July 2013 Natural Cleaning Tips from SCR

The Wonder of Baking Soda!

Baking soda can be used to scrub surfaces in much the same way as commercial non-abrasive cleansers. Baking soda is great as a deodorizer.

Place a box in the refrigerator and freezer to absorb odours. Put it anywhere you need deodorizing action. It can be used in rubbish bins, the laundry, and even a teenage boys super smelly sneakers!!

Baking soda is actually one of the most versatile cleaners on the planet.

Every step we take no matter how small helps to save our planet!

Basic Air Freshener Formula

There are so many reasons to give up commercial aerosol room sprays and make your own air freshener spray!

Chlorofluorocarbons are harmful to the planet, and aerosolized chemicals should never be inhaled, yet that is exactly what we do when we spray aerosol air freshener!

As a safe, non-toxic alternative, you can make your own air freshener using baking soda as the base, because it is a natural deodorizer.

You will need:

Baking Soda
Warm water
Lemon juice or your favourite essential oil
small spray bottle

Dissolve 1/8 cup baking soda and 2 cups of warm water in the spray bottle, and shake well to dissolve. Then add several drops of your favorite essential oil. If you don't have essential oil on hand, use 1/8 cup of lemon juice. Citrus is a great choice for this formula, because it smells clean and fresh! Remember to label this bottle, and shake well before each use to mix the fragrance.

 

July 2013 NQF & NQS Tips from SCR

National Quality Standards & National Quality Framework  

QA 1.1.6 Each child’s agency is promoted, enabling them to make choices and decisions and influence events and their world.
 
We want children to be confident within their environment and be able to choose activities based on interest. Promoting a child's agency means letting them self select, giving them the wonderful skill of independence is a key quality needed to prepare them not only for school but life as well.

Make sure items are at child height (of course you need to make the environment safe but don’t restrict them too much) so they can select what they want to play with.
Be aware of the age group you are working with – they are capable of much more than we think so let them wash their hands and faces, put their sunscreen on, select foods, dress themselves etc.

Slow down and have realistic expectations! What does it matter if the children take half an hour to put their shoes on?? When you take over you rob them of experiencing the wonderful feeling of achievement and pride that comes with completing a task all by themselves.

The children will let you know usually with a rather big tantrum if you are not promoting their sense of agency!!

 

Quality Area 1.1.5 Every child is supported to participate in the program.  

This ties in well with our EYLF Tuesday tip! By providing activities that encourage a child’s sense of agency we support them to participate in the program. Provide an environment in which children can be curious, ask questions, extend their learning and feel as though they BELONG!

Some handy hints:

• Within the older groups – ask the children what they want do for the day. Encourage this by asking ‘is there anything else you need?’ ‘Can some of your friends help you with this?’ ‘Have we got the resources you need?’ etc. Within the younger groups provide a range of activities and resources that the children can naturally select based on their interest. If you have had some family involvement make sure that has been incorporated into the program as well.

•   Belonging displays assist in making the child feel as though they are supported and nurtured.

• When documenting – be sure to include each child – have you spoken to each child today? Have you observed every child interacting within their environment and with their peers? Have you given some of your time to each child?

In the end it is not what we provide for children but the time we have given them that they remember!

 

 

July 2013 EYLF Tips from SCR

Early Years Learning Framework

Learning Outcome 1.2 Children develop their emerging autonomy, inter-dependence, resilience and sense of agency.

So what does this look like in a childcare setting? Our aim is to have engaged, confident learners within our rooms and we do this in many ways, one of which is allowing children to explore, learn boundaries, make friends, be independent and BELONG!

We used to call this ‘self-help’ skills but know we realise how much more is involved in this. Children need to know they can make decisions for themselves, this is how they learn what is right, wrong, safe or dangerous. Of course the children’s safety is our priority but be aware of how many opportunities you are providing for children within their day.

Confident learners need areas to explore, an environment that evokes curiosity and a supportive Educator encouraging them along the way!

 

Learning Outcome 1.3: Children develop knowledgeable and confident self identities.

