TEACHERSSCHEDULES AND ROUTINES

Create a visual schedule. Use it consistently.Visuals support children by providing a reminder of the upcoming activities.

Keep your schedule simple.An effective visual schedule reflects only the major events of the day.

Balance activities throughout the day.Have a mix of active/quiet activities and teacher-directed/child-initiated activities.

Post your schedule.Make sure children and adults can see the schedule throughout the day.

Refer to your schedule often.Children need the predictability of a routine and schedule.

Let children know when the schedule changes.Provide reminders and visual cues when something different than the usual routine occurs.

Provide individual schedules or schedules with activities.Breaking down the steps of a routine—such as hand washing—or the parts of an activity help children know what is expected of them.

Schedules and Routines

Encourage children when

they follow the schedule!

NCQTL This document was prepared under Grant #90HC0002 for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Office of Head Start, by the National Center on Quality Teaching and Learning.

For more Information, contact us at: NCQTL@UW.EDU or 877-731-0764

FALL 2012

Tips for TeachersDesigning environmenTs

Decide on the Purpose• Introduce a concept or teach a skill.

Relate it to children’s goals or a specific classroom theme.

• Will this activity benefit from lots of back and forth interactions, or is it about building the classroom community?

• Something fun, based on children’s interests.

Determine the Composition• Number of children.

• Matching skilled children with less proficient ones or clumping similar skill levels.

Develop a Plan• Designate how the children will be

grouped and what activity each group will do with which adult.

Assess the Spaces• Complementary areas in proximity while

noisy/quiet areas are separated.

• Visual display cues for children.

• Adequate room to move, yet not too much open space.

• Clearly defined boundaries and pathways.

• Elements that reflect children’s cultures and home life in a respectful and authentic way.

• Warm, home-like features (pillows, curtains, plants, student photos, etc.).

Strategize Possibilities• Brainstorm possible ways to address

challenges and limitations.

• Discuss ideas to fully utilize the strengths of the space.

• Experiment, move things around, try out ideas.

Arrange and Modify as Needed• Small changes, like lowering a shelf or

using stop signs on closed centers, can assist children struggling with an aspect of the room.

Design the Physical Space

Design the Groupings

Relevance to Learning• The items (games, books, art supplies, etc.)

give children opportunities to develop skills they are currently working on.

• The items are selected because children’s interests will increase participation in specific learning activities.

• The items relate to current classroom themes or teaching concepts.

Variety and Quantity• Address different developmental levels

in your selections.

• Supply the classroom with novel, complementary materials.

• Ensure that there are enough duplicates of the most valued toys.

Integration and Individualizing• Put related books and writing materials

in every center and dolls or puppets in the blocks and library areas.

• The items are chosen because they motivate and engage specific children and match their interests.

Design the Classroom Contents

NCQTL This document was prepared under Grant #90HC0002 for the u.s. Department of Health and Human services, Administration for Children and Families, Office of Head start, by the National Center on Quality Teaching and Learning.

For more Information, contact us at: ncqtl@uw.edu or 877-731-0764

FAll 2012

MANAGING THE CLASSROOM

Design Environments and Use Materials to Support Learning

TIPS FOR TEACHERSDUAL LANGUAGE LEARNERS

SUMMER 2014 1

Promote language development through your classroom design and materials.

• Use visual displays, books, stories, and songs in the children’s home languages.

• Include visual supports (e.g., pictures, photographs, graphics) that demonstrate activities and routines.

Group children strategically.

• Preview important concepts and vocabulary in small groups. For example, group children by home languages, or mix dual language learners with native English speakers.

For more information, contact us at: NCQTL@UW.EDU or 877-731-0764. This document was prepared under Grant #90HC0002 for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Office of Head Start, by the National Center on Quality Teaching and Learning, with input from the National Center on Cultural and Linguistic Responsiveness. SUMMER 2014

Classroom Schedules and Transitions

Children who are new English learners may need some additional support with participating in classroom activities and routines, since they may not yet be able to understand enough English to follow directions. These strategies provide dual language learners with ways of understanding and participating in classroom activities that are not dependent on understanding and speaking English.

Follow a consistent and predictable classroom schedule and routine.

• Post a schedule that uses pictures, photos, or graphics, as well as words, to describe each activity.

• Review the schedule with the children at the beginning of each day, so they know what to expect.

• Keep the routine as similar as possible day-to-day.

Provide consistent, shared activities to mark transitions.

