It's SCANTASTIC!

SCAN-tastic news!  SCAN has a continuance until the end of the year!  As such, our SCAN supported Preschools will receive an amendment to the Service Agreement shortly.  We have on SCAN happy faces :)
BLOG!
Have you noticed this blogsite has a few changes?  Do you have a staff meeting coming up? Could you use that time to get everyone browsing? 
For starters, Did you know that you can now follow new posts by email alert?  Go to the bottom of the site page, provide your email address, and you will receive an email alert only when new posts have been made to the site. 
The tabs have changed slightly as has the layout of content.  Specifically, and to help you out:

• Along the right hand side you'll see the most popular blogs.  You can click on any of these to go directly to the article.  Below these are the archives, and you can search any past blogs here.  As most of the content doesn't date, you would be well worth having a little meander to see what you might find useful.
• We now have Resources and Apps together.  They are tabled, so as to accommodate user/reader reviews.  This may assist you in your consideration of purchasing/borrowing items - and of course your feedback will help others.  Provide your review in the comment section, or email directly to sara.stockman@cw.org.au. 
• The Visuals tab also has the link to the ECIC Website where the purchase form is located for the extremely well regarded Visuals DVD (promoting how and when to use in the Early Childhood environment) which was produced in collaboration between the Riverina ECIC, CareWest and the Wagga City Council. 
• Within Training and Learning you'll find opportunities listed only in the order they are sent to me. Please peruse, and also use me as a promotional point if you have something to distribute.
• A new Parent/Carer tab currently lists in regions, support networks, training and learning opportunities and anything going on that parents and carers may like to know about with regards supporting their child. Please send on anything you'd like me to list.  

And finally, did you know that there is nearly always a Read more at the bottom of the blog item?  Click on it to do just that!

What's triggering that behaviour?

Do you sometimes struggle to identify behaviour triggers for some children?  Are you finding inconsistencies in some behaviours that effect individual children as well as whole group experiences? 


A really useful idea for helping to pin-point what may be at the root of these behaviours, and in particular if the environment is a factor (including people, activities, routine, and physical layout), is the mud-map dot activity.  The idea is that you draw a mud-map of your preschool.  You can have indoors and outdoors represented, and stuck at strategic places around the room/outdoor area.  Along with the map, include several colour coded dot stickers (or textas etc).  Colour code morning, meal/snack, afternoon, transitioning.  Include a section for notes.  Over the course of a week (or whatever time frame provides you with information), use the dots to stick on the area where a child's behaviour has been challenging. 

Light it up blue!

April is Autism awareness month and there are so many interesting and entertaining  events occurring all over the world, let alone the country!  To list a few local events:


Picture by Less Smith, Wagga Wagga Daily Advertiser.  Superheroes raise awareness for Autism.  Sheila Buntin, Harrison Gray, Amy Gray, Robert Buntin (Robin) and Adrian Buntin (Captain America).

• Launch of  www.autismapps.org.au - the Autism Association of Western Australia exciting new initiative Apps for Autism website.
• Tuesday 2nd April 2014 Wagga Civic Precinct was lit up in blue to raise awareness for Autism.
• Friday 4th April 2014 Berrigan Early Intervention Morning Tea for Autism Awareness at the library meeting room - movie to follow.
• Saturday 5th April 2014 is the Wagga Wagga Light it Up Blue Ball hosted by Li'l Melodies Kindermusik in association with many local support groups and organisations.
• Thursday 10th April Street stall in Finley for Autism Awareness month 8am start - 2pm
• Sunday 13th April 2014 Wagga  Autism Super Hero Walk around Lake Albert - Family Fun event, dress- ups encouraged!  from 10.30am hosted by Wagga Autism Support Group

Tell us what you're up to and we'll promote, promote, promote!

SUPERHEROES RAISE AWARENESS: To raise awarness for autism Sheila Buntin,Harrison Gray, five, Amy Gray, Robert Buntin, 10, dressed as Robin and Adrian Buntin, 12, dressed as Captain America will walk around Lake Albert dressed as superheroes for just one of the events during Autism Awareness month. Picture: Less Smith

KidsMatter provide a plethora of support for Preschools

KidsMatter is committed to linking contemporary research with practice, and sharing its knowledge with other health professionals. All KidsMatter materials on this site may be copied freely for communicating with the people in your community provided acknowledgments are made to the sources. 
Preschools can also take advantage of KidsMatter in different ways, and can:
·         Run group programs for children and families through KidsMatter schools and early childhood education and care services
·         Provide specialist knowledge or advice
·         Offer professional learning sessions to school and ECEC staff on children’s mental health to build capacity across the community
·         Support schools and ECEC services to implement KidsMatter

Have a look at the following resources to support these partnerships and connections:

Conversations that make a difference.

You came into the profession to work with children, to facilitate exciting experiences, and to delight in watching as children grow and thrive in your program.  Setting up positive and open communication with the whole family will enhance and develop the relationship you have with every child.
In a previous blog on 25.11.2013, we provided you with the Anne Stonehouse article in the NQS PLP eNewsletter (No. 68), Communicating with families about children's learning, Now check out the latest supporting training modules and information sheets from KidsMatter: Connecting with families: Conversations that make a difference.  The new two free online modules are designed to help you connect with families.  We would be really grateful for your feedback, so if you do manage to take the modules, please take a few moments to comment below this blog.  The link is also available under Training and Opportunities on this blog. Please Read on!

Rural & Remote Preschools REAPing Rewards! PLEASE CONSIDER APPLYING!

http://www.frrr.org.au/cb_pages/rural_education_australia_program_-_reaping_rewards.php

Funded Projects Round 2 Round 1

The REAPing Rewards small grant program is a national program targeting education. It supports locally-driven projects and programs that directly benefit children and youth (0-18 years) and their educators in rural and remote communities. Grants are up to $10,000.
This program has been made possible thanks to the generous support of our partners:
Yulgilbar Foundation, the Ian Potter Foundation, Third Link, Vincent Fairfax Family Foundation and numerous individuals.
REAPing Rewards supports not-for-profit groups, such as community preschools, playgroups, community based Day Care, Primary and Secondary schools, community support committees (eg Parents & Friends Committees), and staff in delivering quality, positive educational experiences in the early childhood, primary and secondary years.

STOP THINK GO

 STOP THINK GO - three simple words, and if accompanied by gestures and visuals, can mean the difference between disruptive behaviours and self control.  Several methods where this social skill development tool is applied, have been tried and tested with wonderful results.  As there are a number of suggestions, it's probably a good idea to aim for consistency of approach.  If you are starting out:
1.  Discuss with parents and Early Intervention (if the child is accessing) as they may already be using one form of the technique.  Agree on the approach you're going to use for consistency, along with a review date.
2.  Consider the level of communication.  Three simple words may be a more appropriate approach than a whole social story such as Tucker Turtle - at least to start with. In this regard, you may find some children (particularly children with levels of ASD, anxiety), may need to focus predominantly on the STOP and GO with the THINK element developing in time.  Other children may be constantly on the go, and require more focus on STOP and THINK.
This article is particularly clear and easy to follow regarding why, when and how to use for behavioural management: