Every early childhood professional needs a ‘tool kit’ of resources, ideas, theories and creative innovative ideas to springboard our professional capabilities and skills to new heights. Aim to be the best you can be. Kids College teaches children though our intentional teaching  by providing many different leaning opportunities. We are deliberate and, purposeful , and thoughtful in our decisions and actins to provide children with the right opportunities for them.

Our learning journey over the years has included embracing so many new and bold initiatives. I wish we had forever to tell you about them all. In brief we have been involved and are still using and improving various tools both resources, theorists, educationand ideas. Here are some of our exciting initiatives, in no particular order.

SIGN LANGUAGE

We have been involved AUSLAN developedsign language as a second language in all our learning programs. Sign language gives us a tool to bridge the gap in communication between small children and adults. Sign language is learnt cooperatively by the children and the adults together and enables us to understand their messages through the combination of gestures, tone, facial expressions coupled with signs. Sign language has also proven to increase early language development and sets the base for verbal skills which has led to stronger early language skills. This deeper understanding leads to greater attachment bonds with our precious littlest babies. We update our sign language training at least every two years. We use resources form Baby sign language kit, signing stars and AUSLAN Key word signing.

TODDLER BE GOOD

Toddler be good is a series of books designed to assist children to learn everyday skills. It is a set of four books with three puppet characters. The books include toilet training, manners, brushing teeth and packing away. We use these books to augment programming around these important topics. We have had a lot of positive feedback from families thanking us for our assistance in helping their children understand these topics.

KIMOCHI

Kids College use the Kimochi’s resource which has proven a valuable addition to our programme. Kimochi’s are a set of characters which come with characteristics and feelings. They come with a big set of emoticon like mini teddies each with their own emotion depicted which children use to identify and label their feelings.Kimochi’shelp children learn to identify, express their feelings and practice communicating feelings in positive ways. The guide creates opportunities to learn social skills, friendship skills, empathy, respect and tolerance, conflict resolution; independence and resilience and behavior self regulation.  When children are able to express themselves, they cultivate confidence, self-esteem and character. Kimochi means ‘feelings’ in Japanese.

We have used the Kimochi’s to create an optimistic, caring environment where our children feel included and valued. Children are encouraged to manage life’s challenges by choosing to be respectful, responsible, resilient and compassionate.

PALS

Playing and learning to socialise (PALS)teaches social skills in a systematic and through way with the aid of puppet characters Anna the kangaroo who is a young child, Jack the koala who is a young child and Kate the kookaburra their teacher. When children are able to perform social skills well they develop positive relationships with other children and adults, learn to mange conflict and they learn to express their own feelings. As a result they develop a strong sense of self-esteem and self-confidence. The skills expressly taught are:-

1. Greeting others
2. Talking turns: talking and listening
3. Taking turns at playing
4. Sharing
5. Asking for help
6. Identifying feelings
7. Empathy
8. Overcoming fear and anxiety
9. Managing frustration
10. Calming down and speaking up

DUNSTAN BABY LANGUAGE 

Dunstan baby language explains five universal words (or sound reflexes) used by infants to communicate. Understanding how babies try to communicate reinforces attachment and security between baby and adults who are better able to meet baby’s needs and develop secure and trusting bonds. Sounds we can identify through Dunstan baby sounds include:-

Neh (I’m hungry), Owh (I’m sleepy), Heh (I’m experiencing discomfort), Eairh (I have lower gas) and Eh (I need to be burped).

CONNECTIONS

We have used the ‘Connections” resources to guide and support children’s mental health and wellbeing. Positive mental health in early childhood is considered critical for children’s wellbeing and development in the present (being) and it has important implications for their future (becoming).The first few years are critical for attachment and responding to children’s needs in a consistent and timely manner lays the foundations for brain structures to develop. This highlights the need for adults to provide children with high quality education and care. The benefits of positive mental health in the early years extend far beyond the present day and will impact on individuals and communities for many years. Providing a strong foundation in developing the skills, values and behaviours will results in those individuals attaining and retaining employment in the future; ability to gain higher level of education; gainfully employed long term; and the skills to build healthy relationships to participate in the community.

KIDS MATTER

Connections is closely aligned with KidsMatter. We are looking forward to further development in the area of mental health issues and are planning including the KidsMatterEarly childhood programme. Connections allows us KidsMatter is a framework that educators can use to help them focus on areas which make a difference to children’s mental health and wellbeing and provides a range of resources to use. We are in the process of adding KidsMatter to our teaching tool kit.

