Understanding Behaviour - Biting

Early Childhood Therapist Advice on Biting  Video Link

• Developmentally normal - if occurring occasionally.
• 3 main causes: developmental issues, inability to express emotions, environment
• Above 3 years biting should decrease - children begin to develop impulse control, self-regulation skills
• Although it's a developmental behaviour adults react very emotionally to biting, we may need to change our expectations

Developmental Issues Include:

• Teething
• Oral motor skills
• Sensory exploration
• Cause and effect
• Need or want for more attention
• Desire to be autonomous

Inability to Express Emotions:

• Anger
• Excitement
• Fear
• Self-protection - someone is in their space
• Relieving tension/stress orally - like us adults eating, drinking to relieve stress

 Environment:

• Over or under stimulated
• Sensory overload
• Routines that aren't flexible

Prevention:

• Look at the environment: duplicate popular toys, toy options but not overwhelming, 
• Avoid over crowding 
• Oral motor-skills - different texture foods, crunchy, hard, cold etc
• Oral motor-skills blowing bubbles, windmill, wind instruments
• Wear a chew necklace
• Gross - motor skills exercises, brain break
• Transitions - have calming activities - sensory helps self-regulation, and exercise before transitions too
• Cause and effect toys activities
• Teach children to recognise when it might happen and how to respond. "Stop" Body language etc.

• Intervening - name the emotions, all the bodily responses to frustration, red face etc
• Attention seeking - lot's of positive attention when not biting, always attend the child who got bit first. Develop empathy by letting child help tend to child who got bit, ice, hug etc.
•  Be brief, serious, when correcting biting behaviour, eye level, name behaviour.
• Lots of repetition, modeling, co-regulating
• "Sorry" doesn't teach empathy, making amends, helping child who got bit does. 'Sorry' may teach them to just say sorry after their action to fix problem.

"You bit her and it hurt, now she is crying"

"Next time you need to say no, move away if you don't like her in your space"

• Resources - Teeth Are Not For Biting  - Best behaviour series
• Repetition, read same book a lot!

Link to Book

Link

• It's Never Right To Bite - Social Story - Teachers Pay Teachers 
• Teachable Transitions Rae Pica

Some children, however, have trouble developing language skills or have behavioral, emotional, or learning disabilities that stir up intense anxiety, fear, frustration, or anger. These strong emotions can erupt in a variety of aggressive behaviors, including biting, teasing, temper tantrums, and relentless whining. Once the source of such behavior is determined, parents and counselors can help these kids, and their reactions become less explosive.
By Beatrice Motamedi Healthy Day

It turns out that 25%-40% of boys and 10%-28% of girls aged 2-5 years are rated by their preschool teachers as having moderate to high levels of aggression. (You may be shocked to learn that 40% of adult violent behavior started before the individual was 8 years old.) For a child older than 3 years to be aggressive enough for parents or care providers to call for help is a significant problem which, if left unaddressed, can evolve into a lifetime of dysfunction.

Age 3 is a pivotal age, as aggression is normal and even expected before then. All infants bite once they cut teeth. Kids also experiment with their mouths: You may have had the surprise of cuddling a smiling 9- to 12-month-old just to have him sink his teeth into your shoulder. And both male and female 15- to 18-month-olds will knock over a peer to get a desired toy (instrumental aggression) without a thought.

But aggression that is intended to hurt others (hostile aggression) – not just to get something – should have peaked by age 2½ years and be on the decline by age 3. That means that 3-year-olds who are regarded as aggressive have not progressed as they should have. And before trying to send these young children off to a (difficult-to-access) mental health evaluation, you are in a key position to try to figure out why this is so

It is useful to think about the ways in which the following needs are not being met, rendering these kids so unable to cope.

• Sleep
• Noisy chaotic environment
• Nutrition
• Frustration, need for mastery

Not all kids are equally likely to react aggressively to overstimulating or chaotic environments, but note any kind of CNS impairment (such as autism spectrum disorders, lead poisoning, prenatal drug exposure, or even irregular temperament). These can set a child up for a less-robust ability to adapt. The most important condition to consider when a child is overly aggressive, however, is ADHD. More than 65% of children who go on to be diagnosed with oppositional defiant disorder (which often presents with early aggression) have ADHD. When symptoms of ADHD are significant, it is never too soon for a full evaluation and consideration of treatments.

