Becoming an infant caregiver: three profiles of personal and professional growth.

This study focused on the first year process of personal and professional growth for three student-caregivers as they began working with infants and families in child care. Qualitative case study analyses of the participants' first-semester notebooks and second-semester interviews revealed universal and individual themes that support and expand on previous findings, informing our understanding of the experiences of new infant/toddler caregivers. Findings from this study suggest that new infant caregivers experience many of the same thoughts and feelings that have been documented in the literature on new teachers. These new infant caregivers were concerned about their relationships with children, their interactions with parents, and their need for support from their environment; in addition, they were concerned with learning the routines and procedures of the classroom and developing a sense of themselves as caregivers. However, there are also some distinct differences in the nature and structure of work with infants and families that posed special challenges for these novice infant caregivers. Among them were adjusting to the physical and emotional intensity of nurturing such very young children, the need for new practical and theoretical knowledge about working with infants and families in the earliest years, the challenge of setting limits for children who are so young and nonverbal, and the need for ongoing collaboration and community building as they worked with others to provide continuity of care. Findings are discussed with reference to implications for caregiver training and suggestions for future research.

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Research on the process of becoming a new teacher has informed our understanding of how to train and support professionals as they enter the field. Most studies, however, focus on teachers who work with elementary school children. Few researchers have looked at the process of becoming an infant caregiver. As greater numbers of infants and toddlers are being cared for in groups, teachers are moving from preschool and kindergarten classrooms into infant classrooms. These teachers are faced with a variety of issues that they must negotiate with little background or preparation.

The researchers' aim in this study was to carefully examine the personal and professional growth of three student caregivers during their first year working with infants and families in child care. Through this examination, they hoped to gain insight into the unique issues faced by new practitioners in the field of infant/toddler care and education, thus informing teacher preparation and teacher practice.

The review that follows offers a brief description of the literature, describing: 1) the most important qualities of a competent infant caregiver, 2) the increased significance of relationships and collaboration when working with very young children and their families, and 3) the emotional process that new teachers go through in their beginning stages of professional development. The researchers will describe how each of these areas contributes to a more integrated understanding of the experiences faced by new infant caregivers.

The Qualities of a Competent Infant Caregiver

New teachers and caregivers come to the teaching profession with a variety of perspectives and backgrounds. They bring ideas that emerge from their own rearing, culture, family experiences, and values (Balaban, 1992), and the quality of care they offer ultimately depends on their personal and professional attributes (Chick, 1996).

Although different teaching styles may be equally effective (Hamilton, 1994), certain characteristics of very young children must be taken into account when working with infants and toddlers. Those who make the transition from elementary or preschool teacher to infant caregiver are often impressed by the differences they encounter, such as how babies communicate, and that caregivers need to be very observant, provide more intimate contact, and offer a lot of physical support to the children (Keenan, 1997, 1998).

Novice teachers may find that working with infants and toddlers, and their families, can be much more complex than anticipated. Casper, Stott, Cooper, and Finn (2000) discuss both the complexities and ambiguities that constitute infant/family work, as they articulate the multiple competencies required of practitioners. For example, those caring for infants and toddlers must not only have a broad understanding of child development, but also be able to appreciate individual differences in development. They must be grounded in traditional understandings, while at the same time open to new learning in a rapidly changing field. They must become comfortable with a certain degree of ambiguity as they work to balance what sometimes appear to be opposing needs of infants and toddlers and their families. While they are struggling to become skillful in their planned interactions with babies and toddlers, they must remain aware of the spontaneous teachable moments within which so much of infant learning takes place.

Relationships and Collaboration

Relationships are a key component of all teachers' work. Early childhood teachers need to build and establish relationships with children and their families, and to create a collaborative environment with other staff members. These elements seem to take on even greater significance for those who work with infants. For infants, especially, relationships with caregivers are of primary importance (Kontos & Wilcox-Herzog, 1997). Infants need to be able to trust the adults in their environments in order to take risks when exploring and learning (Keenan, 1997). Modeling respect and interacting meaningfully helps caregivers develop a trusting relationship with very young children (Chick, 1996). Caregivers express their belief in children's capabilities and support their potential to learn through their relationships with them.

Best practice across early childhood education calls for collaboratively working with parents; this is extremely important in child care (Szanton, 2001). Establishing a positive relationship at the start will help to ensure a productive child care experience for both infants and parents. Under ideal circumstances, caregivers and parents communicate daily and work together to provide continuous care for children that supports their learning and development (Keenan, 1997, 1998). A quality infant caregiver must hold parents in high regard. Caregivers must be sensitive to parents' needs, understanding how they may find it difficult to leave their children in child care (Chick, 1996).