HAPPY FEET FITNESSS

We are working with families who have requested happy Feet Fitness at our centre. Happy feet provide fun interactive themed adventure classes and pride themselves on delivering educational content, creative movement and social development skills that will last a lifetime.

SLEEP MANAGEMENT

Ngala sleep management. This interactive session that was run at Kids College provided staff with the opportunity to explore the underlying issues that affect sleep.It offers a deeper understanding of the impact of brain development and attachment on infants’ and children’s sleep. Case studies and group discussion highlight sleep and settling strategies from a strengths-based, outcomes-focused perspective.

BUILDING BRAINS 

We have learnt the importance of attachments theory through the ‘Building brains’ resources. Building brains has demonstrated how children’s brains begin developing before birth and how this development is encouraged through nurturing and responsive relationships in the early years. We have learnt to translate theoretical knowledge into practical examples. These ideas highlight the importance of everyday experiences that affect and grow brain connections. The significance of early influences on brain through play, nurturing and positive relationships strengthens the brain connections and is at the heart of our interactions with our children.

YOGA

We have used yogain our classrooms to benefit both children and our staff team. Yoga means to unify and to direct one’s attention. The practice of yoga teaches us how to use our attention to hold our breath, our bodies and our minds and enhances visualization techniques. Yoga focuses on breathing, moving and focusing attention. This visualization is and integral part of forming mental images and through visualisation we can affect our inner state and ability to accomplish goals. Yoga is used as a tool for calming our minds and learning the ability to focus and visualize our dreams.

SDERA

We work with SDERA Resilience Challenges and Choices resource.  Challenges and Choices is designed to assist teachers who want to program resilience, drug education and road safety activities. There is a Teacher Resource book, CD of music  and stories, CDRom with slideshows for some of the five focus areas.

Learning experiences in the Teacher Resource are grouped into five focus areas:

Focus Area 1 Resilience and wellbeing

Focus Area 2 Drug education

Focus Area 3 Passenger safety

Focus Area 4 Pedestrian safety

Focus Area 5 Safety on wheels

A range of effective teaching and learning strategies are used to engage students in the content of each focus area.

WELCOME TO KIDS COLLEGE BOOK

We have developed a Welcoming our families to Kids College Childcare Centre book. This book serves to introduce our service to families to assist in understanding the wonderful benefits of becoming part of the Kids College family. It is depicted in photos that make it understandable for all members of the family and to non English speaking families

KIDS COLLEGE TO SPRINGFIELD PRIMARY SCHOOL BOOK

We have developed a Kids College to Springfield Primary bookto assist our children with their transition to big school. It is made up of comparisons that link what happens at Kids College with what happens at Springfield Primary school. We have used this format in the spirit of ‘we are all different but we are all the same’ to show there will be differences when the children adjust to school life but it is not scary and we have more similarities and the children can visualize the process. We have taken photos depicting Kids College and Springfield so that children and families can take some time to look at the book to prepare them for the next step.

MUSIC MAGIC

Music Magic is a valuable resource for educators, students, parents and carers in providing fun and enriching musical experiences for young children. Educators, including those with very little musical experience, are provided with practical support and detailed instructions for sharing music confidently and effectively with young children.

Music Magic has been designed with the understanding that while some educators have some background in music, many may have had little experience of music making. Music Magic has been developed to assist educators at all levels of musical experience.

Music Magic is a flexible music resource which can be used in a variety of ways. It is organised into groups of songs and games focusing on seven fundamental musical concepts. The educator and the children explore the concepts together and these are brought alive through musical play involving games, singing, movement, playing and improvising on instruments, and conducting. The songs and games encourage active listening and participation for groups and for the individual child. Music Magic is an essential aid to an emergent curriculum.

Each chapter in Music Magic is structured to provide you, the educator, with everything you need to explore each concept and to support you, whatever your musical experience. The Presentation Support section in each chapter provides detailed and practical support. It can be used as a guide when presenting the new songs and games to the children, outlines how the games can be played, and can be used as an ideas and materials resource for the more experienced educator.

The songs in Music Magic include folk songs from different cultures, often with adaptations, and composed songs. They have been recorded for the CD in a deliberately simple, clear style to demonstrate various ways to sing them, and have a pitch range appropriate for the young child. The CD makes the songs easy for the educator to learn and it can also be used during musical play. It is designed to give support to the educator and the children, rather than to be relied upon as a substitute.