First 1000 days

 LINK tedtalk  Deedee Yates - Nambia

• Can a strong start help us build a more equal society?
• Science of brain development is telling us
• Born with all our 100billion brain cells but connections between brain cells established in first years of life - synapsis.
• Newborn brain uses 97% energy that child takes, in 4 year old brain - 44%.
• Poor nutrition, lack of stimulation, violence = poorer health, lower success in school & life.

• Interventions work - above intervention closed the gap within 24months
• Home visits, nutrition packages, (home visits had most beneficial effect - parental interaction brain stimulation)

• Flexibility, plasticity and potential for growth at it's highest first 1000 days of life.
• Young infants respond the most to stong geometric shapes in black and white.
• We are biologically programmed to respond to our babies in positive way. 
• Kanohi ki te kanohi - baby talk universal. Ahuru mōwai - little paradise.
• Children need human face vs technology.
• Early investments/interventions most successful.
• Nutrition programmes, home visits with at-risk families, mothers' groups, preschools subsidised.

Childhood Anxiety NZ - Nathan Wallis Child Psychologist

 Link 1      Link 2   Childhood Anxiety an anxious world - Nathan Wallis Child Psychologist

• Case study of child diagnosed with selective mutism and social anxiety
• Calm quiet baby
• OK until school-age then expected to 'perform'
• School system too focused on cognitive/academic outcomes
• But we only attain these when we meet the needs of the 'lower brain' met
• Power of the 1st 1000s day interaction with environment grows brains 1,2,3 lower brain
• Frontal cortex top brain 4

• Strategy -ask children with anxiety "What's your worry rating?"
• Nature / Nurture - siblings within families will have inherited different predispositions towards anxiety from parents, life events can then be triggers to these children.

• Case study 2 - perfectionist but also gives up early
• Pulls hair out
• Traumatic start to life - earthquake
• Strategy "What's a great thing you did today?"

First 1000 days explained...

The brain is wiring and takes experiences from the first 1000s days and prepares for what it expects life to be like based on its initial experience.

Ahurumowai - "little paradise" young children kept close, safe, secure, feelings indulged keeps survival brain calm, able to bring online higher intelligence.

The 2 Brain Model

Bottom Brain

Limbix system development - early childhood social-emotional learning should be focus

Survival prime directive

only when safe, calm, and needs met can top brain kick in

Top Brain

Frontal Cortex development - kicks in 7 years higher learning

Responsible for - empathy, focus attention, frontal cortex - not in charge all the time 

Metacognition - understanding how we think,  research shows it's an important tool in teaching kids how we self regulate, take charge of our learning.

how we get back to our happy place

Learning Stories in Practice - Powerful Frameworks

NOTES:

Recognizing Powerful Frameworks - Learning Stories in Practice with Wendy Lee

• Framework - big picture vision learners/teachers/whānau understand.
• Essential to formative assessment.
• What does self-directed learning mean to me?
• Framework shapes assessment.
• Environment & emotional climate affects learners' ability to take next steps / risks.
• Formative assess = Learning stories assess across levels - zoom in on parts of the big picture.
• Example: Pattern making conversations/maths knowledge- knocking on window, music,
• Revisiting learning stories by learner and family is important, adds emotion.
• I need to make connections to whānau when writing; below what great models Ashlyn has had to develop her love of stories/books.

Te Whāriki Curriculum -  4 Principals

 

• Need to seek input from whānau when designing programme.
• Programmes should be unique/reflect local communities.

• Outcomes are broad to enable a holistic programme.

Who is the learner?
Learning dispositions = "Learning to Learn".
Child's interests = subject knowledge/working theories.

Learning Story Examples:

• Teacher takes a wide lens making connections to art, dance, music, drama, ICT, literacy.

• Courageous Attitude & Resilience are life skills. You are showing it now while in hospital and this disposition will help you in your life-long learning journey. 
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

                                             Pakiako - Learning Story 

Kaikōrero

• References kupu from last year
• Acknowledges learning from home - you added kupu to your kete over summer
• Recognising whanau commitment to reo Māori.

• Portfolios are literacy artifacts. 
• Introduces to concepts of print in a deeply personal emotive way.
• Research shows if children practise telling/retelling stories from a young age they are more likely to become competent readers. 
• Assessment Shapes Who and What We Are - Identities are shaped by what we value in our assessments

Kaitiaki - Exploring and Caring

• Identifies evolving dispositions using different examples - caring for and frog by making an enclosure and feeding tiger worms, though he ran away from the worms.
• Next step supporting learner to be brave on next occasion when feeding tiger worms this frames learner as, "about to become brave". Very specific personal next step.

