Based on my reading, Asperger's symptoms is connected to Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).
Asperger's symptoms is also connected to:
A. the ability to receive information.
The best way to communicate effectively to children with Asperger's is by giving specific information. Make sure, that the way we are communicating is showing the fact, that is understandably, clear and without involving any feelings.
Example:
There is a boy with Asperger's climbing a 3 metres high tree.
How to communicate effectively:
• The fact:
》Remind the boy to check first before climbing the tree, whether:
1. there are any mats under the tree to protect him from any injuries, in case he falls.
2. there are ropes to be attached to his body to prevent him from falling.
3. there is a helmet to wear to protect his head from hitting his head accidentally.
4. there is a certified supervisor for the climbing activity.
5. there is a nurse on the premises, that can handle medical emergency.
6. there are First Aid and medical supplies to treat any injuries.
》Ask questions:
1. What will happen to him, if he climbs without checking the information above?
2. What will happen, if he falls?
3. What will happen, if his hands are injured?
4. Will he need help to eat or to wear the clothes/ shoes/ pants, in case he injures his hands?
》Encourage the child to decide the right and safe decision for him/her self:
The educator can give five minutes to think to the child about his/her decision.
B. the ability to control their emotion.
The educator can give the child support by giving the child a space to express their anger without injuring him/her self and others.
It will be good, if the premises provides a room with a Whac-A-Mole equipment. This equipment can help the child to express his/ her anger effectively.
C. the ability to do activities, that need hand-eye-coordination (throwing and catching a ball or snap card games).
The educator can train the child before starting the activity and then pair the child with Asperger's with another child, that has the same level of the ability, so they will not become frustrated. Make sure, that the educator pays more attention to child with Asperger's during the activity to minimise any aggressive behavior, that might happen.
©Tina Adi
Sunday, July 8, 2018
Tuesday, May 22, 2018
Happiness is the Main Component of the Learning Process
Have you ever heard a saying 'Happiness is Contagious'?
For all teachers wherever you are, it is very important to be happy, while you are starting your day.
Why is it important for all teachers and students to be happy before, during and after the learning process? Because happiness can create reciprocal relationships. So I can say, that 'Happiness is Really Contagious'.
Happiness is the main component of the learning process. It means, the learning process will happen, if both the teachers and the students are happy during the learning process.
We are natural learners, when happiness is involved. Happiness is the best indicator to measure, whether respectful relationships among teachers and students are tied.
There are ways to create fun, respectful and reciprocal environments to nurture the learning process.
Those ways are:
• Happiness. The teacher must be in a happy state of mind before starting their teaching.
• All teachers are encouraged to update their pedagogical knowledge all the time. This is the only way to help them to understand every child's ability, style of learning, interests and how to respond or act positively and wisely.
• Provide more than one activity during the learning process. For example: teaching about the concept of the number 5. The teacher can provide
》 activity 1:
This activity is created to encourage children, who are visual learners.
A big clean white board with 5 or 6 colorful board markers and 2 or 3 board erasers.
》 activity 2:
This activity is created to encourage children, who are kinesthetic and tactile learners.
5 small colorful doughnuts from plastic, 5 small colorful pizza from plastic, 5 small colorful candies from plastic and so on.
》 activity 3:
This activity is created to encourage children, who are auditory learners.
The teacher can gather 5 or 6 children and then ask them to show 5 fingers or collect and hold 5 objects in 60 seconds (1 minute). After that, the teacher will check on them. The teacher can pick a student to do the teacher's role and encourage them to take turns doing the teacher's role.
》 activity 4:
This activity is created to encourage children, who are visual mixed with auditory and kinesthetic learners.
The teacher will form the children into pairs. Groups of three or more are not effective. The teacher will give them a task to explore 5 free objects according to the students ' choices. Each group must find and draw the 5 objects, then write number 5 in words, after that present their exploration to the teacher and or other students after they completed the task.
Each child is free to pick the activity. The teacher must encourage all children do more than one activity, especially the activity 4.
• Remember to inform the teacher's expectation before starting the activity. For example, the teacher must inform: ○ the children about all activities for the day, so that the children will not be nervous
○ how to respect others
○ how to respond in a courteous manner (saying please)
○ how to respond in a friendly tone to others during their conversation.