Positive working relationships among caregivers are also critical. Team collaboration takes on a particular significance in infant child care due to the physical and emotional demands of caring for such young children, the need for lower ratios of adults to children, and the inability of the children being cared for to speak for themselves. Working with a team of people, as is typically the case when providing care for infants and toddlers, can present a very different experience for caregivers than that of being the sole teacher in a classroom. Bergen (1994) emphasizes the need for caregivers to agree on common goals, and to be aware of each others' styles, abilities, and needs, if they are to take on the roles that fit them best. Caregivers need to trust each other, communicate verbally and nonverbally, have mutual goals, coordinate their work, and divide their tasks. "Because teachers often work intuitively, discussion is extremely valuable in clarifying with each other their experiences in the classroom" (Keenan, 1997, p. 92).

The Emotional Process of New Teachers

When working with infants and toddlers, emotions need to be carefully considered as emotions make up a large part of the daily classroom experiences. A crucial aspect of becoming an infant-toddler caregiver is coming to terms with one's own emotional issues, as well as those that will inevitably arise among babies and toddlers, their parents, and other professionals. Infant caregivers, like other teachers, are often unprepared for the emotional responses that await them (Hargreaves, 1998; Hargreaves & Tucker 1991; Weinstein, 1989).

Novice teachers generally have concerns about their identity, their sense of self, and how they will manage their classrooms. They may feel uncertain, anxious, isolated, and tense. Olson and Osborne (1991) followed four new teachers, recording their first-year experiences. They found that teachers felt that they lacked the emotional security needed to be able to achieve control over their classrooms and their feelings. Teachers also felt that they needed to be part of the school's community and culture. By talking to other novice teachers, they discovered that they were not alone or any different from other new teachers. As they expressed their feelings, they were able to find support from each other. The teachers studied discussed their need to evaluate their personal goals and search for their own pedagogical understandings as they developed a philosophy of teaching.

Researchers have explored the stages of teachers' professional development, often with a particular focus on the challenges of the initial transition to teaching, or on the first year (Baptiste & Sheerer, 1997; Clyde & Ebbeck, 1991). The main issues surrounding this stage of teachers' professional development include concerns about their role, their personal sense of their adequacy, and their teaching methods and evaluations. Teachers at this stage are often portrayed as governed by feelings of self-doubt and a need for acceptance (Bloom, Sheerer, & Britz, 1991).

These concepts from research on teacher development provide a background for the present study. Insufficient research focuses on the experiences of caregivers working with infants and toddlers for the first time. In order to gain a more in-depth understanding of the process of becoming an infanttoddler caregiver, the following research questions were explored in this study:

1. How do three new infant caregivers describe their thoughts, feelings, and experiences during their first year working in an infant child care classroom?

What did they value most?

What did they find surprising or challenging?

What helped to make them feel comfortable and supported?

What did they learn over time?

2. How do these findings inform professional preparation and practice for infant caregivers new to the field?

Method

Setting

Program philosophy and structure. This study was conducted in the infant room of a university-based child care program that serves as a transdisciplinary training site for graduate students studying infant development and practice. The program philosophy supports infants' and toddlers' growing competence by respecting and building upon their experiences within their families. Thus, family concerns are considered of great importance in the infant room, and collaboration with families is highly valued. Student training fellows are trained to observe and interpret children's cues, and to respond to their needs and requests on an individualized basis. At the time the study began, one classroom served a mixed-age group of up to 10 children, ages 6 weeks to 36 months. Thus, caregiver adaptability in order to meet a wide variety of developmental needs was an expectation built into the program.

Over the course of this year-long study, the age range and size of the mixed-age group of infants and toddlers varied. During the second semester of the study, the structure of the infant room changed. The center expanded by opening a separate classroom for toddlers. The infants and young toddlers (ages 6 weeks to 24 months) were moved into a smaller classroom designed especially for their use, and so their group only included 8 infants.

Infant population. During the year in which this study took place, 16 infants and toddlers were cared for in the infant room. They ranged in age from 5 to 30 months. Thirteen of the infants and their families were of European American descent, two were Asian, and one was African American. Infants attended the center from 12 to 40 hours per week.

Student practicum with weekly seminar. The student caregivers' responsibilities as training fellows included a minimum of 8 hours of direct caregiving per week, as well as participation in a weekly seminar relating theory to practice. Seminar assignments included readings on infant and toddler development, and on such topics as dealing with separation and sleep issues, working with families, and the importance of relationships in child care. Each student caregiver was assigned at least one infant or toddler as their "key child." As the "key caregivers" for these children, the students were expected to serve as liaisons between their key children and their families and the other caregivers. They typically paid extra attention to their key children, focused on them for their child observation assignments, and completed a developmental summary of one of their key children at the end of the semester. During their caregiving hours, however, the students and staff were jointly responsible for all of the children in the infant room, and student caregivers were not expected to have an exclusive one-on-one relationship with their key children.

