Ashleigh Wade SLT: - LLI- Language and Learning Intervention

Ashleigh is the speech-language therapist for our school. This term Nicole Rebecca, Brenda and I were lucky enough to spend the day with her to have LLI (language and learning intervention) training based around Sharnee and her language needs. This was such a valuable day beginning with being put in the shoes of the children. It was great to think about how much is going on and to think again about how much I am talking. This is something really big that I have taken away from this, about me increasing wait time and thinking about my instructions to minimise the amount the students are having to listen to, comprehend and follow.
It also made me think that we need to use a lot more visuals for the students as well. The slide below is the presentation that Ashleigh went through with us.
Attached are photos of the plan we came up with for Sharnee on the day. It was beneficial for Nicole to be there as Sharnee is moving out to Nicole at the beginning of the new term. I do wish I had this LII at the beginning of the year or closer to when Sharnee started school not after one year when she was moving to a new class. However, I know this will be beneficial for lots of other students.

Belinda - Reading Recovery Teacher: Literacy Support

This term I worked with Belinda, as did all the Junior teachers, we were getting support to continue to help our struggling readers. Nicole, Joanne and I were particularly looking for help with our readers at red as we have a lot of students that are just moved to red because magenta is no longer valuable for them, rather than moving because they are ready. She gave some good ideas and now we are moving to reading one book over two days to really get our worth out of it and to work on some further word and alphabet work with the students.
I was very nervous before my lesson where Belinda observed, however once I got her feedback it made me feel really good about what I do.
There has only been little minor tweaks to what we were doing, but have seen gains already.

Reflection on criteria - Learning Focused Culture:

Reflection on criteria - Learning Focused Culture: Joanne, Nicole and I have worked together as a team to really create an environment that is rich, positive, collaborative and inclusive. We have lots of children's work displayed on the walls and have created different displays to help with their learning. We spent a very long time this term establishing deep level relationships with the students and making sure they all felt valued and special. We have created an environment where the students feel comfortable to take risks and accept challenges. We have ensured each child feels valued and are looking at all the cultures we have throughout the year and these are displayed on the wall and one is a focus each week to explore into. The students know that I have high expectations and they are learning to have them for themselves also. I have lots of fun with my students and feel it is super important to be like this to ensure trust, respect and the relationship is built right from day one.

The leadership team this year created a Setting up for Success document - That teachers needed to ensure they had in place by the end of the first term and then the Senior Leadership Team would come in and do an observation. I felt this was good and something we should have each year. My observation of my teaching was extremely good and had me feeling really proud of what I do and what we have achieved. Some quotes from my observer Andrew (Principal)

KWW Class Tree-Treaty

We have created a class tree-treaty. All students coloured in their hands to show they agree to the way we will be in the classroom.
This was a really cool activity- as Nicole, Joanne and I all had a vision of how we could do it and we collaborated all our ideas together and this is the final product. It is a great central focus point in our room and teaching space.

Learning Our Mihis

This term we have been focusing on learning our Mihi. We are starting with a brief Mihi for our younger learners.

I have modelled my Mihi to the students to show them what they can do when they are older.

This is the Mihi we are teaching our younger students

Karakia and Waiata

We start each day all together where we do the Karakia and Waiata daily.

KWW  - Kura Pounmau, Whakaute and Wawata end the day together where we do the end of the day Karakia. A different student leads this each day. 

Nathan Wallis - Responding to Trauma and the Human Brain

21 March

Nathan Wallis

The Human Brain and Responding to Trauma.

Naughty kids are the traumatised kids - usually sexual and domestic abuse)

Decade of the brain 1990’s

ECE Teachers have a huge impact on kids.

HUMAN BRAIN:

There are 4 brains in our brain:

• BRAIN 4= top of brain (frontal cortex). Brain 4 does everything we can do that dogs can’t! Think to yourself “can the dog do it?” e.g reading. Quite a high up level of intelligence and our highest form of thinking. Takes a lot to access this brain and we access this at different ages depending on a range of variables. It involves everything at school that involves higher intellect eg. empathy, controls emotions, understands consequences. Stuff that makes us nice people to be around. It’s not just about our genes but 50% relies on nurture too. We learn a lot in the first 1000 days of life that tells us a lot about what we are going to be like. How quickly we mature relies a lot on birth order. Males mature at age 22-32. Females  at age 18-24. If you are the first child born into a family AND the first girl it is likely you will reach adulthood at age 18, later born girls would be age 24. First born boys in a family would reach adulthood age 22, later born age 32. How quickly you reach milestones depends on gender and birth order. Interesting to think about in a school sense. 23 girl might have her shit together as she’s technically been an ‘adult’ for 5 years. Whereas a 23 year old male second born is only halfway through adolescence, not reaching adulthood til 32.... Can’t compare by ages.
• BRAIN 3= Emotional brain. Limbic system. We begin accessing this brain between ages 2-8. This is why ECE curriculums are social and emotional.
• BRAIN 2= Sports brain (movement brain). Starts around 12 months.
• BRAIN 1= Survival brain (brain stem) attachment. We learn this from birth.

