Category Archives: Teacher notes

Week #10 October 20 -October 24 Planning Activities

Dear Parents here is our   ” Learning possibilities plans”   for the week #10

October 20    -October   24    in Room 5.

If you have questions, please ask us any time!

Learning possibilities Planning Sheet Week # 10

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B5_QLR0YVLVOaG01UlRxdmV2M2c/view?usp=sharing

Outdoor Environment Planning Sheet

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B5_QLR0YVLVOWHR3UldYNXpJZk0/view?usp=sharing

 

Classroom Environment Update ” Alaska” a place to re-center.

 

Our Brand New

Alaska

“Social Emotional Corner”

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Chill-Out Corner: A PositiveTool for Learning Emotional Self Regulation

How to teach children self-regulation and how to remain calm at times of temper tantrums is something that is very important to many parents and teachers.

The basic idea is that it will help diffuse situations before they escalate into chaos. Even if this doesn’t happen often young children can get overwhelmed by big emotions in their tiny bodies, whether its frustration or anger or sadness and this provides them an appropriate outlet for these because we all know big emotions can escalate into yelling, shouting, name calling, lashing out, tantrums and even physical attacks which we do not want.

Here are some of things that our visitors to Alaska can use to have privacy time , or a place just to be calm and re-center.

We have included in :

1. Music: Calming music is a good stress release that aides in relaxation.
2. Colours: Blues, Greens, Purples and Greys are said to be calming colours. Notice they are all on the cool side of the colour spectrum. Light and neutral colours that aren’t overwhelming and will help calm the soul are great to have in your calming space
3. Sense of Smell: Lavender has long been known to aide in stress relief.
4. Sensory Tactile Objects: These objects require focus and attention and have been used in calming activities with children for a long time.
5. Deep Breathing: Most children don’t know how to calm their body down and self-regulate so they need to be taught this skill. Asking them to close their eyes and take deep breathes can help but for younger children there are fun little activities that can help that require deep breathes. Tell them to take a big breath before entering the chill out corner and to use their breath in pinwheels, balloons, soft whistles and bubble blowers.
6. Reading, Drawing and Art Therapy about feelings: This gives a child the opportunity to distinguish their feelings through pictures and discuss how they might feel without directly talking about it. Art therapy is often used with older children to release negative energy and express inner feelings but for younger children just doing a big hard scribble can be a great release, ask them to draw how they feel and see what they come up with. Whether it is a picture a scribble or a bunch of hard lines doesn’t matter as long as they feel they can openly let out how they feel in an appropriate way. The idea is that it is OK to feel angry or upset, emotions are normal but what you do with them is even more important.

7. Ripping and Scrunching appropriate Objects: If it is strong emotions relating to aggression, frustration and opposition that a child experiences we can provide them with safe objects to take their feelings out on. Ripping and tearing up paper or scrunching it releases physical stress and can give the child a sense of control that they feel angry and are allowed to show it but not projected onto their self or others.

 

Will our Alaska Corner work for our class community ?

The idea of our ” Alaska corner ” is that children can go there when they need to calm down or when we can see they’re getting worked up or not coping with strong emotions. Once they do this and feel calmed down there is opportunity to discuss what happened and what helped improve the situation. This tool is a form of prevention and an opportunity to learn how to self-regulate, it is not a form of punishment or a ‘Naughty Corner’.
The other concept of our ” Alaska corner ” that it’s for adults too. It is important to set a good example, children learn by observation and imitation so if they see that everyone, even adults get agitated and frustrated and that its ok to to find a place to calm down or “re-center” they will follow what they see. For that reason, we encourage parents in using ” Alaska corner” philosophy at home too, if in need to re-center and calm down create drawings, play soft music ,make deep breaths or play with the meditation balls.

 

 

Understanding the importance of self-regulation for preschoolers

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What is self-regulation?

