Covid-19

This year I begin my 18^th year of teaching preschool. And while much has changed in the past 18 years, as the adage goes, the more things change, the more they remain the same!

I took a year off last year to be with my own children as their school did not return to in-person learning until April. I was confident that when I returned to teaching this fall, things would be back to “normal.” Sadly, with the new Delta variant and breakthrough vaccination cases, many of the protocols and safeguards we created last year are still in place this school year. One of those safeguards was not having parents drop off their children in the classroom. Schools implemented this safeguard differently, in our school children are dropped off in front of the school office. Because of this, as teachers, we are only able to briefly communicate with parents and the parents cannot see the classroom daily. This presents a problem.  How do you communicate with and stay connected to parents that you don’t get a chance to see regularly?

I have always been a teacher that enjoys communicating with parents. I like talking to parents at drop-off and pick-up. This practice allowed me to have a meaningful conversation with each parent at least once a week.

This year I will have to be more creative. Emails home will have to be more frequent, more detailed, and filled with more pictures. Instead of checking in with each parent face-to-face, individual emails will be written once a week. Even though the method of communication has to change, the reason for it has not.

 As early childhood educators, we know that we are partners with parents to help their children learn and grow. We also know that the stronger the relationship between the school and the parents, the better the outcome is for the child. So, although many things may look different this year, the relationships and connections we create remain just as important.

Lynn Thedell, Teacher
Congregation Beth Israel, San Diego, CA

To say that this year was exhausting, and challenging is an understatement.  Last year at this time we were all anxiously wondering if schools would open and would it be possible to balance COVID regulations with best practices for our children.  Somehow amidst cleaning, sanitizing, and socially distancing students we did it!

Now as summer begins, we are reflecting and evaluating what we want to keep from the past year.  What are our “COVID Keepers”? We have adopted this phrase from the workshop, Trauma in our Brains and our Bodies with Betsy Stone at the virtual ECE-RJ conference in March. 

We have decided that being outdoors as much as possible is our number one COVID Keeper.

As a school, we made the decision to spend as much time outside as possible.  We are lucky to have a large, beautiful playground surrounded by a wooded area with a little stream.  This year we had four classrooms.  The playground was divided into four sections, and classes rotated to each section over the week.  Carts were used to carry materials; individual art kits for each student and mats/trays for snack/lunch and other activities were purchased for students.  It was a lot of work at first.  Both students and teachers adapted to our new routines.  Materials and activities that were traditionally used inside pre-pandemic were brought outside.  Thinking out of the box became our daily practice.

The outside became a natural sensory bin.  Digging for worms, playing in the sandbox and mud kitchen, climbing on small trees, and taking walks through the woods.  I would ask my students to use their senses to stop and listen, to see and to smell in the woods.  Each time it rained or snowed we observed the flow and water level of the stream.  Did I mention that we are in Massachusetts and went outside every day for much of the day even when the temperatures were 20 degrees and snowing?

The first severe weather day that we could not go outside was hard for both students and teachers.  We could only have two students per table or rug area.  It was difficult to see the students playing in each area alone.  We had multiple timers going for turns with preferred toys.  On the other hand, it was a natural way to teach taking turns and patience.  Many times, the students would negotiate with each other on who’s turn would be next.

Don’t get me wrong there were challenges.  Circle time outside was often difficult.  There were too many distractions for some students.  Overall, we plan to continue spending most of the day outside.  Personally, my mindset for the past year has adapted to focus on what is possible to do and how to do it in a different way versus focusing on what is not possible.  This shift in thinking has made a huge difference in adjusting my teaching practices for the better. 

 Mazel Tov to the educators during this pandemic!  We did it!

Stacey Gabriel
Teacher- Temple Beth Avodah
Newton MA

July/August 2021

Helping parents feel included provides the perfect school/home partnership we all know is key to student success.  

However, COVID-19 has brought new challenges for sharing classroom happenings with parents. The moment we decided that no adults other than staff would be in our building, it became apparent that we needed a new classroom communication strategy. They say a picture is worth a thousand words, but pictures alone cannot give parents the information they desperately seek about what their children are doing at school. What packs the biggest punch? Try this three-pronged approach to helping parents feel knowledgeable and included.

