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Summer 2003 NEWSLETTER
ACCREDITATION – RELECTING THE PRINCIPLES IN OUR PRACTICE
For most centres QIAS (Quality Improvement and Accreditation System) is a word on every ones mind, either completing self study reports or preparing for review by a reviewer.
The QIAS is a Commonwealth Government initiative linked to the funding of Child Care Benefit to centre based long day care. The QIAS is administrated by the National Childcare Accreditation Council Inc (NCAC). While there are voluntary accreditation systems for children’s services in other countries, the Australian QIAS is unique on an international scale as it is the first quality assurance program for child care services in the world to be linked to child care funding through legislation and to be funded and supported by a Federal Government.
The QIAS outlines 10 Quality Areas that are described by 35 Principles of quality practice.
We felt it appropriate to look at Quality Area 2 ~ Respect for children as we head towards end of year celebrations.
Quality Area 2 ~ Staff help each child feel valued, capable and interesting by demonstrating respect for the child’s skills and background.
Respectful and even-handed communication by staff shows children how to communicate effectively with others.
By experiencing respect, kindness, fairness, acceptance and empathy, children can develop and learn to express these qualities themselves.
By showing respect for children’s developing competence, adults promote each child’s ability to take calculated risks, to learn new things and to develop self-esteem.
Principle 2.1: Staff initiate and maintain communication with children, and their communication conveys respect and promotes equity.
Principle 2.2: Staff respect the diverse abilities and the social and cultural backgrounds of all children and accommodate the individual needs of each child.
Principle 2.3: Staff treat children equitably
Principle 2.4: Mealtimes are pleasant, culturally appropriate occasions and provide an environment for social learning and positive interactions.
How does this Quality Area relate to end of year celebrations?
The following article demonstrates how different cultures celebrate their beliefs and the importance of celebrating their festivals. We have presented a number of cultural celebrations that you can feel free to use at your own centres.
“Christmas: The Global Celebration”
Christmas is truly a global celebration! Although the traditions and foods associated with it vary with climate, culture, country -- even calendar -- the spirit of the day transcends all such differences.
While possibly the most “popular” Christian holiday, Christmas has also evolved into a secular celebration. Ironically fitting, since the eventual acceptance of Christianity in most societies required missionaries and church hierarchy to meld Christian practices with the pagan or other non Christian religious beliefs of the native people.
In
Northern Europe, pre-Christian symbols of spirit worship have become Yuletide
standards, such as the Christmas tree, mistletoe, holly, and ivy. Overindulgence
at the dinner table, stringing Christmas lights, ex-changing gifts, even
burning the Yule log are traditions that can be traced back to the ancient
Roman celebration of Saturnalia and various winter solstice rituals.
Even in societies where Christianity is not the dominant religious belief, Santa Claus has become the reason for the season.
Japan has celebrated Christmas since at least the 1930s and especially since World War II as a precursor to New Year celebrations. On Christmas Eve lovers treat each other to lavish gifts and children await Uncle Chimney. And there’s no problem cooking that big dinner. Parents have been known to wait for hours lined up outside the local Kentucky Fried Chicken franchise to buy a bucket of chicken for their eager children. (At the root of this practice is the perceived similarity between Colonel Sanders and jolly old St. Nick.) Add to this an even older culinary tradition of feasting on strawberry shortcake (topped with a plastic fir tree) and Christmas Japanese style takes on a meaning all its own.
Though
many of us paint Christmas in the snow-laden colours of Currier and Ives
prints, below the equator its summer. Christmas in Australia and South
Africa ranges from the fowl or roast front and centre in a dinner spread
out over a formal table to a casual picnic in the great outdoors. Nevertheless,
despite the temperate weather, Christmas trees, mistletoe, holly, and
European style gift giving accompany the festivities down under.
Zaire, Rumania, and Poland share a common Yuletide bond -- folk plays performed in villages around Christmas time. These performances all dramatize various aspects of the Christmas nativity story, complete with caricatures of Herod and his soldiers, the ever-popular tax collectors, the Wise Men, shepherds, sheep, camels, donkey, Mary, Joseph, and the infant Jesus.
Jamaica, as well as several other Caribbean islands and some African countries, favour such Christmas festivities as masquerade performances and parties. In Sierra Leone groups of school children march about town with their “devils” and stop at various points to present brief
12 to 15 minute performances, highlighted with devil dances. Less ominous than it appears, each group of boys and its respective Alikali Devil costume is sponsored and maintained throughout the year by local civic organisations.
In Venezuela, “devils” of a different kind fill the streets shortly after midnight on Christmas Eve. Hundreds of rollerskating teens fan out about their towns for an hour or so, finally making their way to church and a special early morning Christmas mass. Skating home, they find bountiful Christmas breakfasts waiting for them, featuring hallacas-cornmeal pastries filled with spicy meat, wrapped in banana leaves and boiled.
Food and feasting seem to be universal qualities of Christmas celebrations. Where the indigenous population of a country has been influenced by the introduction of Europeans, the Christmas feast centres around a roast. Historically for Europeans settled by conquering Roman armies, the roast was a pig -- the traditional meal used to celebrate the Roman feast of Saturnalia. As many of these European countries began settling the Americas, turkeys were imported, raised, and substituted for pork.
Countries of the southern hemisphere feature fresh fruits and vegetables at their Christmas feasts which are often communal. For while the north marks the winter solstice, in the Zulu homelands, Zimbabwe, and Peru the Christmas celebration overlaps the festivities associated with the summer harvest and the pre-Christian rituals of the native people. Leafy greens, young corn, fresh fruit, and ice cream often accompany to the roast, which is sometimes prepared whole on a spit when the feast is a village affair.
Adding further to this seeming calendar of confusion, no one knows the exact date of Christ’s birth, which, Santa Claus aside, is the basis for the Christmas celebration. For over 300 years it was a movable feast since early Christians tended to celebrate Christmas in conjunction with Hanukkah, attempting to mesh the old Julian and Hebrew calendars.
Hanukkah,
which means “dedication” and is also referred to as “The Festival of Lights”,
is a Jewish festival which begins on the Hebrew date of the 25th of Kislev
and lasts eight days, through the 2nd of Tevet. This year, that corresponds
to November 30th through December 7th. Hannukah commemorates the victory
of the Maccabees (led by Judah) over the Hellenistic Syrians in a revolt
that took place around 165 BCE (note: Jews use BCE–Before the Common Era
and CE–the Common Era instead of BC and AD).
The most important Hanukkah ritual is the candle lighting. Jews light candles in a special candleholder called a “menorah” or a “hanukkiah”. Each night, one more candle is added. The middle candle, called the “shamash”, is used to light each of the other candles and it is lit every night. Therefore, on the first night of Hanukkah, two candles are lit (the shamash and the candle for the first night) and on the last night, there are nine lit candles.
It is traditional to eat foods fried in oil during Hanukkah. Some common foods are potato latkes and “sufganiot” (jelly doughnuts).
Another
tradition is to play the “dreidel” game. A dreidel (or “sivivon”) is a
four-sided top. On each side is a different Hebrew letter. The dreidel
is used for a gambling game in which each letter represents a different
amount of money (or whatever...) won or lost.
Another common Hanukkah practice is giving gifts or “gelt” (money) to children. In Hebrew, “gelt” is called “d’mei Hanukkah”.
In Israel, Hanukkah is a very festive time. Schools are out for a week and there are lots of parties and special events around the country. We sing Hanukkah songs, eat lots of fattening food and have lots of fun!
Whatever the date or the practices associated with it, Christmas continues to be the most universally celebrated holiday around the globe, transcending language, culture, and even religious beliefs. Regardless of your reason to celebrate the season, we hope you find the spirit behind the holiday every day of the year!