Next Step Options:

• Gives child options

• Inquiry learning process

• Children have the right to be active participants in decisions in his/her learning

Why aren't all next-steps so specific? Teachers may become stuck on next steps and fail to recognise child's self direction. That's why we started using language like opportunities for etc.

Follow-up Story:

• Outlines what next-step choice the child made.

REFLECTION

What do we value the most in our centre's framework?

How do we acknowledge help construct a positive learner self / how do we strengthen identity?

Are we revisiting the learning stories / seeking parents' perspective?

Learning Stories in Practise - Wendy Lee

A colleague suggested looking at Educa Webinars. So I signed up for a series on Learning Stories which is a current focus of my professional learning - as I have recently started working as an ECE teacher and am wanting to get started writing meaningful learning stories.

Educa Webinars Link

Notes: 

Webinar Series by Wendy Lee based on book Learning Stories in Practise 
1990s Margarete Carr - came up with new form of assessment 'Learning Stories' as world first socio-cultural curriculum was developed here in Aotearoa NZ.

• Learning Stories  - personalized learning, progress over time, formative assessment.

NOTICE  -  RECOGNISE  -  RESPOND

• Notice - the story, the photos
• Recognise - teacher analysis what learning is happening
• Respond - future learning, next steps

• The story should make sense to teacher/whānau/learner
• Capturing the brilliance of a child
• Write with heart and wonder
• These stories last a lifetime

• What learning is happening? Connections to wider world, Maths, empathy, social/emotional development, creative expression.

What Makes A Powerful Story:

• Context, set the scene
• Focus on what is significant
• Audience in mind - directly to child or both family and child
• Variety - differing views of the world
• Over time - one day or several occasions observed

We must be careful to be in our learning best when we are around young learners. Especially those that admire us. Their heroes are the habits they will find most contagious.

LEARNING DISPOSITIONS

• Essential for life-long learner outcome of our ed system
• Attitudes
• Ways we respond
• acquired early
• motivation to explore world
• nurturing critical
• can be fostered, learned, taught
• Can be positive of negative
• Recognised in OECD countries
• Turns skills into action!
• 
  

STRANDS: Mana whenua/Belonging, Mana Atua/Well-Being, Mana Aoturoa/Exploration, Mana Reo/ Communication, Mana Tangata/ Participation Communication

DISPOSITIONS:

What are my 5 dispositions?

Curiosity towards world around us - engage in nature 

Empathy towards self others

CREATIVITY - Wonder / magic / joy in trying/learning something new/using body/playing

Helpfulness participation in real world context

Patience/focus/engagement

NOTICE  -  RECOGNISE  -  RESPOND -  RECORD  -  REVISIT  -  REVIEW

• You should be able to respond instantly vs long term planning
• Teachers more intuitive/responsive/spontaneous 'in the moment'
• Close the gap between notice - respond
• Portfolios help children recognise the learning journey they are on - Learning to learn!
• Write to the children and write from the heart!
• Use Educa forms to record, revisit, review etc

Additional Reading:

Sensory Play

Sensory Play for Children Link

Notes: Sensory Play For Children…. Why Is It Important?  By: Mel Ishkhanian

• Children gain information from the world around them from the moment they are born. They use innate reflexes to respond to external stimuli
• children’s earliest interactions with the resources we offer are creating the foundations for future learning.
• 
  
• As they touch and explore sensory objects, these young children are learning about texture, shape and the physical properties of these objects, classification, differentiation, spatial awareness.
• They develop the understanding that they have arms and legs to reach for and grab items that can then be placed in their mouths to determine if they are hard, soft, smooth or rough.
• They use repeated cause and effect as they practise and develop the ability to see, interpret information and then respond appropriately. As they practise these skills, their attempts at grabbing and holding objects become increasingly successful.
• Language development, vocab, descriptive language: cold, fluffy, smooth, soft, rough and hard all enable children to further differentiate between objects and materials.
• Sensory experiences are calming for children - positively impacts self-regulation.
• This state means that we do not become either over or under-stimulated by sensory input, feeling calm and ready to respond effectively to the world around us.
• Regardless of learning styles most children benefit from sensory experiences.
• We know that the more senses a child can use, the greater chance they have of being able to interpret, make sense of and retain information. 
• Clay/playdough: creative expression as well as trial and error, while also developing persistence to achieve the desired outcome. Younger children enjoy the calming sensation, while also building upon and developing their fine motor skills.

