My AISCA BE Padlet by

juliamoore7 — 2023-09-08 17:38:54 UTC

Welcome to The BE (Building environments) One Social Emotional Practice at a time Project!
This space will be used this year to connect, collaborate and reflect on our shared learning journey.
We are excited to be able to connect wonderful educators from around the province who have committed to be intentional with their social emotional practices this year.
Please check this space often to interact and contribute. We look forward to working and learning with you all!
From: Julia and the whole BE team :)

Module Training

juliamoore7 — 2023-10-13 18:58:35 UTC

Hello teachers!
We are so excited to begin our work with you this year.
Did you have the chance to attend module training this month? We held our 2 trainings for this project this month.
If you did not attend, reach out to your coach and they can share a recording of the training with you.
If you did attend...what was the biggest take a way or Ah ha moment?

juliamoore7 — 2023-10-16 14:16:32 UTC

The Pyramid Model is the foundation of the work we do with schools and childcare centres across the province.
•The base of the pyramid presumes an effective workforce: educated, prepared, well-compensated educators.

•UNIVERSAL practices: nurturing and responsive relationships, and high quality supportive environments

About 80% of children learn and participate meaningfully when these practices are in place.

•TARGETED supports through intentional teaching of social and emotional skills to all children. SOME children—about 15%--may require additional support from adults in this area to engage and participate meaningfully in daily routines and activities.

•INDIVIDUALIZED interventions for a FEW children (about 5%) who demonstrate challenging behavior, with more intensity, over an extended period of time.

For the work we will do together we will be focusing on the universal and targeted area to support the mental health of students in your classes.

juliamoore7 — 2023-10-23 15:08:40 UTC

Here is a poster you can download, print and post in your room from Module 1. This poster speaks to the importance of relationship, a foundational practice of the pyramid model.

Don't forget to tell your coach if you did not attend out professional learning series. We recorded those sessions and we can email a link for you to watch.

What's your Favourite children's book?

juliamoore7 — 2023-10-30 14:26:36 UTC

“This simply told story follows a young whale on a journey of discovery as he experiences his first day at sea on his own! He swims, explores, and makes friends in his marine habitat. After a day of independence, this little whale delights in returning home to his mother.” – Goodreads.com

What book do you love sharing with children that helps them learn social emotional skills? Please share a picture and write up with us!

paulabowen2 — 2023-11-07 18:14:43 UTC

Secure attachment relationships with caregivers are a protective factor, setting the foundation for social competence and promoting effective functioning of the emotion regulation and stress response systems (from NRF).

Think about a positive relationship you had with an adult when you were a child. Consider emotions/experiences that come to mind when you think about that person/that relationship now you are an adult.

Show us your visual schedules...

paulabowen2 — 2023-11-15 21:41:46 UTC

Using visuals (pictures or objects) to help communicate a routine is a critical component of creating a responsive environment.

Using your visual schedule...

paulabowen2 — 2023-11-22 20:47:51 UTC

Visuals can be used to represent daily routines at home as well as at school. They can bring parents and children closer together, reduce power struggles and give children confidence and a sense of control over their day.

Activities that promote positive peer interactions

2023-12-06 23:02:49 UTC

Comment below and tell us what other activities you have found that support positive peer interactions.

Supporting Transitions......

laurablakley — 2023-12-07 16:13:30 UTC

“As an educator, when you work with children and families to thoughtfully plan ahead for change, you contribute to children’s learning and well-being.” Makovichuk, Hewes, Lirette & Thomas, FLIGHT Framework, 2014, p.73

Transition Strategies

laurablakley — 2023-12-14 15:29:37 UTC

Using different types of transition strategies is not just to keep the transition fun and engaging (though that is important), it is also an equitable practice. We acknowledge different learning styles to support children’s engagement in transitions. Share the transition strategies you use during the movement to a new activity, relationship or place.

laurablakley — 2023-12-14 15:42:28 UTC

A responsive, inclusive environment gives children many ways to learn, express, and participate.

Think about how transitions can support a group with diverse linguistic and cultural backgrounds.

Behaviour expectations

juliamoore7 — 2024-01-03 16:14:08 UTC

This month we are going to explore behaviour expectations!

Children who understand the behavior expectations of the classroom are able to create community within the classroom; and understand that their participation in that community enhances or challenges it

Supporting children’s citizenship includes

helping them understand and contribute to the shared values and expectations of the classroom

We all come from different backgrounds where expectations and standards of how to treat each other in a shared space may differ.

Watch the following video for a humorous look at why it is so important to have shared behaviour expectations!

