Compass Family Services Shadowing Program
Early Childhood is a crucial time for the development of social-emotional skills. It is the time children learn to make friends, be apart from their family, take turns, share, use their words to resolve conflicts and express their feelings. These are the skills all children need to develop in order to be successful in school and fully participate in the educational curriculum. Research shows that children who have mastered these skills before they turn 5 years old have a greater chance of doing well in school in the future.
Compass Family Services offers classroom shadowing to any child attending Compass Children’s Center and Compass Clara House to help with these important developmental tasks. Our shadows are graduate students at local universities who have special training in working with children in their classroom settings. They provide one-on-one support within the classroom to help children gain the important social and emotional skills that are necessary to have a successful school experience. Shadows work collaboratively with the parents, teachers and other program staff to set individual goals for each child and developing a shadowing schedule that works for everyone.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Does having a shadow mean there is something wrong with my child?
No. All young children are developing their social-emotional skills. Some children have already had experiences that have given them a head start in this area prior to entering daycare or pre-school. Other children learn these skills while in daycare or preschool. Having a shadow only means your child will get extra support in this area. There may be times you or your child’s teacher will see your child struggling with transitions, separating from you, peer relationships, or other social-emotional skills. A shadow may be used to give your child the extra support they need and assure their success in school.
- Is this the same as play therapy?
No. Shadowing is not the same as play therapy. Shadowing is done in the classroom. Your child will not be removed from the classroom by the shadow. Shadowing is to support your child while in the classroom to participate in all the activities and play with their friends. Play therapy be provided in addition to shadowing if needed with parental consent.
- What will my child be learning?
You will set goals with the shadow and your child’s teacher that are individual to your child. Some children will be learning to use their words to interact with a peer rather than hitting or grabbing. Other children will be supported in speaking up if they need help. Children will learn to transition smoothly between activities, to pay attention to the teachers and follow directions. They will learn to wait their turn and share when appropriate. If this is your child’s first experience in separating from you, the shadow may help your child learn to trust other adults to take care of her/him during the day. Other children may need help developing a healthy self-esteem. These are the basic social-emotional skills that will assure your child is ready to learn and take advantage of all that the school curriculum offers.
- How often is the shadow in the classroom
Your child’s shadow will be in the classroom 1-3 times each week for 1 -3 hours each time. The shadows are primarily with the children in the morning. Their schedules are flexible and determined by you and the teacher and what works best for your child.
- What do I do if I have concerns
Your child’s shadow will meet with you when they first start working with your child and again as often as needed. We encourage you to speak to your child’s teacher, the shadow, and other staff at the school if you have a question or a concern. We want to work collaboratively with you to assure your child is getting all their needs met. Please let us know if you have a question, concern or to inform us of what is going on in your child’s life at home.
If you would like your child to have a shadow, please speak with your child’s teacher. You will be contacted as soon as a shadow is available.