Teach Play Guide - Supporting Diverse Learners

💗

📷 DrBradJohnson

I am very against using behaviour charte and I agree so very much with this!

Make Better Choices (with Missing The Mark)

It’s a common feature of the primary school classroom. The behaviour chart on the wall, with children’s names on pegs. Children are moved from the sun to the clouds, or from green to red if their behaviour isn’t what is required by their teacher. The language usually goes from celebratory ‘Star Student!’ to condemnatory ‘Poor Choices’ or ‘No Playtime’.

It's in public. The whole class can see who is doing well and who is struggling. The internet is full of versions of these charts to buy, and the advertising copy is all perky positivity. ‘Keep Your Students on Track!’ or ‘Help Your Class Make Good Choices!’. They look so cheerful in their bright colours, so harmless. Who could object? And they work! Children want to stay on the green zone because it feels so bad when they are moved.

Until you talk to the parent of a child who struggles. They’ll tell you about the way in which everyone in their class knows who is on the raincloud, and that no matter how hard their child tries, they just can’t keep still all day. They’ll tell you how their child is known as the ‘bad’ one, and the other children don’t want to play with them. They’ll tell you of developmentally inappropriate expectations, and of the way in which these charts put all the blame on the children.

They’ll tell you of the way in which the chart takes no account of the way that their child is dealing with friendship difficulties and family illness, and instead frame their actions as a ‘poor choice’. The behaviour charts stop us asking whether perhaps the way in which we require children to sit and listen at school isn’t a natural way for young humans to learn. They stop us seeing their behaviour as communication or feedback. It’s reduced to something to control.

These charts use public shaming to foster compliance. They use fear and anxiety – even the children who are always on the Sun lie awake at night, scared that one day they will fall from grace, and everyone will know. That’s how they work. Children ‘behave’ because they are scared of the consequences if they don’t.

It’s Children’s Mental Health week. Perhaps as a psychologist you might expect me to be using it to call for better funding for CAMHS, for a counsellor in every school. Perhaps you think I might be calling for more therapists to be trained and more wellbeing hubs. Instead, I’m calling for a mass take down of behaviour charts.

Psychologists will never have the same impact on mental health as changing the way we treat our children. We could have a psychologist on every street corner, but their job is to intervene when things have gone wrong. Far more efficient is to change the environment which is making children distressed. Think of it like lung cancer. We could have the best oncologists in the world, but all they can do is treat people who are already ill. To reduce levels of lung cancer, we needed a smoking ban.

We’re using shame and anxiety to control children’s behaviour, thinly disguised in bright colours and ‘Ready to Learn!’. It should be no surprise that many of them are unhappy and anxious. In fact, perhaps we should be more surprised if they weren’t. It’s in the very air that they breathe and we, the adults, are putting it there.

They’re breathing it in like smoke.

My issue with compliance-based methods.

You have assumed that my kid has made an intentional choice to not do the thing. You have assumed that they are entirely capable of doing the thing in this moment, but they have chosen not to. Based on this reasoning, all my kid needs is more rewards offered and more consequences given. Then they will learn to make the ‘right choice’, and just do the thing.

This is so incorrect.
As Dr Ross Greene says, kids do well if they can.

My kid WILL do the thing WHEN HE CAN.

When he doesn’t, it’s probably because he’s too dysregulated.
It’s probably because he has absolutely no mental energy left.
It could be because he’s had to mask hard all day and he’s got nothing left to give.
It could be because he can’t access his executive function skills in this moment.
It could be because he’s not ok inside.
It could be because he is too sad.
It could be because he is a perfectionist and doesn’t think he can do the thing perfectly right this minute.
It could be because his head is pounding from massive sensory overload.
It could be anxiety.
It could be because he has learnt that mistakes are punished here.
It could be that he is minutes away from shutting down.

It could be all these things.
When my kid doesn’t do the thing, it is because he can’t- not because he won’t.

Do not make the mistake of thinking that my kid just isn’t trying hard enough.

He tries so much harder than you will ever know.

Em 🌈
AuDHD SLP

It has not been an easy decision to make but it is time for Teach. Play. Guide. to go into hibernation for a few years while I prioritise my family and our needs.

Although I will be pressing the pause button on providing supports, I am still here and always happy to chat and provide informal supports.

Next year I am heading back into the classroom part time and focusing on my boys, Raffael & Sammy.

Wishing each and everyone of you a relaxed end of year and a beautiful 2023.

Much love and thanks,
Jo

WHY SOME KIDS FALL BEHIND WITH EXECUTIVE FUNCTIONING

How to determine if your child is behind and what may be the cause of delays with organization and regulations.

https://www.graceunderpressure.blog/2017/10/16/what-is-my-childs-executive-function-age/

IS THERE A RIGHT ORDER TO TEACH MY CHILD THEIR LETTERS?

Here's how and why you can teach letter recognition in a specific order.

https://www.howweelearn.com/teaching-letter-recognition-what-order-to-introduce-letters/

What are your thoughts? Would love to hear the parent/teacher/ES/therapy perspective on this!

(Check the comments on the article if you are interested)

Georgina moved her boys from mainstream to special schools. The effect was 'enormous' Georgina Moodie knows how difficult it can be to find the right school for a child with disability. As a single parent of two boys, she has twice decided their education "wasn't working".

Opinions?

For me it is ankylosaurus & Quetzalcoatlus 🤓

Thanks Bushwalking Mama for starting an important conversation 🤣

And in case you're wondering, it's a Styracosaurus

Hi Friends!

