I always have a big heart whenever I encounter suspected special needs cases. I do not believe in SEN diagnosis all the time. Some teachers label the children as SEN to make it convenient to escape from responsibility, so people won't see their failure as a teacher. In these years of teaching, i've fought to save a few of them. It put me in trouble, but it's ok. I guess it comes with my stubborn nature. I just have to prove not all diagnosed SEN are indeed SEN.
Most of the time, teachers fail to do background checks. Their judgment relied merely on what is seen by them. Sometimes, people forget that there are children that are merely slow... not so bright. However, nothing's really wrong with them. There are some who appears to be SEN, they look like one, but they are apparently normal children not behaving like one due to some harsh medications.
However, should SEN children be given special treatment in an inclusive classroom? Should we just allow them to do whatever they want because they cannot control their emotions? I don't think so.
I think a set of rules with visuals should be available to teach them the classroom rules. Talking to them gently works all the time. They need to get busy. They need more activities to keep them engaged. Just like any normal children, SEN misbehave when bored. Short learning activities work with them. Now comes the question of its feasibility in an inclusive classroom.
Thursday, 20 January 2011
Tuesday, 18 January 2011
Leadership... leadership...
Last year, I talked about whole school approach. This year, I want to talk about leadership. Good teachers with poor managers equals to poor quality. is this true? I guess so.
Being the head teacher of a school requires knowledge and expertise, not just about the school's operation and your area of teaching, but personnel management as well. Sounds simple? Not really.
Communication is a must in any company. Managers should know how to make good use of the different channels of communication (emails, notice boards, etc.) and not take the weakness of their subordinates as an excuse for not using them.
Lastly, the school top management should evaluate and scrutinize the staff's capability and qualifications before promoting them. What do you think?
Being the head teacher of a school requires knowledge and expertise, not just about the school's operation and your area of teaching, but personnel management as well. Sounds simple? Not really.
Communication is a must in any company. Managers should know how to make good use of the different channels of communication (emails, notice boards, etc.) and not take the weakness of their subordinates as an excuse for not using them.
Lastly, the school top management should evaluate and scrutinize the staff's capability and qualifications before promoting them. What do you think?
Sunday, 31 January 2010
Whole School Approach
Back to uni taking my postgraduate in Early Childhood Education, I encountered the term whole school approach. Whole school approach simply means all levels of workforce in a school should work hand in hand together to reach a common goal, to solve a common problem and most importantly, to support its teachers.
My question is -- Is this working in the school you are in? Not for me...
Recently, I was working on a suspected special child case. The child isn't the worst I've seen, but definitely a difficult one. He was not making any eye contact at all, never responds when his name is called, can hardly follow simple instructions and doesn't understand the concept of discipline. He still babbles at the age of 2 years 6 months with NO CLEAR WORD at all coming out of his mouth, meaning he is not picking up the sounds he's been hearing.
I was told that the child is just spoiled and I should not bother myself observing him. That even if he is diagnosed, it will not make any difference since he will still be in my class. I fought my way to the management and was given a chance to prove my case. I made a journal, created an assessment worksheet based on the readings I've made, took pictures and videos of the child in class. I was surprised that after all these, responsibility has been passed on from one level of management to another. I finally decided to talk to the parents, and the child has recently been diagnosed with multiple behavioural, attention and speech problems.
Due to all the delays created by the management people, the child is now due to move up to preschool. I told the management that the child is not ready. This is what I was told -- The parents agreed to it, they will be paying more money since the child is attending five days of preschool. It's time to pass the responsibility to them, Dana. It's no longer your problem.
Whole school approach? Where is it?
My question is -- Is this working in the school you are in? Not for me...
Recently, I was working on a suspected special child case. The child isn't the worst I've seen, but definitely a difficult one. He was not making any eye contact at all, never responds when his name is called, can hardly follow simple instructions and doesn't understand the concept of discipline. He still babbles at the age of 2 years 6 months with NO CLEAR WORD at all coming out of his mouth, meaning he is not picking up the sounds he's been hearing.
I was told that the child is just spoiled and I should not bother myself observing him. That even if he is diagnosed, it will not make any difference since he will still be in my class. I fought my way to the management and was given a chance to prove my case. I made a journal, created an assessment worksheet based on the readings I've made, took pictures and videos of the child in class. I was surprised that after all these, responsibility has been passed on from one level of management to another. I finally decided to talk to the parents, and the child has recently been diagnosed with multiple behavioural, attention and speech problems.
Due to all the delays created by the management people, the child is now due to move up to preschool. I told the management that the child is not ready. This is what I was told -- The parents agreed to it, they will be paying more money since the child is attending five days of preschool. It's time to pass the responsibility to them, Dana. It's no longer your problem.
Whole school approach? Where is it?