Infant room staff. Student caregivers received feedback from the staff in the infant room on a regular basis. Two full-time caregivers provided ongoing supervision and interactive modeling for students during their practicum hours. Students were encouraged to seek guidance from the caregivers when needed, but also had the space within the classroom to develop their own caregiving styles and get to know the children and families at their own rates. Due to the dynamic nature of the infant classroom, however, caregivers had to find ways to work collaboratively in meeting the children's needs. Generally speaking, schedules are often unpredictable, making the ability to adapt quickly as new situations arise a necessity.

Participants

Three of the graduate students taking the Infant Development and Practice course for a full year (two semesters) participated in this study. Each student, identified with a self-selected pseudonym, will be described briefly below. All three of the participants were unmarried and had no children of their own.

Maya. An African American master's student in clinical psychology, 29-year-old Maya also had a background in general psychology. She had worked for two years with older preschool and school-age children, primarily within clinical settings. Her previous experience with infants and toddlers had been limited to occasional babysitting.

Victoria. A Mexican American master's student in early childhood/bilingual education, 25-year-old Victoria had a background in early childhood education. She had taught preschool-age children for two years. Her previous experience with infants and toddlers had been limited to caring for the children of relatives and friends.

Francesca. A Dominican American master's student in early childhood special education and bilingual education, 25-year-old Francesca had a background in early childhood education. She had taught preschool-age children in a private child care setting for two years, and had limited experience with infants and toddlers in the same setting.

Although all three participants were enrolled in the Infant Development and Practice course during the fall semester, due to a scheduling conflict Maya could not attend the weekly seminars with the other students. Nevertheless, she participated in the practicum, met weekly with the course instructor, and completed all of her course assignments. During the spring semester, all three participants were enrolled in the practicum and the seminar.

Procedures

Phase One data collection process. Participants were followed throughout their first academic year of training at the center. Data was collected in two phases, with each phase focusing on one semester. During semester one, all of the student caregivers were asked to respond to a weekly series of questions in a personal notebook, which served as the basis for interactive communication with the course instructor (the first author) regarding their experiences in the practicum. Topics and questions were selected to provide a framework within which the student caregivers could express: their own values and past experiences; what they hoped to learn during the practicum; their feelings, opinions, and reflections on issues that arose during their time in the classroom; and their suggestions for possible solutions to problems that emerged with children, families, or other caregivers (see Boshes, 1999).

Open-ended questions during the first week of training focused on the caregivers' initial feelings, questions, or concerns; strengths they felt they brought to the center; and goals they wanted to accomplish. After they began to work directly with the children, they were asked each week to describe: 1) whether and how they were feeling more comfortable as caregivers; 2) in what ways their experiences with supervisors, other caregivers, parents, children, and in the seminar had contributed to these feelings; and 3) any changes in their relationships with the children (Recchia & Sekino, 1998). At the end of the first semester, participants engaged in a formative evaluation process, recording in their notebooks what they felt they had learned, what they might have done differently, and what they hoped to continue working on.

Phase One coding process. At the end of the first semester, each notebook was reviewed and participant responses were recorded. Responses to both specific and open-ended questions were examined, first for each participant individually and later across all three participants. During the process of reviewing the notebooks, ideas that emerged repeatedly in the data were noted. These emergent themes then were grouped into response categories.

Both researchers completed the coding process independently, then compared their coded categories. The researchers came to a consensus on the major themes that emerged, and collaboratively named and described these themes, using direct quotes from the participants for further illustration. Once coding categories were established for each participant, both researchers reviewed the data again to look for comparisons across the participants' responses.

Phase Two data collection process. Based on the themes that emerged in the participants' first semester experiences, a short series of open-ended questions was generated for use in a semi-structured interview, which took place in the infant room near the end of the participants' second semester. All of the interviews were conducted by the second author in a quiet room at the center; these interviews lasted from 30-50 minutes, and were audiotaped and later transcribed. The interview questions focused on the following topics: 1) caregivers' general feelings about their second semester at the center, addressing their relationships and experiences with supervisors, staff, other caregivers, parents, and children; 2) the types of knowledge they felt they had gained over the course of the semester; 3) their perceptions of differences in themselves as caregivers; and 4) whether they felt they had achieved their goals for the semester.

Phase Two coding process. Transcribed records of each interview were reviewed independently several times by both authors, and emergent themes were recorded and later categorized. The authors then shared their coded categories, collaboratively refining their names and descriptions. After examining each interview, responses were compared across participants. Finally, data from semester one were examined alongside second semester data to create individual profiles for each participant across the academic year, and to elucidate themes that were common to all participants and those that were unique to each. Anecdotes from the participant interviews were used to help clarify each of the caregivers' responses.

Upon completion of the individual case profiles, participants reviewed them for accuracy. All three agreed that their profiles accurately represented their perspectives. Two participants suggested minor editorial changes, which were incorporated into the text.

Results

Issues and themes that emerged through data analyses will be described in response to the posed research questions, beginning with a description of universal themes--those themes that were expressed by all three of the participants, during Phase One and Phase Two of the project. Although these issues and ideas varied in intensity from one caregiver to another, each arose repeatedly in the data. Next, the authors will review individual themes--those themes that emerged as very strong for one of the participants, but not for the others. These findings will be synthesized for each participant within a case profile, tracing their individual experiences throughout the course of the academic year.