• Use simple, repetitive songs or chants that children can easily follow and sing as they are learning English.

• Use simple motions or actions that all children can do together (e.g. a quiet sign).

Be clear about your expectations for transitions.

• Spend time modeling your expectations for transitions, and supporting children in practicing how to do transitions.

• Use verbal and non-verbal (picture, photo, or graphic) supports to help children learn your expectations (e.g., hold up a picture of the behavior you are expecting to see).

Use the home languages to help children understand schedules and transitions.

• Explain the schedule and transitions using the home languages, if you speak any of them.

• Learn and use basic words or phrases in the home languages (e.g., bathroom, circle time).

• Include a home language on the classroom schedule, if there is a dominant home language other than English in the classroom.

Self-Reflection Tool Questions to Help You Assess Active Supervision Practices

How do we teach active supervision strategies and support staff to apply these skills in everyday practice?

Envi

ronm

ent

How do we arrange the space to create a safe environment in classrooms, playgrounds, and family child care so that it is easy for staff to observe children?

Posi

tioni

ng

How do we make sure that staff position themselves to be able to see and hear the children at all times and get to children quickly who need assistance?

Scan

& C

ount

How do we ensure that staff continuously scan and count children during both indoor and outdoor play?

List

en

How do staff assess individual children’s skills and abilities, adapt activities in order to avoid potential injuries, and use their observational skills to anticipate times when a child may need closer supervision?

Antic

ipat

e

How do staff engage and redirect children who need additional support?

Enga

ge a

nd R

e-Di

rect

How do staff use what they know about each child’s individual needs and development to offer support. Staff wait until children are unable to problem-solve on their own to get involved.

Active Supervision: What Would You Do? Active supervision involves commitment on the part of every member of the Early Learning team. Read the following scenarios. Identify the problems related to supervision. Then brainstorm possible solutions and your role as the Center Director, Assistant Director, Site Manager, Instructional Facilitator, etc.

Scenario Problem What is your program’s plan for this type of scenario? What is your role in developing a solution?

Both co-teachers, are outside on the playground with 18 children. Jon tells a teacher that he needs to go potty.

There are 18 children in this classroom and 4 children have behavior support plans in place. Most of the children ride the bus, but there are 3 children who are self-transported by their families. When it is time to go home in the afternoon, the teachers walk out with the children, one in front of the line, and one at the end. Suzie sees her Grandmother in the parking lot and darts out of line and towards the parking lot, in between the busses.

A new child has enrolled in one of your classrooms. Although she has only been in the room for one hour, she has found every door. She has already run outside to the playground twice and made it into the hallway once.

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Purpose This document tells staff how to look, listen and engage with children to keep them safe at all times.

Guidance Keeping children safe is everyone’s top priority. Active Supervision of children is the best strategy for creating a safe environment and preventing injuries. You need to know how to look, listen and engage with children to keep them safe. Active Supervision requires focused attention and intentional observation of children at all times. Active Supervision allows children to explore their environments safely. Children must be directly supervised at all times and must never be unattended.

Staff Ratios Age-appropriate adult: child ratios must be maintained at all times, including indoors, outdoors, on field trips, and during rest periods.

If the age of the children is: Then the staff to

child ratio is: And the maximum

group size is:

One month through thirty-six months 1:4 8

Preschool: thirty-six months through six years not attending kindergarten

1:10 20

If a classroom has 50% or more 3-year-olds (36 months through 47 months)

1:10 17

Important Notes

• Volunteers, Parents, Temporary Classroom Assistants, Nutrition Aides, Lunch Assistants, Bilingual Instructional Assistants and PSESD support staff are not to be counted as part of the Adult: Child ratio.

• Volunteers, Temporary Classroom Assistants, Nutrition Aides, Lunch Assistants and Bilingual Instructional Assistants are not to be left alone with children.

• Parents should never be left alone with children other than their own.

Procedure 1. Complete Active Supervision online course at http://classes.earlylearningwa.org

• This course is REQUIRED and must be completed before the first day of class. 2. Center Leaders:

• Approve the Classroom Active Supervision Plan for each of their classrooms by October 31 • Complete Center Director Active Supervision Summary Form by October 31 for each site

3. Active Supervision Plans: • Teachers complete an Active Supervision Plan for each classroom and have the plan approved

by their Center Director. • Once the Center Director has approved the Active Supervision Plan it is posted in the classroom. • The Active Supervision Plan will address the elements below. The Active Supervision Plan

should be individualized to each classroom but should not identify specific children.

