have you got attitude?
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Debra Mayer MA SpeciaLink: The National Centre for Child Care Inclusion. Have you got attitude?. December 6, 2010 Inclusion in the Early Years: Promising Practices Provincial Symposium Edmonton AB. Who are we?. - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
Have you got attitude?
Debra Mayer MA
SpeciaLink: The National Centre for Child Care Inclusion
December 6, 2010Inclusion in the Early Years:
Promising Practices Provincial Symposium
Edmonton AB
Who are we?
SpeciaLink's goal is to expand the quality and quantity of opportunities for inclusion in child care and other early years programs, recreation, education, and other community settings, to young children with special needs and their families. We are working for an inclusive Canada, beginning with the early years.
Adapted Handout for “Have you got Attitude”
Who are the children with special support needs?
•disabilities•delays •disorders •family situations: e.g. refugee status
physical
social
intellectual
communicative
emotional
behavioural
These children require some level of additional support to assure full participation in community based early learning programs.
Personal Experience with Persons with Disabilities
Do you know someone with a disability, (extended family member or friend)?
Have you ever actually discussed their disability with this person (or persons) at some point? How did that go for you?
Personal Experience with Persons with Disabilities
Many Canadians have some degree of exposure to persons with disabilities.
75% know someone with a disability (extended family member or friend).
> ½ claim to have actually discussed the disability with this person (or persons) at some point.
Personal Experience with Persons with Disabilities
3/10 are aware that a person with a disability is currently employed in their workplace.
NO evidence such contact exerts a significant impact on how Canadians without disabilities view persons with disabilities and the issues they face.
Perceptions About Barriers Facing Persons with Disabilities
Prejudice is the most significant barrier to inclusion facing persons with disabilities (49%)
Prejudice & Discrimination
Prejudice seen as the principal cause of discrimination against persons with disabilities
Canadians suggest
public awareness…..
increase public acceptance
Canadian Association for Community Living’s No Excuses Campaign
Discussions: Government legislation & policy
What government legislation, policies and/or programs that support persons with disabilities are you aware of?
(local, provincial, federal, international)
Government legislation & policy
Canadians know little about government legislation, policies and programs currently in place that support persons with disabilities
Only 2% name the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms
1% Canadian Human Rights Act!
The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms
Reflects the principles of liberty, equality, accommodation of a wide variety of beliefs, respect for cultural and group identity, and human dignity that define us as Canadians.
All individuals must be treated equally, regardless of their race, national or ethnic origin, colour,
religion, sex, age or mental or physical disability.
Canadian Human Rights Act
Amendments in 1998 to the Canadian Human Rights Act require employers and service providers to accommodate special needs short of undue hardship, including those of people with disabilities.
What is Inclusion?
According to the Government of Alberta’s Inclusive Child Care Program (Children and Youth Services):
• A child is a child first
• All children have a right to participate
• Their parents should have access to the same child care choices within their communities as all other parents;
• A quality child care program can meet the needs of all children regardless of ability.
What is Inclusion?
Alberta’s Setting the Direction framework • a way of thinking and acting that
demonstrates universal acceptance of, and belonging for, all students.
• a values-based approach to accepting responsibility for all students.
• equitable opportunity to be included
What is Inclusion?
Alberta’s Setting the Direction framework Strategic Direction #10
Develop and implement a model of support for young children who experience at-risk factors that enable programming and supportin the most natural pre-school environment along with a seamless transition into grade 1.
United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child
The rights of children worldwide are now better understood and protected.
Article 23 addresses the human rights of children with a disability
promotes dignity and self-reliance
facilitates the active participation of children with disabilities in their communities.
Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
The Convention recognizes that a change of attitude in society is necessary if persons with disabilities are to achieve equal status.
Many Canadians believe full citizenship begins with children’s entitlement to inclusive early learning programs.
Have you got attitude ?
Research shows that
attitude is the most significant influence on the effectiveness of an inclusive program
and the quality of education and intervention provided.
Where do our attitudes come from?
Prevailing social messages
Our own childhood experiences
Current encounters, predicaments, feelings
Some are conscious
Some are not
People First Language
The words you use reflect your attitude and beliefs to the person with a disability and all people around you.
Speak of the person first, then the disability.
Say “child with a disability” rather than special needs child.
Language
Emphasize ability rather than disability (strength based model).
Choice and independence are key. Allow the child to choose for himself (as appropriate).
Do not patronize or condescend.
Discussion: Back in the day….
Why do you think they changed their names? How does language shape the way we think
about the value that people with disabilities hold in our society?
How are these ideas reflected in prejudice and stereotypes?
Does some of our language still exist that implies messages we do NOT wish to share?
Social Model of Disability
• Another way of thinking about this change • Barriers and exclusion experienced by
people with disabilities are the result of societal attitudes rather than being inherent within the person.
As our attitudes have changed, so too has the kind of language we use.
Attitude continuum
Awareness Understanding Attitude Shift Change
Rejecting
Accepting/ tolerating
Romanticizing
Celebrating
Used by permission of State (Ohio) Support Team, Region 7 (formerly North Central Ohio Special Education Region Resource Center)
A British study of early years inclusion and special needs
“providers who promote positive outcomes for children with special needs see inclusion as a process of identifying, understanding and breaking down barriers to participation and belonging”
requires recognition that they must often “change cultures, practices and above all attitudes”.
Government of Great Britain. Office of Standards in Education. 2005. Removing barriers: A can-do attitude www.ofsted.gov.uk/publications
A British study of early years inclusion and special needs
Common characteristics of the most effective providers
• know individual children well
• build respectful relationships
• work closely with parents
• have high expectations of children with special needs
• enable children to make choices, and where possible, plan their activities
Common characteristics of the most effective providers
Hold a positive can-do attitude to solving problems
Effective leadership that planned ahead and monitored and evaluated the effectiveness of the setting.