Universal Themes--Phase One: Notebook Analysis

Four primary themes emerged across participants. Two of the themes were universally strong, and two were stronger for one or two of the participants, but presented consistently by each of them.

Caregiver-child relationships. The most prominent theme across participants was caregiver-child relationships. The respondents most frequently mentioned issues surrounding their experiences in coming to know the children. Although many of these responses were generated by the question asked each week in the notebooks ("Have you experienced any changes in your relationship with your key child this week?"), the issue of building relationships with the children frequently came up in response to open-ended questions as well.

It seemed that from the beginning, the participants were very focused on how children responded to them. They took great pleasure in the children's positive responses and expressions of affection, as shared by Maya: "A. (while her mother was present) gave me a huge kiss and explored my face!" But they also seemed very aware of those children who needed extra time before they could be comfortable being close to new caregivers. Francesca shared the following about one of her key children, who took several weeks of warming up to her: "H. has allowed me to take walks with her, hold her hand, change her diaper, and play with her or talk to her at the table." The participants seemed to observe children's behaviors very carefully for signs of responsiveness, as illustrated in the following entry by Victoria:

While I was giving M. his bottle this morning, halfway through he sat up and stared at me for several seconds. Then it seemed like something clicked, and he fell back into my arms and continued with his bottle. It was as if he was recognizing me.

Their responses made it clear that making positive connections with the children was at the heart of their work in the infant room.

Support. The second most cited universal issue centered on support. The participants' notebook entries typically illustrated how much they valued working within a supportive environment. Support came from the supervisors, teachers, and the other student caregivers, who, according to Francesca, were "a great support team--open in discussing ideas and feelings." Victoria expressed how much she valued "being able to observe and interact and share the room with the great caregivers," adding that "I definitely feel a lot of what I have learned comes from them." The participants also talked about support in terms of "not being alone," and feeling validated by others, as expressed in the following response by Maya:

I was so relieved to see "stress" on the face of the persons who have been here for quite a while. I didn't feel so alone nor nearly as ineffective. To know that someone viewed the situation similar to the way ... I did, helped validate my feelings.

Interactions with parents. The third major universal theme was interactions with parents. For all of the participants, developing relationships with parents was considered a rewarding yet challenging process. Maya, for example, seemed to need extra time to establish relationships with parents, saying "I still have not had the opportunity to talk with the majority of the parents. I need to make more of an effort with this." Francesca shared her feelings about what she learned from visiting her key child's family in their home by stating, "The home visit has enhanced my knowledge of how important it is to connect home and school. Really observing and taking the time out to talk to parents makes a big difference. We can both share our observations together." Victoria shared her concerns about being uncomfortable with certain parents as follows:

A.'s parents caused some uncomfortable feelings in me just in the way they interact with each other.... I also feel that M.'s parent is kind of distant from me, although I have already introduced myself as M.'s key caregiver. It may just take more effort on my part to approach her.

Perception of roles. The fourth major universal theme focused on the participants' perception of their roles as caregivers in the classroom. Comments associated with this theme came in response to several specific open-ended questions, but also were found throughout the notebooks in response to more general questions. All three of the participants emphasized how important it was for them to be nonintrusive with the children while providing a supportive environment. Francesca expressed this sentiment by saying, "Children love to do things that they are told not to do. They need to find out 'why' for themselves. They are so curious. Life is new to them and they have opportunities to find out all about it." But this did not come as easily to each of them, as illustrated by Maya's comments below:

I feel it is important to meet the child at his developmental level and regard him as an independent person.... With many of the older children, I find myself uncomfortable at times. I do not always know if I am responding in the appropriate way to their questions or signals. I am trying very hard each day to see questions from their point of view.

These student caregivers, new to the infant room, also seemed to draw intuitively on their own early experiences of being cared for as young children, especially in their initial responses to the infants and toddlers in their care, as expressed in one of Victoria's notebook entries below.

My mother was my caregiver until I went to kindergarten. I talk things out much like my mother did with me. I also have a tendency to listen and not assume, because my mother always gave me time to talk. I do realize, however, that I have to make a conscious effort to allow children to do everything they are capable of doing. Sometimes, my mother would be pressed for time and would often do things for me that I was already capable of doing.

Universal Themes--Phase Two: Interview Analysis

The following common themes emerged from this review and the analysis of the interviews conducted at the end of the second semester: routines and procedures, relationships with children, and changes in the respondents' sense of themselves as caregivers. Each will be discussed in greater detail below.