Exhibit: Use visual documentation to capture the most important moments during the day. Children in action. (Building, listening, playing, and exploring). Choose to share moments that capture emotion. You can say they are having fun outside, but seeing it is especially important. Parents want to see their children engaged with other children; they need to see that their child has friends.

Elevate: Use keywords to emphasize what the picture is showing. “When children explore, they build higher-level thinking skills. This provides the pathways for more complex reasoning.”   “Playground time provides the perfect space for social and emotional growth. Taking turns, pretend play, and risk-taking are just a few examples of how important this time is for their overall growth.”

Educate:  Provide context for the picture by explaining how it fits into the overall curriculum. “We are learning about ____. Today we went outside and measured... and inside we....”  Describing how each piece of the day scaffolds in either topic or skill allows parents to feel like they are part of the learning. It also gives them ideas of how what they are doing at home contributes to their child’s learning.

This works best when teachers establish a consistent vocabulary of skills and development with parents. Here are common terms used to define developmentally appropriate learning:

• Social-emotional skills– building/regulating emotional responses, feels empathy, engages in play
• Cognitive skills -learning (academic foundations), thinking (infers information), problem-solving (poses questions and solutions)
• Language Development - express themselves, develop more complex vocabulary and sentence structure
• Physical Development - gross motor (building strength that allows greater movement and challenges), fine motor (pre-writing muscle development, smaller piece use and cutting)
• Multi sensory – using varied materials and engaging more than one sense

Jennie Rubin
Director of Early Childhood Education
Temple B’nai Or, Morristown, NJ

February 2021

ECE Directors to Congregations: We are struggling

As we face extraordinary challenges in our schools, we asked early childhood center directors to share what they want the lay leaders and temple professional staff to know about running a preschool during a pandemic.  Directors are working diligently to maintain high-quality programs and need help and support. As advocates for the future of our early childhood centers, we need the strength of the congregation to carry us through this difficult year - and beyond. 

This is what a few of our directors had to say, slightly edited for clarity:

• “I'm struggling with staffing. There is the lack of qualified teachers willing to work with young children during a pandemic. Most of my staff is at risk (due to age or medical conditions) and my classes will not be able to run for the winter.  These teachers have been with me for decades and they have children, spouses, or their own health concerns--and they do not want to be exposed to the kids indoors."
   
• “The number of hats we currently wear is numerous and are continuing to grow. We have become therapists for parents and teachers, COVID management experts, nurses, teacher counselors and cheerleaders. We have become experts in security, maintenance, AV, reception and logistics. We maintain balance between oversight and being hands off. Somehow, we manage to get all that done in a typical workday. It is stressful and hard but worth every second for every smile and laugh I hear from the children. I will do my job.”
   
• “I want the lay leaders to know how much more we could be offering to our congregants in terms of connection. Even in a year that forbids us to sing or meet in person, we can create a dynamic atmosphere and connect on such a personal level. I wish our lay leaders could make personal connections to staff and parents, maybe with a handwritten note or phone call. THEY NEED IT!”
   
• “Our leadership and lay leaders have the perception that our program is fine after hearing that other congregations are closed. They tell us, ‘We are so proud of your work and are glad that we are not in a crisis like many other programs are.’  Their confidence and gratitude is much appreciated, though I did remind them that our enrollment is down, that we needed to cancel a class because we do not have the staffing, that I am working 6-7 days a week since March, and that we are operating very much in the red on our budget"
   
• “I carry an enormous burden of responsibility as I endeavor to keep myself and my family, my teachers and their families, and our students AND their families safe. I worry constantly that our families are not sustaining the commitment of our partnership, and that they might be participating in unsafe activities – even though this is an unsaid yet understood essential agreement that they (and we) won’t do so."
   