A Merry Christmas to all:
Bosnia "Sretam Bozic, Hristos se rodi"
China "Sheng Tan Kuai Loh"
Croatia "Sretan Bozic"
France "Joyeux Noel"
Greece "Eftihismena Christougenna"
Germany "Frohliche Weihnachte"
Italy" Buon Natale"
India "Shub Christu Jayanti"
Japan "Merii Kurisumasu"
Macedonia "Streken Bozhik"
Malaysia "Selamat Hari Krimas"
Poland "Boze Narodzenie"
Spain "Feliz Navidad"
Ukraine "Veseloho Vam Rizdva"
Vietnam "Chuc mung Giang Sinh"
Moral Development: Knowing Right from Wrong
How do you give children feedback without sounding mean or nasty? How do you tell them how to improve without them getting defensive or angry? Is it possible to criticise children in a constructive manner? There is such a way and it is not a secret. Most parents learned how to parent from their own parents. And what they learned about communicating to children was probably inadequate. No fault of our parents really, they just passed on what they learned to us.
So
now it is time to break the chain of improper feedback. Here are some
quick steps to criticising children and have them thank you for it (well,
at least they won’t all mutiny on you!)
On the way to work one morning I witnessed a heart-warming event. A group of elementary school girls were running down the street, laughing out loud as only little girls can. At first, I thought it was just the innocent giddiness of young children. Then, I saw the girl running behind them. She was a larger girl, desperately trying to catch up, and yelling for them to stop. As I past them, I looked back in the rear-view mirror to catch one last glimpse of the cruel situation. To my surprise, I saw one of the girls who had been in the front, stopped on the sidewalk, waiting for the other girl to catch up. As a parent, I wanted that to have been my child, if a similar situation ever presented itself to them.
How do we teach children about right and wrong?
Where do they learn compassion, kindness, and other important morals? Are there practical ways for carers to shape children’s characters? Let’s take a look at the moral development of children.
The Moral Development of Children:
When people talk about moral development, they are referring to their conduct and attitude towards other people in society. They look to see if you and I follow societal norms, rules, and laws. In terms of children, we are describing their ability to distinguish right from wrong.
Two noteworthy individuals, Jean Piaget and Lawrence Kohlberg, studied the moral development of children. Piaget looked at how children develop moral reasoning. He found that young children have a much more primitive understanding of right and wrong behaviour than do older children.
“Whose Naughtier?”
Piaget determined that younger children judge bad behaviour by the amount of damage caused by a person’s behaviour. He would tell children a story with a moral dilemma. He would ask them to tell him “who is naughtier:” a boy who accidentally broke fifteen cups or a boy who breaks one cup trying to reach a jam jar when his mother is not around. Younger children attributed the “naughty” behaviour to the boy who broke the most cups regardless of the other child’s intent. This type of moral reasoning was called Objective Morality or Moral Realism. Older children attributed bad behaviour to the boy who broke only one cup because his motives were bad. This more advanced form of moral reasoning was called Subjective Morality or Autonomous Morality. Piaget did not feel that children fully achieved this stage of moral development before the ages of twelve or thirteen.
“What’s Right?”
Kohlberg carried Piaget’s work into adolescence and adulthood. He also told children moral dilemma stories but he would ask them to tell him what they thought would be the right thing to do. Their answers led him to the discovery of three levels of moral development with two stages each:
The first level is called Preconventional. During this level children are concerned with avoiding punishment (Stage 1: Punishment-Obedience) and getting one’s own needs met (Stage 2: Individualism). This level and its stages fit into the framework of young children, up to the age of ten years.
The second level is called Conventional. During this level children are more concerned with living up to the expectations of others (Stage 3: Interpersonal Conformity) and want to do the right thing because it is good for the group, family, or institution (Stage 4: Social System and Conscience). This level and its stages fit children over the age of ten years and on to adulthood.
The third level is called Postconventional. During this level individuals govern their behaviour by the relative values and opinions of the groups they live and interact with. Right behaviour is based on a “social contract” (Stage 5: Social Contract and Individual Rights) with others and in the validity of universal moral principles (Stage 6: Universal/Ethical Principles) which may or may not agree with societies laws. Laws that agree with universal moral principles are obeyed but when those laws violate these principles, the individual follows the principles instead.
Although many people have criticised Piaget and Kohlberg about their stages of moral development as being culturally biased, the questions remain: How do we teach children moral behaviour? Is it already hard wired into the child’s development and can be shaped and directed?