When children have opportunities to be heard and their opinion is listened to and valued they become confident learners. Our aim is to ensure that when children go off to school they are confident enough to question, reason, listen and learn and if they are aware of who they and they believe in themselves this will happen.

We need to treat children with the respect and love they deserve. Praise them often, listen well and use your intentional teaching techniques to ensure they develop positive self concepts. 

Play Based Learning Part 3

You, as an Educator!

It can be a little daunting when we realise there is much to learn and as we learn we know we have to change some of our practices.  Change is a GOOD THING!  

It is important to move and grow with the children in our care and this is the basis of a play based curriculum.

Ask yourself some questions:

• Is my environment set up to enhance child interest?
• Do I offer the children self selection in every area of the room?
• Do I ask the right questions to engage them and extend on play?
• Are the children in my group empowered?
• Am I flexible enough with our routine?

These questions are a good guide for you to start to reflect on what may need to change within your room and your teaching methods.

To help guide your practice, think of some questions you could ask the children to extend on their learning, ask them: 

• “Where could find another one of those?”
• “Does that live in nature? Should we find out where?”
• “Are there others like that one?”
• “How did that make you feel?”
• “What can we do with that?”
• “Can we make one?”
• “How can we solve this problem?”

Asking these types of questions allows you to help guide the experience so the child can get the most out of their play/discovery/day.

Be brave and follow the children’s lead – it will be so much more fun for you and the children!!

Play Based Learning cont...

Hello Again and welcome to week 2!

I hope the story of the little boy inspired you (last weeks post), I think the message is very powerful and I know what sort of Educator I want to be when I read that.  So how do we make this come to life?  How do we inspire children?  How do we encourage them?  How do we develop a sense of wonder, curiosity and imagination?

The first place to start is our environment.  It has been proven that aesthetics has a direct impact of child behaviour so when choosing colours, light and furnishings be aware of this.  If there are alot of bright colours and it is to 'busy' you will generally have a room full of very active and usually loud children, if the tones are more natural and room less cluttered you create a relaxed environment where children will generally be calm and engaged.

Natural light is important and is a way in which we bring the 'outside in'.  If you are surrounded by tress, shrubs, gardens etc then make sure your windows and glass doors are free from paintings and artwork - let nature be part of your room.

Making your room feel like 'home' is vital in ensuring children feel comfortable.  Add a couch, a throw rug, some cushions, plants, lamps etc.  Creating 'soft spaces' is vital for children to feel relaxed and safe.  How often would you like to lay on a cushion and read a story in the middle of your day??

Artwork should be displayed in a meaningful way to the children.  They should have the option to put it on display or not.  Their art is important, treat it that way.  Should some go in frames - yes!  Should there be a section of wall dedicated to the children so they can put up artwork whenever THEY want to - yes!  Should there be a learning story attached to everything that goes up on your walls - yes!!

Your task for this week -

At some stage throughout your day when there are no children in the room, sit on the floor where you would normally enter the room.  Take some time and look around at every aspect of your room.  You are now at the height of a child (if in babies you may need to get down a little lower!) ask yourself a few questions.  Is the room too cluttered, too loud, too bare?  Does it look inviting for the children and families?  Are there plenty of 'soft spaces'? Are shelves neat and tidy with all the children need to create their masterpieces?  Is the learning in this room teacher or child directed?  Are there plenty of natural materials for children to use and incorporate into their play?  Is this a place where I want to BE?

When you look at the world in this way you begin to understand your children a little more, start making some small changes to your environment and make note of the changes.  Good Luck and enjoy, see you all next week.

Play Based Learning in Early Education Settings

What does this mean?

We are now surrounded by the words, 'spontaneous play', 'child directed', 'play based', 'intentional teaching', 'extending learning' and the list goes on.  All of these terms have their place in the Early Years Learning Framework but I am here to assist in making this all a little less confusing and overwhelming.  Each week I will post a blog that I hope will assist you in all endeavours when working with young children that will make yours and the children in your care daily experiences much happier and meaningful.