Child's development matters
It's been a while since I last posted. I've been enjoying teaching children so much, so many crafts to do, so many sensory to explore. I've decided to do messy sensory once a week, the children loves it! Last week, I mixed everything I can find on the table -- paint, glue, shaving foam, water, hamster bedding, feather, twigs and leaves. They had a great time exploring different textures!
This is one thing I am having a hard time convincing parents to do at home. Since I also teach playgroup class, I have parents attending the class with the extremely young children as well. Parents in Hong Kong always want their children to be "clean" and doing sensory is "messy". To them, getting messy is improper, this attitude being taught to children left them freaking out during my sensory sessions when they move up to the pre-nursery classes.
Going home with paint stain on faces and arms, with shoes on the wrong side of their feet, backpacks put on but upside down -- these all mean the child is learning to do things on their own. It means the child is given the freedom to explore. It means the child is allowed to enjoy school. If I were a parent, I would doubt what my child is doing at school if my child looks exactly like when he was being dropped off.
As a preschool teacher, I believe that proper child development means allowing your children to explore and do things on their own. The classroom should be where they are allowed do move with least restrictions, it should not be a place full of rules to follow and full of "no's" and "do not do this and that". Giving your children restrictions means stopping your child from growing. Teaching proper discipline is implied, it should not stop children from enjoying preschool.
This is one thing I am having a hard time convincing parents to do at home. Since I also teach playgroup class, I have parents attending the class with the extremely young children as well. Parents in Hong Kong always want their children to be "clean" and doing sensory is "messy". To them, getting messy is improper, this attitude being taught to children left them freaking out during my sensory sessions when they move up to the pre-nursery classes.
Going home with paint stain on faces and arms, with shoes on the wrong side of their feet, backpacks put on but upside down -- these all mean the child is learning to do things on their own. It means the child is given the freedom to explore. It means the child is allowed to enjoy school. If I were a parent, I would doubt what my child is doing at school if my child looks exactly like when he was being dropped off.
As a preschool teacher, I believe that proper child development means allowing your children to explore and do things on their own. The classroom should be where they are allowed do move with least restrictions, it should not be a place full of rules to follow and full of "no's" and "do not do this and that". Giving your children restrictions means stopping your child from growing. Teaching proper discipline is implied, it should not stop children from enjoying preschool.
Sunday, 26 April 2009
Sensory!
I seldom do messy sensory with my class, but these are sensory that really worked with my children: (always cover your table with plastic disposable table cloth -- it's available in the supermarket)
1. Pour tempera paint of different colours on the table and add shaving foam on it. Let the children feel free to play on it, whichever way they want to. Lay newspaper on the floor and let them print their hands on it (maybe foot too!)
2. Rice, water and coloured sand for scooping activity. They just love it!
3. Flour and water with food colouring -- let them make the dough!
4. Sponge and coloured water -- let them squeeze the water out the sponge!
5. Shaving foam with styrofoam balls -- add some dishsoap to make it slippery, let them try to move it to bowls and plates.
6. The best I did during Easter celebration -- roll hard boiled eggs on a table with glitter and paint. They made a mess, alright; but they had a great time!
1. Pour tempera paint of different colours on the table and add shaving foam on it. Let the children feel free to play on it, whichever way they want to. Lay newspaper on the floor and let them print their hands on it (maybe foot too!)
2. Rice, water and coloured sand for scooping activity. They just love it!
3. Flour and water with food colouring -- let them make the dough!
4. Sponge and coloured water -- let them squeeze the water out the sponge!
5. Shaving foam with styrofoam balls -- add some dishsoap to make it slippery, let them try to move it to bowls and plates.
6. The best I did during Easter celebration -- roll hard boiled eggs on a table with glitter and paint. They made a mess, alright; but they had a great time!
Saturday, 18 April 2009
Back to school!
Easter holidays are almost over! Going to Oz for holiday was really a great idea, I was really relaxed and recharged, and now ready to teach again! I never realise I will miss teaching the children since I was so stressed and tired before the holidays. Colours and Shapes theme is almost over so I have more to post starting May since we will be very busy with the favorite theme of everybody -- ON THE FARM! Aside from different animal crafts that under 3s can make, I will be also sharing the output of what we are going to do during father's day, I am collecting stones from my children so they can make a stone paper weight for daddy. On father's day, the children are going to paint the stones with daddy doing the finishing touch - daddy will write the word DAD on the big stone, and ME on the small stone. That makes our "daddy and me" paperweight. It is a great bonding idea and the craft is very useful as well, not to mention the memories that it will bring when looking at it in the future. For those who prefer big rocks, the child will paint on it and daddy will write DAD ROCKS! I am so excited just thinking about it.
This art idea is courtesy of http://crafts.kaboose.com/ -- this is one of my favorite sites for crafts since most of their ideas are really cool and under 3's can do it too!
Friday, 17 April 2009
Easter with two year olds
My under 3's class had a great Easter celebration. Aside from the Easter egg hunt, they also made their own baskets, Easter card and of course, their Easter bonnets. ;-)
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