Nature and Nurture
Robert Coles, the author of the book “The Moral Intelligence of Children” states that character or moral development is an interaction between nature and nurture. It develops as a result of adult interaction, balanced guidance styles, and children’s own choices. Children learn about right from wrong from their earliest experiences. When they need nurturing or feeding and parents/carers fulfil that need without excessive indulgence, then children develop characters that accept rules and tolerate frustrations, later in life.
In
my own book, “Love and Limits: Achieving a Balance in Parenting” I discuss
the two sides of discipline and the need that children have for balance
between them. Too much love and a child becomes spoiled, expecting their
every want and need to be met regardless of other peoples wants and needs.
This causes children to be stuck in those early stages of moral development
based on selfish individualism. That’s fine for a two-year-old, tolerable
in a six-year-old, and obnoxious in a twelve-year-old or older. Too many
limits and the child develops a low sense of worth and a lack of self-control.
This usually results in an overly rebellious child or an unhealthy submissive
one.
Achieving this balance is difficult. But it is easier to do if discipline is viewed from the perspective point of moral development. We are not merely punishing wrong behaviour. We are shaping character. We are not simply setting limits. We are teaching how to distinguish right from wrong. It is easier to say “no” when I know that I am guiding children’s moral development and ultimately, his or her social success.
As the later stages of moral development reveal, children can make a choice not to follow societies rules or laws. Understanding moral development allows carers to assess children and have a better target for their individual development. It redefines our roles as carers and guides over the unpleasant tasks of police and judges. Hopefully, the end result is that children will be the one who will stop and wait for someone in need, regardless of what the crowd says he or she should do.
By Ron Huxley, the author of Love and Limits: Achieving a Balance in Parenting and the editor of Parentingtoolbox.com
Encouraging Reading and Writing
Words are everywhere. You can use this fact to help children get ready for reading.
Use the fact that children are interested in their own names. Let children see you write his name. Provide magnetic letters as part of your program planning for him to play with and spell his name. You may see the children point to the letters and say “That’s my letter!”
Talk about the words and letters you see every day. Point out stop signs or signs on familiar stores. Talk about the name on a box of cereal as you prepare breakfast.
Let children see you looking at books, magazines, and newspapers. When he sees you reading, he may try to copy you. These experiences teach children why we read and that reading is important. There are also many ways you can encourage writing. Here are some examples.
If children are playing house, give them paper and pencil to scribble a shopping list or take a message.
If they are making a fort outside, offer paper and crayons to scribble a “Do Not Enter” sign.
If you are outside, he can write in the dirt with a stick or on the sidewalk using chalk.
If he copies what you do every day, have paper and pencil or crayons for him to “write” a shopping list, a phone message, or a letter to a friend.
Remember, however, that writing develops over time. At this point, don’t worry if children scribble or makes letters backwards or upside down.
Think
Sun Smart
Children are a primary target group for SunSmart. With their sensitive skin, young children and babies are at particular risk of sunburn and the effects of overexposure to ultraviolet radiation or ‘UV’. Too much sun in childhood increases the risk of developing skin cancer later in life.
There are now 1310 SunSmart Centres in Victoria.
In an effort to ensure fewer Victorians get skin cancer in the future, SunSmart works closely with early childhood centres and pre-schools to promote the importance of sun protection and skin cancer prevention.
One of the ways we do this is via our SunSmart Early Childhood Program for pre-schools and childcare centres. Victorian centres which make an effort to provide sun protection can apply to have their commitment formally recognised by the Anti-Cancer Council of Victoria. Currently, half of all Victorian childcare centres and pre-schools are SunSmart.
Why become a SunSmart Centre?
Children are often in care during peak UV periods, at an age when they are most vulnerable to sun damage. By implementing a behavioural and educational campaign to reduce children’s exposure to the sun, centres can have a significant effect on sun exposure habits.
SunSmart Centres also protect staff and meet certain Occupational Health and Safety requirements.
Developing a sun protection policy can put your childcare centre or pre-school ahead of the rest. Don’t forget to promote the fact you are a SunSmart Centre to prospective new parents, as well as your existing centre community.
