Watch, Move, and Listen

WATCH, MOVE, AND LISTEN!

A Plan for the Safe Supervision of Children Checklist

Prepare Your Environment

Room Arrangement

Diagram your classroom. Arrange your classroom so that supervision is not blocked by furniture, doors, or walls.
Make sure that children can be seen and heard from all areas of the room.
Reduce the temptation for children to hide by organizing your Interest Centers and continually enriching them.
Keep the classroom doors closed. Fasten a bell or another type of device that will make a signal when the door has been opened.
If a child leaves the area, make sure to develop a plan to ensure that the incident can not be repeated.
Position the diaper changing table so that children are never left out of sight or hearing of an adult.

Playground Arrangement

Design Playground Zones where all staff are stationed to safely supervise children. Constantly identify, rearrange, or remove the areas where children can hide.
Make sure the gate to the playground is securely fastened each time you enter and leave the area.
Reduce the temptation for children to leave the playground by planning fun outside teacher-directed group activities.
Assign a specific group of children to each adult.
Do name and face attendance checks before entering the playground, every fifteen minutes while on the playground, immediately when leaving the playground.
Never allow children to play near the gate of the playground.
Identify a staff person to escort children to and from the bathroom during playground—ensuring that ratio’s are maintained at all times inside and outdoors!
Where possible, use a Walkie Talkie to contact a designated emergency contact person inside the facility in case of an emergency or the need for additional help on the playground.
Provide water for children to drink on the playground so that they don’t have to go inside when they are thirsty.
Plan for situations that may occur on the playground. Have basic first-aid supplies, gloves, wet wipes, paper towels, and paper cups.

Schedule

Make sure that all of your routines and transitions are properly supervised.
Never leave the children unsupervised. Make sure that all of your supplies classroom activities, diapering, and meals are on hand.
Make sure activity plans are current.
Make sure that an adequate number of staff members are available. Inform management if you are nearing your classroom ratio.
Reduce bathroom interruptions by ensuring that all children have used the bathroom beforegoing outside.
Ensure that someone on the schedule will provide water for the children to drink on the playground so that they will not have to leave the area when they are thirsty.
Put an emergency contact person on the schedule. This person will be located inside the building with a Walkie Talkie or beeper to alert them of emergency situations or the need for additional help on the playground.

Learn Safe Supervision Practices

All Staff Must Be Trained—and Everyone is a Trainer

Ensure that each staff member has been given a clear, detailed, written description of their supervisory responsibilities.
Make sure that new staff orientation includes training on the school’s supervisions policies and procedures.
Make sure that these policies and procedures are in writing and available to staff for future reference.
Embrace a team effort to ensure a well supervised, safe environment.

Teach the Children

Plan Your Day…Who? When? Where? How?

Know Your Policies and Procedures

Complete a playground and classroom safety checklist daily.
Follow written supervision plans for daily activities and routines.
Strictly follow pick-up and delivery procedures.
Monitor attendance rosters and do complete name and face checks every thirty minutes.
Make sure staff does a name and face attendance check every 15 minutes.
Staff should update their attendance sheets daily.

StayAlertand Active

Plan to Stay On the Move

Staff must always be able to see and hear their assigned group of children.
Get enough rest so that you will have the energy to keep up with your assigned group of children.
Practice the 360 (regularly rotating 360 degrees so that you are aware of everything going on around you). Always stay on the move.
Interact with children. Never simply sit and watch them.
Respond quickly to accidents, illness, challenging behaviors and injury.

Nurture the Children in Your Care

Each Group of Children Is Different

Get to know the children in your care.
Identify the impulsive children.
Get to know the skill level of each child.
Be aware of the activity level of each child.
Identify the children that have problems following the rules.
Don’t get involved in conversations with co-workers and neglect the safety of the children.
Adapt your supervision plans to the unique personality of each child.

A Few More Things to Remember

Always keep your guard up! Supervision lapses often lead to disastrous consequences.
Avoid lengthy conversations with parents at both drop-off and pick up times; make sure every parent understands that supervision is your utmost priority.
Children must always be under the direct supervision of Early Childhood teachers. Assistant teachers may not be alone with children—however briefly. No outside vendors (dance instructor, Karate instructor, Fun Bus operator, Jump Castle owner, etc.) may be alone with any group of children—regardless of the group’s size.
Limit the amount of time spent on the classroom telephone—whether speaking with parents, management or fellow staff members.
Never put your back to the children in your care—you can’t supervise that way!
Outdoors: Supervise by walking around
Indoors: Supervise and interact by spending time down at the children’s level, although remember that moving around is critical to their safety.

Phoenix Children’s Academy