My co worker left a child outside...?

Question

What happened was we were outside with our classes (two toddler classes) and the other class went inside and then we went inside. Less than a second later after I was about to close the door to my class, I saw that a child from the other class was still outside. Should that teacher be fired if it was only for a little bit? If it was your child would you want that teacher fired?

Answer 1

well i doubt there was any harm done maybe the child didnt hear the teacher ring the bell or the teacher was just too wrapped up in what was going on that she didnt notice. but i dont think at all that teacher should be fired. if my child was forgoteen for just a m=few moments i would have asked the teacher what happened and to try and not forget again please. also maybe the teacher should try to do a head count before and after each trip outside. that would help out alot too huh

Answer 2

I'm not sure if termination is absolutely necessary unless this happens often. But teachers have to ensure all kids are inside, count quickly and be the last to leave a place or have an assistant if the class is quite large. Either way she should be talked to.

Answer 3

Oh the truth of daycare.... If parents only knew what things were really like.  Read this article I wrote.  I think parents should do whatever they can to stay home with their children.  I guess I feel this way because I've worked at daycares before.  

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article...

Answer 4

If I understand correctly, it sounds like the child was never actually alone outside; your class was still out there when this happened.

The other teacher should have accounted for every one of her kids, but still, if you had not been out there with your group, it probably wouldn't have happened. So the worst thing that might have happened was that the other kid would come in with your class, or someone would have noticed right away, as you did.

If this is a good teacher and an isolated incident, I would not want her fired.  I have made worse mistakes with my own kids.  But I would want someone to talk to her and warn her that this must never happen again.  Then if it does, maybe she should not be doing this job.  

Answer 5

i think you should find out the circumstances first...did the other teacher just simply think the child was in your group, does she have to many kids to handle alone...where there 25 kids outside and she had to get her kids in and the other one was mixed in with your kids.

In all honesty you are partly at fault since you were the last teacher outside and simply left a child out there also...if you didnt see him when you were going inside, where was he hiding.

there should be a set of guidlines in place, when i worked in daycare, and we were outside, you had to line up the kids at the door, do a head count, then go inside...structure people, that all it takes.

Answer 6

Ever been to a family reunion?  When you get enough people in one space and have a lot of movement, losing track of any one person is not that difficult.  It also isn't necessarily a crisis.

Every day care center that I've been to has their outside play areas fenced, and any gates are kept locked by a lock that is too high for the smaller children to reach.  So a child left outside accidentally isn't in danger of wandering off the property, which would be my biggest concern.

I don't agree that this teacher should automatically be fired but I do think the school and all the teachers need to review their practices for moving kids around, especially when multiple classes are together.  And of course, highlighting procedures for accounting for all of a teacher's children, ESPECIALLY the newer ones who might not be missed when doing a quick scan of the group.  

We all make mistakes, even parents.  Learn from it and move on.  If it becomes a pattern with this teacher, then she should be removed.

Answer 7

It would very much depend on your definition of "outside". Out alone on a busy road? Or in a secure, fenced area belonging to the nursery?

People make mistakes. To me that's why you went outside together - so there were two adults to catch each other's mistakes.

Toddler classes with only one teacher per class, though? In the UK that would be illegal.

Answer 8

Yes....fired. There is no room for mistakes like that when it comes to children. Sure...you can make SOME mistakes but not ones that involve leaving kids outside alone! Teacher's are not perfect...I'm sure they all lose their tempers now and then....or can be less than helpful if they are tired....but NOT this!