Separation Anxiety PD 14.3.18

Separation Anxiety

• In NE we are noticing quite extreme separation anxiety; worse than we’ve seen before. Children are not able to be settled by a cuddle, like most children, they are inconsolable and screaming, running from the classroom after parents. The added issue being the new restraint guidelines.
• In Juniors they are noticing older Year 1s who may have been at school a year and a half or more still very agitated/upset at separation time. This is higher in frequency and extremity than Year 1 teachers have noticed before as well.
• Need to look at what’s underpinning the attachment. Pull it apart - what could be causing this? When have identified the underlying issue, may be more equipped to support this.
• May require some coaching with parents so they are able to support this too. Child also gets the message then that you’re ‘both on the same page’.
• Suggested that teacher should come alongside the parent, then both are presenting ‘on the same side’. Use eye contact with the child and Mum (reinforces the message that Mum is okay with the teacher too; Mum knows the teacher is a safe person). Teacher can say things like: “I’m here to take care of you.” “I’m here to keep you safe.” “I can see you’re not feeling okay about this. I understand.” (validate the feeling rather than add pressure with comments like “I know you can do it” when actually the child may not be in an emotional state to do so).
• If you’re trying all of the above and it’s still not working, keep going. Sometimes the brain takes a bit longer to fully process/consolidate this.
• Attachment can actually be a primal need. Sandy likened this to hunger. If you’re hungry you can work to a certain point, but at some point the hunger gets too much to manage. It’s the same with anxiety.
• Deep connection needed between child and teacher - need to consciously ‘create the relationship’. Just saying “Hi, how are you?” in the morning, may not be enough for some children. Focus on deep relational stuff (Sandy/Paula can offer suggestions if you need some other strategies to try).
• Children can sometimes pick up the anxious feelings through reading the parent’s anxieties.
• Don’t avoid talking about Mum/Dad with the child when the parents have gone. Talking about them/keeping connections helps keep the child feeling emotionally safe.
• Could have something tactile that draws the connection with Mum i.e. both Mum and the child could have a stone in their pocket. When the child touches it they can think of Mum.
• Invisible String/Kissing Hands good picture books to use as reference.
• Levels of attachment reading. Covers how to deepen/strengthen the relationship building.
• Circle of Security hand-out given as a resource that could be shared with parents.
• Paula could come in and do a session with the parents/children (email Jo and Jo will tee this up).

CAOS for an LLI student

In my class I have a student who funded through LLI. This is my second year with him in my class and as I have come to know this student I have figured out what sort of programme works best for him. We have started doing some work with the CAOS programme in the Juniors and I decided this is the structure of programme that will work best for my student, as opposed to the LLI 1 day course. CAOS stands for Communication, Attention, Organisation and Social Interaction. It is based around the skills needed to be ready to learn to have success. There is a big focus on pre-learning school. Due to PK's level of language, this is our main focus for him. Giving him the skills he needs to communicate in a way to give him success.

I, alongside my students Teacher Aid and Speech Language Therapist, developed a CAOS plan in a release session around my students needs and interests. Below is the plan we have going forward. There are a few resources that we need to make and then we are good to go. 

After speaking to his caregiver I am very please with the progress PK has made over the last year and I am even more excited to see how things will go with our new programme.

CAOS Programme   CAOS Assessment templates  PK CAOS Assessment 

PK

CAOS Plan and Strategies (Term 1 2018)

The CAOS framework has been used to choose priority areas for learning in the classroom. In discussion with Jess and (TA) the following goals and strategies have been selected. The strategies can be put into place straight away and tie into routine activities in the classroom.

It is hoped that with mastery of these goals PK will be better equipped to actively take part in classroom learning activities.

CAOS Goals:

• Communication:
• PK will independently and verbally request “Can you help me (please)?” to an adult as required.

(Next step: Request help from a peer)

• PK will use the vocabulary first-next-then to talk about a 3 part routine activity (to happen in the future).

(Next step: to be discussed – possibly first-then to share a recall or before-after for a routine activity)

• Attention:
• PK will transfer his attention from a favoured activity to a less favoured activity.

(Next step: less favoured – less favoured - favoured)

• Organisation:
• PK will use the vocabulary first-next-then to complete and talk about a 3 part pattern. (Next step: to be discussed – possibly first-then or before-after )  
• Social Interaction:
• PK will turn-take with one peer in a structured activity

(Next step: turn-take with 2 peers in a structured activity)