Self-regulation requires a child to develop the ability to manage his emotions and control bodily functions as well as maintain focus and attention .Children develop at different rates in all of the developmental domains and this is true for self-regulation also. Since self-regulation is a complex process that allows children to control their attention, thoughts, emotions and behaviors, it warrants intentional planning on the part of the teachers.
Children develop and learn different strategies based on different emotions. For example, a toddler may crawl into the lap of a caregiver seeking comfort when a toy she was playing with was taken away by a peer, or a 3 year old may carry a stuffed rabbit around for 15 minutes after his mother leaves him at child care in the morning. Individual differences, including temperament, and the ability to control reactions are important in understanding self-regulation.
Why is the ability to self-regulate important?
Ellen Galinsky (2010), author of the book Mind in the Making, found self-regulation essential for success in school, work, and life. The critical window for self-regulation takes place from birth to age five when children develop the foundational skills for self-regulation. During this time, adults are helping children to build the necessary skills that are critical to regulate thinking and behavior.
As children enter kindergarten, good self-regulation includes focused attention, the ability to stay on task, ignore distractions, inhibit impulsivity, plan one’s actions, reflect on one’s thinking and cooperate and demonstrate empathy to peers. Other skills include turn taking, following directions the first time given and communicating thoughts and needs verbally (Bodrova & Leong, 2008).

 

How do children learn to self-regulate?

Modeling

Modeling is where the role of the preschool teacher is very important as she is continuously modeling self-regulation skills for young children throughout the day in her classroom. Children need opportunities to learn and practice these new skills during the day with peers and adults.

Teachers can model appropriate responses by participating in conversations with children and facilitating peer-to-peer support when conflict arises. When teachers provide structure and predictability throughout the daily schedule, it helps children self-regulate because they learn and understand what to expect. Teachers also model for young children as they remind them, “You can have a turn when he is finished.” By recognizing when children use effective self-regulation strategies on their own, preschool teachers reinforce each child’s developing self-regulation skills. Consequently, children recognize successful strategies and the situations in which they took place (Kolestelink et al., 2009).

Realistic expectations

By having appropriate and realistic expectations for young children’s behavior, teachers help children develop self-regulation gradually over time. Defining age-appropriate limits helps a child know what is expected of him. Teachers need to examine their current strategies to determine if their practices reflect realistic expectations regarding young children’s self-regulation skills. For example, can children be allowed to maintain a position on the floor during circle time that is comfortable to them instead of asking them to cross their legs a certain way? Teachers might discover that shortening the length of time a child spends in whole group activities such as circle time is more appropriate for that child. Allowing children to be active participants during circle time instead of passive observers is a realistic expectation for young children that teachers may permit. Teachers must also be mindful of adaptations that may help individual children be more successful at self-regulating (e.g., holding a fidget toy or looking at a personal copy of the book during circle time).

Scaffolding

Scaffolding for young children assists them to develop self-regulation. Teachers must acknowledge where the child is performing and provide the necessary level of support to allow the child to be successful (Florez, 2011). By using how and why questions, teachers are also able to facilitate children’s critical thinking skills and provide opportunities for the development of self-regulation. Classroom teachers can provide hints and prompts to assist children in self-regulation. This support may take the form of answering a question, assisting them in completing an activity, or providing words for a child’s action. A teacher may model self-talk to demonstrate the use of “talking things out” to help make a decision. Suggesting a child observe a peer when she has managed her strong emotions in a positive way is another example of modeling. For example, a teacher might say, “Did you see how Jane waited her turn to show us her bunny even though she was so excited and wanted to go first? Waiting is hard work sometimes!” Helping a child learn additional techniques such as deep breathing when he is angry during a situation can also assist him with learning how to self-regulate.

The Classroom Environment

The classroom environment can provide many opportunities for children to practice self-regulation. A classic example is when a child’s first choice for a learning center is full. He must decide to go somewhere else or negotiate with another child to have a turn at the center. In the scenario at the beginning of this article, the teacher may have seen different results if she had used one or more of the following teaching strategies:

Display a visual reminder to let each child know how many children are allowed in the center. Create a check-in system to denote when the center is full.
Display a visual timer to help children know how much longer they have to wait.
Facilitate a child’s engagement in another center by asking him about his other interests.

