Kohl McCormick Early Childhood Teaching Awards
Carol Enberg
Lutheran General Children’s
Day Care
9375 Church Street
Des Plaines
Infants
Carol Engberg knew from a very early age that she wanted to be a teacher. “When I was eight years old, my third-grade teacher inspired me to become a teacher because of her love for children.” While Engberg has worked with many different age groups throughout her long career, she says she feels “most connected” to infants.
Engberg’s classroom at Lutheran General Children’s Day Care in Des Plaines is a very inviting place for the infants to 24-month-olds who attend each day, and an interesting place for parents to learn about the development of their children. Engberg explains to adults that what may look like a mess to them is in fact a vital part of the educational process. When a mother saw her son covering himself in paint, Engberg was right there to point out the infant boy was demonstrating an eagerness to explore objects, and to see how different materials interact.
Because parents cannot always be in the classroom to witness such milestones, Engberg uses Reggio Emilia principles to capture and explain them through photographs and work samples displayed on documentation boards. This serves many purposes, including helping parents feel connected to their child’s day. “I want them to view the relationship between parent, child and teacher as a dance, following each other’s lead,” proclaims Engberg.
Engberg also finds learning about each child’s temperament to be a key to her interactions. And she uses this information to help parents better understand their children. “I try to help them see that a trait, such as persistence for example, may be difficult to deal with now, yet may be seen as a strength in their child’s later years.”
The children in Engberg’s room come from a wide variety of racial and ethnic backgrounds and have varying physical needs, and she prides herself on treating each with respect and individualized care. One child is fed through a tube. Others have needed infant massage, theraplay or physical therapy. “My goal is to help each child reach his or her potential by feeling special, respected and loved.”
Engberg believes strongly that literacy starts in infancy. She believes that reading, finger plays and speaking with babies is critical to literacy development. “Our daughter is not only loved and cared for,” says parent Stacey Steinke, “but nurtured and challenged to meet developmental milestones.”
To Carol Engberg, working with infants and toddlers is a joy. “It allows me to combine my love for children, passions for music, art and children’s literature, and my desire to be the best teacher I can be. It’s truly the best of all worlds.”