Tracy Seed Associates Early Years, Education, Children and Families Blog

Schemas the Geometry of the Mind

2012-01-18T13:30:00.006Z

Earlier this week I worked with a group of professionals who train our early year’s workforce, they support settings and individual practitioners and parents in a region of the UK. They were interested to learn more about Schema’s and how the work developed by Chris Athey, Tina Bruce, the Penn Green Centre and many others, might help them to raise outcomes for children.

This work always inspires me. I enjoyed leading the workshop and would like to continue this work by sharing my own reflections and resources too around this subject. If this is a subject that interests you and you would like to contribute please add your comments on this blog entry, via the facebook page or twitter account listed below.

http://www.facebook.com/LeadinginEducationandFamilies

http://twitter.com/tracyseed

Questions being discussed now are:

How can we explain the term Schema in a way that can be understood simply?

How might this work help us in our work with children and families and with each other: what are the benefits of embracing this work?

Can this work help us to make sense of the EYFS: the unique child, the nourishing environment, positive interactions and learning experiences…observations, planning etc?

If you have more questions please do add them.

Here are some articles and publications on the subject that may interest you.

http://thanetearlyyearsproject.blogspot.com/2011/10/smarties-parent-schema-board.html

http://juliangrenier.blogspot.com/2009/11/schema-theory-in-early-years-education.html

http://www.nurseryworld.co.uk/news/gated/1057621/EYFS-Best-Practice-supporting-schemas/

http://tracyseed.blogspot.com/search?q=trillions+of+connections

Publications which can be purchased through Amazon
(for some reason I have lost my links!!)
Again and Again Understanding Schemas in Young Children Stella Louis, Clare Beswick, Liz Magraw, Lisa Hayes

Threads of Thinking, Cathy Nutbrown

Understanding Schemas and Emotion -Cath Arnold

It's just not good enough

2011-10-23T19:08:00.001+01:00

“It’s just not good enough” this recent article in Nursery World caught my eye and held my interest, it was written by Julian Grenier, Early Years Advisor to Tower Hamlets Council, London.

I appreciate the eloquent and skillful way he presents this key message about the importance of: What we say and how we say it and caution over institutionalisation relating versus genuine human relating.

It’s short, concise and in my opinion, he describes without judgement, the current trend of a language being used in nurseries that is based on evaluative statements such as “good sitting, good listening” and he uses humour to illustrate how the term “good looking” would be understood outside the school gates!

He offers practical examples of the descriptions for behaviours that might relate to what is meant by “good sitting” and he expands this too by describing other behaviours concerning sitting i.e fidgeting, and generally moving about. He suggests how it might be much nicer if practitioners considered using clear and genuine descriptions, ordinary language instead of a language that is distinct from the way that other people speak.

I so enjoyed reading this article…thanks Julian…..hopefully, I may one day hear less of this language spoken, when my grandchildren are playing schools together…….

I am reminded of another article written by Rachel Underwood many years ago…here is a little extract…about considering what praise teaches…

This is what she shared

“Once as a twenty eight year old teacher, I remember spending my time after school putting up a wall display of the nursery children’s work in the school hall. Each piece of work had been carefully mounted and labelled and there were explanations for parents to read about the significance of the work. After I had finished the display, I found myself loitering in the hall - I was hoping the head teacher would come by and make some positive remark about my efforts. I caught myself doing this and smiled. Here I was, a grown woman, lead teacher in a nursery unit waiting for my wall display to be acknowledged by someone I perceived to be significant so I could go home feeling content with my day’s work. I didn’t have the know how at that point to acknowledge myself for my efforts.”

In Rachel's article, she talks about how closed comments like “lovely picture” do not enable Julie (child in the article) to develop her own views and enjoyment about her work, instead she explains how this can lead to the child’s need for adult approval. She describes how Sasha, Julie’s key worker is well intentioned in her acknowledgement of Julies work, but the message Julie creates for herself from the comments Sasha makes are very different from Sasha’s purpose. Julie ends up looking to the adults to let her know if she is doing well, maybe she plays it safe too instead of trying new things.

I have many conversations with friends and colleagues about the approaches we use when we want others to do what we want them to do…..and about the way we communicate and relate with others so that they feel emotionally safe to be themselves. Most of my work now days relates to this area…working with practitioners, parents, leaders and managers and the general public wanting to find ways to communicate and relate authentically with care respect and equality..

If our goal is to provide a world where people flourish and are able to express themselves, where we care about each other as well as ourselves , then I guess it would be great for us to be able to express ourselves honestly, openly and in a true way.

This applies to us at work, in our teams, families and communities.

How do we do this…

It seems to me that our own emotional awareness and being able to empathise, alongside clear and careful communication, plays a key role in adopting such an approach.

What do you think about this?

Leadership, Education, Community

2011-09-19T18:45:00.000+01:00

For contemplation…..

Leadership is supposed to be for everyone,

So every child or every person is supposed to act like a leader;

So you should lead your own family, you should lead your own life.

As a child grows, he’s given responsibility of taking care of the lambs, the goats, the sheep, she’s shown he’s responsible. When he grows up more he becomes a warrior.

We are initiated to become warriors and we then go to the bush for training;training to be leaders, training how to take cour community forward, how to protect our community and all that wisdom.

To become a respected leader in the Massai community, you have to first of all to show a good example.

When you are a leader you should respect everybody, you should respect children, the whole community. You don’t bullying people, you don’t tell people “do this”, commanding people no.

Instead you have respect

Emmanuel Manjura, Massai Leader published recently in Resurgence Magazine No 264

The four pillars of Education (UNESCO Learning – The Treasure within)

Learning to know: “concerned less with the acquisition of structure knowledge that with the mastery of learning tools. It may be regarded as both a means and an end of human existence.”

Learning to do..”how do we adapt education so that it can equip people to do the types of work needed in the future?”

Learning to live together “…education should adopt two complementary approaches. From early childhood, it should focus on the discovery of other people in the first stage of education. In the second stage of education and in lifelong education, it should encourage involvement in common projects.”

Learning to be:”..All people should receive in their childhood and youth an education that can make up their own minds on the best courses of action in the different circumstances in their lives”

Jean Piaget said " The principal goal of education in the schools should be creating men and women who are capable of doing new things, not simply repeating what other generations have done;men and women who are creative, inventive and discoverers, who can be critical and verify, and not accept, everything they are offered."

Cathy Nutbrown, Respectful Educators, Capable Learners (1996) "If children find learning difficult, it could well be that there I something wrong with the way in which we are asking the to learn."

If you would like to explore your own leadership and or the way you perceive and approach education and curriculum implementation contact me mail@tracyseedassociates.co.uk view my website www.tracyseedassociates.co,uk and if any of the work that we are doing inspires you we would love to connect with you..

We're Going on a Bear Hunt

2011-09-07T15:16:00.000+01:00

Another contribution from Ellen Duthie,guest contributor, a philosophy graduate who works as a translator in Spain, where she lives with a Spanish music journalist and their two-year old boy. One of the many things she enjoys doing in her free time is sharing children's book reviews and thoughts in her blogs We Read it Like This (wereaditilikethis.blogspot.com) and Lo Leemos Así (loleemosasi.blogspot.com). I am very happy that she shares with us too, I do hope you enjoy listening and reflecting on the variety of ways that you might use this wonderful story to stimulate your work with children.

We're Going on a Bear Hunt, by Michael Rosen (writer)
& Helen Oxenbury (illustrator), Walker Books, 1989.
Our edition: Walker Books, 1997.

Click on the cover to listen to the way we read We're Going on a Bear Hunt by Michael Rosen and Helen Oxenbury.

We're Going on a Bear Hunt is a family adventure of playful bravery, evocative noises and giggly fear.
The Story
Based on an old campfire song, We're Going on a Bear Hunt tells the story of a family (refreshingly, a father with four kids and a dog) that sets out one morning on an adventure to catch a bear. They are determined ("We're going on a bear hunt"), confident (We're going to catch a big one), optimistic ("What a beautiful day!") and fearless ("We're not scared").

On the way, they encounter all sorts of obstacles they "can't go over and can't go under" but just have to "go through", and, luckily, they all make interesting noises. These obstacles include a field of long wavy grass (swishy swashy), a deel cold river (splash splosh), a field of thick oozy mud (squelch squerch), a big dark forest (stumble trip!), a swirling whirling snowstorm (Hoooo woooo!) and finally a narrow gloomy cave (tiptoe! tiptoe!).

Waiting for them in the cave is the last thing they expect to find. An actual bear! They all turn around and run out, having to make their way back through all the obstacles in reverse order, making all those funny noises again, but far more quickly and with the bear running after them, back to their front door and eventually into bed and under the covers with the determination never to go on a bear hunt again.

The Illustrations
Helen Oxenbury's pencil and watercolour illustrations, alternating colour and black and white double page spreads, bring to life this family's day out, with a perfect rendering of that combination of excitement and contented exhaustion children tend to display on a day out.

We're Going on a Bear Hunt has wonderful movement scenes:

Splash splosh

Oh no! We forgot to close the door!

And just as great scenes of the family at rest in between obstacles:

We like the faces of them all when they enter into the cave:

Tiptoe! Tiptoe!

And when they get to the bedroom. Aaaah!

Our son loves the scene where they are under the blanket, particuarly the head poking out in the bottom left hand corner and the safe teddy-bear the baby is playing with:

And we all like the last scene, of course, with the bear walking back alone, looking more like he's in need of a friend than a bite to eat:

Reading it Aloud
We're Going on a Bear Hunt is written to be recited or sung out loud.

We did not know the song it is based on and I confess we found it hard to find a comfortable rhythm to it at the very start. It somehow seemed to fall flat. However after a few readings, we made it our own and our son has loved it ever since (we bought it when he was around 15 months).

It has all the perfect elements to be read aloud to young kids: repetition (both words and rhythm), plenty of interesting sounds, and a sudden change in tempo which breaks the tension and brings on a wonderful comic effect that gets children giggling every time, before it all calms down again right at the end. And on top of all that, the chance -almost the compulsion- for the child to join in, with voice or body or both.

We sometimes read it "quietly" and concentrate on the sounds (like in the recording), or read it more actively, acting it out, moving our hands through the grass while we say swishy swashy, pretending to swim through the splash splosh, getting up and walking in the squelch squerchy mud and pretending to stumble and trip through the forest, before shivering through the snowstorm and tiptoeing into the cave and then doing it all in reverse order on the way back!

Whether we are reading it quietly or actively, we always move our arms to:

We can't go over it.
We can't go under it.
Oh no!
We've got to go through it!

A couple of interesting We're Going on a Bear Hunt videos:
Check out this lightly animated version of the story:

And Michael Rosen himself telling it:
(c) of all the illustrations in this post: Helen Oxenbury, 1989.

Connecting with the Elements

2011-08-22T16:53:00.001+01:00

Not bringing the inside out - celebrating the very special nature of all that the outside has to offer - Last Saturday, over 50 Swedish early year’s professionals arrived in London for an event with us. They are the staff of Angbybarnens Forskolo, a group of five pre-schools in different locations in Norra Angby, Stockholm. These pre-schools are led by my colleagues and NVC companions Annika Sparrdal Mantilla and Ninni Jarnehall, they are pre-schools which are even more progressive and forward thinking than any average setting in Sweden

How could they afford to do this?

For the second time they have won Stockholm's Quality Award prize. They first won this during 2010 which is when they took the whole team to Italy, this time their visit is with us here in the UK and I am so grateful to have have he privilege to work with them on both of these occasions.