Developing each child’s listening skills is the essential key to all beneficial music play. Through such play, each child is encouraged to listen and respond to the sounds around him or her with increasing awareness and attention. The games provide lots of opportunities for variation and development, enabling the educator to experiment, to be flexible, and free to respond spontaneously to the children’s creative ideas. Each child will and enjoyable challenges to suit his or her own learning level.

Children love to make music and will willingly welcome all your efforts to involve them in musical play. Together you and the children can have a lot of fun making music a wonderful, magical part of daily life.

AUBURN MONTESSORI SCHOOL IN AMERICA

We have also worked with Auburn Montessori school in New Hampshire in America. We have sent them a care box of Australian items and a small book that shows them how Kids College works all across the sea in Australia. I visited this school two years ago and we have struck up a pen pal type relationship. We developed this book to show how we are all different but we are all the same.

BABY MASSAGE

• Baby massage

Reduces crying time.

Various research studies on infant massage have shown that there is a significant reduction in overall crying time with infants and toddlers who receive massage.

Improves sleep and regulates sleep patterns.

Massage increases serotonin levels and regulates melatonin secretion rhythms which helps regulate sleep patterns.

Ideal for pre-term infants.

Research has shown that infants receiving touch therapy and massage gain weight faster and are discharged earlier than other infants.

Enhances emotions and improves mood.

Massage increases dopamine levels which are believed to play an important role in regulating anger, aggression, temperature, mood and appetite in addition to other body functions.

Improves wind, colic, reflux and constipation.

Massage stimulates elimination of waste from the body, can relieve abdominal wind within minutes and speeds a natural process of the nervous system which can assist with reflux.

Relieves sinus and chest congestion.

Massage helps promote adequate drainage of the sinuses and excess mucus on the chest.

Boosts immune system.

Research shows that infant massage can positively influence physiological processes and improve immune function.

Reduces stress hormone levels in children and their parents.

Known as “the stress hormone” cortisol is released during times of stress. Prolonged high levels of cortisol can reduce immunity, impair cognitive performance, and reduce bone density and muscle tissue. Massage measurably decreases cortisol levels in both children and their parents allowing blood pressure, heart rate, digestive functioning and hormonal levels to return to their normal state.

Early diagnosis of potential health issues.

Parents who massage their infant each day are more likely to notice changes in their child’s physical condition, which may go unnoticed longer with infants who are not receiving massage.

• Reduces symptoms of Eczema.
• A UK study showed significant improvement in eczema symptoms with the introduction of massage by parents in addition, Infant Massage Instructors have seen improvement first hand with many babies at infant massage classes.
• Enhances coordination.

Studies have shown infant massage improves left/right brain communication which has been suggested to improve intelligence

1-2-3 MAGIC AND EMOTION COACHING

1-2-3 Magic and Emotion Coaching is based on two underlying perspectives on parenting: first, that children can be taught to respond more flexibly when they are frustrated or upset and second, that parents and carers can be taught easy-to-use skills they can use at particular parenting moments.

The professional training includes role play, group discussion, worksheets and videos. This one-day course equips professionals with the knowledge to teach parents the program over three sessions and/or how to teach the tenets of the program in a few one-to-one clinical sessions

Each participant receives professional practitioner training resources including a manual, slideshow and session-by-session guidelines to facilitate parent meetings.

Lesson Framework

• An overview of discipline approaches in contemporary Australia.
• Coverage of contemporary thinking in child development, particularly the differences between adult and children’s cognitive abilities.
• Sorting behaviours: what’s involved and the implications for how parents will respond.
• Common mistakes in addressing misbehaviour, particularly the problem with too much talk and too much emotion.
• Processes of pattern-establishment and change: how negative reinforcement works, the characteristics of patterns, how to interrupt patterns and extinction bursts
• Response flexibility in parents and carers: knowing how to avoid getting ‘hooked’ by children’s negative emotions.
• Choosing your strategy – the three choices:
 do nothing, 
emotion coach 
or use 1-2-3 Magic.
• Using 123 Magic: what it’s used for and what it’s not used for, how it’s done properly
, how to implement it at home, how to avoid the two biggest mistakes of parenting.
• Developing response flexibility in children:
 emotion coaching and cognitive strategies teachers can teach children.

Encouraging start behaviours – 20 tips for encouraging wanted behaviour.

TALK LESS LISTEN MORE

Talk Less Listen More is a program of easy to use techniques can be taught to all staff, resulting in a consistent approach to help children develop more self-control and to respond more flexibly to frustrates and upsets.