Maternity leave is officially over and I’m currently taking expressions of interest for tutoring, behaviour support, NDIS planning support, vocational training and advocacy for school-age children.

Currently I’m only taking clients from the Bayside and South-Eastern suburbs, apologies to our friends in the West and North.

Please feel free to send me an email with any queries you have - [email protected]

🙂 Jo

"Because treating people fairly often means treating them differently.

Image: Four people with different needs, who wish to cycle.

Panel 1: 'Equality' Four identical bicycles - only one of the people can cycle comfortably.

Panel 2: 'Equity' Four different bicycles, adapted to the needs of each person - now all four can cycle comfortably.

Calystarose

"Because treating people fairly often means treating them differently.

AloneInDarknes7

"This is something that I teach my students during the first week of school and they understand it. Eight year olds can understand this and all it costs is a box of band-aids.

"I have each students pretend they got hurt and need a band-aid. Children love band-aids. I ask the first one where they are hurt. If he says his finger, I put the band-aid on his finger. Then I ask the second one where they are hurt. No matter what that child says, I put the band-aid on their finger exactly like the first child. I keep doing that through the whole class. No matter where they say their pretend injury is, I do the same thing I did with the first one.

"After they all have band-aids in the same spot, I ask if that actually helped any of them other than the first child. I say, “Well, I helped all of you the same! You all have one band-aid!” And they’ll try to get me to understand that they were hurt somewhere else. I act like I’m just now understanding it. Then I explain, “There might be moments this year where some of you get different things because you need them differently, just like you needed a band-aid in a different spot.”

"If at any time any of my students ask why one student has a different assignment, or gets taken out of the class for a subject, or gets another teacher to come in and help them throughout the year, I remind my students of the band-aids they got at the start of the school year and they stop complaining. That’s why eight year olds can understand equity."

momo-de-avis.

"I remember reading somewhere once “we should be speaking of equity instead of equality” and that is a principle that applies here me thinks."

Yes!!

Your opinion?

Teach Play Guide - Supporting Diverse Learners updated their address.

Start a new tradition with your kiddos and support this amazing local business. Covid has hit all of us sole traders hard and Elisha at Blue Roan Studio has been working so hard through it all.

PS - Such a great opportunity for those AAC users to create something meaningful and fun! 🎅🏼

📮 Letters to Santa 🎅🏽
A one-of-a-kind journal that honours the tradition of writing a letter to Santa… but with a twist!

With eight letter templates inside, your little one can write their special letter to Santa using the prompted sections.

Then one night in the lead up to Christmas, leave your book out for Santa’s elves to find. They will take the book back to the North Pole so Santa can leave his reply in the envelope inside. A beautiful keepsake tradition you’ll be glad you started 💌🎅🏽

I almost forgot it was Father's Day here next weekend!
If you need an easy, Father's Day activity you can find this printable here - https://picklebums.com/worlds-best-dad-printable-fathers-day-writing-activity/
And an inclusive version (You are the best!) that works for Grandparents and other awesome people in your child's life here - https://picklebums.com/you-are-the-best/

How is your lockdown going? 🤦🏻‍♀️😅 Ours is at “Softplay indoor tent” level. There is a toddler in there somewhere...

Tune in LIVE on Thursday 19 August at 10am AEST for ! 👍

Learn the basics of Australian sign language with Yellow Wiggle, Emma Watkins, and Auslan consultant, Sue Jo Wright. We'll also meet Australian Reptile Park's Animal of the Day.

Watch on Facebook: https://bit.ly/3gv7wBh or on the hub: https://education.nsw.gov.au/parents-learning-at-home

These.Do.Not.Work.

(and say it louder for the people in the back!)

Does this apply to you?

Attwood house Community Centre is helping people in our community apply for the $250 Power Saving Bonus.

This is a one-off payment to help you with the cost of living. To be eligible, someone in your household must have a pensioner concession card or receive JobSeeker, Austudy, Abstudy or Youth Allowance.

Contact Attwood House Community Centre via DM or phone 9302 2643 to have a chat further or visit https://www.nhvic.org.au/power-saving-bonus-outreach-program.

We are her assist any households who think they may be eligible to apply!

Hello to all my lovely clients and followers! 👋🏼

From today I am officially 37 weeks pregnant (with an 18 month old as well!) and also officially on leave until baby arrives and we all settle in to our new normal. 👩🏻🧔🏻👶🏻👦🏻 🐶 💕

If you have any pressing matters I can still be reached via email, however wait times for reply will understandably be longer than usual.

Once things have settled I will open my books again and contact those on my waiting list to set up services.

Mums are just incredible! They do so much, and we can never thank them enough.

Here’s a printable card you can use to tell her how much you love her with Key Word Sign.

Print out the page, fold it in half to make a card, and decorate the front with your own unique artwork. Practice the signs ahead of time and read it out to her this Sunday! It will absolutely make her day.

(P.S. Dads, aunties, siblings, teachers – get the kids on board and teach them the signs to make Mum really happy this Mother’s Day!)

The PDF download is available on our website https://kwsa.com.au/mothers-day/

General Members – There's a handout with sign descriptions available for you on the Members website now!

Interested in becoming a General Member? You will have access to resource sets including colours, animals, school signs, nursery rhymes and more! Sign up here: https://shop.scopeaust.org.au/shop/kwsa-general-membership/

This times a thousand!!

Now more than ever.

So helpful!!

Allison Fors - Speech Therapy!