Here is a short video showing photographs of the event in Italy and in the UK and some of their own outdoor environment and of Chelsea Open Air nursery's very unique city garden.

A Further description of the event in the UK
We met in Norway, during May, to discuss their needs and settled on working with a theme and intention to advance their experience and thinking around learning outside -not an easy challenge, considering that, unlike UK pre-schools they already offer children all day access during rain, snow, frost, wind and sunshine. They are very comfortable with children exploring freely, climbing, digging, hiding, running, resting etc.

I wondered what we could offer?
We agreed on an innovative plan to commence on the first day, with a three hour session of music, movement and dance: a session based on biocentric principles.

What was our intention?
It was to bring them into connection with the elements, through their bodies and their emotions, to experience outdoors in a fresh way; to embody this learning. Our music (except for the opening and warm up) was the sounds of nature combined with some urban sounds too of course! Day two would be a more traditional training session.

We commenced in an indoor training room meeting and offering some outline of the session that would follow. We walked in silence to a beautiful private garden, 5 minutes away, close to regents park, walking barefoot on the grass, running, jumping, making cartwheels and handstands, smelling the earth and lying on the ground; feeling the warm rays of the sunshine on our faces, dancing to the breeze of the wind..and allowing our lungs to fill with air and to move our bodies subtly opening up to in a fluid way, slow and graceful dance and then dissolving into a deep state of relaxation and accessing a blissful sense of being with nature and ourselves.
Smelling the flowers and examining bugs with a gentleness and softness that returned us to our early memories of multi-sensorial experience. We awakened the old and anchored the new, our senses heightened and the body’s neurology embedding these experiences along with the emotional states of relaxation, awe and wonder.

The experience was very challenging for some of them and yet, they engaged themselves either fully through the exercises or as observers, whilst
sitting under a tree.
On day two or our event we were joined by Jan White, early
year’s consultant, author of playing and learning outdoors: making provision for high quality experiences in the outdoor environment’ is published by Routledge (2008). Jan is an international advocate and supports high quality outdoor provision for services from birth to five. During her time earlier in her career, as a Senior Development Officer, she played a key role nationally in developing Learning through Landscapes’ When I met Jan a few years ago, my impression was that she possessed a depth and breadth of experience that continued to evolve, I like this and her openness, flexibility and humour too. I sensed her potential to work with and to connect with a group of people in an authentic way and I was right, within a very short time and in spite of some hiccups with our equipment, she captured the group with her warmth and enthusiasm and began her session by introducing them to her thinking about the very special nature of outdoors and the distinct difference between what this environment has to offer compared with being inside - its highly multi sensory nature and vegetation.

Jan's work and my own input helped them to be conscious of the embodied experience of the previous day. She facilitated a dialogue around characteristics including;the experience of different surfaces, open spaces, opportunities for refuge and reverie, the softness of being cushioned in the grass, kissed by the rain and caresses by the leaves;exploring schemas of trajectory, enclosure, boundaries, envelopment, rotation and much much more;the right kind of materials - affordance (meaning those that meet the needs of the individual children, those that are inviting, stretching, accessed, used and shaped). Flexibility and responsiveness of the environment to the needs of the children and the importance of transition areas and the comfort of the adults to really engage with the children.

She completed the day by asking them to think about the messages they want children to believe about themselves and she shared some of hers with us:

They are good to be with
They can feel good in their body
They are capable and competent
They are trusted and responsible
They can be curious and adventurous
They are creative and inventive

My conversations with participants during our time together and at the close of he event seem to indicate that they felt stretch and challenged to think more deeply about their experiences of being outdoors and this they say, has moved them forward. We will follow up with them in a few weeks too, to see what impact the event has actually had on their practice.

I'm thinking that if all of our early years setting developed their practice in this way, surely this would go someway towards growing the kind of citizens in the UK that we would like to be with, with a love of ecology and the the likelihood of less violence and destruction.

I am so grateful for the work with Sue James who led the nature session with me and to Jan White who was a very flexible, thoughtful and creative partner and I am thankful to Ninni and Annika for continuing to work collaboratively and enthusiastically together and to Nisimo, Vigdess and Beverly for assisting in many ways to make this a memorable event - what a great team!

If you are interested to learn more about this group of nurseries see www.angybarnensforskolor.se/

If you would like to visit them in Stockholm sometime do let me know as we will be organising a study trip in the near future. Funding may also be available through various European funds. Also, do remember too that if you would like an event that is something more extraordinary to meet the needs of your group, or if you would like to attend one of the programmes specified on our website please do contact us see www.tracyseedassociates.co.uk.
Click here for a link to an older blog entry that also contains information about outside play.

Riots at Home

2011-08-13T09:50:00.005+01:00

As I return to the UK from my time in Greece I wonder what I will face in London. The violent scenes I saw on the front pages of the newspapers seemed a million miles away when I was sitting in a quite Taverna in a small village in the mountains of Pelion; the suns rays beamed through the trees and gently warmed me as I listened to the soft rippling sounds of the stream in in the background. Old men chatting, children playing and then a text...from my daughter telling me that events had occurred in Bromley and Shortlands and how scared she was feeling and another text from my friend in Lewisham and I realised that some of the riots had been right outside another friends front door http://dorothynesbit.blogspot.com/2011/08/there-were-riots-outside-my-front-door.html
I text her to see if she was ok.

As my plane lands and the doors open and the air hits my face, I notice a cold feeling, not only from the wind, but from my feeling of sorrow that our young people in the UK became so very angry and overwhelmed;causing damage and harm to people, families and communities. I wait in the cue to show my passport and the lady standing next to me expresses her anxiety about what has happened while we have been away and she tells me that her daughter was so distressed when she watched the scenes on the TV that she asked her mum to turn it off.

It is a very important time to think about how we talk with and listen to our own family members.I'm wondering what my grandchildren are feeling and thinking as they witness this.

I ask myself how did crowds come together for such destruction ?

I reflect on the amazing potential we have for such immediate communication, collaboration and organisation: the Internet and its social networking sites and also the power of such a system to work for destruction too

I wonder about the issues underlying this outbreak and guess some of the needs being expressed might include: ...a need to belong, to be part of a group, to be accepted feel significant, a need for justice, fairness, to be noticed and listened too, a need for power, for freedom and for revolution

"Punish them" and ..."zero tolerance"..are the main messages that I hear and I feel this too as I hear the pain and see the damage that has been caused and at the same time, I want much more than this. I want to see restorative justice to help them to recognise what pain and damage they have caused and to support them to express themselves and to hear their plight. If we simply punish and continue to repress this violence through control, fear and punishment I really don't think it will disappear, instead it will fester and boil until another opportunity arises and it will erupt again and we will be engulfed in its lava.

Here are a few of the comments that caught my attention on face book

"More than 90,000 people have signed an online petition calling for anyone convicted of taking part in the riots to lose any benefits they receive. Yeah that's going to really help isn't it. Not"

"I think it starts with education. Pay good teachers more money and show the kids that they can educate themselves out of the poverty trap.

"Oh for goodness sake. How does evicting people from their homes help make anything better?"

"If the youth are not welcome into the tribe, they will burn down the village to feel its warmth!

What are your thoughts on this?

Mine are that as a nation and in our own communities we need to do so much more to address these issues, they are varied and have depth and have not arisen overnight.

It would help if we had more investment in:

Intervention for families living in poverty and those who need support to transform the emotional impact of the experiences they offer their children ... early years intervention is key for young people to develop empathy and to prevent violence.....
Services for children and families that listen, hear and understand and work in trans formative ways to connect with heart, not with judgement and to empower parents.
Children's centres, early years settings and schools that work as small communities and are inclusive and have the resources to support the social, emotional and behavioural issues that arise within groups and between individuals in the settings as an everyday part of life. We need to be confident in our management of conflict in a way that develops our capacity to live in peace with each other not in war.
Family support attached to these settings.
Systems of restorative justice.

Just some thinking out loud!

Dancing with Life

2011-08-02T12:22:00.013+01:00

Coaches Liz Foster and Tracy Seed

Our intention was to lead a transformational personal development week through a blend of mind, heart and body processes and this is exactly what we did last week at Kalikalos, a holistic centre situated in the Pelion mountains, with 14 participants from UK, Greece, Spain, Italy and Denmark.

Kalikalos is within walking distance of the stunningly, beautiful traditional Greek village of Kissos and 20 mins drive or a somewhat longer walk to the most idyllic beaches featured in the film Mama ~Mia. It really is the most wonderful environment to “Dance with Life” together, to contemplate, reflect, explore, discover and create.

We danced and laughed, communicated honestly with respect and trust, debated, negotiated and shared our hearts and through our shadows and with NVC (the work of Dr Marshall Rosenburg) we explored and transformed the patterns that prevent us from fully meeting our needs in love and life. We embraced our uniqueness and stepped into the fullness of our personal power during the sessions of Biodanza.
Leading this programme was a joy and an honour always dynamic and developing ourselves too through the process and through our own working relationship together.

We met the needs of the group in an organic way through inclusion, trust, connection, absolute authenticity and understanding of our own truth.

At the end of the week...the participants had enjoyed rest, relaxation, wonderful food, sea sunshine and mountain air and learning that came from within themselves and will be taken back to their lives at home.

This is how some of the participants answered these two questions:.

What has been the main learning for you ?
“The realisation that I rejected love because it felt too painful”
“Presence keeping in a loving and happy state”
“Letting go moving into a new life and things that were /are already in place but that I now have fresh confidence and self possessed energy to stride forward with. I feel healthily detached from negative influences at home”

How has this programme benefitted your overall sense of wellbeing?
“It opened my heart”
“The importance of focussing on the present and being truly present with other people. Feeling alive and connected”
“Spiritually my body and mind worked together. My mind learnt how to let go I was more patient with myself throughout the process”.
“Feeling confident with people more willing to open and identify connections with others. I feel more socially and emotionally intelligent”.
“Improved wellbeing in all areas – socially emotionally physically intellectually, mentally...”

There were many more comments and video interviews too, which we will post when we return to UK. If this is a programme that you think you might like to attend sometime, do please contact us directly mail@tracyseedassociates.co.uk or info@lizfostercoaching.com. It is a great opportunity to meet and connect with like-minded people here in Greece or at another location:combining a holiday with personal development in a stunning setting.

It's one week now since the event ended and as I sit here typing, with a view of the sea and the sound of the grasshoppers,I am appreciating how wonderful it is to be working in this way, Families have now arrives at the Centre for the "family fortnight" ...children are playing and chatting. Life can be truly wonderful when we simply connect to the wonder and awe of every moment. Pelion is region in Ancient Greece where they the Centaurs roamed and miraculous events occurred...it seems that this is still the case !!

We Read it Like This

2011-06-13T13:02:00.001+01:00

Reviews and readings of our favourite children's books by guest blogger Ellen Duthie

The Tiger Who Came to Tea, by Judith Kerr, 1968.

Our edition: HarperCollins, 2007.

Click on the cover to listen to the way we read The Tiger Who Came to Tea.

First published in 1968, Judith Kerr's The Tiger Who Came to Tea continues to be one of the best selling and best loved children's books in the UK. It was an instant hit with my son too when we bought it for him at around the age of eighteen months, and seems to be set to continue to be one of his favourites for some time to come.

The secret behind having remained a hit over forty years after its publication date, despite more than a couple of dated elements -some of which, such as the reference to 'Daddy's beer', rather amusing to refer to out loud- has to be the charming and surreal matter-of-factness and nonchalance of how the girl and the mother in the story let a tiger in to have tea with them in their kitchen.