Developing a sun protection policy
SunSmart has resources to assist you in developing a policy. It is best to keep it simple - a one-page document is adequate, but it should contain the key elements outlined in the early childhood sample policy.
Pre-school management committees and all staff should be involved in policy development. Management of child care centres should also ensure that their staff participate in the process so that they understand the reasons for the policy and how it is to be implemented.
Once your policy has been developed, publicise it so that everyone is aware of its existence and content.
You should also monitor and evaluate your policy to check that strategies are being implemented and are achieving the intended outcomes and it is consistent with the latest Cancer Council Victoria recommendations. Consult with staff and parents and be prepared to make changes if necessary.
What to include:
Download our sample early childhood sun protection policy [pdf 48K] to get an idea of key policy elements. http://www.sunsmart.com.au/s/schools/ec_staff.htm
Staff and parents as role models
Children copy those around them and learn by imitation, so it is important that adults are SunSmart role models.
Staff should be requested to wear appropriate clothing, including broad-brimmed or legionnaire-style hats, and should always apply sunscreen. They should also seek shade whenever possible while outdoors.
Parents should also be encouraged to act as role models, particularly if involved in any outdoor activities at the centre.
Timing of outdoor activities
In Australia, ultraviolet radiation or ‘UV’ levels generally peak between 10 am and 3 pm. On average, about 60% of daily UV reaches us during this five-hour period. Remember that it is still possible to get sunburnt outside these times - it just takes longer.
While it is not always possible, try to schedule outdoor activities outside peak UV times. Well shaded areas should be used as an alternative.
Longer morning breaks are a great way to help to reduce the amount of time children and staff spend outside during peak UV periods.
If you are conducting a fundraising event such as a fete or fair, make it a SunSmart event. Contact SunSmart for a copy of our Outdoor Events Kit.
Teaching children how to protect their skin
Educating children about being SunSmart is very important. So consider including sun protection activities into your day to day activities.
SunSmart can provide you with lesson ideas, videos and class materials. An activity book developed especially for young children, Playing it safe in the sun, is available for purchase. Other resources are be purchased or borrowed from the Anti-Cancer Council of Victoria’s Resource Centre.
Dowload resource catalogue. [pdf 218K]
A poster and pamphlet designed especially for parents of young children are available.
SunSmart can also provide promotional items and Fact Sheets on a range of topics that can be used to reinforce the message in newsletters and bulletins. Items can be obtained free of charge from the Schools Program.
A Snippet from our recipe book...
Submitting a successful assessment
Materials:
Competency package/text book
Paper & pen / computer
Glass of water
Accessible telephone
Quiet place
enthusiasm
Procedure:
1.
Identify a suitable study time and place where you won’t be disrupted.
(it may only be 30 minutes of quality time to begin with.)
2. Prepare your self prior to your 30 minute study time by ensuring that you are prepared.(just like changing a babies nappy) that you have all the above mentioned materials.
3. Ensure that you read the competency package in its entirety prior to commencing any written assessment.
4. Read the assessment cover sheet accurately. (make sure that you complete the assessment that relates to your training program)
5. Re-read the assessment cover sheet again.
6. Always NAME and date your assessments. This is vital if you want your work assessed. (we have a number of unassessed/unnamed assessments)
7. Understand what the assessment is asking and follow the instructions.
* Please note that we believe we have developed the most effective way of completing any assessment. However if you feel that you would like to alter the presentation of the assessment, please feel free to contact a trainer.
8. Please telephone or email the trainer that has been assigned to the particular assessment to ask any questions.
9. Ensure that your assessment is clearly written and legible. (hand written work is acceptable as long as it is READABLE!)
10. Prior to submitting your assessment, it is recommended that you photocopy your assessment so that you have a copy in case you ever need to present your assessment again.
11. Make sure that you are sending your assessment to the correct address.
Well there you have it, a recipe for “Submitting a successful assessment”. Remember the key above all is enthusiasm and ask if you need help. Happy Studying!
Mem Fox’s Ten Read-Aloud Commandments
1.
Spend at least ten wildly happy minutes every single day reading aloud.
2. Read at least three stories a day: it may be the same story three times. Children need to hear a thousand stories before they learn to read!