The human brain is moulded by the environment in encounters ( the first 1000 days is vital)

Quantity!! The number of words spoken to a child between 0-1ys has a huge impact on a child's life. The early years propels brain growth.

If needs haven’t been met in brain 1, 2 and 3 we can’t expect students to do anything to do with brain 4.

Brain number 4 has lots of complexity

Brain #1 - survival brain - flight or fight

Brain #2 - movement brain - cerebrum

Brain #3 - Limbic system - Emotions

Brain # 4 - Regresses in traumatic situations as brain #1 takes over.

Brain #4 - thinking and learning

Brain #1 - survival

To be using your cortex your brainstem needs to be CALM.

Balance picture: cortex needs to be online - survival wins everytime.

Calming  your brain stem is important - we have to calm brain #1 - need to slow it down.

Calming strategies: We need to look after ourselves in order to look after others.

Lisa: littlemusicplay.com

• Take time to calm ourselves and slow down.

Mindfulness activity - to look after our own wellbeing

Activity on the floor- it is important to ground ourselves.

LOVE (infront hands) LIGHT (above hands) HAPPINESS (side hands)

You have to go from the bottom to the top:

Brain #1 - #2 - #3 - #4

Validate = Reflect back the emotion - shows that they have been heard. #3 “I’m not surprised you were scared….

Follow with positivity - wasn’t it good how…

Brain #1 Calm with Mindfulness

RELATIONSHIPS - Is the most important thing. It is how they handle and manage the stress.

The quality of relationship with teacher, secure relationship, reinforce relationship

Brain #2 -

• Rhythmic Pattern
• Routine of the classroom
• Singing
• Rhythmic games

Brain #1 - 0-6 months

Brain #2 - 6-18 months

Brain #3 - 18-2 yrs

Brain #1 - Relationship and mindfulness (attachment)

Brain #2 - Rhyming games and  structure/routines

Brain #3 - Feeling brain (comes online first) (emotion)

Brain #4 - Thinking brain (cognitive)

ECE Curriculum - aimed at the mybric system focussed on social and emotional

The more free play before 7 - ‘child led’

The better the outcomes for the learner. They can be affected by high anxiety, we don't want to skip Brain #3!.

Teach literacy once they turn 7.

Responding to Trauma:

• Emotional brain first - Validate their feelings/emotions.
• Model the resilience - show that your are brave and show positivity.

Validate and model with a statement that shows resilience

Brainstem takes over - cortex goes offline.

• Relationship
• Rhythm and routine
• Positivity

Tell them what they should of done instead.

25% of the brain pictures what is spoken. E.g. Don’t stand on a chair

Step #1 - Calm the brain stem - in a way that is meaningful for the child.

If you go straight to step 3 it won’t work.

Be aware of the individual difference of calming the brainstem- use your relationship with them - you know what works for them, run?walk?hug?

Step #2 - Validate the emotions!

As a child is 90% emotion

An adult is 90% logic

You need to validate their emotions it shows that they have been listened to/heard. Don;t go straight to cognitive training.

DO steps 1 and 2 - ‘see what happens’

-calm down activity

Reflect back their emotion e.g you must of been angry

You need to give twice as much emotional validation to the advice you are giving.

KIds needs lots of validation!

Step #3 Cognitive training - Empower with what the social skill is that was needed. Tell what to to do -  what not to do

Endorphins  - Engage the cortex and calm the brainstem

The more endorphins you have the better you can deal with trauma.

Endorphins makes you happy :D

Top three endorphin releases into your brain are:

1. Singing - floods your brain, regulates your breathing, opens lungs, sends a clear message that you can’t be in survival mode.
2. Laughter/Humour - Bring lots of laughter into the classroom! There is a perception that laughing means of task but that is not true.
3. Physical Exercise/movement - enough to change your mindset e.g, small walk.

The best characteristics of teachers that change your life/most memorable ones are teachers that have HUMOUR and INTEGRITY!

Music - USe your voice - connect with our voice, music is the first universal language

Music is important in terms of mindfulness practices. Be singing, mindful and connecting.

Music in the morning that is going to calm you -create an environment in your classroom.

Movement- simple as stretching

Change your mindset/bloodset - simple as walking to mailbox, laying down with feet up

Talking - talk about how we are feeling and express it.

Grounding stone - physical act of holding it can really ground you.sensory input and calmness from touching it.  

Scared kids aren't interested in learning they need to calm down. (get to know your stone)

Emotions don;t understand time.

Love Kindful mindfulness:

Starts with us/me/you

Calm place with breathing

1. May I be well (clap)
2. May I be happy (hands up)
3. May I be peaceful (hands together)
4. May I be loved (hug)
5. Self care - love to friend/family -someone we don’t know that well, confrontal person, allbeings, connect back into you.

Teachers work bloody hard! But in CHCH A teacher has so many social and emotional needs from the earthquakes to the shootings.

What has stood out for me??

The importance of Validating their emotions!!!!

The mindfulness activities to use to calm myself I see as being a powerful tool to help me destress!!