○ how to negotiate and communicate effectively and positively.
• Ask children's opinions/ ideas/ interests daily or weekly, so that the teacher can provide fun activities and based on the current children's interests. Then the teacher can work together with all children and other teachers in order to pick and provide 4 or 5 different activities at the same time on the daily basis. This opportunity will create daily routine activities based on the children's interests. Besides that, children are free to move and choose any activities based on their interests. All children are encouraged to lead all chosen daily/ weekly activities. So that, they can be prepared for the daily activities.
This activity will definitely support every child to participate actively, independently and collaboratively, because the idea of all activities were coming from them, given to them and managed by them. The teachers' tasks are only as facilitators.
• Gather a lot of feedback from parents/ other teachers/ other resources regarding fun activities for children.
• Ask all parents about their family's background and culture, their expectations towards their children, their children's strengths and weaknesses, their children's interests and their children's developmental stages.
• Create a simple open curriculum based on the children's interests/ suggestions/ ideas/ opinions. If possible, all children are encouraged to write on their interests/ ideas/ suggestions/ opinions on the curriculum as the evidence that all children are involved as curriculum makers and decision makers.
• Provide the tools and equipment according to the number of children adequately.
Tips:
☆ The teacher can provide questions for problem solving activity by asking the children to form pairs for certain questions. Then each pair can present their ideas or suggestions or opinions in front of their peers.
☆ The teacher can provide " a Wisdom Area" everyday (the wisdom area is a location, where children can learn how to work together with others effectively in order to solve any problems that occur among them).
A teacher can train 2 - 4 different children everyday how to ask the effective and positive questions in order to solve any problems that might occur on that day. The teacher must watch, observe, accompany and step in if needed during the problem solving process. This area will definitely train and empower children to analyse, evaluate, gather all information, communicate effectively by asking the right questions and then to solve the problems effectively. Besides that, the curriculum draft can be put in this area. All children are allowed to write down or share verbally their ideas/ interests/ suggestions on the curriculum draft as well.
©Tina Adi
For all teachers wherever you are, it is very important to be happy, while you are starting your day.
Why is it important for all teachers and students to be happy before, during and after the learning process? Because happiness can create reciprocal relationships. So I can say, that 'Happiness is Really Contagious'.
Happiness is the main component of the learning process. It means, the learning process will happen, if both the teachers and the students are happy during the learning process.
We are natural learners, when happiness is involved. Happiness is the best indicator to measure, whether respectful relationships among teachers and students are tied.
There are ways to create fun, respectful and reciprocal environments to nurture the learning process.
Those ways are:
• Happiness. The teacher must be in a happy state of mind before starting their teaching.
• All teachers are encouraged to update their pedagogical knowledge all the time. This is the only way to help them to understand every child's ability, style of learning, interests and how to respond or act positively and wisely.
• Provide more than one activity during the learning process. For example: teaching about the concept of the number 5. The teacher can provide
》 activity 1:
This activity is created to encourage children, who are visual learners.
A big clean white board with 5 or 6 colorful board markers and 2 or 3 board erasers.
》 activity 2:
This activity is created to encourage children, who are kinesthetic and tactile learners.
5 small colorful doughnuts from plastic, 5 small colorful pizza from plastic, 5 small colorful candies from plastic and so on.
》 activity 3:
This activity is created to encourage children, who are auditory learners.
The teacher can gather 5 or 6 children and then ask them to show 5 fingers or collect and hold 5 objects in 60 seconds (1 minute). After that, the teacher will check on them. The teacher can pick a student to do the teacher's role and encourage them to take turns doing the teacher's role.
》 activity 4:
This activity is created to encourage children, who are visual mixed with auditory and kinesthetic learners.
The teacher will form the children into pairs. Groups of three or more are not effective. The teacher will give them a task to explore 5 free objects according to the students ' choices. Each group must find and draw the 5 objects, then write number 5 in words, after that present their exploration to the teacher and or other students after they completed the task.
Each child is free to pick the activity. The teacher must encourage all children do more than one activity, especially the activity 4.
• Remember to inform the teacher's expectation before starting the activity. For example, the teacher must inform: ○ the children about all activities for the day, so that the children will not be nervous
○ how to respect others
○ how to respond in a courteous manner (saying please)
○ how to respond in a friendly tone to others during their conversation.