Routines and procedures. The most prominent theme centered around the issue of learning the routines and procedures of the infant room. All three caregivers talked about how important it was for them to learn the individualized routines for each child, in terms of changing their diapers, feeding them, and helping them go to sleep. This knowledge made them feel more comfortable and more confident in their interactions with children and other caregivers in the infant room. As Victoria stated, "I felt a lot more comfortable this semester in terms of knowing the procedures"; and Maya elaborated on this growing confidence in the following way:

My biggest fear during the first semester was that I am letting my fellow caregivers down. Like I am not pulling my share. And this semester, since I know the routines, I feel like I know what I am doing, so I don't have to wait for anyone to tell me.

All three participants expressed the belief that knowing the different procedures was somehow key to their further development, because it allowed them to focus on issues that were more important to them as individual caregivers. A good example of this is provided in the following anecdote from Francesca, in which a connection is made between knowing the routines, which in large part constitute the infant curriculum, and being able to use that knowledge in a way that cultivates children's independence.

Encourage them and foster their abilities and their independence in certain ways, whether it is ... getting their own blankets ... holding their diaper ... letting them choose between two bibs ... cleaning up ... picking out their own high chair.

Relationships with children. The second common theme focused on relationships with the children. By the second semester, the caregivers felt they had established working relationships with their key children and were now able to develop stronger relationships with new children or those they had worked with less during the previous semester. In all three situations, however, the caregivers found it hard to balance their relationships between old and new children, and between their key children and the rest of the children, as evidenced in the comments of first Victoria and then Francesca, below:

This semester I knew a lot of the children already, but I still have to balance [between] focusing on my key child since he is so little. ... The first few weeks of the semester, I was struggling with that. ... I really felt I had to stay by him.

At the beginning I felt, I don't know if I can use this word, jealousy, but I felt that when she [former key child] saw me giving a lot of attention to Z [new key child] she would crawl all over and just peek at me. ... I also felt guilty that I wasn't dedicating time to her. ... I tried to include her in helping me with Z.

Sense of self as caregivers. Finally, the three respondents commented on the changes they experienced during the second semester in their role as caregivers. All three of them discussed how they became more confident as caregivers, both in providing care for the children and in understanding the children's needs and interests. Victoria simply stated, "I have a better understanding of each child," while Francesca and Maya provided more complex responses. Maya said, "I definitely feel confident. ... I am learning to put appropriate boundaires ... to be open and respectful. ... I have learned to listen to what is happening inside" and Francesca commented on the importance of really knowing each child's routines:

So now I see myself ... like a full caregiver. ... I can be ... with a group of children and not just focus on one child. I am aware of everything that is going on in the setting. ... I feel comfortable if you [ask] me, "What does this child need?" I [can tell you] "It's one o'clock--I think he is ready for a nap."

Through their interview responses, all three caregivers described the process of change they had experienced during the second semester, and how they had begun to see the infant room procedures and routines, their relationships with the children, and even themselves as caregivers differently. Despite their diverse backgrounds and experiences, the participants shared these major themes.

Individual Themes: Case Profiles

Individual themes emerged during both phases of data analysis. Personal goals and challenges mentioned by each participant in response to questions posed in their notebooks during Phase One were consistently revisited in their responses to the interview questions of Phase Two. In a review of the data from both phases of the study, two broad themes emerged that encompassed each participant's unique way of thinking about her experiences--goals achieved and goals still to be achieved. In order to provide a more integrated picture of individual differences in each of the participants' professional development over the course of her first academic year in the infant room, the following case profiles, using these two broad themes (goals achieved, goals still to be achieved) as a framework, are presented.

Maya. For Maya, this training year in the infant room presented many opportunities for learning, not only about infant development and care, but also about herself. Maya appeared more focused on, and more articulate about, psychological aspects of her learning experience than did the other participants. Throughout her notebook and interview, Maya repeatedly referred to ways in which her observations of the children informed her understanding of herself and gave her insight into her own interpersonal world. Near the end of her first semester in the classroom, for example, Maya shared this insight: One staff member and I discussed the miracle of A. and K. walking. We had never had the privilege to do so before. The act of watching them turn from babies to "walking" children was really amazing. It placed into perspective for me the step-by-step process of life, even though I am prone to forget this sometimes.

In the following anecdote taken from her interview, Maya also shared with us how she has learned to consider her inner world and emotions when working with young children:

I listen to what my feelings are saying and not try to gloss over them, not try to change them.... If I am sad, [I] just let the sadness wear itself out. And in doing that, I feel I would have a much better time with the children.

Nurturing and keeping the children safe were important goals for Maya, and ones that she felt she had accomplished. However, throughout the year, Maya struggled with finding a balance between achieving these goals and setting limits for the children. Although Maya consistently indicated that she valued giving the children a sense of freedom, this desire on her part was often in conflict with her own need for a sense of control in the classroom, particularly with the young toddlers. At first, she seemed almost in awe of the children's competencies, as exemplified in the following responses to questions posed about her first observations of the infant room:

I was struck by the sense of order that these children seem to have. Rarely did they run over one another or interfere with another child's activities. This is surprising in children of such tender age.... I would have to say [I felt] wonder at the immense freedom of exploration that the children have.

