Is the school ready for you? Transition resources and ideas.

Schools are preparing themselves for the new learners who will walk, leap, skip or saunter over their threshold next year.  Some of those newbies will be more anxious than others.  So many factors will influence how this new experience pans out, but one thing is for sure - preparation is ALWAYS going to benefit the child. 
Enabling open, frank discussions regarding emotions related to leaving the early learning
environment / home or family care to embark upon school are very important.  Asking what the preconceived expectations are, will provide you with a starting point for important discussions.  Fears may be allayed, or strategies to support the reduction of fears may be able to be worked on together.  Disregarding or dismissing emotions that may seem at odds with a child's character or your expectations will have detrimental effects on the transition process. 
Many of us have at times felt jubilation or excitement at the prospect of something new.  And we often expect that of our children.  I certainly built my daughter's expectations up so high for her first day of school, that when I asked "SO!  Was it fun??", she looked at me as though I had two heads!  Her concept of fun had thus far been quite unstructured and didn't quite look like the 'fun' I'd perhaps misguided her into expecting.  She did, however, after the first week of falling asleep at 6pm, and the first month of not having time to eat her lunch, fall in love with school. 
For children that do require reassurance, familiarity and clear expectations - and let's face it, that pretty much covers every child - the number of visits both with other children present, but also importantly without other children, will impact on the process.  Enabling a comfortable viewing of the school, classrooms, library, bubblers, toilets, hall, playground, office - in a quiet way, with the open ended ability to ask questions in an uninterrupted, non threatening way, will go a long way to helping the settling in. 
KidsMatter has a number of focus areas to support young children.  Transition to School from the perspective of the educator can be supported here:  http://www.kidsmatter.edu.au/primary/resources-your-journey/starting-school
Transition to school for families to consider: http://www.kidsmatter.edu.au/families/starting-school   Sign up for ASPECT's Positive Partnerships "Managing Transitions" (Webinar) on 17th September at http://www.autismtraining.com.au/public/index.cfm and peruse their support materials.
And of course the recently blogged about Transition to School Resource:  www.transitiontoschoolresource.org.au, will put you and your child or your class in great stead for the year ahead.  Ask lots of questions, take lots of photos, attend all that you can regarding these first steps to school. 

We're All In! Now you can be, too!

The expression "All in!" has such positive connotations.  Northcott and NSW Family and Community Services have championed the phrase for their recently launched All In! Inclusion Guide.  With an interactive and very comprehensive website, individuals, businesses and community organisations now have at their fingertips the means with which to enable meaningful participation by all children aged 0-8 in activities of their choice. 

http://all-in.com.au/Start

  “Community organisations, parents and carers can use the website to get free advice tailored to the situation where they will be interacting with the child, such as a sporting activity, play date or going out in the community. The advice they receive will include how to prepare, what to do during the activity, common misconceptions and how to improve next time around.”
It really is as easy as 1. Situation 2. Challenge 3. Age 4. Conclusion.  Whether families would like advice on how best support a friend attending a birthday party, or a sporting team would like to better facilitate access and meaningful participation for a keen newcomer, the steps will provide a fantastic starting point - now it's just up to you!
Read more from the launch here:  https://www.northcott.com.au/news/all-inclusion-guide-arrives
And explore the Inclusion Tool here: http://all-in.com.au/.

Transition to School Resource Launched

Of utmost excitement is the news that the Transition to School Resource has been Launched!  Please see the e-release from ECIA NSW below.  Browse, show it to families, find what's relevant to you.  It's a very exciting and timely resource!  Enjoy!:
We are pleased to announce that ECIA NSW’s Transition to School Resource is now available.
This web-based resource has been developed by Early Childhood Intervention Australia (NSW Chapter) Inc. and funded by Ageing, Disability and Home Care in the Department of Family and Community Services, New South Wales, Australia (ADHC) as part of the Focus on Early Childhood Inclusion (FECI) project.
The Resource aims to help children with disabilities and their families make the transition to school as smooth and positive as possible. 
A key focus of this resource is on developing positive collaborative relationships between families, schools and support professionals.
The website, which has been developed with reference to the latest research literature and in consultation with stakeholders around NSW, contains practical information for:
     * families
     * early childhood intervention professionals,
     * early childhood education and care professionals
     * teachers in schools and
     * the wider community.
Go to the Transition to School Resource website:   www.transitiontoschoolresource.org.au
Posters, flyers and other promotional material are now available. Please email Emma Pierce for further information 

"On the Same Page" DVD

The Special Education Centre at the University of Newcastle has produced the DVD, "On The Same Page", for early childhood services.   The purpose of this DVD is to provide those working in the early childhood sector with an overview of current research and practical strategies to maximise the social and communicative involvement of the children they support.

