● Instructions: Refer to the Strengthening Families Protective Factors, and particularly the

Core Meanings of the Protective Factors, assess yourself on the protective factors you

yourself possess most strongly. Whether or not you are a parent, you can assess yourself

and determine which of the protective factors you possess most strongly. The Core

Meanings document provides specific details about what behavior, skills and dispositions

comprise each protective factor.

○ In which one or two factors to you feel the strongest? Why? Explain using some

of the details in the “Core Meanings” column.

○ How might these factors positively impact your ability to develop relationships

with infants and toddlers? (refer to Raikes, et al, 2009)

○ How might these factors positively impact your ability to develop the 6 key life

skills? (refer to Bilmes, 2012)

One of the factors I feel the strongest would have to be social connections because I

believe that children should be able to talk and communicate with their peers in the classroom. I

had a child in my class recently that fell down outside and she started crying. Another child went

over to her and gave her a big hug and told her everything would be okay. I have noticed that

children who spend everyday with each other, build a friendship. There are times where the

children will fight over a toy and they are not very nice to each other, but we have to remember

that children are growing everyday and they have small bodies with big emotions. I have been

working on the children learning their emotions because I have 12 children who are all different

in their own way. Because of this, some of their personalities don’t coincide with each other.

When it comes to social connections with teachers and parents, I believe that teachers should
create a great connection with parents in order for there to be trust and communication on a

child’s behavior. Building social connections can also show children to be nice to their friends

because adults are nice to each other. I love when children see me talk nicely with their parents

because the child will feel comfortable in the classroom as well. Children feed off of an adult's

energy and they feel safe when their parents feel safe and comfortable as well.

Another factor I feel the strongest would be Concrete Support in Times of Need because I

have done a lot of research on how to help families that need help with resources for their child.

When I first became a teacher, I noticed that parents would ask me if I knew resources to help

their child and I would always tell them that I need to get back to them in order to get them

appropriate resources. I’ve had a child who was having problems with his speech and I did my

research on the best speech therapists and activities that could help the child with his speech. I

made sure I was prepared just in case his mom asked me. I believe it is great when teachers are

making the effort for their students.

These factors impact my ability to develop my relationships with infants and toddlers

because children are away from their moms most of the days and they need to feel safe with the

teachers they are with. If the infants aren’t feeling safe, they will cry and move away from that

adult. I believe that children can feel adults' energy. Teachers are able to acknowledge what

parents might not be able to see about their own child and because of this, teachers can advocate

better. These factors positively impact my ability to develop the six key life skills because it

helps to build positive social skills and strengthen relationships. It also helps children to develop

social skills inside and outside of the classroom.

 Reference:

“Core-Meanings-of-the-Sf-Protective-Factors-2015.Pdf.” Google Drive, Google,

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Tnrtw98zVcHw4WB7vB8239GkbuKEXWOU/vi

ew.

“SFProtectiveFactorsExpanded.pptx.” Google Slides, Google,

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1G5fS8UXc_Ik_lwjzhI2V52-iBHOQUs3

QsjmOORC2cVs/edit#slide=id.p1.