This sense of freedom appeared to be in contrast to what Maya herself had experienced growing up, as she shared in this piece of her own early childhood history:

My caregivers included my mother, grandparents, and older church members. There were always many people around to care for me and my sisters when my parents were away. They ... spoke to us as "little adults." ... [However,] one teacher in particular respected the space of the children while upholding structure. This is the teacher I am most like--I feel it is most important to meet the child at his developmental level and regard him as an independent person. Certainly, not just [as] a "little adult."

In contrast to the other participants, Maya also expressed a greater concern about her own performance in the infant room. She made several comments expressing concern about letting the other caregivers down or worry over her performance:

I believe this week I asked more questions. I received very warm and appropriate responses. This helped me to know that I was not being held to some "rigid" performance standard. ... The amount of caregivers is always reduced on Fridays, and this has led to stronger, more intimate bonds with the caregivers present. I am less tense, not as conscious of my mistakes or rather not as hyperactive in trying to prevent any mistakes.

Despite her own developing philosophy about supporting children's freedom and independence, Maya continued to have doubts about her role in setting limits and dealing with potential conflicts, as indicated m comments such as the following:

With many of the older children I find myself uncomfortable at times. I don't always know if I am responding in the appropriate way to their questions or signals. I am trying very hard each day to see questions from their point of view.

With increased experience and comfort in the infant room, Maya was able to practice setting limits for the children more easily. At the end of the year, however, she still expressed this as a goal toward which she needed to continue working.

I am working on achieving the big goal of setting boundaries. I have learned to say "No" and really stand by it. ... I feel this is certainly the most painful part right now but also the turning point. If I can just get over this, I will be on my way to becoming such a balanced teacher. I want to be able to set limits for the children, respect their space, talk with them, nurture them.

Victoria. Victoria categorized her achievements over the year into theoretical and practical knowledge. When asked to remind us of the goals she had set for herself when she started in the infant room, she spoke of infant development knowledge. As a second-semester caregiver, Victoria said, "I have achieved a lot of knowledge in that sense and it has opened a whole new perspective on child development." Victoria also expressed how her experience in the infant room helped improve her practical skills working with children, particularly around the issue of how much freedom to give to the children to initiate and lead activities before she would intervene:

I think that this semester I let myself be led by the children more than I did last semester. I think that is something I accomplished ... [in] my prior teaching experience. ... You set more structure, you had more to say of what you were going to do in the classroom, even though the children kind of led the activity.

Victoria's insights into how infants learn demonstrated her ability to make clear distinctions between the ways she was working in the infant room as opposed to the ways she had worked in the past with older preschoolers. At one point in her interview, Victoria talked about how much she had developed her observation skills by stepping back and tuning in to the infants' reliance on gestures and sounds for communication. She stated, "It is not only letting them be, ... but also being able to read what it is they want through all sorts of expressions and gestures."

One issue that came up for Victoria, much more than for the other participants, was her desire to be more involved in the day-to-day activities of the infant classroom. As a student caregiver, Victoria was only required to be in the classroom two days per week. Throughout her first-semester notebook, Victoria commented repeatedly about the ways in which she felt she was not able to get the whole picture of life in the infant room: "Sometimes I feel that I have to 'catch-up' on anything that may have happened the days I wasn't in the center." Victoria made a clear distinction between herself as a student and the "real" caregivers in the classroom. At times, it seemed as though she felt left out of the planning and follow-through that was the full-time staff's responsibility:

Consistency in the class is important and [we] student-teachers especially need to be informed about anything new, because we are only in the class two times a week and rarely have anything to do with what happens amongst staff.... Seminar provides us with different view points and anecdotes of what happens when we are not there, which is always good to know.

At other times, it seemed that Victoria was concerned about being a less important presence for the children than the full-time teachers: "M. seems to be pulling away a little--possibly growing closer to other caregivers, whom he sees every day."

As the year continued, Victoria seemed to come to terms with the number of days she was present in the infant room, and to become more comfortable with her role as a caregiver, as illustrated in the following anecdote:

I have developed a greater sense of the class as a whole, in terms of me being part of it. I know where things are, how things get done, etc. Plus, I know much more about the children and their families. This plays an enormous part in feeling comfortable.... I've been through a transition where I now feel more like one of the permanent caregivers--that is, I don't feel like a student only.

At the end of the year, Victoria had this to say about her goals yet to be achieved in the infant classroom:

Being able to be aware of what is going on in the classroom ... really be a little sharper in thinking on my feet ... being able to read certain behaviors and how you go [about] addressing those behaviors ... take more charge of the things that go down on the charts, I have to be more on top of that ... to really take more charge in class, not to take control.

Francesca. Francesca, who entered the practicum with a "willingness to learn everything and anything, a desire to grow in the field," described her achievements during the year by giving examples of her experiences in the infant room. More than the other participants, however, she related her practice to the theory that she was learning through seminar readings and discussion.

