EMPLOYEES ARE COMPANY ASSETS

We need to remember that every company needs to work hand in hand with their employees to be able to operate their daily activities properly in order to achieve their philosophy, goals, visions, missions accurately. 

Every company needs to have a stable happy employees, so that the employees will not resign and force  the company to hire new employees. 

Instead of using the organisation's cash flow and  assets to hire and train new employees due to staff churn. 

There are things to do to create a positive and happy working atmosphere:

• treat the employees with respect 

• treat the employees with empathy 

• treat the employees with fairness

• create an environment where there is reciprocal respect between all organisational members (this will help with staff retention)

• hire the right person in the right position, at the right time, with the right attitude

• continually train their employees with professional development programs to improve their ability to achieve and to fulfill the organisational philosophy, visions, missions and goals. 

©Tina Adi

It is Important to Create a Respectful Atmosphere with Young Children

Young children, who cannot even speak yet, he or she understands our conversations. 

For example: I was about to wipe off the food from a child's face, hands and feet after eating. 

I asked him,"Can I wipe off the food from your face?". 

Surprisingly, the child moved his face into a position, where I could wipe it. 

I then asked him again,"Can I wipe your hands? Which hand do you want me to wipe first?". After that the child lifted up his left hand towards me.

I believe that the child trusted me to wipe his face, hands and feet even though it was the first time for him meeting me. He was calm and relaxed during the cleaning process. 

I think that the child understood that I have respected him by asking his permission to wipe his face, hands and feet. The child then responded positively and gave me permission to wipe his face or hands or feet by moving his face, hands and feet into a certain position, so that I could wipe his face or hands or feet easily. 

©Tina Adi

An Idea of Teaching Japanese and Indonesian Languages Through Cooking Activities

Exposing children to other languages other than English is a positive way to teach children about accepting and understanding that there are people who have Japanese and Indonesian cultures around them. 

This experience can be taught through cooking activities. 

Japanese rice bowl - 'karaage (karaage means fried chicken)' and learning simple Japanese words:

'こんにちは (Kon'nichiwa) = hello'

'はい (Hai) = yes'

'いいえ (Īe) = no'

'ありがとうございました (Arigatōgozaimashita) = thank you'

Source: Google translation  

Ingredients:

2 kg medium rice

2 kg chicken breast

200 ml of vegetable oil 

6 dessert spoons of mince garlic

3 dessert spoons of mince ginger

6 dessert spoons of kikoman soy sauce 

4 dessert spoons of cooking sake

1 dessert spoon of sesame oil 

1 cup of raw sugar 

2 tea spoons of salt

A pinch of pepper powder

2 cups of corn flour

1 dessert spoon of garlic powder 

2 – 4 dessert spoons of vinegar

1 big red chili

How to cook the karaage and the rice:

• Chop all the chicken breasts into small pieces 

• Marinate the chopped chicken with 3 desert spoons of mince garlic, all mince ginger, a pinch of salt, 1 dessert spoon of raw sugar, all soy sauce, all sake, all sesame oil for about 30 minutes.

• Wash the rice with water 3 times and then add water around 2 cm above the rice. After that cook it using a rice cooker.

• Pour 1 cup of corn flour into a plate and then add the garlic powder, a pinch salt and pepper powder. After that dip the chicken breasts into corn flour and then shake it.

• Heat the oil in a frying pan. Use a wooden spatula to check

whether the oil is ready for frying by dipping it. If the oil is bubbling, it means that the chicken breasts can be put into the frying pan. Fry the chicken until the colour is golden brown.

How to cook the sauce:

• Blend 3 desert spoons of mince garlic, red chili and ¼ cup of water according to the taste. 

• Pour the blended garlic into a sauce pan and then add the vinegar, the rest of the sugar, chopped red chili and ½ cup of water to boil. 

• Dilute 1 dessert spoon of corn flour with 2 dessert spoons of water. Then mix it while you pour it little by little into the sauce until it boils. 

How to serve:

• Put the cooked rice into a serving bowl and then put the karaage on top of the rice. After that pour the sauce on top of the karaage.

Bubur Sumsum - Indonesian rice pudding and learning simple Indonesian words:

Halo = hello

Ya = yes

Tidak = no

Terima kasih = thank you

Ingredients:

500 gr rice flour 

1 litre of coconut milk 

1 tea spoon of salt

4 sheets of pandan leaves

½ cup of coconut sugar

How to cook the pudding:

• Pour the coconut milk into a big pot and then add the rice flour. 

• Stir the coconut milk and the rice flour until it is smooth. Then tied 2 sheets of pandan leaves into a knot and put it into the pot.

• Stir the coconut milk and the rice flour while cooking it using medium heat. 

• Add a pinch of salt and keep stirring it until it forms thick porridge. 

How to cook the sauce:

• Pour a cup of water into a sauce pan and then add the coconut sugar, a pinch of salt and a knot of 2 sheets of pandan leaves.

• Stir the sauce until it boils. 

How to serve:

• Put the pudding into a small cup and then pour the sauce on top of it

Note: 
It is very important to do risk assessment first, such as: food allergy, cross-contamination during cooking activity, hot stove, cooking area, etc.

©Tina Adi

How to Create a Welcoming Atmosphere

As a Teacher, it is very important to create a welcoming situation to all of your students, colleagues, other professionals and parents at all times.

There are ways to create a welcoming atmosphere:
• Take deep breaths and release them 3 times or more, so that you can feel calmness inside of you.
• Smile with your eyes and lips.
• Greet others: Good morning!, Hi!, Good day!
• Listen attentively during the conversations.
• Respond positively while listening: ...yes, ahh.., ok, I see
• Be friendly
• Be positive

©Tina Adi

How to Communicate Effectively to Children with Asperger's Symptoms

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

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

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