The sudden appearance of this 'big, furry, stripey tiger' in an entirely routine mother-and-daughter scene is portrayed as exciting and fun, but at the same time, as something absolutely natural and fine. A tiger for tea? No problem, we can handle that. The mother and daughter are both part and onlookers of each of the scenes and this makes readers feel like they are also both watching and taking part. It draws you into a story and into the rather fun possibility that the doorbell could ring any time now and it just could be a tiger. How about that as a thought to entertain on a rainy afternoon?

The story

Sophie and her mother are having their afternoon tea in the kitchen when the doorbell rings. They wonder who it might be, but cannot think of who, so go to the door and see.

When Sophie opens the door she finds a tiger who politely invites himself in: "Excuse me, but I'm very hungry. Do you think I could have tea with you?". Sophie's mother lets him in and offers him a sandwich. The tiger eats all the sandwiches on the plate in one big mouthful. 'Owp!', and, still looking hungry, proceeds to do the same with all the buns, all the biscuits, all the cake, washing it down with all the milk in the jug and all the tea in the teapot. He then looks round for more, until he eats every last bit of food and every last bit of liquid in the house, including all the water in the drains.

He then, also very politely, says "Thank you for my nice tea. I think I'd better go now", and leaves.

When Sophie's Daddy gets back, they tell him all about the tiger and what happened and he suggests they go out for a meal. So they go out in the dark, with 'all the street lamps lit' and eat in a cafe.

The next day Sophie and her mummy go shopping and remember to buy a tin of tiger food just in case.

The illustrations

Judith Kerr's ink and crayon illustrations use a warm palette of colours to achieve a marvellously expressive portrayal of a very remarkable experience in comfortingly familiar terms.

Here are a few of the illustrations from The Tiger Who Came to Tea:

The tiger sits down to tea

Drinking all the tea in the teapot

Drinking all the water in the tap

I must say I absolutely love the tiger's nice, cheeky face.

And I love Daddy's matching tie and socks, here:

Reading it out loud

The Tiger Who Came to Tea is great to read out loud for several reasons. It has repetition (mainly with "all": all the tea in the teapot, all the packets in the cupboard, all the street lamps were on..."), dialogue (a chance to do different voices), and a wonderfully restrained and effective use of occasional rhyme (tea, be, key, see).

There were several things our son loved about The Tiger Who Came to Tea from the very beginning, when he was about 18 months. He particularly loved: 1) the tiger eating everything up in one big mouthful: 'OWP!'-this has been used more than once as a mealtime encouragement and works wonders-, 2) the picture of Daddy holding his key: 'KEY!', 3) the image of Daddy arriving home and taking his hat off: 'Hello!' -we add in the 'Hello'-, 4) pointing out the sausages they are eating in the café and 5) the tiger playing the trumpet at the end: Good-bye--- Good-bye... Good-bye -we ended up buying him a wee toy trumpet as a result-.

From the point of view of the person reading it out loud, it's got a nice rhythm and flow to it and comfortably withstands more than a couple of consecutive readings.

Bits and bobs

Lots of people seem to get upset about the mother being a bit of a 'drip', the tiger drinking 'all of Daddy's beer' and them having 'nothing for Daddy's supper'. It is true that even for the 60s, it's all a bit 50s. If it really upsets you, I suppose you can always change those bits or leave them out (but then would you change the meal at the end for something healthier than sasauges, chips and ice-cream too?). In the version that was published in Spain last year, they 'edited out' both those references to Daddy. On the other hand, you could also lighten up and enjoy the thrill of letting a stranger into your house.

One of the things I love about the end of The Tiger Who Came to Tea is the sense of something special going on when they venture out of the house for dinner and it's dark outside. 'All the street lights were lit and all the cars had their lights on'. Almost as exciting as a tiger coming to tea.

If you are interested in reading more about Judith Kerr (also the author of the Mog series and of When Hitler Stole the Pink Rabbit), try these links here:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2008/nov/29/judith-kerr-tiger-came-tea

http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2010/jan/14/judith-kerr-tiger-tea

http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/video/2011/jan/20/judith-kerr-new-end-theatre

Ellen Duthie is a guest contributor, a philosophy graduate who works as a translator in Spain, where she lives with a Spanish music journalist and their two-year old boy. One of the many things she enjoys doing in her free time is sharing children's book reviews and thoughts in her blogs We Read it Like This (wereaditilikethis.blogspot.com) and Lo Leemos Así (loleemosasi.blogspot.com).

I do hope that you enjoy this entry and her future writings about the benefits and joys of reading aloud to babies and toddlers, and ways of incorporating reading naturally into busy daily routines. There are many more reviews on....We Read it Like This (wereaditlikethis.blogspot.com)

Cuddling children - not allowed again????

2011-05-25T14:25:00.009+01:00

We all need hugging and cuddling no matter what age we are. We also need the touch of a smile, verbal affection and eye contact too and we need key relationships with people we can trust. http://www.nurseryworld.co.uk/news/1067702/Hugs-extend-happiness-Happy-Days/

Affective interaction is necessary for the healthy, cognitive, social and emotional development of every human being.

This is as necessary as food.

There is so much research that exists on this subject, Harlow’s famous experiments with monkey’s in the 1960’s showed the need for comfort and warmth and many studies with infants in orphanages and in hospitals showed conclusive results that if babies do not have contact with a significant other and are not touched they fail to thrive.

Infants deprived of skin contact lose weight, become ill and even die.

Premature babies receiving “touch therapy" gained weight faster, cried less and show more signs of a relaxed pulse respiration rate and muscle tension and I'm sure that there must be research with the elderly too, but I haven’t explored this.

It seems that this natural warm physical response to another human being causes a biochemical release of the hormone, oxytocin and when this hormone enters the bloodstream we feel good: it lowers the levels of stress hormones in the body, reducing blood pressure, improves mood, increases tolerance for pain and maybe even helping the body to heal more quickly.

Cuddling/hugging is so very good for us it lowers stress

Touch is also the way that many of our memories are stored which means that our early memories are anchored deeply into the physiology of the bodies neurology (touch permeates through the dermis (skin) and activates tiny receptors which are distributed throughout the entire body). These early memories, including the way that we were touched create a pattern, a template from which subsequent relationships are formed, consequently, it is crucial to recognise the importance of the essential value of reassuring and caring touch, hugging, cuddling and expressions of affection…relationships and attachment.

This is what Leboyer 1975;Wilson 1982 said:

"It is through the skin, through touch, that the newborn first learns about its world and draws conclusions about whether it is a safe place or a hostile one"

When we feel contained in the arms of another we learn to trust. When we feel safe and securely attached, we develop the confidence to explore our surroundings independently, with a sense of adventure and self assuredness, knowing that we can return to that place of safety when we need it.

It gives us a sense of safety and security and supports the development of trust

This is what I understand about the importance of cuddling (and its connections with attachment and developing a healthy sense of mental and emotional wellbeing) so when I read a title like “cuddling children – not allowed again, which was posted on a linked-in group recently, it calls me to engage, share and respond to this very important topic and my desire is now to share what was discussed with all of you too.

Janet Uwins - Independent Early Years Consultant and Tutor, Chelmsford, UK initiated this discussion when she posted this:

“I have been teaching a regular class of pre-school practitioners today who are nearing the end of their L3 Diploma. In classroom debate, one of my students raised the subject of cuddling children, a subject that was quite controversial a few years ago. It seems to have reared its ugly head once again, this fine line between acceptable and not acceptable practice with young children, and once again I am hearing messages that settings are asking staff not to touch the children in order to protect themselves against safeguarding accusations.

Have I missed something here?

I was under the impression we had moved on from blanket policies of this nature and were putting the needs of the child first. Surely the concept behind our Key Person approach and acknowledgement of attachment theory and the emotional well-being of the child is fundamental. I would like to hear from any of you (practitioners in particular) who can offer me any enlightenment as to this supposed U-turn.”

When Janet says it has reared its “ugly head” I agree with her “the ugliness” is that child abuse exists, children could be harmed or a member of staff falsely accused of abuse and the level of fear paired with a need for safety sometimes results in staff in nurseries, teachers in schools, social workers and many others who work with children, being confused and cautious about cuddling and showing their care and affection freely…

There were many responses illustrating this concern on-line, including one contributor saying that she had worked in one placement where minimum contact was suggested (in the 12 to 18 month room) and that blanket policies about this seem to be apparent in larger chains.

Here are a few other responses for you to read:

Elaine Hook, Manager Sole Charge at Monkey Puzzle Day Nurseries, Hemel Hempstead said:

“We cuddle children openly in a room with other members of staff keeping our hand visible and usually rely on the child's lead. Of course for emotional, attachment and attunement reasons practitioners have to cuddle babies and small children but always under the organisation policies and procedures and with someone else in the room. We never do anything alone or behind closed doors especially with older children. We also ensure that we write an incident procedure form over absolutely anything and have it witnessed by a staff member and signed off by the deputy or manager and then ask the parents to sign the form and also give them a copy. It is more detrimental to the development and well being of a small child (as we all know) to not cuddle or comfort a child than it to comfort. I believe all practitioners especially managers/owners should be confident (and know their own policies well) to challenge ideas like these in the best interest of the child and their learning and development. We all want children to grow up as social well adjusted individuals and as well all know if children are not stroked, cuddled or love that can cause a wide range of trauma for later in life”.

Kathy Brodie who provides tailored training and support for early years nurseries and professionals, Stockport, UK made reference to the independent report on the Early Years Foundation Stage – Dame Tickell

4.5……….I recommend that the safeguarding and welfarerequirements are made more explicit about warning signs in the behaviour of adults working in a setting. I also recommend that the EYFS sets out clearly the high level content of the child protection training that lead safeguarding practitioners are required to attend. This should align with the Working together to safeguard children guidance, and include content on safeguarding within early years settings.

4.6 That said, I recognise that this must be balanced against the need to ensure that those working in settings do not become afraid to interact confidently with the children in their care. It is only right, for example, that young children should be hugged and comforted when this is needed – indeed withholding this type of comfort could be damaging to a child. This is why this type of training and knowledge is essential to help practitioners understand what is, and is not, appropriate

Catherine, Proprietor and Centre Manager at Springlands Training and Assessment Centre, Principal and Proprietor at SPRINGLANDS (early years, childcare),Principal and Owner at St Mary's Kindergarten and The Cherries Nursery:

“Why do we put children in the position where they have to ASK for comfort (i.e. take the child's lead as they become upset/ask) surely, as sensitive adults who understand children we should anticipate when a child may become frightened or upset and step in with a 'hands on' approach (as appropriate) before they get upset?

I believe, the more 'TLC' they receive the more secure and capable of handling traumatic situations and healthily.

How many fewer than fives currently are anticipated to have mental health problems when they are adults? There is a statistic!

I would expect key-people to know their key children very well - otherwise where's the relationship?

What's the point?

Emotional security is more important than anything else?

In my opinion, the best practitioners will 'naturally' respond and personally I think they should remember, as adults we are unlikely to have any REAL memories of our lives before six (maybe just those told to us) - I am sure you will agree what we do remember of our childhoods has influenced us somehow in adulthood - but as we remember consciously we can rationalise it and maybe repair the hurt. I worry about what is not remembered and this is why 'early years' is such a huge responsibility!

I personally think no cuddling is neglect - that maybe is my subconscious influencing that judgment, particularly when I look at my first school photo!