○ how to negotiate and communicate effectively and positively.
• Ask children's opinions/ ideas/ interests daily or weekly, so that the teacher can provide fun activities and based on the current children's interests. Then the teacher can work together with all children and other teachers in order to pick and provide 4 or 5 different activities at the same time on the daily basis. This opportunity will create daily routine activities based on the children's interests. Besides that, children are free to move and choose any activities based on their interests. All children are encouraged to lead all chosen daily/ weekly activities. So that, they can be prepared for the daily activities.
This activity will definitely support every child to participate actively, independently and collaboratively, because the idea of all activities were coming from them, given to them and managed by them. The teachers' tasks are only as facilitators.
• Gather a lot of feedback from parents/ other teachers/ other resources regarding fun activities for children.
• Ask all parents about their family's background and culture, their expectations towards their children, their children's strengths and weaknesses, their children's interests and their children's developmental stages.
• Create a simple open curriculum based on the children's interests/ suggestions/ ideas/ opinions. If possible, all children are encouraged to write on their interests/ ideas/ suggestions/ opinions on the curriculum as the evidence that all children are involved as curriculum makers and decision makers.
• Provide the tools and equipment according to the number of children adequately.
Tips:
☆ The teacher can provide questions for problem solving activity by asking the children to form pairs for certain questions. Then each pair can present their ideas or suggestions or opinions in front of their peers.
☆ The teacher can provide " a Wisdom Area" everyday (the wisdom area is a location, where children can learn how to work together with others effectively in order to solve any problems that occur among them).
A teacher can train 2 - 4 different children everyday how to ask the effective and positive questions in order to solve any problems that might occur on that day. The teacher must watch, observe, accompany and step in if needed during the problem solving process. This area will definitely train and empower children to analyse, evaluate, gather all information, communicate effectively by asking the right questions and then to solve the problems effectively. Besides that, the curriculum draft can be put in this area. All children are allowed to write down or share verbally their ideas/ interests/ suggestions on the curriculum draft as well.
©Tina Adi
Tuesday, May 8, 2018
How to help new students and parents to acclimate them to a new school or childcare centre environment smoothly
Transitioning from home to a school or a childcare centre is similar to moving from one climate to another climatic zone.
For some families, it is like going from cold Iceland to the hot Sahara desert. For other families, there is little change at all.
This situation will not only effect the children, but their parents as well.
The best way to help and support the children and their parents to acclimate both of them smoothly is doing some steps and procedures:
• the child and their parents are welcomed and allowed to start the transition, by coming to their new school or the childcare centre only for 30 minutes on the first day. The time can be added, if the child and their parents want to stay longer. It is a positive sign, if the child and their parents want to stay longer.
• They are still allowed to come to the school or the childcare centre together for 1 hour. The time can be added, if the child and their parents want to stay longer.
• The third day, the time is increased to be 2 hours for both child and their parents. The time can be added, if the child and their parents want to stay longer.
• The fourth day, the time is increased to be 3 hours for both child and their parents.
The teacher can ask the parents, whether they want to stay at school or the childcare centre until the end of the school time or at certain time, when the teacher can see, that the child enjoys the activities and mingles with his/ her peers happily and willingly.
The teacher should ask the child, whether he/ she agrees to continue his/ her activities at the school or the childcare centre, until finished, without being accompanied by his/ her parents.
If the child agrees to stay at school or the childcare centre without his/ her parents, the parents are free to leave the school or the childcare centre and then come back to pick their child as well.
• The fifth day, the teacher should ask the child and their parents, whether they want to stay at school or the childcare centre together for 3 hours or the child can start the activities without being accompanied by his/ her parents.
If the child agrees to stay at school or the childcare centre without being accompanied by his/ her parents straight away, but the parents are not ready to leave the school or the childcare centre, the teacher can allow the parents to stay at the school's waiting room or ask the school's or the childcare centre's counselor to talk to the parents and encourage them to support their children's decision.
These steps and procedures can be added or reduced according to the children and their parents' needs.
©Tina Adi
Monday, May 7, 2018
The importance of giving the teacher's expectation to all students before starting the activity
Some students have a variety of strategies to do what they want, event though the effects or the results will be negative for themselves and or others.