The program draws from attachment theory (how relationships can influence behaviour) and social- learning theory (how children can be taught by those around them about how to self-regulate).

Talk Less Listen More methods-based learning is simple, effective and easy to apply in an early years setting.

Lesson Framework

• An overview of discipline approaches in contemporary Australia.
• Coverage of contemporary thinking in early childhood development, particularly the differences between adult and children’s cognitive abilities.
• Sorting behaviours: what’s involved and the implications for how early years educators will respond.
• Common mistakes in addressing misbehaviour, particularly the problem with too much talk and too much emotion.
• Processes of pattern-establishment and change: how negative reinforcement works, the characteristics of patterns, how to interrupt patterns and extinction bursts.
• Response flexibility in early years educators: knowing how to avoid getting ‘hooked’ by children’s negative emotions.
• Choosing your strategy – the three choices: do nothing, emotion coach or use
• Talk Less Listen More.

Using Talk Less Listen More: what it’s used for and what it’s not used for, how it’s done properly, how to implement it at your centre, how to avoid the two biggest mistakes.

KIDS N MUSIC

Kids ‘n’ Music composes fun and funky instructional songs designed for early childhood – with a focus on early intervention. Original and upbeat songs that reinforce the therapy concepts set in place by speech therapists, occupational therapists, physiotherapists, psychologists, kinesiologists and yoga teachers.

REFLECT, RESPECT, RELATE

We have used the ‘Respect, Reflect and “Relate’resource of observation scales to measure our outcomes. The observation scales are designed to assess the overall quality of relationships and the learning environment and overall levels of children’s involvement and wellbeing rather than serving as an assessment of individual children or educators.  This gives us the perfect way of actually measuring the quality of our early childhood setting.  ‘Each of these four variables can be measured using the signals and indicators provided in the Observation Scales, and the resulting scores can be used as an overall measure of quality.’

WELLNESS 

Our social emotional focus extends to our staffing team and families. We play a big role in becoming partners with families and joining them in our shared role of education and care for their beautiful children. We have developed a wellness handbookthat focuses on us as adults taking care of ourselves. I have developed a wellness book for our staff team based on ‘The Good New Habits” which was originally written by Ian G. Vickers, Assistant Principal, Sancta Maria College, Flat Bush, Auckland, New Zealand. More information can be found at teacherwellbeingglobal@gmail.comAn example of the book would include suggestions to drink water, take a long bath with candles, treat yourself to your favourite dinner and to practice a brief meditation as a start to your day. Particularly working in early childhood education the ability to remain calm and to be teaching from a ‘full cup’ would be very important to everyone.

RULER APPROACH

The RULER approach was developed at the Yale Centre for Emotional Intelligence located in New Haven Connecticut. They foster the emotional intelligence of all students and adults in the community. Their approach leads to measurable improvements in emotional skills, effectiveness and well-being. ‘By developing each individual ‘s emotional intelligence, we transform organizations making hem happier, healthier, more compassionate and significantly more effective’. Kids College are proud to be the only childcare in Australian and the second in the world to be welcoming the RULER approach.

KIDS COLLEGE TEACHING FRENCH THROUGH THE ELLA PROGRAM

Kids College has been accepted into the ELLA digital language learning program for French with our 4 Year Kindy Imagineers class! We applied a while ago and are very happy to say we have been accepted for 2019 to teach French. We chose French as our schools we feed into, Springfield and St Marks also teach French and we have a few of our lovely families who speak French.

ELLA is an exciting digital language learning program for Kindy children. It opens up a world of cultural possibilities for children early in life.

Language learning improves memory, concentration and critical-thinking skills. Using the ELLA apps increases children’s digital skills, too.

ELLA also creates opportunities to celebrate culture and diversity, to share home languages, and to strengthen links between families and preschool services.

Kids College Philosophy

‘We believe that each child has the right to a happy, safe, secure and educationally focused childhood. We provide loving care to our children as well as a commitment to providing the best quality educational experiences.’

NQS

1.2.1 Intentional Teaching. Educators are deliberate, purposeful, and thoughtful in their decisions and actions.

KIDS COLLEGE FAMILY

At Kids College we work each day embedding our values and philosophy into each facet of what we do. We continually improve our practices by critically reflecting and engaging in meaningful relationships with our community and for this we need your support and input. Make sure to follow Kids College Childcare on facebook, watch for our regular emails and keep an eye on our Kids College website. Share in our vision of creating the very best childcare where children experience love, laughter and learning every day. You can reach us on Jennifer@kidscollege.com.au