3. Read aloud with animation. Listen to your own voice and don’t be dull, or flat, or boring. Hang loose and be loud, have fun and laugh a lot.
4. Read with joy and enjoyment: real enjoyment for yourself and great joy for the listeners.
5. Read the stories that the children love-over and over and over again, and always read in the same ‘tune’ for each book: i.e. with the same intonations on each page, each time.
6. Let children hear lots of language by talking to them constantly; or sing any old song that you can remember; or say nursery rhymes in a bouncy way; or be noisy together doing clapping games.
7. Look for rhyme, rhythm or repetition in books for young children, and make sure the books are short!
8. Play games with the things that you and the child can see on the page, such as finding the letters that start the child’s name and yours, remembering that it’s never work, it’s always a fabulous game.
9. Never ever teach reading, or get tense around books.
10. Read aloud every day because you just love being with your child, not because it’s the right thing to do.
Indications that you are involved in Early Childhood
A high proportion of affirmative answers is an indication that you are involved in early childhood.
Do you move your dinner partner’s glass away from the edge of the table?
Do you ask if anyone needs to go to the toilet as you enter the movies with a group of friends?
Do you say “I like the way you did that” to the mechanic who repairs your car?
Do you say “Are you sure you did your best?” to the mechanic who fails to repair your car?
Do you often sit on the floor even when a chair is available?
Do you sing the ABCs to yourself as you look up a number in the phone book?
Do you ask the quiet person at a party if he or she has anything to share with the group?
Do you encourage dinner guests to try a bit of everything on their plates if they want dessert?
Do you say ‘in two more sleeps’ or ‘on Thursday?’
Adapted from Anne Stonehouse - Babies need more than minding.
You know you’re a child care worker when...
...when
you really can make something out of nothing! nothing gets thrown out,
it can always ‘be used for something’. Also when it is your day off, you
are flicking through the T.V channels, there is nothing much on so you
are content with a children’s program!!
You go to a tupperware party and when they pass around the bowl of freebie you see a melon baller and think “This would be great as a fine motor activity scooping marbles out of water..” By the way I did use it for that and the children loved it...
You start singing the clean up song when your cleaning the house!! I just got caught doing that without even realising it!!..
As most of you would already be aware, One World has finally moved.
We are very excited about our new premises and the quality programs that we have been able to continue to provide to the children and families that attend our centre.
Our training offices have also expanded, to meet the huge demand of our training services.
Although our old address has been diverted to our current premises, and most books that you receive will already have our new details on them, below are all of our new details:
Training Office hours: 8:00am – 6:00pm
Residential address: 407-411 Thompson Road, North Geelong 3215
Postal Address: PO BOX 701, North Geelong Delivery Centre 3215
Fax No: 03 52 723 039
Phone No: 03 52 685 333
After hours No: 0425 774 274
Training email: training@oneworldforchildren.com.au
*Please note that the preferred location of sending assessments is to the Postal address or through email.
Practical solutions to practically every problem
Steffen
Saifer’s Practical Solutions to Practically every problem: The Early Childhood
Teacher’s Manual, reinforces what many of us have come to believe in the
early childhood industry. ie there are universal child care issues that
challenge all professionals in the demanding task of caring for young
children.
This Australian edition focuses on the 0-5 age group and presents ‘problems’ and ‘solutions’ in an Australian context. We have placed particular emphasis on the inclusion of references that are written by Australians or at least are easily accessible in Australia. The Australian edition is a valuable addition to any resource library.
As there are so many practical solutions in the book, we have chosen to publish for you in this edition of the training newsletter:
Won't Listen:
Follow the suggestions in this chapter to help children who seem to ignore other people, pay little attention to what others say to them, do not follow through on rules or directions, or seem to experience difficulty in focusing on the speaker.
Preventing the problem:
Remind yourself that young children have short memories, focus almost entirely on the here and now, and do not transfer information from one situation to another situation easily. Note that they need much repetition and practice before gaining a new skill or new information. If you can remember this, you will be more understanding.
Don’t expect your children to listen for prolonged periods of time.
Make listening times as active as possible by asking questions and giving the children useful things to do with their hands.