By using one or more of these strategies, the chances of a child’s becoming upset can be reduced and his repertoire of strategies for self-regulation can be increased.

When dramatic play materials are provided, children can negotiate roles in their play, plan and cooperate with peers, and have opportunities for social interactions with multiple peers (Epstein, 2009). Teachers may also use visual supports in the classroom to remind children what self-regulation skills are needed at times throughout the daily schedule (e.g., pictures of turn taking, gentle hands, using inside voices). Visual supports such as a picture schedule/calendar serve an additional purpose of assisting children in knowing what their day will look like.

When do teachers withdraw support?

It is critical for teachers to understand how and when to fade the support individual children need. Teachers withdraw their level of support as children no longer need prompting to self-regulate. At this point, children are able to internalize and self-regulation takes place without the support of a teacher or a more competent peer.
What type of self-regulation is most challenging for children?

Learning to self-regulate is different for each child. For example, the child with sensory processing difficulties or a short attention span may experience more challenges with self-regulation. Children with limited language skills may have difficulty communicating and will need help with emotional self-regulation if they become easily frustrated when they are not understood by their peers. The teacher’s role is to assist children with strengthening their self-regulation skills.
Conclusion

Understanding that each child may need a different level of support with their physical, emotional and behavioral regulation is critical for teachers to assist with developing a child’s skills. By intentional planning, reflecting, and attending to the classroom environment, teachers can develop and implement the necessary strategies to assist children with developing their self-regulation skills.

References

Blair, C. (2009). Self-regulation and school readiness. The International Child and Youth Care Network. Retrieved from http://www.cyc-net.org/cyc-online/cyconline-oct2009-blair.html

Bodrova, E. & Leong, D. (2007). Tools of the mind: The Vygotskian approach to early childhood education.(2nd ed..) Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education, Inc.

Bodrova, E., & Leong, D. (2008). Developing self-regulation in kindergarten; can we keep all the crickets in the basket? Retrieved from www.naeyc.org/files/yc/file/200803/BTJ_Primary_Interest.pdf

Epstein, A. (2009). Me, you, us: Social-emotional learning in preschool. Ypsilanti, MI: HighScope.

Florez, I. (2011). Developing young children’s self-regulation through everyday experiences. Young Children, 66 (4),46-51.

Galinsky, E. (2010). Mind in the making. New York, NY: HarperCollins .

Gillespie, L. G., & Seibel, N. (2006). Self-regulation: A cornerstone of early childhood development. Beyond the journal: Young Children on the web. http://journal.naeyc.org/btj/200607/Gillespie709BTJ.pdf

Kolstelnik, M., Whirren, A., Soderman. A., & Gregory, K. (2009). Guiding children’s social development and learning (6th ed.). Clifton Park, NY: Delmar.

Riley, D., San Juan, R., Klinker, J., & Ramminger, A. (2008). Social and emotional development: Connecting science and practice in early childhood settings. St. Paul, MN: Redleaf Press.

Season’s Celebrations Policy

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Dear Parents of Room 5 :

We have sent out our Second  October   Edition E-Newsletter to Room 5 families that signed up .  The Topic was ” Season’s Celebrations Policy ”. For more information  ,you will find details in Parent handbook.

http://www.miracosta.edu/instruction/childdevelopmentcenter/parenthandbook.html#holidays

Thank you!  We are looking forward to sending you all updates and want to be sure that you receive them.

Week #9 October 13 -October 17 Planning Activities

Dear Parents here is our   ” Learning possibilities plans”   for the week #9

October 13    -October 17     in Room 5.

If you have questions, please ask us any time!

