starting with their strengths:
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Starting With Their Strengths:. Using Children's Interests to Promote Concept & Skill Development : Using the Project Approach in Inclusive Classrooms. Deborah C. Lickey M.Ed. and Denise J. Powers M.Ed . . What Today Will Hold…. Why Give the Children a Voice in Creating Projects? - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
Starting With Their Strengths:
Using Children's Interests to Promote Concept & Skill Development : Using the Project Approach in Inclusive Classrooms
Deborah C. Lickey M.Ed. and Denise J. Powers M.Ed.
What Today Will Hold…Why Give the Children a Voice in
Creating Projects? Best Practices Validate the Project
Approach in Early Childhood Tiered Approach to learning: Using
Universal DesignEmbedding Concept and Skill
Development as well as Individual Objectives
Break Out Groups- A Sample Project Allowing
Opportunities to Go through the Project Approach Process
The Process of Becoming…The Reggio Experience
Asking ourselves: How does that translate to working with children w/ disabilities?
Translating that Experience to Working in an Inclusive Environment in the Public School
We consider children’s ‘Strengths’ to be a combination of multiple factors which make each child unique :
Children’s Temperaments
Children’s Learning Styles
Children’s Skill Sets
*Children’s Unique Interests
Meet ’Chaytor’
Chaytor started with year with an assessment that indicated:
Social Emotional Development delays: Interacting with
adults or peers appropriately
Showing in interest in peers
Initiating preferred activities
Following through on activities
Cognitive Development delays Carrying out simple
directionsProblem solvingUsing imaginary
objects in playCategorizing itemsUnderstanding
function of objects etc. etc.
And Multiple Communication Delays such as:
Communicate his needs to othersEstablish and maintain eye
contactAnswer yes/no questionsUse multiple word sentences
However…where he was starting…Not making eye contactScreaming rather than attempting to
make needs or wants knownBecoming very agitated at changes in
routine and transition timesRunning from one area to anotherBecoming somewhat aggressive with
the other children “Perseverating “with lights and ceiling
fans
Using Observation tools as the next step of Data Collection: Areas of Interest, Levels of play, etc.
Child’s Name 1st Interval 2nd Interval 3rd Interval 4th Interval
Appendix DTime Sampling: Areas of Interest Observation of area played in at ____ minute intervalsCenters or Areas: Date______B= Block Area D= Dramatic Play A= Art Area P= PuzzlesM= Manipulatives L= Literacy (letters, books, stories, etc.)(List area of interest and a short explanation of child’s activity)
After Purposeful Observation of Chaytor we came to realize:
Sensory issues were present that needed to be addressed
Chaytor needed a lot of visual support and a very specific schedule of the day
Chaytor wanted to interact with peers but did not know how
Chaytor’s screaming increased in proportion to the attention was brought to that behavior
So…he was provided with those supports while continuing to observe him for his interests and strengths
Visual strategies
Social supports
Sensory supports
And we soon found…Chaytor was very drawn to and
good at numbersChaytor had great rote memory
skillsChaytor wanted to interact with
others but did not know howChaytor had a great sense of
humor that was often surprisingChaytor tended to ‘perseverate’
on ceiling fans and lights
Reframing the idea of perseverating on ceiling fans to:
An intense interest in ceiling fans and lights
“Kids with autism often get fixated on one thing, and it is important to expand their fixations. If the child loves race cars, then race cars can be used as subject matter for reading and math. If the child only draws pictures of NASCAR race cars, a teacher could start expanding the fixation by having him draw an Indianapolis-type car or draw sports cars that regular people can buy at car dealerships. The next step of expansion is to draw pictures of places where race tracks are located”
“I was appalled to learn that some schools are very rigid about forcing a child to only study materials that are designed for his/her grade level. “- Temple Grandinhttp://www.takepart.com/article/2012/08/15/temple-grandin-reveals-advice-educating-autistic-kids
Temple Grandin
Chaytor is provided with ‘safe’ activities that compliment his interests in light..
Interest in Ceiling FansHow do we
expand on Chaytor’s interest in ceiling fans?
How about bridging that interest to encourage social skills and follow through?
Moving from the block area to interacting with peers and a new medium...
Which led to work in the art area: The beginning of symbolic representation….and following two-step directions.
Which led to…Making a fan for the doll house
The Definition of Engagement …
Chaytor identifies the little boy in the doll house as himself
Chaytor begins playing in the doll house…1st with teacher scaffolding and then with peers.
Click icon to add picture
And… practicing the function of objects and positional concepts , etc.
Which led to…
Increase in:◦Initiative◦Follow
Through◦Engagement◦Interaction
with peers and adults
◦Using language in a functional manner
Year Two: Symbolic Thinking
Chaytor begins to initiate the representation of his interests
Chaytor’s new interest in
‘Na-na’s garden…naming his picture:
“Elephant Ears& Caladium”
•HOW MIGHT THIS INTEREST LEAD TO A PROJECT?
Pick an interest…
What is a Child-Negotiated Project?
