Why do I need a psychologist in kindergarten? What are the requirements for him, and what functions does he have the right to perform? These questions are asked by many parents. The little man gets into an unusual, strange and new for him kindergarten setting. Around there are many children and adults, you should obey the routine, eat and play with other children on your own, learn to communicate with peers and interact with adults. A child psychologist in a kindergarten should help the child adapt and follow his condition. For many children, such an institution is the first serious stress. To avoid unpleasant consequences, do not leave seemingly seemingly problems of small pupils unattended.
Who is a psychologist?
The teacher-psychologist in kindergarten is a very important specialist for children, their parents and staff of the institution. Parents should not be afraid if a psychologist works with their child - he is not a doctor and does not diagnose children. His tasks are different.
A psychologist works in three directions:
- Work with a child. The specialist evaluates the personality characteristics of the baby, his psychotype, the characteristics of the psyche and behavior, his natural inclinations, fears. Knowing the characteristics of each specific child, the psychologist in the kindergarten helps to adapt to new conditions, find a common language with peers and carers, solve conflict situations and help if the baby has problems. The work of a psychologist with children combines the functions of psychological management and pedagogy.
- Work with the parents of the child. Perhaps the kindergarten is a stress for the baby’s parents even more than for the pupil himself. The psychologist’s tasks include working with moms and dads in several directions: to help realize the new status of the child, explain how to behave with him, how to work in the development of your baby, and solve conflict situations. The specialist tells parents the further way of education. Also, the psychologist's tasks include identifying developmental abnormalities and informing parents that their child needs medical advice.
- Work with kindergarten staff. It is believed that the work of the educator is low-skilled, simple, not requiring special forces and special skills. This is a huge mistake. The psychologist in the kindergarten just carries out work with the teaching staff, helps with problem children and performs mentoring functions regarding work with children. Each teacher must find a common language with the whole group of kids, pick up the key to a small heart, become a friend, patron and mentor.
Psychologist Functions
It is worth considering in more detail what functions psychologists perform in kindergartens. They are as follows:
- adaptive;
- diagnostic;
- pedagogical;
- consulting;
- analytical;
- problematic.
Adaptive
The psychologist helps each child adapt to the conditions of the kindergarten. As a rule, most children cannot immediately realize where they are, what is generally happening and how to behave. The child is under stress, and the task of the psychologist is to work with him, so that the conditions of the kindergarten become natural and comfortable for each child.
Work is being done both with the team as a whole and with each child. To implement these functions, a psychologist’s diary is created in the kindergarten. In it, the specialist notes the points of the plan for the adaptation of younger kindergarteners and children who fell into the institution at an older age.He paints an action plan for working with both kids and parents, and the teaching staff.
The objective of this stage is to help each child to become a part of the team and to feel comfortable in kindergarten conditions.
Diagnostic
As part of this function, the psychologist in the kindergarten diagnoses the child’s psychotype, his abilities and inclinations, and possible problems. In order to successfully work with each baby, you should know what he lives with. Diagnostics of knowledge and skills is also carried out (how well children can walk on the potty, use cutlery, behave in a team, interact with other children, etc.).
In addition to the basic skills, needs and characteristics of babies, the psychologist in the process of diagnosis identifies the problems of each child. It can be:
- speech therapy problems;
- habits of a nervous sense (biting nails, picking in the nose);
- developmental delay;
- behavioral disorders;
- other problems.
Based on the results, psychologist's classes are arranged in kindergarten with kids. If necessary, he will direct the child for a consultation with a specialist.
Pedagogical
A psychologist is first and foremost a teacher, whose task is the comprehensive development of each child. To accomplish this task, psychologists in kindergartens:
- develop educational and educational programs for children of all age categories;
- make a schedule of educational games;
- conduct game psychotests to monitor the development of children;
- develop methods of social adaptation and mastering basic skills (this includes: rules of behavior, teamwork, ideas about the world, and others);
- conduct training work with staff;
- talk with the parents of the children;
- Develop measures to adapt problematic children (with behavioral disorders, without serious mental or physical disorders).
Consulting
The psychologist works through communication. Consultations of a kindergarten psychologist may be of the nature:
- personal (conversation with each child);
- general (work with the children's team);
- personal (conversation with each parent);
- general (with a group of parents);
- personal (with the child and his parents);
- general (with parents and carers);
- general (with teachers and children).
Within each consultation, certain nuances are considered. The psychologist can advise on the following issues:
- How to help your child adapt?
- Basic advice for parents - how to behave with a kindergartener?
- Game classes with children, imitation of various situations.
- Work with each child to analyze his personality, needs and problems.
- Resolution of conflict and problem situations.
- Work with parents and carers in personal matters.
- Identification of problematic children and notification of parents about difficulties.
- Much more.
All counseling work by a psychologist is based on helping children and their parents grow and develop together.
Analytical
As part of the analytical work, the psychologist:
- analyzes children - their behavior, skills, problems;
- compiles reports to higher organizations;
- performs tasks of an analytical nature provided for by law;
- keeps diaries and magazines in the form established by law;
- submits reports prescribed by law.
Problematic
A kindergarten psychologist also solves problem situations. His competencies include:
- identification of problems in children;
- analysis of problems and decision-making - whether specialist advice and specific treatment are required, or whether the problem can be solved by a psychologist;
- assistance in resolving conflict situations;
- work in problematic or unusual situations with children, their parents and kindergarten staff;
- conducting private classes with kids to solve their problems.
As a rule, the psychologist has clear limits and functions that he no longer has the right to perform. Let's consider them in more detail.
What the psychologist has no right to do
The functions of a psychologist do not apply to:
- Diagnosing children.
- Conducting specific treatment or its purpose.
- Drawing up a compulsory program for parents to raise a child. The work of the psychologist is consultative and supportive in nature.
- Work with children for setting certain behavioral and situational moments that are obviously dangerous for the child.
- Any work that is aimed at "digging" in the baby’s head without the knowledge of the parents or that could harm the baby.
The advice of a psychologist in kindergarten is aimed at helping in the adaptation, development and interaction of the child with the outside world. They are not explicitly medicinal in nature. Any actions that may harm the mental or physical health of the baby are also prohibited at the legislative level.
Therefore, a kindergarten psychologist is a specialist who helps kids, their parents and staff live together, learn together and feel easy and comfortable.