VIDEO: Seinfeld – The Chip Dip

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RfprRZQxWps

juliamoore7 — 2024-01-10 15:40:59 UTC

Learning requires inclusive and equitable environments where children work together and play within diverse groups, and engage in meaningful, respectful interactions with people, materials, and content that embody diversity

Makovichuk, Hewes, Lirette & Thomas, FLIGHT Framework, 2014, p.111

Fun ways to practice Behaviour Expectations

juliamoore7 — 2024-01-17 15:36:28 UTC

Memory Match

Print two sets of pictures/photos of your playroom expectations/rules; have children try to find matching pairs, labeling the expectation shown in the photo.

Role Play

Educators can act out different rules or expectations and have children guess which one it is. Educators could also role play not following rules or expectations and have children share ideas of what they could do differently.

Books

Read books about different rules and expectations, have conversations about what characters in the book might do instead, what might happen when the characters don’t follow expectations, and how the expectations might be the same or different as your real-life expectations.

Create a Learning Story

Educators can take pictures of children demonstrating different expectations and turn it into a learning story that is available on the bookshelf or posted up on a parent board.

Thumbs Up, Thumbs Down

Call out an action (e.g. “Alex pushes their friend on the slide”), and have children give thumbs up if it follows the expectations, or thumbs down if it doesn’t. Older children can specify which expectation it follows or doesn’t.

Resources

juliamoore7 — 2024-01-24 16:16:42 UTC

Your coach has a wealth of resources she can share with you, like this behaviour expectations scripted story: Great Expectations.

Let your coach know if you would like her to bring you a copy of this story, or feel free to download and print your own too!

juliamoore7 — 2024-01-30 19:49:54 UTC

Social Emotional Competencies

paulabowen2 — 2024-02-07 14:41:07 UTC

Through social emotional literacy, children acquire the skills to navigate situations they encounter that present challenges, allowing them to feel capable and competent as they grow.

We recognize that that not all children just “pick up” social and emotional skills, we need to spend time planning opportunities to teach, practice, and nurture social and emotional skills.

What are some of the activities you plan in your classroom to support emotional literacy?

paulabowen2 — 2024-02-16 18:16:20 UTC

Children learn to be responsible and responsive members of the community by showing sympathy and empathy for others; by giving help, comfort, encouragement, and valuing others contributions; respecting the materials, equipment, and spaces share with others.

Here is a short video explaining the differences between empathy and sympathy...

Social Skills and Emotional Competencies

laurablakley — 2024-03-06 16:21:13 UTC

How are children supported as they initiate and maintain relationships with each other and the adults in their everyday worlds? (C.F. PPP, pg. 113)

Considering the quote from the Flight Framework and the definition from Zero to Three - How do you intentionally support children to build relationships and friendships within the classroom? Strategies such as pairing children together, prompting to ask a friend for help, etc.

Problem Solving Activities

laurablakley — 2024-03-13 19:32:02 UTC

To help children be confident problem-solvers in the moment, we can create intentional opportunities, in a natural, play-based way, to practice problem-solving. In addition to supporting learning, these activities can feel less intimidating to practice finding solutions to everyday or pretend problems rather than social conflicts. The part of the brain that is active as a child solves an imaginary problem is the same part of the brain that is active when solving real-life problems.

Share the activities you intentionally plan to practice problem-solving with children.

laurablakley — 2024-03-21 20:51:50 UTC

Many stories involve situations that can be explored together with children. What stories do you read to children that provide an opportunity to practice solving problems?

Calming Strategies

laurablakley — 2024-03-21 21:13:19 UTC

Learning happens when children are calm and regulated. Here is a poster you can download and print. This poster speaks to the skills children have and the strategies to support them when they are having big emotions.

Equity Modeling

juliamoore7 — 2024-04-18 14:23:38 UTC

How do you model fairness, equity, and inclusive attitudes in the early childhood community?

(C.F. PPP, pg. 126)

Some ways to connect as a team both in and out of the classroom

juliamoore7 — 2024-04-24 15:35:27 UTC

Start each staff meeting with words of affirmation.

Include team-building into professional learning.

Create social event opportunities (e.g. pottery night, appies after a conference).

Learn each other’s unique strengths (e.g. inventories)
5-minute morning huddle in each room.

Honour educators’ strengths in the centre (e.g. an artist could have their work hung in the foyer; a knitter might create a blanket for the children’s cozy corner).

The image of the family that you hold influences your participation with families and communicates to children how their family is valued in early childhood communities. In what ways are family's social, and cultural practices reflected in routines of the day in your classroom?

paulabowen2 — 2024-05-22 19:10:10 UTC