The nursery systems, environment, staffing ratio's, policies together with the professionalism and trust of individuals within teams should be in place to support individual staff in giving to children; to meet all their needs - this obviously requires 'constant review' and 'risk assessment' to possible accusations/worries/claims.

This is such an important discussion. I enjoyed it and at the same time I feel a real sadness too…This is an area, close to my heart, one that I address with in my work around human connection and relationships and interactions …

So I say lets talk about love and affection in our trainings with those working with our children, in their homes, in nurseries and in schools and lets invite discussions and the opportunity for people to share their beliefs and attitudes and to explore their fears and concerns in this area.

Are you willing to share your thoughts on this one?

Transformational Coaching

2011-04-06T20:29:00.003+01:00

This is how one (early years) organisation describes the benefits of working with us in an independent coaching relationship. Nonviolent communication and NLP were the approaches that were drawn on during the coaching process.

“Since the management team have received coaching, the impact on the whole team has been massive. Both the Childcare Director and Managers have then been able to coach some of the team at each of the sites.
Coaching is so powerful as it helps us to reflect on our practice on another, much higher level, and start to make changes. Any changes we make in our practice and in ourselves will of course have a massive impact on those around us. At all sites there has definitely been an "empowerment" amongst the team - the team are not so reliant on the management team - they make decisions and fulfil their roles much more effectively. It has also created a more honest culture, which is something I've been trying to encourage for 8 years!!!
I also think people feel they have permission to make mistakes and they will be supported with that, as they think about what they would have done differently and how they will move that forward.
The process has helped transform the senior management team's communication with each other, and in some ways taken out the fear factor - which was skewed due to our own stuff!!
"Coaching really helped me open my eyes and see the bigger picture; it helped me understand some of my own skills and areas for development. It helped me question my own practice. Through this process I have then been able to reach out and support my team in a constructive and beneficial way." Kerry Lambourne (Zoom - Eltham, Manager)
Eleanor hasn't experienced coaching first hand herself (yet), - in a formal capacity!! I have and do coach some of her team. She says - paraphrased.
The advantages, I feel, are that the team receive "on the job" training. Team are given time and support, where they are developed. They feel valued and listened to and are helped to progress, in a nurturing way. This affects the team the person is in and the nursery as a whole. The Manager also gets support with training and supporting the team and help to identify areas for development. Everyone benefits. I don't know if most people appreciate the depth and complexity of the job - and so any 1-2-1 support given in areas that could impact many other areas is fantastic for everyone concerned, e.g. confidence. (zoom - baby unit Manager)
Justine says "coaching has impacted me by enabling me to reflect on my practice at a higher level, gave me confidence to be honest about my strengths and areas for development (although painful), taught me that I'm not perfect!! I am now able to listen more effectively and so I was able to give time and space to others to manage their own processes, and role modelling has had a massive impact on practice; empower and motivate."
The coaching process enables team to reflect on their practice and to be continually moving forward and developing and changing. It is empowering and motivating, it places value and results in ownership. It improves communication and allows challenging of each other in a positive and respectful way - which is then modelled to the children.
If the money was there - I would make it compulsory for all Management team to receive coaching sessions regularly - and they then coach their teams, etc. Impacting children, parents, team and themselves!!” Melanie Ferguson Operations Director Zoom Nurseries, London

This leadership team are so inspired, they are now able to use a coaching style with their staff, obviously this is not entirely the same as working with an unbiased independent coach, but it does mean that they have a repertoire of skills to coach their staff in the context of their job related performance and to lead an overall culture in the organisation that fosters equality and inclusiveness in the team. The benefits have been transformational.

If you are interested in working with a coach on an individual basis or would like us to work with your team contact us at mail@tracyseedassociates.co.uk.
Or join my next 4 day transformational LEAD training programme. We guarantee that you will:
• Gain awareness and flexibility in your leadership style
• Discover the secret of high performing teams.
• Develop coaching and mentoring skills and learn a language for conflict resolution and for creating a culture of team work and collaboration

This is what one participant said who attended my most recent training in Lambeth
“ I have learnt to listen, to work as a team member, to have empathy for my colleagues, have gained confidence and a boldness to sort out issues that occur with the team” Early Years Leader
If you find yourself wanting to acquire theses skills and competencies book your place now by clicking here or telephone me 07795632878 for further information
Next Events
Bromley commencing 6th May
Lincolnshire commencing 7th June (to be confirmed)
Newmarket commencing 8th June
Want to know more about NLP and Nonviolent communication

Social and Emotional Leadership – Employing a Coaching Style

2011-03-22T18:42:00.001Z

Most leaders will say that they do employ a coaching style of leadership, but in my experience when we examine what this looks like in practice, they discover that they spend most of their time giving advice and direction, rarely taking the time to listen to their staff or to understand their long-term work related aspirations and goals.

This video of Daniel Goleman being interviewed about leadership explains very well, the type of skills that make outstanding leaders.

Many of these skills can be found in the coaching style of leadership.

The Lead First programme supports leaders and managers to develop these skills and competencies. During four days of experiential learning, with fortnightly intervals between sessions, participants learn to listen, gain awareness of different perceptual viewpoints. They practice the attitude and model of communication developed by Dr Marshall Rosenberg’s non-violent communication and the processes for group decision making developed by Gerard Endenburg’s work with – Dynamic Governance. They coach each other towards taking action and achieving thier goals.

This is what some of my recent participants said after attending this four day programme.

“I am now able to reflect about the overall situation in the nursery and myself as a manger too; the dynamics between the two and how to improve them. I am more able to use a particular style needed for the situation.” Corninna

“Coaching- listening to my staff and letting them solve problems, not jumping in with my opinion is what I have learnt” Tracey

“I feel that I am leaving the course with new skills. I feel empowered and confident and my team have already noticed the difference – inspirational!” Frances

If you would like to develop some of these skills, why not join my next 4 day LEAD first training, being held in:

Bromley commencing 6th May

Lincolnshire commencing 7th June (to be confirmed)

Newmarket commencing 8th June

Book your place now by clicking here or telephone me for further information for contact details see http://www.tracyseedassociates.co.uk/

Why is it important to say goodbye?

2011-02-25T11:28:00.001Z

I was recently part of an on-line discussion on this subject of whether it’s important for parents to say goodbye to their children, when they are left in their child care setting, rather than sneaking away when they play happily.This was the request received on-line, from mother of child 18mths old to NVC practitioners and trainers…and anyone else wanting to contribute….

“Why is it recommended that parents should say goodbye to their children, rather than sneak away when they play happily in their child care setting?
Is it to help them feel secure and to know that mummy and daddy will come back later?
When we do this our son gets very upset and takes 5 or 10 minutes to settle, where as when we sneak out we leave him playing happily and there seems little trauma in relation to separation, he doesn’t even seem to notice that we have left.
I don't currently know if us not saying goodbye is causing any other unmet needs like anxiety or nervousness around us not coming back, he generally seems pretty happy when we come back, but of course, I don't know.
Communicating with him about his needs at this point is not really possible as he is 18mths old. "

I really enjoyed this response which was posted by Sarah Peyton and Bonnie Badenoch USA. (Bonnie Badenoch wrote 'Being a Brain-wise Therapist )
“Saying goodbye is important, but sometimes hard for parents because they have difficulty tolerating their child's cries. Securely attached children cry upon departure, but then settle down - so this sounds right. By having a routine of saying goodbye and then returning later, he will gradually develop neural nets for this pattern of transition and feel more and more secure upon their departure because of the awareness that there will be a return. Without the goodbye, there's no pattern developing, and sneaking isn't going to work much longer anyway. So at some point, he is going to notice you going and have to start from that point. Being able to tolerate our children's cries is so important so our children know that crying is the appropriate response to something that hurts. In the big picture, he "needs" to learn about goodbye and hello again, and the tears in the small picture are a steppingstone to that.
For the brain, the neural nets that develop when we are small hold a prediction of how the world will be, a prediction that we carry on through the rest of our lives.
• Are we safe?
• Is the world more or less predictable?
• Do we need to be hyper vigilant about where people we love are to keep them from disappearing?
• Do we know we matter to those around us?
• The more we are present for our children's reactions to the world and our schedules, the more they are able to hold transition with care and self-compassion throughout their lives.”

Managing emotional separation
Separation/transition anxieties and emotional distress can be very upsetting for parents and carers, but, managing these times are so very important; it is these very early experiences that can impact our adult lives…Responses and subsequent behaviour to transitions and separations will be borne out of how they have made sense of these early experiences.

Most of us have no conscious memory of our infancy and find it difficult to recall experiences before the age of around three years, but this does not mean that these experiences aren’t being coded in our memory. Our hippo campus (the brain nucleus that lays down long term memory) is fully mature by around one year and it seems that emotional responses are coded here from birth, or maybe even in the womb. Experiences travel through our senses long before we can rationalise them, in fact our ability to think symbolically, creatively and rationally does not emerge until around 18 mths.

The role of the person supporting the distressed child literally helps that child get wired up for the future….Margot Sunderland - The Science of Parenting says:

"Will your child be tormented by lower (reptilian) brain systems repeatedly triggering primitive impulses of defence and attack?

Or will he feel so much hurt that he cuts off from the strong feelings of love and need in his mammalian brain, going through life in an over-rational way, unable to form close relationships?
Or will his rational brain coordinate with the emotional systems in his mammalian brain in ways that allow him to enjoy the highest level of social intelligence with the deepest level of human compassion and concern?

Here are a few tips on how to manage emotional distress in a way that supports a child developing the deepest level of human compassion and concern.

• Keep calm.
• Step into their world and gain a real sense of what they feel and need
• Soothe them, through words, touch, embrace, rocking, tone of voice and connection with eyes.
• Let them know that it is OK to express their emotions and help them to feel safe throughout the process
• When the emotional balance has been restored and if they are old enough, talk through the situation.
• Read stories about emotions

Communicating with compassion is the key- I wonder what your thoughts are on this?
If you would like to join a Parent Connect group to explore ways of connecting within your family with greater compassion and connection click here to register your interest or contact me directly by calling 07795632878. Or join my on one of my other events, by clicking http://tracyseed.blogspot.com/p/events-2011.html

CPD for Emotionally Conscious Leaders in Children and Family Services and Early Years Settings

2011-02-21T21:34:00.002Z

What inspired me to write?
Today I heard from someone about the possibility of further cuts in the public sector, for training and developing the leaders and managers of services to children and families..
I feel concerned when I hear this because I have worked with so many of these leaders over the years; in London and across the UK: teachers, childminders, children centre managers, nursery managers, social workers ELLPS and those completing the EYPS. With people from privately funded and public funded groups and I I hear about the high demands of their roles. They give so much and receive such little support.

At the beginning of every new programme that I facilitate, we spend time getting to know each other and I ask:

“What is it that you would really want from this training?”
My LEAD participants always say the same things I want:..
• to know I am doing it right.
• more confidence
• to be able to deal with conflict
• to feel less stressed
• communicate more clearly
• manage my feelings
• to know how to communicate with my line manager in a way that she will listen and I won’t feel anxious.
• to work with my team
• to show who I really am?
• to manage my anger?
• to know how to get others to understand me…
• to get support?
Sometimes as they express their needs, their feelings of overwhelm, anxiety and stress are released and maybe there are a few tears. For some, this is the very first time they have been able to express these feelings, that they have been carrying for years.