Most young children listen better when told something individually rather than as part of a group. Your undivided attention directed at a child tells her clearly that the information is meant for her; it makes the child feel important and helps her to attend. It is important for your face to be level with the child’s face and make eye contact. When individual attention is not possible, meet in very small groups with some individual follow-up.
When talking with children, remove distractions, such as extraneous noises and enticing toys.
If possible, back up your verbal information with something visual and with physical action. Most people (children especially) are visual learners, but everybody learns best by actually doing or practising the skill. For example, if you want your children to wash their hands properly, tell them how to do it while showing them. Then have them practice. As a reminder, post pictures above the sink showing proper hand washing.
Ask the children to repeat back to you, individually, the information they received. (expressing it verbally helps to set it in their minds.)
Use a great deal of variety in your voice. Change the pitch (high and low), speed, and volume often. When you need to make an important point use a slightly louder and faster voice or a lower and slower voice than you normally use.
Dealing with existing Problems:
If a child doesn’t listen, have her hearing tested because a physical problem may be the cause.
Some children can’t listen because they are overwhelmed by their feelings and emotions. They have too much anxiety. Be patient, nurturing, and supportive. In time the child’s anxiety will ease and it will be easier for her to pay attention.
Experiment with a variety of methods to get the child to attend. Different children have different learning styles. Some children may be able to listen at any time, while others may only be able to focus their attention in certain circumstances.
Ask the child to look at you before you talk.
Because some children listen better when touching something or using their hands, give the child something to hold when she has to listen.
Remember that some minor distractions, such as soft music or pictures to look at. (These, undoubtedly, are the ones who will grow up study with their stereos playing!)
Allow the child to lie down or change her position to be more comfortable. This can greatly improve listening skills for some children.
Try using a slightly louder voice, a quieter voice, or a slower voice to get the child’s attention.
Make physical contact with the child (a hand lightly on the shoulder) when talking to her.
Website Highlight - Workplace Learning Centre
We
at One World have been working to develop competencies that One World
training participants can complete online. The Workplace learning centre
as featured below is the hub of the online delivery competencies. There
are a number of projects that are offered that you can use as a resource
or actually complete the online assessments. The projects are password
protected to One World training participants, therefore you need to follow
the instructions to gain your password to activate the online training.
This is another way of delivering the training that participants would otherwise receive through competency packages. At this stage the areas covered online are:
- Interactions with Children
- Relationships with Families and Communities
- Foster Children’s Development
- Administration and Legal
- Programming
- Provide for Children’s Needs
Please feel free to browse the workplace learning centre and submit any feed back that you may have.
LOG BOOKS:
Well done to all training participants who have made a conscious effort to ensure that they have their log books at their centres at each on-the-job visit. Trainers have been most impressed with your efforts. THANK YOU and hopefully in the new year your efforts will be continued.
How Programs Guide Behaviour
Children need adults to guide them to help them learn what is acceptable behaviour and what is not. You have done this by responding to your baby’s needs consistently and lovingly. A baby whose basic needs are met feels comfortable and calm. This is the beginning of the development of self-control.
Continuing a Positive Approach
Quality
child care programs also take a positive approach to guiding behaviour
in ways that help your child develop inner controls. A child with self-discipline
is more likely to be successful in school and in life. A positive approach
to guiding behaviour means:
Taking steps to prevent dangerous behaviour (by, for example, covering electrical outlets)
Planning a schedule that includes plenty of outdoor time for children to be active
Redirecting a child climbing on a table to a safer place to climb
Having simple, positively stated rules and explaining them many times
Using “No” sparingly by making the environment safe for children to explore freely
Providing duplicates of favourite toys because it’s difficult for young children to share
Guiding children’s behaviour also includes helping them learn how to relate to others in positive ways. Caregivers do this when they model caring behaviours, encourage children to help each other, read stories about helping and caring for others, and help children to resolve problems as they occur.