SENSORY SYSTEM =

1. Visual
2. Tactile
3. Auditory
4. Gustatory taste
5. Olfactory  smell
6. Vestibular motion balance located inner ear activated by movement of head, downward force of gravity.
7. Proprioceptive  body awareness force, push/pull

Ideas for sensory play:
Mirrors, lights, playdough/clay, sand water mud, natural objects, filling emptying containers, sound garden, objects that move.

Mana whenua - Te Paeroa-a-Toi Thames / Coromandel

Marutūahu = Ngāti Rongoū, Ngāti Tamaterā, Ngāti Whanaunga, Ngāti Maru and Ngāti Pāoa.

They are all located in the Hauraki region, and trace their descent from a common ancestor, Marutūahu. Marutūahu’s forebears came to New Zealand on the Tainui waka.
Te Ara Link

Hauraki itself means the north-west wind, which brought many raiding parties to the region
Coromandel Peninsula: Te Tara-o-te-Ika a Māui (the jagged barb of Māui’s fish), or Te Paeroa-a-Toi (Toi’s long mountain range)
Whitianga: Te Whitianga-a-Kupe (Kupe’s crossing)
Mercury Bay: Te Whanganui-a-Hei (the great harbour of Hei)

Hauraki Gulf: Tīkapa Moana (an allusion to ceremonies designed to protect Tainui and Te Arawa tribes, which took place at a small island off Cape Colville known as Tīkapa or Takapū, which means gannet).

Tikapa Moana - Firth of Thames
Waihou - river
Parawai - Thames

Covid 19 - Distance Teaching / Whānaungatanga / Professional Learning

https://learningfromhome.govt.nz/

Covid 19 Government Response - Learning From Home

 Homeschooling is Not the Same as Crisis Schooling - Link

Preschool Learning Apps Link


Educational Psychologist Nathan Wallis - Advice to families during lockdown. Resources put together by colleague Amina Davis.

Some of our whānau would have heard about one of New Zealand’s well-known educational expert NATHAN WALLIS or have been to his brain development seminars. We believe that his knowledge and research is invaluable and at this crucial time would benefit our whanau to connect with their family members.

A bit of background about him:

Nathan Wallis is an ex-university lecturer in human development and a specialist in neuroscience. He has a background as a child and family therapist, primary school and early childhood teacher. He has served in the past as lead trainer and board member for Brainwave Trust – which disseminates neuroscientific research findings.

Nathan is currently Managing Director of X Factor Education and works in New Zealand and Australia training professionals and parents in the application of neuroscience. As well as his own three children, Nathan has a history with, and a passion for foster children.

Here’s some of his YOUTUBE video links that maybe useful for your family during the COVID-19 LOCKDOWN. There’s also one of his Q & A links that may answer some of your questions.

Coping with kids at home during COVID-19https://www.facebook.com/nathanwallisxfactoreducation/videos/2801819516712042/

Q & A on child resilience
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D_2LIPgfFG0

COVID -19 Home school for parents PART 1
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l59Vi04u-3E

COVID-19 Home school for parents PART 2
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pstBmsG2eLk

How am I connecting with whānau and colleagues?

Creating online learning tool website for families with the purpose of sharing media content we use at the centre. Children can make home - school connections. Gives families ideas of educational content available online. TECEC - Online Learning website link

Communication with whānau through the Thames early Childhood Centre Facebook page. Sharing ideas for playbased / educational activities that families can do at home. Encouraging participation and interaction with our page. Also support and feedback to other colleagues providing learning content on our FB page. TECEC FB Page Link

Educa - contributing Learning Stories using Educa. Feedback from parents and colleagues. I have only begun to use Educa this year since starting at TECEC. I've used the opportunity of working from home to really familiarise myself with Educa and the Learning Story format of monitoring/reporting on learning progressions. I'm taking time to read the previous Learning Stories of our tamariki, thus understanding the interests and needs of my learners more. Extensive reading of learning stories written by my colleagues is helping upskill my knowledge of Te Whariki Principals, Learning Dispositions, Schema/Working Theories and stages/needs of my learners. Example of Learning Story Educa