• “I appreciate the dedication of EVERYONE in this building, from the custodians to the administrator, as they respect our need to keep our school safe, and even up to our board president who has expressed full support and confidence in my ability to do this. And my hope is that one day soon, perhaps I will again sleep, without the weight of this world on my shoulders.” 
                                                                                                          
•  "I am having a difficult time finding the joy in my job. I have been working in preschools for 35+ years and I truly wish I could retire. I miss the hugs. I miss hearing the laughter. I miss going into classrooms. I miss supporting teachers in the classroom. I miss seeing parents on campus. I miss the connections. Now, I must take temperatures, ask medical questions, and keep a distance from all children after I check them in each day. I did not sign up for working 24/7. I am in Zoom meetings daily. I’m writing COVID protocols. Finding staff now is nearly impossible and my sleep is disturbed. I do not know how to turn it off.  Work has consumed my days and invaded my nights. There was nothing that could have prepared me for this. Yes, I am struggling.”  

From Anxiety to Joy: One Director’s COVID Story

I will be honest with you. I spent the months leading up to the reopening of our ECE dreading the entire experience, mourning what I was losing, and leaning into the great anxiety I was feeling. 

I don't have to tell you this, but there was so much to be sad about: no all-school Havdalah, no Shabbat in the sanctuary, no PE with Coach Ben, and no Library with Savta.  I wasn't going to spend time in the classrooms for weekly music or story time. I love to sit on the floor and play with the kids; I love to support the teachers in their rooms - no more.  And, worst of all, no hugs.  

And yet, we stepped forward.  After hours of meetings, days of preparation, and many sleepless nights, the Monday morning of Teacher Training Week arrived.  I found that I was overcome by a sense of calm.  We talked through every painstaking piece of the COVID-19 puzzle, every procedure and protocol; then we made our way to the classrooms to get to work!  We prepped, cleaned, and organized.

Suddenly, the first day of school was here!  While many things looked different, the energy and love were the same.  Despite our enrollment being down 50 percent, we were happy. We found moments of joy, lots of them!  The children remember “before" but they are in the moment of today.  They play, sing, laugh, tell stories, and engage in every learning experience.  They are eager for each day to begin, and they are so happy to be with their friends and teachers in "their school" again.  

I am finding the joy in seeing my teachers each day, even from 6 feet away.  I love greeting the children at the gate each morning, even while in my mask and shield. I have even found joy in administering temperature checks and health screenings. 

I laugh every day at the funny stories the children share, the pride in showing off their new mask, or their insistence upon answering the screening questions themselves. 

One of our 3-year-olds insists he has all the COVID symptoms, while his mom shakes her head no behind him.  One of our 6-year-olds asked, "Are you going to ask these questions every day?"  One of our toddlers told her mom that she was going to see her friend, Miss Leslie, at school the next morning.   How can I not find joy in these moments?

Even though there are COVID scares, endless cleaning, more Zoom meetings than ever before, and all the other craziness, in every way possible, I am finding ways to connect and find joy.  We will celebrate together, even if distanced. Each step of the way, we will find a way.  We will find the joy!  We will bring the magic!  

What worked for us?

•        Zoom classroom tours and engagements before school started
•        Individual “Meet the Teachers” appointments in person before school started
•        Over-communication with the teachers, the parents, the families, the board, the senior staff, the congregation – basically, everyone!
•        Keeping our ECC small to start
•        Giving each cohort two classrooms to use with their own bathroom and playground space
•        Thinking (and talking) through as many scenarios as we could before they arose so we could plan
•        Appreciating our staff with coffee, lunch, a seltzer water, and a thank you
•        Being flexible and patient
•        Keeping an eye out for the joyful moments!

Leslie Scheck, M.A.R.E.
Director of Early Childhood Education
Temple Solel ECC, Temple Solel, Cardiff by the Sea, CA

October 2020

There is comfort and predictability in routine. As early childhood educators we know routines can help children in classrooms, at home, and everywhere else. Routines enable our kids to know what is coming next, which in turn helps them regulate their emotions, employ their executive functioning skills, and eventually learn to complete multi-step directions.

Routines are one of our best teaching tools, yet six months ago they were pulled out from under us. Suddenly all the predictability that we gave our children vanished, to be replaced with new routines, less ideal situations, and in some cases, fear and loss. As we plan to return to school this month, the preparation could feel overwhelming. 

In a time when there is so much unknown, I have the very best news for you. What you need to do, you already know how to do .

Here are the three main areas of learning that need our focus this year:

1. Social, emotional health: Children must feel comfortable and safe before they learn anything else.
    
2. Play: Children need to play their emotions out in dramatic play with relevant materials. Add doctor kits and masks to your repertoire of materials and then listen carefully as they start to talk.
    
3. Mindfulness: It is our job to teach children how to cope with hard things. Teaching them how to sit in discomfort will help right now and always.

In a quality early childhood program, all of that is old hat. You already have the skills and knowledge that you need. Start to think creatively about how to give more and more potent opportunities for these types of learning. You know how to do this.

With social emotional health, play, and mindfulness at our center we will be set up for success. If we can provide those three things for children while supporting parents and teachers in their own experience, we’ll have just what we need for a productive and meaningful year.

May this year return us to routine, while bringing new opportunities for growth, care, and learning. Shana Tova!

Rena Alen
Teacher
Temple Israel NYC

September 2020

If I Knew Then What I Know Now…

For those of us who are gently stepping back in and dipping our toes into the latest version of craziness, I asked the wise folks among us who have already started down this journey to share their experience.

 So, in no apparent order, this is what I learned.

 What do we need to know?

• Don't do it alone: involve your leadership, staff, families, and colleagues in the process
• Partner with your staff, and be willing to practice, adjust, repeat! 
• Support your staff
• There’s a tremendous amount of “gray space.”
• Be impeccable with your words and communicate.
• Use your licensor and public health rep as great resources
• Children and families need us and we need them
• "I don't know" is ok
• Create a reopening video to demonstrate new procedures
• Put your safety plan on the website
• Create and post firm illness and travel policies
• Communicate honestly with your parents about how much work and thought is involved in this process.

What worked? 

• Small groups, keeping siblings together
• Touchless sign-in and out app
• Outdoor sinks
• Shorten school hours, at least temporarily
• Being outside
• Large laundry baskets to collect toys for sanitizing
• Minimize the number of toys, both inside and outside
• Let them play!
• Creative use of outdoor space

What didn’t work?

• Masks on a two-year-old
• Having the parent assist the child instead of a teacher during arrivals and departures

• Finding additional teachers and/or subs
• Finding funds for fencing and supplies

Dale Sides Cooperman, M.A., Ed. Spec
Director of Early Childhood Education
Congregation Albert Early Childhood Center
Albuquerque, NM

August 2020

Suggestions From Teachers Who Have Already Experienced Re-opening

Starting a new school year in the middle of a pandemic is something I never thought I would have to deal with in my lifetime. I have many questions and concerns about returning back to the classroom in September.  I am sure many of you have the same feelings.  Teachers are always looking for ideas and support from other teachers.  There are many early childhood centers that have re-opened this summer. Over the last week, I have been in touch with some of those teachers from the east and west coast.  I asked one question.  What are your top 5 suggestions you would give to teachers who are about to re-open?  I was overwhelmed by how similar each response was.  I compiled a list of suggestions that were frequently repeated.

 Organization and Planning

• Be outside as much as possible.
• Divide and conquer responsibilities.
• Divide your playground into sections using a picket fence, cones, or fabric.
• Invest in carts with wheels to store water bottles, first aid kids, and manipulatives.
• Invest in wagons for the littles ones.
• Individual bins for art and sensory supplies.
• 2-3 bins for dirty manipulatives.
• Less is more!  Allow children to just play!

 Self-Care

• Take care of yourself. “Like putting an oxygen mask on first during a flight.”
• Acknowledge and accept your emotions
• Take a breath and allow yourself, as well as your students, to just play.
• It’s ok to make a mistake.  We are in uncharted territory; mistakes are going to happen.
• Do not expect perfection.
• If you are stressed, your co-teachers, students, and parents will pick up on it.
• Don’t forget why you became a teacher.   

 Thank you to all the teachers who shared their ideas and suggestions! 

Stacey Gabriel
Teacher
Temple Beth Avodah
Newton, MA

August 2020