Practitioner Reflection: CaShawn Thompson
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Editors鈥� Note:
CaShawn Thompson has worked as an early childhood educator for 25 years鈥攖he past 22 with infants and toddlers. She currently guides a class of eight 2-year-olds at the Early Learning and Intervention Center鈥攑art of the Washington, DC-based National Children鈥檚 Center. As a toddler teacher, coregulation is part of CaShawn鈥檚 daily practice. Here, she shares what it looks like in action and how she partners with families to guide children as they develop听self-regulation skills.
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You never know what a toddler is going to feel or how they鈥檙e going to express themselves. For me, coregulation comes down to relationships. I have to know who my children are: What鈥檚 important to them? What drives them? What supports do听they need?
I spend a lot of time at the beginning of the school year observing my children and getting to know them. Once that foundation is laid, I can tell what emotions they鈥檙e experiencing. Are they feeling frustrated? Are they feeling happy? Do they need听a hug?
When a toddler is distressed, I give them a soft word, a soft touch. I give them language: 鈥淚 know you don鈥檛 want to get changed right now, but we need to do this. How are we going to get there? How are you going to get to the changing table? Can we count our steps? Can you get your pullups?鈥� I give them the language for what they鈥檙e feeling, and I also give them a solution: 鈥淥h, you need a hug? We鈥檝e got to hug it out. We鈥檝e got to talk about it. We鈥檝e got to sing a little song.鈥� This helps them feel safe and prepared. It helps them听feel respected.
When a child is experiencing any kind of stress or chaos, they need our calm. Remember, we鈥檙e their safe island. A safe island is a place they can come back to when the seas听get rough.
It鈥檚 really important for me to share these strategies with families. Everybody鈥攏o matter what you have or where you are鈥攅verybody wants the best for their child. I rarely give families a negative report. I tell them what鈥檚 working. We partner up鈥擨 tell them, 鈥淚 am an expert in child development; you are an expert on your child.鈥� Their insights and contributions are important. We talk via our communications app or during drop-off or pickup. I share articles if families are having issues like tantrums or a child not wanting to go to bed. Again, that鈥檚 where relationships come in. I want to know where my families are from. What are their cultures? Have they experienced any trauma? I think about them holistically and care about them听as individuals.
Everybody鈥攏o matter what you have or where you are鈥攅verybody wants the best for听their child.
Two-year-olds are not easy. They鈥檙e really new to the planet! They鈥檙e learning to be people right now. But the world is waiting for them. They鈥檙e smart. They鈥檙e capable. I鈥檓 teaching them they can do听hard things.
Photographs: courtesy听of听CaShawn Thompson
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