No, this is not therapy, it is it is a professional development programme, but it is a programme that works personally with the participants and offers communication, emotional and social skills development.
In addition to the unmet needs that they share, they also share fun, joy and celebration about how they contribute to the lives of children and families and of working collaboratively together as a team and they work together to develop the competencies and skills that they need to lead effectively in their roles..
Emotionally containing models of CPD in our profession, where participants are able to discuss and highlight the emotional complexity of their work in my opinion are so very necessary. There are still few trainers with the skill and experience to offer this opportunity to the sector.

Elfer, Peter and Dearnley, Katy (2007) document the significance of this work in their article: 'Nurseries and emotional well-being: the authors evaluate an emotionally containing model of professional development' for childcare staff http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/09575140701594418
Conclusions of their work gives evidence that when participants were able to discuss and highlight the emotional complexity of their work there were significant shifts in interactions with the children and the parents. I am convinced that when leaders and managers are able to do this too, there is a significant shift in their interactions with their staff; this impacts the culture of the setting and consequently impacts the children and their families.

On my 4 day LEAD course which is delivered over a period of 6 weeks participants are supported to identify their needs and to develop strategies to meet them. They deepen their reflective practice, develop their skills in coaching and mentoring. They gain conscious awareness of their values, Nonviolent/compassionate communication and the work of Marshall Rosenberg, decision making techniques and leadership styles.
This is just one CPD training that supports leaders and managers.
If you are interested in this and other trainings, events and services see http://www.tracyseedassociates.co.uk/

The next LEAD event commences 10th March and is being delivered in Bromley, for other dates and to book a place, see http://tracyseed.blogspot.com/p/events-2011.html
I look forward to working with you.......

"People are like stained glass windows: they sparkle and shine when the sun is out, but when the darkness sets in their true beauty is revealed only if there is a light within” -- Elizabeth Kubler-Ross

________________________________________

Creativity in children's early years is vital for the country's future economic growth

2010-11-17T20:22:00.002Z

Nursery World article summary by Catherine Gaunt 11 November http://www.nurseryworld.co.uk/news/rss/1040568/Creativity-children-protected-new-political-climate/ and various other articles published in the press recently, all express concern over early year’s practices returning to outdated beliefs about learning.
A key report published argues why creativity in children's early years is vital for the country's future economic growth http://www.demos.co.uk/publications/born-creative-
‘We must not be tempted to narrow the curriculum and return to the outdated belief that concentrating only on literacy, numeracy and behaviour will strengthen early years practice.’ Bernadette Duffy
Although the coalition government express a commitment to the EYFS it is not clear that they have grasped the importance of the double role of creativity in the early years. The emphasis is very much a commitment to a “focus on basics”. Concern is not over this emphasis, but over how these basics will be delivered. This Rose primary curriculum due for implementation in 2011 was to ensure implementation of the primary curriculum with the holistic EYFS. This was cancelled by June 2010. See an earlier blog entry of mine to read my thoughts about introducing formal school too early http://tracyseed.blogspot.com/2010/07/eyfs-is-hugely-important.html
As I read the essays and articles and reflect on my own thoughts about this too, I enjoy what I read about creativity and at the same time I too feel a deep concern, because the government is not supporting the Rose primary curriculum and also over the implications of the spending review for the early years sector and how this might effect training and support for settings.
I have no doubt whatsoever that creative expression in education and particularly during the early years is essential to the country’s social and economic growth.
Why?
Because it is essential to our health, mental, social, intellectual and emotional wellbeing as individuals and together as a nation.
Creativity is necessary for innovation, collaboration, harmony and for peace.
Creativity is the process of chaos through to a new order whatever that new order might be.
Creativity is the source of life. If this natural force is suppressed it can show itself in various ways which may be destructive instead constructive.
Creativity is often seen only as an expression of art and of course it is this and it so much more too.
I agree with Michel Rosen in his forward to the report http://www.demos.co.uk/publications/born-creative- when he says:
“It is essential for the advance of humankind. We are beset with massive problems concerning at the very least questions of climate, poverty, disease and war. We will never escape from this cycle through top-down instruction. Of course, it is possible to be creative about destruction – the twentieth century was particularly clever in this respect. In other words, creativity for the benefit of the human race has to be inclusive and cooperative. October 2010
I recognise that I am deeply committed to fostering creativity in my work with early year’s practitioners and through my personal development practices: coaching, mentoring, mediating, facilitating, training in early years, and through my involvement in collaborative leadership and management of projects, organisations and services.
This means understanding creativity and how when we nurture, support, facilitate and develop this through the early years we lay foundations for collaboration, innovation and for peace.
I consider creativity as a force that is motivated by our need to contribute, explore, invent, build, destroy, play, communicate, and express ourselves and much more.
Creativity is dynamic and unfolding. Young children expand their perception when they are able to move from viewing things literally, to using their imaginations, to make up stories, role play and pretend: then a comb becomes a car; we become a prince, a princess, our mum, dad, a police officer, a fireperson. A bowlful of stones becomes food; a row of bricks become a bridge, a combination of sounds becomes a tune, moving to music becomes a dance. A conflict becomes an opportunity for evolution.
In early years when we enable the expression of children’s natural creativity, they build and dig, paint, sing and make up rhymes, experiment and discover, apply first hand experiences and build on these in ways to create something brand new and unique to them. This is how connections are made and their very own map of the world is created, through curiosity, inquisitiveness, risk and challenge, on their own and with others, for the good or destruction of ourselves and others.
Some of the questions the report explores are:
• Can training really make early years professional more creative?
• Does the curriculum foster creativity?
Michel Rosen says to himself:
“Are these people investigating, discovering, inventing and cooperating?
They don’t have to be doing all four all the time, but is this event, this process, this ‘workshop’ involving at least one of these?
In an ideal moment, it’ll be all four.
What can I do to increase the amount of whichever one of the four is not happening here?
In my experience, things start to happen when all four take place in a group of people.”
I like these questions, they help me to reflect on my own trainings and consider how I foster these things too.
I am very grateful to David Weikart High Scope Head Start pioneer for his contribution to early years and for my training with them in the late 1980’s . High Scope clearly places creativity at the very heart of its practice.

Every aspect of the curriculum is considered from the premise that children learn actively through engagement with others, with materials and through their own intrinsic motivation. They learn in their own way through their personal expression and with the support of the adults around them. Adults who understand how children learn!
I am also grateful to Dr Marshall Rosenberg for his work in life enriching education, nonviolent communication and for the work of Gerard Endenburg on dynamic governance/Sociocracy. These approaches offer the sector ways of communicating and decision making processes to enable collaborative working and I am grateful to many others too, including the work of Rolando Toro in offering opportunities for free expression of our creativity through music and movement.
More on these later………
Key messages in this entry are that CREATIVITY IS IMPORTANT both as an area of the EYFS and central to learning culture of early years settings.

HOW do we support children's learning and development?

2010-10-19T18:52:00.001+01:00

Active Learning in the Early Years

The Little Boy
A poem by Helen Buckley this version has been adapted by unknown

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 from the door outside he was happy.
And the school did not seem quite so big any more

One morning,
When the little boy had been in school a while

The teacher said: “Today we are going to make a picture”

“Good!” Thought the little boy, he likes to make pictures.
He could make all kinds; 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 flowers,
And he began to make beautiful ones

with his pink and orange and blue crayons

But the teacher said:“Wait!” And I will show you how”
And she drew a flower on the blackboard.

It was red, with a green stem.
“There,” said the teacher. “Now you may begin.”
The little boy looked at the teachers’ 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 like 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! 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 looked at his own.
He liked his dishes 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 learned 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 on the very first day he was there, the teacher said:
“Today we are going to make a picture.”

“Good!” though the little boy, and he waited for the teacher to tell him what to do
But the teacher didn’t say anything. She just walked around the room.
When she came to the little boy, she said,
“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 I make it?” said the teacher.
"How shall I make it?" asked the little boy
“Why, any way you like,” said teacher.
“And any colour?” asked th 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.
The little boy picked up his crayons and began to draw
He made a red flower with a green stem

Circle Time and more in Greece

2010-08-05T13:16:00.001+01:00

I arrived here at the Kalikalos Centre in Greece 23rd July to take part in a dynamic governance (sociocracy) training event with Emile Van Dantzig and I found myself gaining a deeper understanding of this organisational model and in a small community of people of all ages in the mountains of Pelion, a very short walk from the beautiful traditional village of Kissos.

Immediately on arrival, I was welcomed and had a sense of connection with the place and the people. During the opening circle of the whole community, which included our group, another group and those staying here for community experience, we took time to say a little about ourselves and if we would like to share our talents with the group during our stay.

Indian Head Massage, Languages and Guitar tutoring were offered. I offered phobia cures and to lead a community dance session.

I received an overwhelming response from everyone that they would love to dance and also many spoke to me individually about their anxieties about expressing themselves freely in dance.

I felt excited and anxious:excited at offering this wonderful way of expressing ourselves and coming together as a community group in the celebration of life and anxious as the group was large, over 25 people of all ages and abilities.

I was taken to Spiti ton Kentavron which is the other centre here in Pelion to see the wonderful open airy space for dance and movement. I plugged in my ipod and the music filled the space beautifully. I just needed to plan it now and I did!

I sensed a need for fun, creativity, playfulness, coming together with sensitivity, with openness and engagement.

For around two hours on Wednesday evening in the space at Spiti ton Kentavron we danced energetically, vibrantly, expressively, softly, creatively, uniquely, responsively.

Having the opportunity to lead this community dance event was wonderful for me. I observed moments when the movements of individuals and the group touched me deeply. During one dance with hands. I observed two mothers with their daughters united through the sensitive, fluid and creative movement of their hands and it was as if there was a reverence radiating from their small group formation.
Another dance that touched me deeply was between a mother and her young daughter of just 7 years where with just one finger connecting them they moved together in absolute connection to the soft harmonies. I also enjoyed seeing two teenage girls who at times had seemed a little self conscious, now moving sensitively, with ease together in melodic unity.

I left the centre on 30th July to stay with my partner Michael and his family just a few miles away in Tsagarada. My experience of leading the dance, learning more about living together in an ecologically sustainable community and engaging in workshops daily to learn more about the theory of sociocracy was really interesting. I feel very enthusiastic about sharing this organisational model and more with leaders in early years. I will write more about the principles and practices of sociocracy when I return to the UK.

Right now I am enjoying walking in the mountains and relaxing on the beach. Today, I received a request to return to the communities to lead another session of music and movement, this time for the family groups that are staying there now, all nationalities, all ages, mainly single mothers with and their sons. I accepted the request and am looking forward to sharing in another joyous celebration of the dance of life, with others, here in the mountains of Pelion.

I’m thinking that maybe I will return next year myself to lead an event for a week …if you think you might like to join me do let me know and I will keep you posted about the details of what I will offer.

The EYFS is hugely important

2010-07-06T14:58:00.001+01:00

So much is happening in Education, it’s difficult to keep track of it all.

The public sector seems to be transforming and reducing at a pace which is very difficult to comprehend:the united vision for children, schools and family services no longer exists in a government department and cuts are being made everywhere. Children Centre's step increasingly into the picture and their vision is increasing and yet it seems that they cater for a smaller minority....it is not easy to see the full picture at this time.

The other major concern is the threat to childcare providers in all areas of the sector from the economic crisis and the impact of the single funding formula.

I've been reading the numerous articles about the proposed review of the EYFS and decided to record my thoughts that arise here in this blog entry.

I am interested to hear yours.

Yes, I think there are still some concerns about the EYFS and at the same time I absolutely agree with Miss Hughes when she says: "The EYFS is hugely important as a single framework for play-based early learning and care, based on the kind of support that helps children thrive in the early years. We have always said that we will keep the EYFS under review."