Responding to Challenging Behaviours
In
even the best programs, you can expect outbreaks of crying, hitting, kicking,
temper tantrums, and possibly biting from time to time. Young children
have very strong feelings, and they don’t yet have the words to express
what they feel. Caregivers would respond to these challenging behaviours
in a positive way. For example, they would:
Maintain a calm atmosphere to reduce stress and tension
Ask themselves what the child might be feeling so they can figure out what is causing the behaviour
Minimise frustrations by having realistic expectations and planning activities that match what children can do at each stage of development
Give children choices and many opportunities to feel competent about their growing independence
Respond quickly when an incident occurs
If a situation comes up that involves individual children, then you should let parents know immediately. Then you can work together with parents to understand what happened and design an approach to address the individual child’s needs.
At One World, the child care staff take pride in providing programs that are challenging and stimulate children’s development in all areas. Planned experiences are presented in an aesthetically pleasing manner, to encourage children’s participation.
As a training participant you will learn how to ensure that the programs that you write or implement are age stage appropriate and aesthetically presented.
Take advantage and save yourself time
Why not send your assessments to us via e-mail?
It will save you time and your assessments will get to us promptly and safely. All trainers have direct email addresses, so you can send all assessments to individual trainers.
Individual addresses are:
carol@oneworldforchildren.com.au
michelle@oneworldforchildren.com.au
tammy@oneworldforchildren.com.au
val@oneworldforchildren.com.au
karla@oneworldforchildren.com.au
sue@oneworldforchildren.com.au
ange@oneworldforchildren.com.au
susan@oneworldforchildren.com.au
karyn@oneworldforchildren.com.au
Any administration queries may be made directly to Snez at:
snez@oneworldforchildren.com.au
First Aid Online
Life
International Training P/L was established in 1996 by Mr Craig Whatnall
to service the workplace training needs of Queensland’s corporate market.
From humble beginnings, we have now grown to become one of the largest
private providers of First Aid & Workplace Health & Safety training
in Australia.
We believe our success can be attributed to our level of customer focus and our ability to deliver succinct, timely advice and training in all aspects of Workplace Health & Safety.
FIRST AID NOW - CD – Rom, ICT, Multimedia Training
Life International Training P/L has produced FIRST AID NOW, the world’s first multimedia, nationally recognised, First Aid training course that incorporates both the instruction & assessment, on CD-Rom. “Online teaching, however, is more than just time-efficient and cost-efficient. It is more flexible than the classroom in that the student not getting the point right away can replay the material. The interactivity of online education, its facility for blending graphics and pictures with the spoken word, give it an advantage over the typical classroom. “ Peter F. Drucker.
FIRST AID NOW will dramatically enhance training alternatives. It allows companies and individuals a choice to complete their required training.
FIRST AID NOW applies text based theoretical assessment and established computerized parameters based upon key points undertaken during a face-to-face practical assessment. Using this ICT medium, the learners skills and knowledge are accurately assessed.
FIRST AID NOW will provide individuals and organisations access to nationally recognised training and certification, using their computer and the Internet.
Advantages of this model are:
FIRST AID NOW is price competitive – saving businesses hundreds of dollars! NO MORE CLASSROOM TRAINING!
FIRST AID NOW Senior First Aid certificate is only $110 per person.
FIRST AID NOW CPR is only $49 per person.
Oneworld is an agent for First Aid now. If you wish to complete your First Aid certificate on your computer, please contact us and we will make the necessary arrangements.
Our Trainees at Work and Play
Thank
you to all the staff and management at Gilly’s Early Learning Centre in
Caulfield, Melbourne. Gilly’s ELC have supported One World since 1999.
This photo features the Gilly’s team presenting One World with a delicious basket of chocolates.
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Childcare Services
One World For Children Pty Ltd
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Finalist in the Victorian Training Awards 2006 for Training Initiative of the Year: Online Advanced Diploma of Children's Services
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Highly Commended in the 2006 Victorian Community Services Health Industry Training Board's Innovation in Training and Assessment Award:Innovative Product
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Finalist in the 2006 Victorian Community Services Health Industry Training Board's Innovation in Training and Assessment Award: Recognising Competency RCC
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Winners of the 2003 Victorian Community Services Health Industry Training Board's Innovation in Training and Assessment Award: Innovative Training Product"
One
World For Children Pty Ltd