[By] having J. as a key child I have seen theory and practice come together.... I strongly believe by what I've seen [in the infant room] that enhancing the environment produces lots of interest and interaction [between] children and materials.... I thought that changing the environment ... every day was going to be overwhelming for the children, but it proved to be otherwise and actually very stimulating.... In this center, there is a little of everything and it doesn't seem to be too much for the children. I was the one who was overwhelmed at the beginning because it was a totally new idea for me.

In her year-end interview, Francesca expressed how she became more confident in relating to babies, one of the goals she had set for herself at the beginning of the practicum. She stated that she learned how to talk and listen to babies, especially through her close work with the two 6-month-olds who were her key children.

At the beginning I was confused because I didn't know how much I could interact with the child without taking over.... I learned to step back and observe. This was really helpful because I felt I knew the child better without actually initiating the interaction. For me, with infants it was even tougher because I didn't know how much they were able to do on their own but then I got the hang of it.

She also shared with us the knowledge that she acquired about infant curriculum.

Before I didn't feel [there] was a curriculum for infants other than doing things for them--you know, changing their diapers--but now I see we can include them in the whole process...just explaining things that you do [as you go along].

Another important theme for Francesca was the value of communication: between the caregivers, the caregivers and the children, and the caregivers and the parents. She shared her belief that her communication with her key child's parents helped to build a trusting and continuing relationship with them. She also talked about her communication with the other caregivers and how she learned to ask for information about the things she did not understand.

I feel comfortable going to caregivers and say[ing], "You know, I saw that you put out this today, what made you [decide on that]? Did you see a child do something in particular that made you say, let's use finger paint today?" ... Constant communication with the caregivers and parents has improved and I feel comfortable with that.

More than the other participants, Francesca's comments throughout the year focused on the importance she placed on being a part of the caregiving community She frequently remarked in her weekly notebook on the "team spirit" of the student caregivers, referring to the group as a "very supportive team" and commenting on how "it feels that we are all helping each other out." For example, Francesca shared how she would rely on the other caregivers for help when faced with a cranky baby who wouldn't sleep: "I might tell another caregiver how I feel and see if she can take over or suggest something else." Unlike Maya, who often felt concerned about the ways others might be judging her, Francesca seemed to find comfort in having others with whom to share responsibility in caring for the children.

I like to see and feel that I'm not alone. Everyone in the room takes responsibility for all the children. If a child cries, it is not expected that the key caregiver needs to respond. If the key caregiver is occupied it is assumed that someone else can help.

Discussion

This study focused on the process of personal and professional growth for three student caregivers as they began working with infants and families in child care. Qualitative analyses of the participants' thoughts and feelings, shared in their first-semester notebooks and second-semester interviews, revealed universal and individual themes that support and expand on previous findings, and that inform our understanding of the experiences of new infant/toddler caregivers.

Relationships with children and interactions with parents emerged as fundamentally important factors in the beginning experiences of these new caregivers. This universal focus on relationships provides empirical support for statements found in the literature. The more intimate nature of relationships and communication with children and families have been described as major elements to be considered in the transition from preschool teacher to infant/toddler teacher (Chick, 1996; Keenan, 1998, 1997). For these new caregivers, working closely with families provided a context for understanding and forming more meaningful relationships with children.

This study also found evidence that effective team teaching was an essential ingredient in providing quality care for infants and families. Working collaboratively gave these new caregivers the opportunity to express personal needs and to support each other in their work. All three participants credited the support they received from supervisors, staff, and other student caregivers as highly important to their work and to the development of their personal identities as caregivers (Bergen, 1994).

These data also support previous findings that demonstrated that beginning teachers are concerned about their role, personal adequacy, and the result of their actions on children's learning (Baptiste & Sheerer, 1997). Concerns about their caregiving role and the ways they related and responded to the children came up repeatedly in the participants' anecdotes. Although each of them focused on this issue in somewhat different ways, it was clearly stated as a major area of growth and change over the course of their first year.

Each of these new caregivers expressed her awareness of learning to work in a different way with infants and toddlers than with preschoolers. They emphasized the importance of becoming careful observers of nonverbal behavior as they learned to understand babies' ways of communicating. Focusing on routines and transitions as an essential part of the curriculum, as well as the need to provide more intimacy and a higher level of physical care, were seen as integral aspects of their responsibilities (Keenan, 1997). Learning the routines and procedures of the infant room was critical, as it gave them a basis for developing further as caregivers. Knowing the children's individual schedules and needs was a necessary precursor to caring for them effectively.

Many researchers have documented the growth and change experienced by new teachers (Keenan, 1997; Olson & Osborne, 1991; Veale, 1989). For the infant/toddler caregivers in this study, changes in their perceptions of the caregiving role were very important. As they came to learn more about the children and to more fully understand their caregiving needs, they felt more capable of providing better and more individualized care. This, in turn, helped them to feel more effective and competent as caregivers.