Learning possibilities Planning Sheet Week # 9

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B5_QLR0YVLVOOXFCQ3A2dk9EbDQ/view?usp=sharing

Outdoor Environment Planning Sheet

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B5_QLR0YVLVOam5iSlZvX0lqZ00/view?usp=sharing

 

Shoe Basket policy – Shoe Parking Lot

Shoe Parking Lot

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We are very excited to share with you are new Shoe Parking lot in Room 5. This is a new shoe policy strategy to balance our shoe basket policy. We have observer our children are eager to find ways to practice their classroom expectations, especially: “We are Responsible”.

We notice that our children enjoy taking their shoes off to use all their senses to explore, in some occasions we could not find right away their shoes in the basket , in other occasions they place them in their cubby and at the end of the day some children will be scavenger hunting their shoes.

These are some of the reasons that gave life to our new “Shoe Parking Lot”.

Where is it located? It is under the cubbies, so please watch your step when coming close to the signing book.
How does our Shoe Parking Lot work?
Our children, while indoors if they choose to take off their shoes, they will place them in the shoe parking lot.

Before we go outside children will choose to put their shoes on or take them outside to place in the shoe basket.
During our outdoor time children will have access to the shoe basket in case they need to place their shoes on to use the bikes, scooters or will like to put their shoes back on.

If our children have their shoes loose in the shoe basket before we go back in the classroom at the end of the day , they will grab them, walk in the classroom and place them in the Shoe parking lot and walk to our carpet area for our dismissal circle.

This way when parents come in for pick up, children will have their shoes accessible to take them. We do encourage parents to promote the children be the ones to pick up their shoes from the Shoe Parking Lot and give the child a type of acknowledgment of the sense of how responsible the child is being.
We appreciate all the support our parents give to our class community. Please enjoy the sneak preview pictures

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Week #8 October 06-October 10 Planning Activities

Dear Parents here is our   ” Learning possibilities plans”   for the week #8

October 06-October 10   in Room 5.

If you have questions, please ask us any time!

Learning possibilities Planning Sheet Week # 8

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B5_QLR0YVLVORmUxem53VFpCcDQ/view?usp=sharing

Outdoor Environment Planning Sheet

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B5_QLR0YVLVOV2htdENpRTFwY28/view?usp=sharing

Room 5 Extended Care Cubbies and Procedure

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Dear Parents from Room 5 :

 
In collaboration with teaching staff from Room 4, we have created a New and Improved extended care procedures we will like to share with you.

We moved our extended care cubbies  and Lunch Basket by Room 4.This is to help children transition smoother to nap.

On top of our cubbies we have our Soft Napping Friend Parking Lot.This is intended to help keep all  the items together.Inside the basket there is tape and pens or markers to keep all items label and safe.

All of these procedures are in place to create a greater engaging place for our children to grow.

For more information about Extended Care Cubbies and Procedures ,you will find details in our class Newsletters.

Newsletters: Today we sent out  our first October Edition from Room 5 for our families that signed up .

Thank you! We are looking forward to sending you all updates and want to be sure that you receive them.

Week #7 – September 29- October 03 Planning Activities

Dear Parents here is our   ” Learning possibilities plans”   for the week #7

September 29- October 03   in Room 5.

If you have questions, please ask us any time!

Learning possibilities Planning Sheet Week # 7

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B5_QLR0YVLVOUkR4SVc2aFFmdkU/edit?usp=sharing

Outdoor Environment Planning Sheet

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B5_QLR0YVLVOcmtPamxpUG4zTWs/edit?usp=sharing

 

Week #6 – September 22- September 26 Planning Activities

Dear Parents here is our   ” Learning possibilities plans”   for the week #6

September 22- September 26   in Room 5.

If you have questions, please ask us any time!

Learning possibilities Planning Sheet Week # 6

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B5_QLR0YVLVOMk1tLVFnNUplajQ/edit?usp=sharing

Outdoor Environment Planning Sheet

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B5_QLR0YVLVOaWRxdlZ1WllnUTg/edit?usp=sharing