I am sure a review could be useful and at the same time I am concerned that the good work that has been done, could get undone!

My experience as a consultant in the sector is that the Early Years Foundation Stage has raised the quality of early years practice. Child centred enabling environments where children have choice and access to resources and routines which facilitate large groups, small groups and time for individual play is much more the norm now . The main difficulties I hear are around planning and assessment. Some practitioners have got bogged down with creating complex systems against EYFS guidance and they struggle to find the balance between focussing on learning outcomes, setting next steps and facilitating learning and development through the children’s interests.

This is mainly because of their often misguided anxiety about providing sufficient evidence for OFSTED.

Early years are a unique phase of life which is important in its own right, learning through the senses our brains develop at the most rapid pace, full of plasticity, being modified by the environment and expanded to fulfil its potential, which is pretty much set in intellectual structure by the age of 5 years. The EYFS provides a comprehensive framework for practitioners to support this rapidly developing time and it has placed play as central to children learning.

It has taken years to establish that play is central to learning and to understand that a child's need for safety and belonging must be met before they will explore and learn. The EYFS gives these messages.

I recently facilitated training at an inspirational event for the leaders and managers of Royal Borough Kensington and Chelsea and we were joined in the evening by Peter Dixon. Peter was our after dinner speaker and delivered a message that really does need to be heard NOW.

The Colour of My Dreams by Peter Dixon

I play, my world of make believe
I play it every day
and teachers stand and watch me
but don't know what to say.

They give me diagnostic tests,
they tryout reading schemes,
but none of them will ever know
the colour of my dreams.

I would highly recommend Peter's books published by Macmillan
The Colour of my Dreams and Let Me Be......

I also attended a workshop with Tina Bruce who reminded us all about the complex value of play. We enjoyed making camps and recalling our own experience of these activities through our early childhood: the value of playing together, negotiating, problem solving, applying first hand experiences. The feeling of competence, use of imagination and memories of how my interest, focus and concentration went on and on and was a pleasure to recall.

Tina highlighted features to assess the richness and complexity of play; these include:
Making up rules
Making props
Rehearsing the future
Pretending
Playing alone and together
Being deeply involved
Trying out recent learning and more.........

I returned home and decided to provide materials in the garden for my grandson to build with and together for around three hours we played and constructed a camp at the top of the garden which stayed there for three weeks!

Supporting children's creative thinking through play and challenging them with materials, interactions and ideas lays firm foundations for their future education and for life its self.

During the past two years the investment by the Labour government in the Early Years sector has paid off and although there was still some debate about the content of the EYFS we were able to focus on training that emphasised how children learn and how this learning and development is facilitated. I hope that this review involves our new government in listening to practitioners views, hearing what we have to say and improving the EYFS on the basis of what they hear. In addition, I hope that the EYFS is extended to cover a longer phase of education, so that our youngest children in the UK, like many of our European partners, won't start formal schooling below the age of 6.

Last year I visited Sweden where older children are in the settings. I observed a more laid back attitude to attainment. Yes, I saw learning journey's and amazing examples of children's work clearly illustrating children's progress but mainly I witnessed a love of learning and real appreciation for this phase of life in it's own right and the value of play.

One teacher told me "our focus is on meeting each child's needs this is all"

Take a look at how Swedish children perform in the European league tables to see the results of starting formal education later!

In the Telepgarph http://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/educationnews/6338700/Primary-review-start-formal-lessons-at-six.html

Dame Gillian Pugh is quoted: “If you introduce a child to too formal a curriculum before they are ready for it then you are not taking into account where children are in terms of their learning and their capacity to develop.”

She added that forcing four-year-olds to “sit quietly” often backfired as it turned them off reading at a young age.

“There is no research evidence that shows that early access to formal learning does children any good and quite a lot of good evidence to show that it actually can do some harm,” she said. “Countries where children start more formal learning at six or seven actually overtake us as the children get older.”

What do you think?

What lies ahead

2010-06-08T14:18:00.001+01:00

Response to articles in Nursery World :
Analysis: Providers wait for mists to clear on early years landscape http://bit.ly/aDCQ2WMary Evans, 02 June 2010, 00:00am
What lies ahead for the day nursery market - fee rises, wage freezes, sustainability problems under the free entitlement? In the light of a definitive report, Mary Evans asks providers for their views.
Pledge to extend free entitlement for nursery education to 15 hours is upheld http://bit.ly/aWrrBkMelanie Defries, 07 June 2010, 5:22pm

The extension to the free entitlement to 15 hours per week is to go ahead from September as planned, education Secretary Michael Gove has confirmed in a letter to his predecessor and shadow education secretary Ed Balls.

My thoughts in response to these articles are that early years has always faced an uncertain future and at the same time it seems certain. This is because the early years workforce is so committed to providing the best care and education for our youngest children. They are motivated to work inspite of the long hours and low pay because they know that their work has a substantial impact on young children lives. They affect the quality of their lives, their motivation and potential for learning and the contribution they will make as future UK/European citizens.
Our workforce is outstanding in their enthusiasm and determination, they study to keep ahead of new developments and to develop themselves personally and professionally. As I train around the country I hear the stress that so many practitiners are under and their frustrations and at the same time the fact that they provide the best quality experiences they can when budgets for resources are low, staff absences and turnover is high and the proportion of inexperienced staff working in the setting is difficult to manage.
I am happy to read that the Graduate Leaders Fund (GLF) has not been cut and although I am sad to read that the Department for Children, Schools and Families no longer exists it seems (I hope!) that much of their work will be continued through the Department of Education.

In these uncertain times we need leaders who can inspire and persist through challenges and who work collaboratively with their teams and we need practitioners who understand how children develop and learn and to ensure the most effective active learning experiences and affective relationships are provided. Funding training to support our children's workforce is essential. I have seen how the EYP pathways and the Graduate Leader Funds have made a real difference; standards have been raised and some stresses reduced due to practitioners developing new skills and through gaining new knowledge and understanding.

However, the sector even with the funding that exists is still so undervalued. The article above quotes that the UK 'funding is £30 billion on secondary education, £23.5 billion on higher education and just £4.5 billion on early years.' The UK still doesn’t seem to recognise just how important early childhood education is. Many of our European partners for example: Sweden, France, Denmark, Czech Republic, Germany, Slovakia, Italy and Noway invest much more in their services for early years than we do. The sector still relies heavily on parents paying the biggest potion of the budget and relies on the “for profit sector “ to provide the highest proportion of services.

Early years education is so important. It is a service to the public. It can lay the foundation for future learning, foster a love of learning in children and can engage families and impact community values far more than any other phase of education has the potential to do.

The sector needs investment now maybe more than ever, because during these uncertain times the early early years sector can have a major influence on future society and as I write this I hear myself saying that at least I have witnessed that progress has been made. I opened my first nursery during 1985 took up a post as managing director of a chain throughout the 1990’s and during this time there has been progress, even through economic crisis. Funding for places and training for practitoners has increased. Legislation has put play at the centre of provision and has also made some key committments to provide quality.

To conclude, my thoughts are after this reflection that although times seem uncertain right now I feel sure that the mist will clear and as long as we in the early years sector HAVE A STRONG VOICE progress will continue.

I wonder what your thoughts are.

Politics and NV Education Europe

2010-05-14T18:33:00.001+01:00

I returned on Friday, from my NV Education meeting in France, to the results from the election and talks of a coalition government.
Three powerful speeches by our political leaders.

Gordon Brown left his role with humility................................ “I have been privileged to learn much about the very best in human nature and a fair amount too about its frailties, including my own. Above all, it was a privilege to serve. And yes, I loved the job not for its prestige, its titles and its ceremony - which I do not love at all. No, I loved the job for its potential to make this country I love fairer, more tolerant, more green, more democratic, more prosperous and more just - truly a greater Britain.”
David Cameron took on his new role emphasising his commitment to working collaboratively................... “Nick Clegg and I are both political leaders who want to put aside party differences and work hard for the common good and for the national interest. I believe that is the best way to get the strong Government that we need, decisive Government that we need today”.
Nick Clegg expressed his mission for a new kind of politics: “More importantly than anything else, we are going to form a new kind of government; I hope this is the start of a new kind of politics I have always believed in. Diverse, plural, where politicians with different points of view find a way to work together to provide the good government for the sake of the whole country deserves.”
My meeting in France was with 50 people from 17 European countries was to share our practices of NV Education and above all acknowledge the essential role that communication plays in developing the values and attitudes of individuals and nations.
I wish our political leaders had taken part in our event. I really do think that the input from, Niclas Ronnstrom Associates professor, National co-ordinator for CICE (Children’s identity and Citizen Education in Europe) would support them at this time of dialogue.
Niclas highlighted the different affect of dialogue and monologue communication in relation to communicating values in Education which are truly democratic, cosmopolitan and humanitarian and we shared our work together celebrating the work of Non Violent Education, knowing that we are not the first to believe in the power of a universal language to transform a nation.
My thoughts and questions about current political leadership are:

Are our political leaders ready to listen, hear and understand us, each other and our partner countries?

Will they communicate together in a respectful language which is clear and decisive?

A commitment to dialogue will be a real culture change for politics, collaborative power sharing, conflict resolution, creativity, inspiration and innovation in my opinion is the challenge for all leaders. This requires leaders who are self aware, those who know their strengths and their limitation s and know what drives them in their roles and in the decisions that they make. It requires those with high level personal, social and emotional intelligence and communication skills.

Are our leaders committed to their own development and the continuous challenge of working collaboratively with each other consciously?
This would mean working collaboratively in transparency (no hidden agenda’s) could be the norm, achieving mutual understanding (which doesn’t necessarily mean agreement, but does mean respect, tolerance, inclusiveness and demonstrate equality). It could mean in influencing each other with reasons and acceptance given freely and willingly rather than forcing a stand for or against.
Change is necessary this is a pressing time in our nation and in our world. My hope is that in addition to facing and acting on the important issue of our economic status, this new coalition government will also focus on re-examining our key institutions, particularly education and it’s role in supporting the development of a nation where true democracy is possible in the UK and for the whole of Europe.

I left France with hope for our children knowing that it really is possible to run schools and events for children that achieve our national desire for outcomes and at the same time are truly democratic institutions which give the space and time for children to express themselves and share their strengths. NV Education is very clear about how communication in schools can facilitate global attitudes and humanitarian values in children, who know and understand their roots and at the same time feel a strong union with the rest of Europe.
There are also many educational pioneers who have argued for this in the past and are still not heard by the system. I hope that this potential change in the political culture affects a change in institutions.

I arrived home with enthusiasm for the work I am undertaking with my colleagues in education and with hope of a new way of working within the political system (whatever the parties) that may influence the culture of the way we as a nation understand what it means to work collaboratively.

I hope my thoughts offer you all your own food for thought and if you do have comments I’d love to read them...

For more information on NV Education Europe see http://www.NVCed.eu

http://ning.it/9mT9K8

All we are saying is: give peace a chance

2010-04-26T19:42:00.001+01:00

Respectful Parents, Respectful Kids: 7 Keys to Turn Family Conflict into CooperationAll we are saying is give peace a chance is an article on NVC parenting that appeared in the Times Online April 20, 2010

Headline in this Times article reads
All we are saying is: give peace a chance
A nonviolent method of dealing with terrorism has been adapted as a gentler form of parenting. But does it work?

Interesting article about NVC parenting and comments from readers who are either in favour of what the article says or are opposed to it.

Here is my response.