Goals	Resources to be trialled	Classroom strategies
Communication	Visual reminder about asking for help on wall. Visual reminder about first-next-then vocab on wall. Visual coloured first-next-then board with whiteboard pen.	Self-talk by adults: “If I get stuck I can ask someone to help me – “Can you help me please?” Class/small group role plays around asking for help (peer modelling). When PK approaches an adult, prompt him “Do you need help?” and model the words for him “Can you help me please?” Specific follow-up and proximal praise: “Thank you for asking me for help – that was great!” Throughout the day model first-next-then language around upcoming tasks, recall accounts, reading books etc. Whole-class activity breaks: Give 3 part instructions using first-next-then for them to complete (peer modelling). At lunchtime and reading time: Prompt PK to think about the 3 things he needs to do/get. Model the language for him, e.g. “First get your lunchbox, next get your reading folder, then sit on the mat” Use the coloured visual board with hand-drawn pictures to support PK to understand upcoming routines using first-next-then language to talk about this.
Attention	Visual coloured first-next-then board with whiteboard pen. Token reinforcement system Work in Progress signs	Use visual board to prepare PK for what is coming: 3 tasks (learning activity – motivator – learning activity). Use first-next-then language when talking about this. Be clear about how long PK needs to attend to a set activity before moving on. Use a visual timer (with visual time decreasing) for each activity. Use a token reinforcement system to reward completion of an activity (working towards something motivating). Remind him throughout the activity that he is working for his car tokens. Pair this with specific follow-up (praise and encouragement) e.g. “Fantastic work PK! You finished your colouring!” To support pack-up of blocks/favoured activities offer a ‘Work in Progress’ sign to save what he’s been working on. Give lots of specific praise when PK is attending or listening well, or transitioning well from one activity to the next e.g. “PK I love the way you are focused on your work! Great one!” Celebrate successes with learning and attention, particularly around low motivation/non-favoured activities.
Organisation	Mini first-next-then board to deconstruct pattern at the end of the activity and prompt adult use of first-next-then language.	Patterning activities (as third activity on visual timetable) – with any materials. To be included in maths hot-spot. Use first-next-then language when talking about the pattern. Whole class patterning activities – on the board, Go Noodle – use first-next-then language when talking about the patterns. Prompt PK to tell you which was first-next-then in the patterns he has completed or created. Specific follow-ups, e.g. “You’re right PK! That one was first!”
Social Interaction	Turn-taking activities e.g. Marble run, Trains, Car track, Alphabet/Thomas puzzle	Choose a motivating activity with clear turn-taking opportunities. Model turn-taking first between PK and an adult. Prompt PK to choose a friend to share his toys with. Explain simply the activity and turns. Verbally prompt for appropriate turn taking using “My turn/Your turn” language with the sign (to reduce communication demand). Specific follow-ups, e.g. “Great turn-taking PK!”

Storytelling Teacher as Inquiry 2017

For the year 2017, the staff at Belfast School undertook a Teacher as Inquiry on their Storytelling journey with 1-2 focus children.

It was a long journey with many ups and downs and a change in my views and practices. The children loved Storytelling and all of the activities we did to enrich the story. In the Junior Syndicate we all worked collaboratively to create a range of resources we could use for our stories. We based our Discovery program and planning around the current story to help give further background and interest to the story. We did a range of oral language experiences, arts and craft and construction, along with a range of other activities.

Making Bread like the Little Red Hen

We discovered after two terms of Storytelling that using two storytelling stories a term was going to be too much for the age of our children and we wouldn't be able to do the story justice. We decided to do one story a term, and do it well.

Initially I found getting up in front of the class to share the story and "perform" difficult. As I went through the stories i relaxed and came to enjoy myself more as I saw the enjoyment on the children's faces. They used to love joining in on the stories and doing the actions, which was great. I was pleasantly surprised at the willingness of some of the children to get up and retell the story to the class. As the year went on all of the children in the class wanted to get up and share their retells of the story. They loved it!

Through the Storytelling Teacher as Inquiry and Introduction to Storytelling we chose 1-2 children in our class to track their progress. I chose a low level emergent writer and a very able writer to focus on as I wanted to see the progress in the different levels.

My low level Writer was very negative in his attitude to writing and did "magic writing" when he was writing independently. As the year went on his attitude to writing changed and he came to enjoy it. He particularly liked to get up and retell the story to the class. His phonemic awareness advanced with him being able to hear and record dominant sounds, he could find and write his high frequency words (click words) on a word card and write independently. He was proud of his efforts.

My advance writer started the year at 1P. As an advanced writer for her age she was able to write independently and record what she pleased. Her storied lacked structure and interest. As the year went on she started using more interesting language to describe what she was writing about and her stories became more structured and sequenced. She also came to want to share her story in front of the class, where previously she was very shy.

Overall, I was impressed with the storytelling programme and I look forward to seeing how the school continues to develop the programme.

Teacher as inquiry is at the following link.
Teacher as Inquiry- 2018. 

Story Telling 2017

This year my school has signed up to be a Storytelling School and take a new approach to it's Writing programme. It is a very oral language based programme which gives students the ideas and helps scaffold them in writing.
It has a very clear structure;
Hear, Map, Step, Speak, Write.
It is embedded into everything we do. Our whole Literacy programme, the Arts and Discovery. As a syndicate we have pooled all our resources together to try and give a full and rich programme which excites our children inspiring them to write.
I have found the change in my Writing programme hard to get my head around. The children do not need to write everyday which has been my biggest adjustment as I have always believed particularly in the lower end of school that children need mileage and to write everyday.

As I still believe young children need to write recounts of their personal experiences I have kept one day a week aside for the children to write about their weekends and other experiences.