When developing a 'playbased' or 'child directed' curriculum your first step is understanding what this means.  As Educators (and/or Parents) we occasionally forget how amazingly intelligent our children are and that their ability to freely express themselves is one we should nurture. 

Children know what they want to learn!

This is no revelation, we know this by observing them.  The way a child looks at a flower, happily spins around on the spot, embraces their friends and loved ones, builds in a sandpit, uses a broom as a horse and role plays.  It is US who unknowingly squash this natural curiosity by filling their heads with we think the SHOULD learn! 

It is time for US to get the EDUCATION!!

I will start our journey together with a story, one that changed the way I interacted with children and still has a significant impact on my life.  Its called "The Little Boy" and I hope it inspires you.  See you all next week!

The Little Boy
by Helen Buckley

Once a little boy went to school.
He was quite a little boy and it was quite a big school, but when the little boy found that he could go to his room by walking right in from the door outside he was happy;
And the school did not seem quite so big anymore.

One morning when the little boy had been in school awhile,
The teacher said: "Today we are going to make a picture."
"Good!" thought the little boy.  He liked to make all kinds of things like; Lions and tigers, Chickens and cows, Trains and boats; and he took out his box of crayons and began to draw.

But the teacher said, "Wait!"  "It is not time to begin!"
And she waited until everyone looked ready.
"Now," said the teacher,  "We are going to make flowers."
"Good!" thought the little boy, he liked to make beautiful ones with his pink and orange and blue crayons.
But the teacher said "Wait!"  "And I will show you how."
And it was red, with a green stem.
"There," said the teacher,  "Now you may begin."

The little boy looked at his teacher's flower then he looked at his own flower.
He liked his flower better than the teacher's but he did not say this, he just turned his paper over, and made a flower like the teacher's.
It was red, with a green stem.

On another day when the little boy had opened the door from the outside all by himself,
The teacher said:  "Today we are going to make something with clay."
"Good!" thought the little boy; He liked clay. He could make all kinds of things with clay: Snakes and snowmen, Elephants and mice, Cars and trucks and he began to pull and pinch his ball of clay.

But the teacher said, "Wait!"  "It is not time to begin!"
And she waited until everyone looked ready.
"Now," said the teacher,  "We are going to make a dish."
"Good!" thought the little boy, he liked to make dishes.  And he began to make some that were all shapes and sizes.

But the teacher said "Wait!"  "And I will show you how."
And she showed everyone how to make one deep dish.
"There," said the teacher,  "Now you may begin."

The little boy looked at the teacher's dish; Then he looked at his own.
He liked his better than the teacher's but he did not say this.
He just rolled his clay into a big ball again and made a dish like the teacher's. 

It was a deep dish.

And pretty soon the little boy learnt to wait, and to watch and to make things just like the teacher.
And pretty soon he didn't make things of his own anymore.

Then it happened -
The little boy and his family moved to another house, in another city, and the little boy had to go to another school.  This school was even bigger than the other one.
And there was no door from the outside into his room.  He had to go up some big steps and walk down a long hall to get to his room.
And the very first day he was there,
The teacher said:  "Today we are going to make a picture."
"Good!" thought the little boy.  And he waited for the teacher to tell them what to do.
But the teacher didn't say anything.
She just walked around the room.

When she came to the little boy she asked, "Don't you want to make a picture?"
"Yes," said the little boy.
"What are we going to make?"
"I don't know until you make it," said the teacher.
"How shall I make it?" asked the little boy.
"Why, anyway you like," said the teacher.
"And any colour?" asked the little boy.
"Any colour," said the teacher.  "If everyone made the same picture, and used the same colours, how would I know who made what, and which was which?"
"I don't know," said the little boy.

And he began to draw a red flower with a green stem.

Excellent activity idea to engage children with nature!!

Show a group of children the pictures below in a group discussion time (dont be afraid to show the younger groups too!!) and ask them what they see.........

The extension opportunities are endless ask them "Why do you think it is a....?" "Can we find any outside?" "Where else could we see one?" "Is it part of a family?" 

We would love to hear from you - what are some of the things the children said?  Let the children's imagination run wild.  It is such a fun activity, enjoy xxx