I agree with Louise Romain when she says that choice and autonomy are such important needs.
Approaches, which provoke discussion and debate remind me that we do live in a society where we can choose what works for us.
This means we can choose which parenting practices resonate with our own beliefs about family and society.
When deciding, we might ask ourselves the following questions
“What influence does our own upbringing, education, religion, media, culture etc have on us?”
“Is there a dominant approach that presents itself in our society?”
“What are the long-term outcomes for a society of certain approaches to parenting?”
“Can certain approaches reduce violence in society?”
It would seem that there are two approaches to parenting these are: behavioural or relational.
Behavioural approaches work on the premise that children will modify their behaviour either because of fear of punishment or to receive a reward and will be judged as good/bad, right/wrong by someone else.
Relational approaches. Such as NVC focus on the quality of relationships and motivate behaviours through helping children process their emotions, express their needs and find ways of meeting those needs which are honouring of themselves and of others. This approach helps children to develop self discipline.
In 1983 Howard Gardner wrote about the idea of “multiple intelligence “and he argued that emotional and social intelligence feature most highly in the success and wellbeing of individuals. . NVC is relational approach which supports the development of social and emotional intelligence. It provides children with the vocabulary to express their feelings and needs and the skills to resolve their conflicts peacefully.
My personal experience and understanding of NVC parenting is that it has increased my awareness of myself and helped me foster self awareness in my children. It has helped me to behave in ways that are in synergy with my own values and beliefs about mutuality and respect. It has met my need for growth, connection with myself, my partner with my children and grandchildren in a deep and meaningful way.
It is an approach that has taught me more about equality, inclusiveness, uniqueness, diversity and similarity than any other approach to relationships that I have encountered.

For details on a our six week NVC Parent Connect Programme check the calander for 2011 or contact me directly for further information

Tracy Seed working with leaders and managers in education and with parents. For more information see www.tracyseedassoicates.co.uk

Visionary Leadership

2010-03-18T16:56:00.000Z

At this time of political upheaval and with talks of cuts I am inspired to write about the power of visionary leadership.
This style of leadership can really drive the emotional climate upward towards a positive dynamic and transformed spirit within a group, organisation, community or country!
When the leader shares a vision and the people have a clear picture of what this looks like and how it meets their personal values and needs, goals and actions emerge and visions become reality!
It’s important in early years that we remain strongly positive about the future, let our visions be transparent in sync with our values and find ways to deliver a lively, nurturing, enriching and creative early years experience to our children and families.
Developing a culture where problem solving is facilitated and decisions are made by consensus gives rise to an empowered team.
Last week I asked some students what they wanted to cover in a training session on providing an enabling environment and one student told me “how to get money”. My response was “so what you would really like to know is how you can enrich the environment without spending money” “oh yes she replied”.
I have seen many ideas on my travels and am reminded of some of these that I thought I would share with you. I’m reminded of the South African teachers who attended some High/Scope training, in the 1990’s who had very few resources in their nurseries and had no way of purchasing the type of equipment and resources available to us in the UK. They returned to their nurseries to make blocks, home corner furniture, colourful bowls and plates all from paper Mache.
Recently at an enabling environment workshop I attended myself the trainers showed a photograph of an areas screened with homemade screening. The teachers had made it by sinking broomsticks into buckets of readymade concrete, letting these set and then attaching each end of the sheets to each broomstick and unfolding a screen.
I’ve seen camps made from willow branches and blocks of wood and large stones sunken into the ground for stepping stones.
Saucepans and cones for children to fill empty and pretend cook with and large buttons for threading.
There is a lot that we can do when budgets are tight!
I’m not saying that it doesn’t sometimes feel like a struggle, just not to give up when we can’t buy what we want to.
There are nurseries in Norway and Sweden that have very few resources inside; instead they spend all day outside in nature.
When my colleagues from School House Nursery in Cambridge recently visited Norway to initiate our European Non-Violent Partnership Project, the key inspiration was not the nursery environment, it was the affectivity of relationships between the teachers, the children and families that partnership.
When people connect and share their visions transparently with each other visions do become a reality.
I recently saw the film Invictus which tells us the true story of the newly elected President Nelson Mandela who joined forces with the Captain of the South Africa’s rugby team in order to help unite their country. Knowing his nations social and economical division and believing he can transform the apartheid and bring his people together, through a universal language. He meets the rugby team Captain and inspires him with his vision and a poem that he himself used to keep in going when he was in prison.
The team transforms from failing to succeeding and makes their historical run to the 1996 World Cup Championship March.
Invictus means unconquerable. This is the poem that inspired him and strengthened him and the team captain. I’m wondering if it inspires you too....
Invictus

Out of the night that covers me,
Black as the Pit from pole to pole,
I thank whatever gods may be
For my unconquerable soul.

In the fell clutch of circumstance
I have not winced nor cried aloud.
Under the bludgeonings of chance
My head is bloody, but unbowed.

Beyond this place of wrath and tears
Looms but the Horror of the shade,
And yet the menace of the years
Finds, and shall find, me unafraid.

It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll.
I am the master of my fate:
I am the captain of my soul.

William Ernest Henley

Train the Trainer

2010-03-02T22:09:00.000Z

How many trainers working in the education sector really consider how adults learn when they plan and deliver their sessions?

I have attended so many events where the presenters have a wealth of experience and knowledge, but they present this in a way that does not engage me for any length of time. I remember little or nothing of what they shared after the event.

I also listen during the breaks, to the comments of participants and I hear minimal discussion about what is being presented, instead they talk about the delights that may be served with tea and coffee and what they might expect for lunch!

Last week I attended two events.

During one session the presenters spent virtually the whole morning from 9.00 until 12.30 sharing their own stories, showing photographs and a short video clip. They did ask us to engage in one activity which involved us talking to each other, but limited time was allowed and the focus and purpose of the activity was not clear and did not seem to connect to what followed, which was more photographs and more of their own stories!

There were a few confident participants who interrupted the presentation to share their own thoughts and the presenters did acknowledge their thoughts, they appeared interested and were affirming, but the opportunity for shared thinking passed, there was no facilitation of a discussion and the presentation continued without participant engagement. Personally, I found the session frustrating, probably because I am passionate about group learning;the "Gestalt" is so important. This is not to say that presenting from the front cant achieve this too, but sadly, on this occassion although the content the trainers shared was really great practice,I did not feel engaged or stimulated to explore new ideas.

The second event I attended was even more frustrating, for two hours I sat and listened while the presenter read from the handout booklet.

I really do think that it is time for the education sector to ensure that the trainers they are engaging do know how to identify the needs of the participants and how to engage them and to plan and deliver sessions that facilitate the learning and development of the participants attending. I believe that every event needs to have the potential to make a real difference to practice.

So here are just a few tips for trainers...

Have a clear aim for your session and objectives
Produce an agenda showing logical progression of your session
Know your audience
What do they want to know?
What are they expecting?

Engage the three learning domains affective, cognitive and behavoural...through a variety of teaching strategies

Open your presentation with an activity which immediately engages participants and helps them to recall their own expereince about the topic.

Facilitate discussion and spend time forming the group so that people feel comfortable to contribute.

When you present information use a range of mediums and words that engage all people this means enaging visual, auditory and kinaesthetic learners.

Plan activities which help the participants to apply new learning and consdier how they might implement this back in the workplace.

Remember how important the environment is. The decor, lighting, air, furniture layout, positioning of audio and visual aids.

Engage both sides of the brain. Left side logic, reasoning and analysis.
Right side creativity, imagination, colour, synthesis.

Give breaks and provide water.

Help participants remember by repeating regularly, emphasising points unusually, demonstrating, role playing, using metaphores.

Build rapport quickly with tone, gesture, eye contact, using their language.

Whether it is the first of 100th time you have met and worked with a group, greet them individually, be warm and genuine, let them know you are interested to work with them. Give eye contact. Move purposefully, stand straight.

Remember your body language and voice tone, pitch, pace, volume non-verbal communication is providing around 95% of the message that will be received....

Here is one book that may give you further tips.....

Good luck

Trillions of interconnections in the early years

2010-02-06T20:42:00.000Z

Since attending a series of workshops a the Institute of Education in the 1970's when I was just 14 years old, I have had a fascination with how the brain develops and have possessed a passion for making the most of my own potential.

My gratitude goes to Tony Buzan and my then, brother in law Michael Gelb for fuelling this interest in me. From them I learnt about mind mapping, memory association techniques, speed reading, how to exercise both sides of the brain and to recognise the phenomenal potential of it. I was a teenager, who had at that time lost the desire for learning and possessed a limited belief in my own potential. they helped me know what I possessed, just like we all do......AN AMAZING BRAIN!
Throughout my career I continued to develop my knowledge and understanding about the brain and its neurobiology and I developed technical skill in wiring and re-wiring!
This is why I enjoy delivering SCHEMA training for early years practitioners.
Much of my work is with adults, who as we know are already pretty much wired. Unlike, young children's brains which are developing at the most rapid pace, full of plasticity, being modified by the environment and expanding to fulfill its potential, which is pretty much set in intellectual structure by the age of 5 years.

New born babies brains weigh around 25% of its adult weight and already have made a number of interconnections when in the womb. At six months it's about 50% of its adult weight and trillions of connections have been made which continue at an incredible pace until about 2 and half years, when it's weight reaches 75% of what it will be as an adult and at 5 years it is 90%. At this stage the major part of the child's intellectual development has already been completed.

Young children, as long as they are emotionally secure, are innate explorers and naturally intrinsically motivated by by everything they see, hear, smell and touch. Innate SCHEMA's are clearly evident in all that they do, for example:when they play, speak, draw, build, paint and relate. Common SCHEMATIC patterns can be observed and it is these patters that appear to be the absolute building blocks ...The "Threads of Thinking" as Cathy Nutbrown (1994) labels them. These building blocks seem to form the structure for how we make sense of all our experiences in life.

"It is best to think of schema's as being a cluster of pieces which fit together "Tina Bruce

For the past two years I have been travelling to Hampshire for a training company to deliver two day workshops on the subject of SCHEMA's in the Early Years and have had the absolute pleasure to work with highly motivated and committed early year' practitioners from many areas of this County Council.

Commonly I hear statements like this: "Yes, I remember doing something on Schema's at college..Does it mean when children repeat things, maybe line things up or something like this, it's interesting, but I don't really know why"

The confusing thing for me is I just don't understand why colleges and universities are not helping practitioners to learn just how fascinating these patterns are and how crucial they are in providing the fuel for children's intrinsic motivation to learn across the six areas of the Early Years Foundation Stage through a range of activities.

The good news is that when practitioners get this knowledge, in my experience they immediately use it in their work with children.

Day one of the training is concerned with raising participants understanding of Schema's in young children and identifying how they might nourish these. Participants return to their settings to carry out some action research, which they share with the whole class during Day two of the training.

I have seen some really inspiring projects and am grateful to the many participants who have provided me with copies of their work to use in my workshops. Sharing experiences in this way really does benefit the early year's sector as a whole.

Here is what one course participant did last month...

Charlotte has been a teacher in a Primary school in Southampton for 11 years. She has taught across the Foundation Stage, Key Stage 1 and 2. She has recently taken a post as a Children's Centre Support Teacher (CCST) in this role she supports and leads others to ensure that the Early Years Foundation Stage is being implemented and that provision and practice is of a high quality. She does this by supporting her own Children's Centre and attached Nursery and also by visiting settings in the catchment of the Children's Centre. She has 3 children of her own. her eldest so is 6 1/2 years old, her daughter is 5 years old and her youngest son is 2 1/2 years old. The following project was completed after observing her youngest son at play.