Common characteristics:
Promote benefits of an inclusive culture more job satisfaction for staff
better understanding of individual needs and how to meet them
a richer and more tolerant play and learning
environment that benefits all children
Overarching Values
www.specialinkcanada.org
Inclusion Principles
1. Zero Reject2. Naturally Occurring Proportions3. Same Days / Hours of Attendance Available to
All Children4. Full Participation5. Maximum feasible parent participation at
parent’s comfort level6. Leadership, Proactive Strategies and Advocacy
for High Quality Inclusive ECCE
Underlying Values in Inclusion Measurement Scales
Families need to acquire information about their child’s disability and become empowered as Advocates
Lions, and tigers, and bears! Oh, my!
Inclusion Principles
Full Participation
To score 7/7, all staff work as a team and
demonstrate a positive, celebratory attitude in their modifications and adaptations for children with special needs.
Inclusion Principles
1. Zero Reject
2. Naturally Occurring Proportions
3. Same Days / Hours of Attendance Available to All Children
4. Full Participation
5. Maximum feasible parent
6. Leadership, Proactive Strategies and Advocacy
How does your own early learning site reflect these principles? What implementation
challenges do you face?
Inclusion Practices
1. Physical Environment and SN
2. Equipment and Materials3. Director’s Role as an
Inclusion Leader4. Staff support within the
centre5. Provisions for staff
training6. Therapies, collaboration
1. IPPs2. Parents of Children with
Special Needs
3. Involvement of Typical Children
4. Board of Directors or similar units
5. Preparation for the transition to school
Underlying Values in Inclusion Measurement Scales
Effective opportunities for children with disabilities to make friends
Well-designed IPPs
An Individualized Program Plan CycleIP Planning Cycle
Observe
Plan
Implement Reflect & Evaluate
Adjust, adapt, change
Adapted from Crowther, 2006, Inclusion in Early Childhood
Settings, p.129
Pay particular attention to Practice #9
Involvement of typical children
To score a 7/7—excellent:• Children with special needs included in group
social play • Systematic use of techniques to promote social
inclusion• Cooperation • the barometer of whether inclusion is working
Inclusion Practices
1. IPPs
2. Involvement of Typical Children
How does your own early learning site reflect these practices? What implementation
challenges do you face?
Discussions
What has changed for children with special support needs who attend the early learning and care programs you work at?
What environmental changes have you seen made? What are the other changes you have seen made in
practice? How were your intended goals for children with
special needs met? Where are they now?
Discussions
What inclusion strategies have you used that have been particularly successful when working in an early learning environment with these or other groups of learners:English language learners, learners with special needs, gifted/talented learners, low achieving learners, male or female learning groups.
Describe one strategy, from your practice, you consider to be a promising inclusive, early learning practice, including the impact on the learning of the children and the evidence you used to determine the strategy was successful.
What makes it work?
A range of children are meaningfully included All staff feel equally comfortable in working with
children with special needs Best use of available funding and multi-disciplinary
consultants Parents are key partners
YOU act an advocate
What about the ECE?
PLANS and IMPLEMENTS individual programs and curriculum to meet the developmental needs of children
Government of Ontario Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities
Early Childhood Education Program Standard
What about the ECE?
UTILIZES a variety of observation techniques to enhance work with children, families and co-workers
Better understanding of individual needs
Discovery Children’s Centre, Winnipeg
MB
What do we provide for children on a daily basis & how independently can all children involve themselves in what we offer?
What constitutes quality programming for those of us our program for children, & what are the implications for all families/children enrolled here?
Reflect on individual needs
Can all children participate in activities that assist them in making friends & feeling good about themselves?
How do all interactions in the centre look, feel, & sound? What is the tone of this centre?
Do we see the strengths of all children & do we see the child first & the needed support second?
Reflect on individual needs
When you are committed to working with all children….
Work to embed the child's individual objectives into the classroom activities & routines.
Identify, implement & evaluate appropriate opportunities & strategies for fading involvement & stepping back to let children interact without adults.
Build bridges between children with disabilities & typically developing peers.
Five A’s of Anti-Bias Virginia O’Connell, CCCF Interaction 1998
AcceptAcknowledgeAccommodateAdaptAdvocate
Five A’s of Anti-Bias Virginia O’Connell, CCCF Interaction 1998
Accept-Zero Reject Policy
-Naturally occurring proportions
What is your vision?
Five A’s of Anti-Bias Virginia O’Connell, CCCF Interaction 1998
Acknowledge
Think about what changes are needed to support your vision.
Five A’s of Anti-Bias Virginia O’Connell, CCCF Interaction 1998
AcknowledgeReflect on your respective biases and fears.
Make changes to reflect your commitment to include.
Five A’s of Anti-Bias Virginia O’Connell, CCCF Interaction 1998
AccommodateTime Staff roles on the inclusion teamBuild partnershipsPhysical modificationsTeaching aids
Five A’s of Anti-Bias Virginia O’Connell, CCCF Interaction 1998
AdaptObserve
Assess comfort level of ECEs
Are children thriving?
Is personhood acknowledged and appreciated?
Five A’s of Anti-Bias Virginia O’Connell, CCCF Interaction 1998
AdvocateECEs are central
Children are cherished & valued
Attitude that honours all children and celebrates each child’s abilities.
Anti bias approach
Who benefits by your own attitude change?
Everyone!•Children with special needs •Typical children •Parents •Staff•Society
The Preschool Centre, Fredericton, New Brunswick
Give yourselves an A+
Celebrate!
Quality inclusive early learning and care experiences help children prepare for the futureand to live “ordinary lives.”