When a child needs to have his temperature taken, teachers often get an emotional response similar to the one in this clip. The boy wants his mom and says so. What do you notice about the way the teacher responds?
- The teacher repeats the child’s words, showing the child that he has been heard. This shows empathy to the child.
- The teacher provides physical comfort, the kind a mother may offer in a similar situation, by holding and cradling the child gently in his lap. This showscompassion and kindness.
- The teacher speaks softly to the child. He tries distracting the child momentarily to help the child refocus and become calm before having his temperature taken. This shows patience and acceptance, and helps the child gain composure, giving him tools for soothing himself.
Consider this:
- Some schools limit the amount of touch that a teacher can provide to a child. NAEYC Code of Ethical Conduct states that above all things, we shall “do no harm” to a child. If the teacher had withheld physical comfort from the child, do you think it would have done the child more harm than good?
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