Teachers can minimise any accidents or incidents, that might occur during the activity, by giving the teacher's expectation to all students, before starting the activity.
Why? Because the teacher's expectation can act as a brake on negative behaviors.
All students usually are very excited and only focus on the activity. Sometimes they are too intense with the activity and forget, that they might make their peers unhappy or put themselves in a dangerous situation.
Teachers need to allocate a certain time to explain and discuss about the teacher's expectation to all students before starting the activity.
For example:
The teacher will provide playground activity to 15 students for 60 minutes.
The teacher needs to sit all students together and then explain the expectations. Such as:
• how long will the activity happen at the playground area. The teacher will give 15 minutes reminder to all students, so that there will be a smooth transition.
• all students must share all the toys or the tools.
• all students must sit down properly and hold on the swing's rope tightly. The teacher can open a discussion about why they must sit down properly and hold on the swing's rope tightly. This strategy will improve their thinking skills, so that they can take the best and safe decision for themselves.
• all students must sit down properly and hold on the swing's rope tightly. The teacher can open a discussion about why they must sit down properly and hold on the swing's rope tightly. This strategy will improve their thinking skills, so that they can take the best and safe decision for themselves.
• all students must gather at the meeting area, if they hear the whistle blow three times.
• tidy up together after playing. This activity can be done, after gathering together.
• all students must respect, be nice and friendly to others.
• a student, who does not respect or be nice and friendly to others will talk to the teacher about their negative behaviour, until he/ she come up with a positive behaviour.
• how to solve a problem, when a student grabbed another's student's tool or toy. The teacher will show the way using a role play, by involving two students to be the actors or actresses. This strategy is promoting and supporting how to negotiate in a positive way.
©Tina Adi
Sunday, May 6, 2018
Storytelling strategy for students aged 5 and 6 years old
If you have ten students aged 5 years old and three or four students aged 6 years old (who can read simple words) in the same room, you can nominate students aged 6 years old to be the storytellers. Each child in the group aged 6 years old will take turns to be the storytellers by reading a page of the book to all students aged 5 years old.
Steps to do:
• Choose a very simple book for the storytelling.
• The teacher must tell all students about the expectation.
For example: "All students aged 5 years old must be active listeners, because there will be questions given after the story read to them. Those who can answer the questions correctly will be given an opportunity to do free play straight away".
• The teacher needs to keep reminding all students to be active listeners.
• The teacher needs to guide and encourage the storyteller to ask simple questions to the listeners.
• The teacher tells the storyteller to give high fives to the listeners, who can answer questions correctly.
• The teacher can give permission to the listeners, who can answer the questions correctly to do free play straight away.
• The storyteller can help listeners to answer the questions correctly by providing the right answers.
This storytelling strategy came up with a very good result.
The result is both the reading and listening skills are improved.
©Tina Adi
Steps to do:
• Choose a very simple book for the storytelling.
• The teacher must tell all students about the expectation.
For example: "All students aged 5 years old must be active listeners, because there will be questions given after the story read to them. Those who can answer the questions correctly will be given an opportunity to do free play straight away".
• The teacher needs to keep reminding all students to be active listeners.
• The teacher needs to guide and encourage the storyteller to ask simple questions to the listeners.
• The teacher tells the storyteller to give high fives to the listeners, who can answer questions correctly.
• The teacher can give permission to the listeners, who can answer the questions correctly to do free play straight away.
• The storyteller can help listeners to answer the questions correctly by providing the right answers.
This storytelling strategy came up with a very good result.
The result is both the reading and listening skills are improved.
©Tina Adi
Hi everyone
Hi everyone,
It is my privilege to share my teaching ideas to all of you.
Please share your positive teaching ideas in this blog and feedback or questions.
I will try my best to answer any questions from all of you. Everyone is free to help me by sharing your positive opinions, ideas, feedback or advice to answer any questions as well.
Cheers,
Tina
©Tina Adi
It is my privilege to share my teaching ideas to all of you.
Please share your positive teaching ideas in this blog and feedback or questions.
I will try my best to answer any questions from all of you. Everyone is free to help me by sharing your positive opinions, ideas, feedback or advice to answer any questions as well.
Cheers,
Tina
©Tina Adi
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