Inclusion Matters

In Part Two of our discussion on transitions, we will look at some specific strategies for making your transitions more successful. Included in this podcast will be activities to involve children and staff before and during transitions in order to avoid pitfalls around challenging behaviors.

Transitions—they can often make or break the day! Planning for the transitions that are a necessary part of the day is key to helping children be successful and for avoiding challenges that might derail that success. But what do planned transitions look like? Listen as expert Priscilla Weigel discusses some tips on charting success.

In Part Two of our discussion on inclusion, we will look at strategies and activities that can help promote inclusion in early childhood programs. While inclusion can be seen as developmentally appropriate practice, it also takes intentionality on the part of teachers and providers to ensure that all children feel included and accepted in the community of child care.

In this podcast, we take a closer look at the DEC and NAEYC Joint Position Statement on Inclusion and how its application can help us promote inclusion within our settings. The important elements of access, participation and supports are basic to the needs of all children and staff and become cornerstones for successful inclusive settings.

Children are often told to ‘use their words’ but in order to do so, they need to have the words that go with their feelings. There are many ways that the early educators can enhance a child’s emotional literacy through books, modeling, and other tools to help children learn to communicate with peers in ways that avoid aggression and promote friendships!

Often children will struggle with regulating their behaviors and emotions based on a number of factors, including their developmental age. You can help children master this important emotional milestone by giving them the skill sets they need to be successful.

Many times, aggressiveness in young children is part of their typical development as they navigate through the social network. Helping them with emotional literacy skills and other important self-regulatory behaviors can diminish aggression towards peers as children learn to communicate more effectively.

When the early educator gets into a power struggle with a young child, no one wins. We want children to learn independence and gain self-efficacy, yet they must also conform to the structure of our programs and build social relationships with others. Helping children learn to make good choices is an important strategy here.

Aggression is a Learned Attention-Getting Behavior. Sometimes, children will use aggressive behaviors because they have learned that it ‘works’ for them. We can help children replace these behaviors with other more appropriate behavior through responsive interventions and teaching new skills.

Podcast on "The Fundamentals of Consultation&": Inclusion specialist Priscilla Weigel describes the importance of play skills in young children and offers strategies to listeners on encouraging children who need to learn how to play. Children may sometimes use challenging behaviors because they haven t developed the social competencies needed to navigate a complex social world.

Podcast on "The Physical Environment&": Inclusion specialist Priscilla Weigel shares stories and examples with CICC Director Cindy Croft on how the physical environment of a child care setting, including schedules and routines, can have a dramatic affect on the behaviors of young children.

Podcast on "The Emotional Environment&": Inclusion specialist Priscilla Weigel speaks with Cindy Croft about the impact of the "emotional" environment on children s behavior. Setting up the environment for children s success is a key piece for all early childhood or school-age practitioners to consider

Podcast on "The Fundamentals of Consultation&": What is inclusion consultation and how does it benefit children with special needs in early childhood programming? In this first of a series of podcasts on the topic of inclusion consultation, Priscilla Weigel describes the role of the consultant in helping children and staff feel successful!