I started with assumptions I have made from my knowledge of my child as his mother

The assumption is that he is exhibiting schema behaviours in line with trajectory, rotation, connection and enclosure

He loves playing with balls (trajectory)
He loves playing with vehicles;specifically cars, trains, helicopters and tractors (trajectory)
He likes joining tracks for his trains (although he prefers this to be done for him) (connecting)
He is obsessed with shutting doors (enclosure, trajectory)
He likes throwing away rubbish (enclosure, trajectory)
He loves bubbles and balloons (trajectory)
He loves spinning when dancing (rotation)

I decided to test my assumption through observation over a few days

We went to preschool together and I observed him freely engaging in many self chosen activities.

He played with trains

Pushed a Lego car he had built

Pushed a car on the track

I also observed him playing with other toys which seemed to support a trajectory schema he where he was able to observe objects dropping i.e he threaded, watched the egg timer sand drop down, played with the marble run. Also enjoyed pushing objects.

He enjoyed pushing objects horizontally in addition to vertically. he experimented using pieces from the marble run to push along toy cars and trains. Then he discovered he could use the pieces to push the marbles which he greatly enjoyed.

I began to question whether my original assumptions were distorting my observations

Could I be seeing what I wanted to see?

And then something happened....................................

His reaction was instant and unmistakable

A girl walked past pushing a toy vacuum cleaner up and down the floor, he stared and said:

"I want to do that"

The Trajectory schema definition: "An interest in how objects and people move, and how children can effect that movement. This schema can be seen in children's actions when they drop objects, jump, swing and climb up and down repeatedly" (Again !Again S Fetherstone)

After these observations I took another look at my original assumptions. The assumption is that my son is exhibiting schema behaviours in line with trajectory, rotation, connection and enclosure

He loves playing with balls (trajectory)
He loves playing with vehicles;specifically cares, trains, helicopters and tractors (trajectory)
He likes joining tracks for his trains (although he prefers it when someone else does this for him) (connecting)
He is obsessed with shutting doors (enclosure, trajectory)
He likes throwing away rubbish (enclosure, trajectory)
He loves bubbles and balloons (trajectory)
He loves spinning when dancing (rotation)

My conclusion: He has as dominant interest in the movement of objects in a horizontal or vertical trajectory.

How can these schema's be supported in order to extend his learning and thinking across the 6 areas of the Early Years Foundation Stage?

Communication, Language and Literacy:

Use his interest to develop his vocabulary e.g. words that describe the movement of the objects he is using

Share books, songs and rhymes with him that reflect the context as well as the thread of thinking e.g. books and songs etc about cars and trains etc

Creative Development

Provide opportunities for him to use cars, balls and other objects that move vertically to push through paint, gloop, sand etc, creating patterns and lines

Problem Solving, Reasoning and Numeracy

Count with him as he pushes cars, blows bubbles etc

Race trains, cars to See who comes 1st, 2nd etc

Have number labels e. in parking spaces for cars and bikes

Play skittles with him to enable him to develop his understanding of number, addition and subtraction

PSED

Encourage sharing and turn taking e.g. when on the large cars and bikes

Knowledge and Understanding of the World

Provide opportunities for him to predict, explore, investigate and experience e.g. ramps for his cars, bubbles etc

ICT

Let him use a camera to record his interests

This project is from just one student who explored this work and integrated her new knowledge into her practice....I'd love to hear from more of you about your own work on nourishing children's schema's. Please do comment if you feel that you would like to share something

Thanks Charlotte for letting me share your work

Emotionally Intelligent LEADERSHIP in early years settings

2009-12-10T14:50:00.000Z

I am currently in the process of delivering a number of LEAD Early Years Leadership and Management training's funded by CDWC through London Local Authorities and demand for this training is increasing.

I am reminded every time I meet a new group of Early Years Leaders about the high level of commitment and dedication they have to providing the best possible care and education for children and families.

Leading a childcare centre is a challenging post that requires knowledge, skill and understanding of, not only child care practice, but finance, organisational structure, legislation, human resources, health and safety, marketing and much more.

Often, my course participants are leading large children's centres, children's services or nurseries as part of a group or chain. They have gained years of experience working in the early years sector and their qualities and skills as child care practitioners or teachers have been recognised by others as gifted. The natural career progression seems to be that they will share this expertise with their team through leading and managing the centre. However, often, this leads to them finding themselves in a demanding and challenging post with little experience and with minimal support for the skills and knowledge they need to assist them in leading.

Our early years leaders need to know so much,.....systems and processes, how to develop these, in addition to leading people and managing situations and events on a daily basis....they work with a diverse group of children and families to raise the citizens of tomorrow.

Often overwhelmed by their responsibilities, they question their own competence or the competence of those working with them and lead, often unconsciously, through exerting power and control over others or they feel powerless!

Leading in a way that facilitates shared collaboration and consequently achieving a culture of shared power and control in the setting, where everyone feels valued and empowered to contribute and to take responsibility, takes time and requires a leader with a high level of emotional intellect.

The work of Daniel Goleman and many others provide us with a set of competencies, which when developed, support us in leading and managing with greater confidence and ease.

These are:

Self Awareness
Managing Self
Social Awareness
Social Skills

Self Awareness
This involves us being aware of our emotional self, the things that we value, why we value these things, what we believe and why we believe certain things. why we behave the way that we do. To recognise the situations that trigger us emotionally.
Self Management
Understanding ourselves and knowing what we feel and need and choosing how to respond, particularly when situations or events trigger us emotionally. Managing our time, ourselves and our own development needs.
Social Awareness
Being flexible and being able to see not only our own view point, but also the view point of others and being able to see both of these perspectives at the same time is a real achievement.
Social Skills
Being able to communicate effectively and even more importantly, affectively, to influence, envision, deal with conflicts and mediate, coach and mentor others and empower them to take responsibility for themselves and their own area of work.
Being an affective leader takes commitment and passion, it requires us to journey through our own personal internal maps and to develop skills, understanding and an attitude that facilitates development, change and improvement in ourselves, with others and in the setting we work with.
It means being proactive!
Steve Covey's tells this story about pro activity in his book "Seven Habits of Highly Effective People"
"Once I was speaking on the subject of pro activity and a woman in the audience stood up. "You can't imagine what has just happened to me," she explained. "I'm a full-time nurse to the most miserable, ungrateful man you can possibly imagine.
Nothing I do is good enough for him. He constantly harps on at me and finds fault with everything I do. This man has been making my life miserable and I often take my frustration our on my family. The other nurses feel the same way. We almost pray for his demise.
For you to stand up there and have the gall to suggest that nothing can hurt me without my consent, and that I have chosen my own emotional life of being miserable - well, there was no way I could buy into that"
"But as I was listening to you, I kept thinking about it. I really went inside myself and began to ask - Do I have the power to choose my responses?
When I finally realised that I had chosen to be miserable I also realised that I could choose not to be miserable. At that moment I stood up and wanted to yell to the whole world, I am free! I am out of this prison! No longer am I going to be controlled by the treatment of some person."

It's not what happens to us, but our response to what happens that hurts

Values Based Leadership

2008-11-26T12:11:00.001Z

I delivered the first session of the LEAD programme to early years leaders and managers in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea on 14th November. I really enjoyed working with the participants to help them identify the values that drive them.

It reminded me of the work I did myself when working as MD of Saplings Nurseries, I too, discovered for the first time, in a conscious way, what values were important to me and how my own personal values influenced the way I managed and led myself and others.

Aligning my own values with the organisations and working with my team to align theirs and to gain clarity over the criteria we assigned to them, meant that we led and managed in a way that moved us forward with purpose and vision.

We recognising that if we said we valued openness, honesty, respect and equality we needed to agree what that really meant for us as a company, through every area of our practice.

Did we want honest feedback from parents, staff, children ?

How did we deal with it, when we received it?

We acknowledged our need to develop consciousness over the way we managed. To be able to see our reactions and judgements and work out strategies which were synonymous with our values as well as being in the best interests of all the people that had a stake in the organisation.

It was our awareness and the fact that we started to learn new ways of communicating that helped us. Our intention to create a culture where everyone felt listened to, difficulties were aired openly and where new practises evolved through contribution from the people in the organisation, meant that innovation, creativity and working together in a supportive environment became the norm.

Leading this organisation gave me the best experience ever and I remember with fondness all those that contributed in providing wonderful settings for the children, the staff and parents.

I'm looking forward to continuing my work on this programme and being part of many organisations who want to make a difference in peoples lives.

NVC in Greece and Early Years Networking

2008-10-23T17:14:00.001+01:00

I recently returned home from attending an NVC programme in Greece.

This training was held at Rosy's Village on the beautiful island of Agistri and was attended by a group of international participants whose passion and commitment to NVC was so evident. .

The sun shone on a daily basis and we started our day, practising martial art exercises or swimming, before commencing the training exercises.

It was wonderful to work with beautiful scenery around us and to network and practise NVC with people from various professional backgrounds such as, education, psychotherapy, psychiatry, early years, coaching and more.

What was interesting to me was that UK participants on these trainings are few and I was struck by my unfamiliarity with German, Norwegian, Swiss and Swedish culture. People from these countries do not predominate my profession, my social life or my community in London.

I quickly identified that the unfamiliar accents and less animated body language was delaying my immediate feeling of being comfortable in this group, once I recognised this and verbalised this, I settled.

The week was challenging, inspiring and fulfilling. We were facilitated by highly skills trainers, to take care of our own needs and at the same time to care for each other. We practised leading, supporting, facilitating, listening, understanding, empathy, coaching. We made the distinction between sympathy, advice, teaching, preaching, and empathy.

Sociocracy was practised by the facilitators whenever decisions were made and I became competent in the use of this without any direct teaching. ( I facilitated a group decision making process for a London Local Authority earlier this week, using this model and was amazed at how easy it was to deal with paramount objections and gain group consensus so swiftly)

So the training was incredible. I would recommend it to anyone. My emotional literacy soared and I gained greater competence in understanding the key differentiations in nonviolent communication for example, power with versus power over/power under choice versus submission or rebellion; feelings versus feelings mixed with thoughts; needs versus requests; request versus demand; persisting versus demanding; guessing versus telling and much much more.

Anyone interested in understanding more about NVC see the links page on my website this will take you straight to the centre for non-violent communication. There are also books listed in my book shop.

For me NVC is a model, a way of communicating with ourselves and others to achieve greater connection and clarity over our feelings and needs. It helps me make clear requests and provides me with an awareness and competence in my work, coaching, mediation, group facilitation and training others.

Today, I spoke to one of my coaching clients, an early years manager who I have been working with for the past six months. She shared her celebration with me. Her setting just achieved an outstanding Ofsted judgement for Leadership and Management. She told me how the coaching process and NVC had such an impact on her and her team and how she felt the whole culture of the setting has been transformed.

Also today, I received an e-mail from my Swedish colleagues who are coming to visit in December. I am so looking forward to connecting with them as friends and also sharing early years practice in the UK with them. I will be taking them to visit a number of settings and they will accompany me on some training I will be delivering in Greenwich.

I'm both excited and curious about what my European colleagues told me. They explained their involvement in a peace research project in which UK is not represented. It seems this project has.completed its first phase and many of our European partners are working together through their schools and centres developing conflict resolution skills in children, families and through the culture of the settings where they work. So, when they come to the UK we will get involved.

I am looking forward to findings those settings who will join me in working together and being part of the our European Network.