The program is designed particularly for people working with children, aged 2 - 8 years of age, who have been identified with challenging behaviour.   It has had very positive and enthusiastic reviews by EC staff, many of whom are requesting extra copies for sharing with colleagues.

Thanks to Frank Hinchey, Project Officer for ECI PDP, the SCAN Project Officers have obtained copies for the eligible preschools within the CareWest SCAN regions.  Please contact your project officer if you have not already received a copy. 

Web: ECI PDP link to On the Same Page info.

 

 

Emotional Literacy and how to teach it!

With a grouchy face, my little friend said "I'm fed up!  You're stirring me up!" and stomped his foot. 
Another little friend literally shuddered with joy as her birthday party enveloped her in good feelings. 

Being emotionally literate means being able to label emotions in self and in others.  Without this, empathy is undeveloped as perspectives are difficult to relate to.  Without emotional literacy, the path to friendships is much rockier.  Emotional literacy, as with all other developmental areas, requires practice, modelling and the right response. 
Acknowledging emotions
A great way to start is to acknowledge emotion in a child as they are experiencing it.  In the examples above, acknowledging that "I can see that you're fed up.  Your face is scrunched and you have stomped your foot!" or for the second child, "Wow...I can see that you are so excited!"  would be a great starting place.  Rather than moving straight to the solution for the angry child, dismissing the emotion, or reaching for the camera for the happy child, take that moment to verbalise the emotion - put a label on it. 
In the first example, the child has a good emotional labelling set in place.  He has been able to show his feelings physically, as well as label them verbally.  Whilst we don't know yet what has set that emotion off, we are clear and he is clear on that frustrated and quite obvious 'fed up' feeling.  Child number two is non verbal.  Whether this is developmentally appropriate or a delayed development, emotional literacy can still be taught.  By using facial expressions and physical gestures, we know the child is happy and excited.  By modelling the verbal expression for that emotion, we are adding to that experience a label and identification. 
Tips:  Mimic the happy action and verbalise the perceived emotion at the same time when appropriate.  Be wary of mocking an emotion.  Mimicking a stomped foot could seem jestful and result in a lost learning opportunity, escalating from fed up to meltdown!  Don't dismiss or deny an emotion.  If a child says they're angry, hurt, upset, telling them "No you're not"  or "You'll be right" as the first response teaches them that the emotion was invalid, mislabelled, or not recognised.
Emotional Literacy using Literacy
Using specifically chosen children's books that highlight emotions, is a wonderful way to teach emotional literacy.  Your local library would be an ideal place to start and you can of course approach the librarian to help direct you.  Specific baby books with faces showing a variety of feelings can start even the smallest learner in the identification process.  Toddlers and Preschoolers can be encouraged to reflect on how Wombat must feel in Mem Fox's 'Wombat Divine' at each page change, or the hat seller in 'Caps for Sale' when the monkeys take his caps and then eventually return them.  Tips:  Don't be afraid to read the same book over and over.  Indeed, that is a fantastic way to move from adult labelling to child labelling.  It could also prompt dramatic play where emotions are pivotal to the story.  Prompt, as the adult, and provide a story line that you create and the child acts out.  If you're engaged and your face is a mirror, the child will have a visual of that emotion accessible immediately.  Know the book before you read.  This will help you adjust your voice or physical posture to really emphasis the emotions within.  Books are pre-learning/post-learning opportunities.  They can provide a reflective point if required during the identification of an emotion eg. "Remember how excited Hairy Maclary was to play with his friends?".  The Center for Social Emotional Foundation in Early Learning (CSEFEL) provides a social and emotional Book Nook with a number of identified books and some attached learning opportunities that families or educators can use.     
Using pictures and apps
Having access to pictures of people in different emotive states can be as easy as using a newspaper pamphlet or a tv commercial.  Asking questions such as "how is that person feeling?"  and "how do we know that?"  as well as more learning questions such as "what do you think happened to make them feel that way?" sparks great emotional literacy recognition. For children who don't identify emotions well, apps such as iTouchiLearn Feelings or ABA Flash Card Emotions (American) or AutismXpress (Australian) provide opportunity to identify and see emotions. 
Tips: Used alongside an adult or child modelling the emotions will help reinforce.
Songs and rhymes
Changing words to songs is allowed!  Adapt any nursery rhyme to fit the occasion, or use the recognised "If you're happy and you know it" to entertain while you learn! Putting on classical music or world music with different tempos and varying degrees of volume can be used to provoke emotions.  Labelling a fast, loud, upbeat tune as excited, and having the children react in the same way, provides stimulus alongside the literacy.  Being slow and peaceful during a relaxing piece of music also gives you a strategy to calm children out of a heightened emotion, using the opportunity to also learn the words for calm and peaceful.  
Tips:  Remember to label your own emotions "I'm really happy as my friend is coming for lunch!"  "I'm a bit sad because my friend couldn't come".  Asking "What could make me happy?" isn't self indulgent!  It provides the child an opportunity to try out what you've been practicing!  Maybe putting on some beautiful music will make you feel better!  Don't forget to show it! :) 
Resources and references
The Raising Children Network has age based sections regarding communication and emotions.  This link provides strategies for Talking through Angry Feelings for Preschoolers.  Log on to www.raisingchildrennetwork.net.au for more ideas.
The CSEFEL website has fantastic resources for families.  The articles Teaching Your Child to Identify and Express Emotions  and Teaching your Child about Feelings are worth reading.  The Book Nook is within the CSEFEL website and, as referred to in the blog, provides some great activities and ways to use books to enhance emotional literacy.