4. Set up the environment • Set up the environment so that you can supervise children at all times.

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• Keep children in your line of sight and make sure you can hear them at all times. • Clear play spaces so that you can observe children both indoors and outdoors at all times. • Teach children the rules of coming and going from classrooms, play areas and other

environments. 5. Position staff/zoning

• Plan where to position yourself in the environment to prevent children from harm. • Place yourself so you can see and hear all children. • Clear paths to where children are playing, sleeping and eating so you can respond quickly. • Stay close to children who need additional support. • Stay close in the outdoor play area so that children can be seen and prevented from taking

unnecessary risks or playing in an unsafe manner. 6. Accurate accounting of attendance, location of children, transitions, numbers within groups

• Complete the daily attendance chart, implement a written system of communication about the locations of children in the classroom and any changes in group size throughout the day.

• Keep track of the numbers of children in separate groups or in separate locations within a center whenever a class is divided into small groups.

7. Scan and count • Account for all children in your care. • Consistently scan the environment to know where every child is and what they are doing. • Count the children frequently. • Count the number of children aloud prior to a transition to a new area of the center, including to

and from the outdoor play area. • Check classrooms, outdoor play areas, bathrooms, sleeping areas and other learning areas

during transitions and prior to departure. 8. Listen

• Listen for specific sounds, or the absence of them, to identify reasons for concern or signs of potential danger.

9. Anticipate children’s behavior • Use information about individual children’s abilities and interests to predict what they will do. • Recognize when children might wander, get upset or take a dangerous risk. • Know what to expect from individual children so that you are better able to protect them from

harm. 10. Engage and redirect

• Know when to offer children support. • Offer various levels of assistance or redirection, depending on each child’s needs.

When to be attentive There are certain times when children are at greater risk to be harmed or unsafe. Staff should count children and communicate between each other about the number of children in their care before, during, and after these situations or times:

• During transitions when children are moving from one location to another • When in the outdoor play area • During drop off and pick up from the bus or parent • When children arrive late or leave early • When staff are leaving or returning from breaks • When there is substitute staff in the classroom or center • When children use the bathroom • When on a field trip or other special outing • When specialists are taking children in and out of the classroom

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• When there are unscheduled visitors in the classroom • During emergencies and drills

Resources Classroom Transitions This suite of resources introduces basic strategies that support children's positive behaviors during classroom transitions. The trainer version includes a PowerPoint presentation with videos, learning activities, and other training materials. https://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/video/classroom-transitions Follow-Up to Supporting Children through Classroom Transitions Information from a recent Teacher Time Webinar, this activity sheet addresses how to support children through classroom transitions. http://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/hslc/tta-system/teaching/docs/teacher-time-12-2013-followup.pdf Zoning to Maximize Learning Zoning is an effective practice for teachers to manage staff and create well-organized classrooms. This presentation discusses the benefits of zoning for maximizing children's engagement and learning. The presentation includes videos and visual examples as well as specific guidelines for how teachers can implement this practice in their classrooms. https://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/video/zoning-maximize-learning Zoning to Maximize Learning – “Classroom Map with Zoning Areas” The purpose of this activity is to work with your classroom team to decide how to use zoning in your classroom, http://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/hslc/tta-system/teaching/docs/zoning-areas.pdf Zoning to Maximize Learning – “Staff Zoning Chart” This Staff Zoning Chart is an activity that you can use to work with your classroom team to decide how to use zoning in your classroom. http://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/hslc/tta-system/teaching/docs/zoning-staff-chart.pdf Tips for Keeping Children Safe – A Developmental Guide This developmental tool provides safety tips for early childhood staff working with young children in classroom environments. There are descriptions for each stage of development and a list of daily routines for children within four age groups: infants, mobile infants, toddlers, and preschoolers. Some safety tips, such as active supervision, apply to all children. Others address the developmental needs of children in a specific age group. https://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/safety-practices/article/tips-keeping-children-safe-developmental-guide

Related Documents Standard of Conduct: Active Supervision Policy Classroom Active Supervision Plan Center Director Active Supervision Summary

Sca

n and

Count

Center Name:__________________________________________

Staff/Program Strength:

Area for Growth:

Specific need for support in classroom(s):

Center Name:__________________________________________

Staff/Program Strength:

Area for Growth:

Specific need for support in classroom(s):