In addition to these more universal experiences as reported by the participants, each of the new caregivers followed in this study also experienced individual changes. The participants each brought her own unique personal and professional histories to this shared experience as new infant caregivers. As found in previous studies of new teachers, these new caregivers' personal perspectives developed and grew according to each of their personal dispositions (Tabachnick & Zeichner, 1984).

One participant, Maya, was particularly concerned about her ability to impose limits on children. She struggled with this issue throughout the year, judging her competence against it. As found in previous studies, classroom management issues are a very common area of concern for novice teachers (Baptiste & Sheerer, 1997; Veale, 1989). This area may assume a new dimension for caregivers new to infant/toddler practice, as "limit setting" often takes place nonverbally (Keenan, 1998). For Maya, this concern seemed to stem in part from her own personal history.

Another participant, Victoria, was concerned over the fact that she was not able to be aware, or in control, of all that happened in the room. She wanted to know more about the children's experiences and provide assistance for all of them. Olson and Osborne (1991) found that the teachers in their study also felt a need to achieve control, and became frustrated by the unrealistic goals that they had set for themselves. Given the length of the day in most infant child care settings, no one staff person can be present for all of the hours that some of the children are present, thus highlighting the need for ongoing communication and collaboration. Victoria seemed to come to terms with this issue over the course of the semester, but it took time for her to grow comfortable with the collaborative nature of infant caregiving.

Olson and Osborne (1991) also suggest that novice teachers need to feel part of a subculture and find security in their relationships with peers and veteran teachers. One participant, Francesca, gave evidence to support this. For Francesca, being a part of a community of learners was vitally important. Her thoughts and feelings about working with others were grounded in her early and ongoing experiences as a learner within her own family and culture. Feeling part of a team that supported, helped, and learned from each other facilitated her transition to becoming an infant caregiver.

Throughout these analyses, the researchers have encountered distinct sub-themes under the broad theme of "learning." The participants' individual styles and perspectives highlight the complexity and uniqueness in the ways that each of them came to new levels of personal and professional growth and understanding. Each of the participants in this study learned both practical skills in infant caregiving and theoretical knowledge of infant development during her first year as an infant caregiver. In addition, they learned to look within themselves for a deeper emotional and intellectual understanding of their roles as caregivers. These caregivers shared universal experiences, as well as those that were uniquely grounded in their backgrounds, personal perspectives, and goals for the future.

Implications for Training

Results from this study suggest that new caregivers bring unique personal and professional qualities to their pursuit of work in the infant/family field. Recognizing and validating their individual differences can provide a model for supporting individualized care for children. Expectations for behavior, highly influenced by cultural background and experience, may differ among infant caregivers and the children and families they serve. Caring for infants and families can provoke unexpected feelings in new caregivers that may be grounded in their own early experiences of receiving care. Providing opportunities to reflect on these feelings within a supportive context can help new caregivers gain perspective and insight into their own and young children's behaviors, promoting collaboration and reinforcing good practice.

New caregivers need time and space in which to learn, develop relationships with infants and families, discover their own caregiving styles, and form their own caregiver identities. Mentoring provided by more experienced staff can help to promote their growth and development. Findings from this study indicate that ongoing communication, among novice caregivers themselves as well as with supervisors, is not only essential to the collaborative work required in most infant classrooms, but also can provide a context for sharing accomplishments, asking questions, expressing concerns, and learning from others.

Limitations and Suggestions for Future Research

This study looked in-depth at the first-year experiences of three student caregivers, as expressed in their own words, in a university-based infant child care classroom. Both authors were actively employed by the center during the time of the study, and had participatory roles in the caregivers' training and supervision. Although these factors may impose limits on generalizing the results, they also provide integrity to the authenticity, depth, and cohesiveness of the findings.

Findings from this study suggest that new infant caregivers experience many of the same thoughts and feelings of new teachers that have been documented in the literature. However, there are some distinct differences in the nature and structure of work with infants and families that pose special challenges for novice infant caregivers. New infant caregivers need to develop close relationships not only with children, but also with parents and colleagues in order to provide optimal care. Although relationships and collaboration are important aspects of professional practice for all early childhood teachers, these components take on greater significance within the context of infant child care. Infant teachers help form the first bridge between home and "school." Their investment in developing strong, positive, caring relationships with children and families within a caring community helps lay the foundation for further positive school experiences (Elicker & Fortner-Wood, 1995; Pianta, 1997). In addition, when car egivers collaborate, share their ideas and feelings, and negotiate a shared "control" of the classroom space and agenda, they are better able to create a reflective and supportive environment within which further personal and professional growth can occur.

Given the growing need for well-trained practitioners in the infant/family field, additional studies are called for that can provide further information on new caregivers' developmental processes across diverse settings. Such research can inform our understanding of the most optimal ways to provide professional preparation and ongoing mentoring for new infant caregivers.

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