Children communicate An InterestAn Intent for Following that
InterestTeachers: Gather Provocations and Embed
Learning ObjectivesTeachers and Children Negotiate:Which, When, Where, and How
the Interests Will be Followed
Why give the children a voice in creating the learning process?
Emotional investment in learningEngagement= LearningCommunicators of their IdeasCreative ThinkersPlannersProblem-solversHooked into Attending to and
Following Through with the Learning Processes
The desired results of inclusive experiences for children with and without disabilities and their families include •a sense of belonging and membership,• positive social relationships and friendships, and• development and learning to reach their full potential.
The defining features of inclusion that can be used to identify high quality early childhood programs and services are access, participation, and supports.
Highlights from:A Joint Position Statement on inclusion of the Division of Early Childhood (DEC) and the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC )
Learning Projects: Reaching Multiple Objectives at Multiple Levels
Deciding what might be a whole-class project?
Observing PlayTaking anecdotal
notes on children’s conversations
Noticing the level of interest among the children as a whole
Systems for Supporting Project Work
Planned ObservationsProviding ProvocationsThe Environment as the Third
TeacherStaffing Planning for an Emerging
CurriculumEmbedding LearningDocumentation as Observation-
Data Collection
Observation Tools:Levels of PlayGreenspan’s Levels of
Social/Emotional Multiple IntelligencesA Time Sampling of
Areas of InterestAnecdotal Records
Observations/Provocations Lead to Engaged Learning for All
When deciding what might be a project?
Observe PlayTake anecdotal
notes on children’s conversations
Notice the level of interest among the children as a whole
Matrix for ObservationsChild Strengths Intelligences Shared with:
LizVocabulary, Stories, , Discussions Verbal- Linguistic Kristen & Hannah
Kristen Vocabulary, Stories, ,Discussions, Nature Verbal- Linguistic, Natural
Liz & Hannah, Nyna, Laura,
HannahVocabulary, Stories, Discussions, Drawings, Designs, Patterns, & Color, Nature
Verbal- Linguistic/Visual- Spatial
Kristen & Liz, Laura, Nyna, Tess, & Charlie
Nyna Movement, painting, nature Kinesthetic,
Visual/Spatial, Natural
Hannah, Laura, Tess,
Kristen & Charlie
LauraDrawings, Designs,Patterns,& Color, Nature
Visual-Spatial, Natural Tess, Hannah, Kristen & Charlie
TessDrawings, Designs,Patterns,& Color
Visual-
Spatial
Laura, Hannah, Nyna & Charlie
CharlieDrawings, Designs,Patterns,& Color
Visual-
Spatial
Tess, Hannah, Nyna & Laura
Provocations& The
Environment
Staffing Project Work
Tiered Learning:Engaging All Learners
RegulationSensory needs metCommunication needs metAdditional adult support
Pre-teaching of positional concepts Peer ModelingChild-directed representation according to developmental levelsProvided children with concrete materials
Accessed children’s prior experiences Followed children’s interest to promoteParticipation and engagementPurposeful enquiry and planningUsed children’s choices and interest to teach the concept of Colors
Project Planning: Being a Reflective Teacher
Lesson Plan Template with Objectives Date__________ Goals Addressed: Date:
Notes Schedule Monday Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
-Care of personal belongings: ES, DH RG,NG -Self-help skills, personal responsibility: hanging up backpack and coat with decreasing verbal/ visual prompts :JM, BH,ES,DH, R,GE -Greeting Peers: JM ,
Arrival
9:00-9:15
Arrival
Arrival
Arrival
Arrival
Arrival
- Play & conversational skills w peer ,take turns in conversations, sharing items AC/ES/ BH/JM - Personal space, rights of others BH, ES,, DH -Personal info name/ age/gender -Answer questions about self DH -Imitate facial gestures JM, ES - Follow 2 step direction: ES/BH/DH, RG, NG
AM Planning Circle
9:15-9:30
Personal space/ rights of others, personal info BM/ ES Take turns, t /t in conversations BH/ES/AC/JM Ask for help when needed JM -Use utensils NG/ES -Drink from un-lidded cup NG -Ask for food or drink w/ words /gestures: JM, ES
Snack 9:30- 9:50
- Personal space/ rights of others, personal info BM -What to do in situations/ use of objects BH/ES/JM - Respond to one & one more JM - Take turns, t /t in conversations /sharing items BH/ES/AC/JM - Initiate play, plan w peers/ imaginative play BH/ES/AC/ -Taking turns games w/ peers JM,ES,BH,
Centers / Movement and Music activities, etc.
9:50- 10:50
Weekly planning is carried out around children’s interests, skill sets, concept development & objectives
Think about your play idea projectHow could you embed learning into
that play?How would you plan to meet the
learning objectives during the play? How many developmental domains could be reached?
How would you use the staff and the environment to promote the learning?
How might learning be tiered during the play?
Data Collection in an Activity-Based Curriculum:
Post-it NotesStaff DiscussionClipboardsChecklists…More?
Using PortfoliosCassidy
2008-2009A record of the process of a child's learning and development:What the child has learned and how the child has gone about learning
Work Samples, anecdotal records, photographs, videos, conversations of children are just a sampling of what goes into a portfolio.