This article is also found at www.coolkidscalm.blogspot.com.au by the same author.

Addressing Challenging Behaviours

We've looked at triggers, and an ideas for identifying them.  But what about challenging behaviours that persist?  We so often look at a loud, aggressive reaction from a child and immediate want to stop it, or 'fix' it.  When you work with children in preschool settings, or even one on one at home, it's soon apparent that this adult reaction won't have a very lasting or successful result. Difficult as it may be to swallow, we need to assess ourselves and our environment first.  Knowing a child's strengths, interests and challenges are also essential to developing a positive relationship between educator and child. Consider the Teaching Pyramid. 

This model (detailed below), adapted from the mental health model and created by a team at Vanderbilt University, encompasses four tiers.  Each tier, from the bottom up, is a requirement for a successful and positive preschool experience, reducing challenging behaviours, and promoting social and emotional development.  It is transferable, too.  Taking time to collaboratively assess an environment, including the program, the interests of all children, the learning opportunities available, and the people in place to support them is a large stepping stone to finding out what is working, and what may need changing or addressing in order to reduce challenging behaviours.  The wonderful social and emotional programs that exist are all relevant here.  Linking with families, early intervention services,  healthcare workers are all relevant here.  And deciding you want to TEACH social emotional skills rather than assuming they are inherent skills is very important here. 

When we look at any given moment of challenging behaviours, we can expect to find triggers (even if we have to look hard), and a reaction.  Identifying the FUNCTION of that reaction, that behaviour, will be pivotal in how we address and thereby assist the child in reducing the need for that challenging behaviour.  We can expect the function to be either to obtain something or someone (i.e. a toy or attention for example) OR to escape (an experience or a person).  We now have a formula for teaching.  The next challenge for the adult is to address the function, and honour it!  Provide the child with strategies to enable the child to obtain or escape appropriately!  This is not giving in, it's a prevention in the long run, and it's a building block to a strong relationship.  Remember, you will not do this alone.  Learning to honour the function and not simply 'stick to our own ideals' is hard.  It takes a lot of practice and patience, and a lot of collaboration.   Self-reflection of practices is instrumental. 

For help and further information regarding the Teaching Pyramid Framework and strategies, contact your local SCAN Project Officer in Riverina Murray, Orana Far West or Central West.   For further online references and resources, explore www.csefel.vanderbilt.edu

The Teaching Pyramid Framework: 

 

At the first yellow tier is the Effective Workforce.  This requires open lines of communication, supports, networking opportunities, collaboration and team members who feel valued and important - both as team members and in the lives of the children. 

 

The two blue tiers highlight Nurturing and Responsive Relationships and High Quality Supportive Environments.  In other words, high quality early childhood programs for all children reflective of the EYLF.  The ongoing supportive and responsive relationships developed between adult and child promote healthy social and emotional development.  Families feel valued.

 

The Targeted Supports in the green tier are specifically targeting Social and Emotional development.  This is important for children who need further support in learning friendship skills, emotional resilience, being able to identify emotions and empathise with others.  Teaching social skills can be preventative and remedial in effect.

 

And the top red tier are where a few of our children sit and where educators will seek further collaborative supports.  This intensive intervention tier is explicit child focussed.  Intervention sought at this tier would be a result of collaborative assessments and result in individualised behaviour support plans. 

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!