The Ketanim Manifesto
The purpose of this manifesto is to put into words the way we feel about our classroom (known as the Ketanim class), our babies and our responsibilities. Not only is it meant for our classroom team members, but for substitutes, parents and anyone else who, in any way, comes in contact with our room and/or our babies. It is a tangible expression of how important it is to cherish these precious ones and their families, and to care for them, their space and all of their needs as if they were our own babies.
- We believe that the babies in our care are precious, priceless little ones who deserve our love, nurturing, and excellent care.
- We welcome each baby and family every day with smiles and genuine interest in their lives.
- We keep our room fresh and welcoming for our little ones by cleaning throughout the day, having a daily cleaning routine performed every evening, and doing laundry every morning.
- As teachers, we work together as a team to keep our room running smoothly as we help each other observe, anticipate, and plan to care for each child according to their individual schedules and needs.
- Every day, our infants experience reading, music, singing fine and gross motor activities, time outdoors (weather permitting), and continual positive interactions with their teachers and other specialists in order for them to develop delight and curiosity about the world around them. They are provided all kinds of sensory experience through art materials, nature, and developmentally appropriate toys/materials to explore.
- The safety of each and every one of our children is diligently protected, which includes ever discerning supervision, maintaining the best hygiene practices in diapering, hand washing, preparing bottles and food, and in protecting them from the transfer of germs through cleaning and sanitizing the room, and maintaining a “no touching the babies” policy while strolling outside of the room.
- Above all, our babies are loved and cared for by teachers who are delighted to be with them every day, who do not view their responsibilities as just a job, but instead as partners with parents to provide the very best for their children.
Karen Greene, Infant/Baby and Me teacher
Barbara K. Lipman Early Learning Center
Temple Israel
Memphis, TN
ketanim@timemphis.org
August 2019
