We’d like to share our experience with La Coccinelle – Le Prélude daycare service and acknowledge the help and support received from CISS through the Positive Outcomes Program (POP).
Following a request to POP, we were given assistance that helped us complete necessary changes within a few months thanks to the work and collaboration of the whole teaching staff. Continue reading
I have been an early childhood educator for many years, and I enjoy my chosen profession. Outdoor play is close to my heart, especially in the winter time. The benefits for children are not just the fresh air and exercise but the learning experience they gain in the winter months.
In terms of pedagogy, in preparation for the experience one might turn to books for inspiration. Books offer ideas about what to do with snow, activities from science facts to sensory findings. One of my favorite children’s books is titled Snow Lion by David McPhail. When Lion finds the jungle too hot and travels to the mountain, he discovers cold, white, fluffy snow and brings it back to share with his friends. The learning continues as the snow melts and Lion then offers to take his friends to the mountain so they can also experience snow. Continue reading
The role of the educator is to set the stage to support all children in their learning. There are different approaches and ways to teach skills and facilitate outdoor play in order to create a positive and meaningful experience. There are many benefits in planning outdoor play such as:
Allowing time to explore while practicing gross motor skills.Does your child have difficulty with change of clothing between seasons e.g. moving from shoes to boots, long sleeves to short, coat to just a tee shirt? This can be a common characteristic in children with Autism and those with sensory processing difficulties. It can be the result of tactile sensitivity; the child is particular about the clothes he wears, finds tags and seams itchy or irritating, may not like having his sleeves pushed up, and likes only loose or tight clothing, socks and shoes or bare feet. Some children have difficulty tolerating touch to their skin and find that they can only tolerate certain clothing. It may also be the result of an intolerance to change in routine, transitions, or type of clothing. Some children are rigid and ritualistic because their world is confusing and overwhelming. The rituals and routines are their attempts to control their world in order to cope with it. Continue reading
The Professional Development Module Series are interactive workshops that provide teaching teams with the opportunity to enhance their skills and knowledge as well as to make connections between; Physical Space, Structure and Transitions, Teacher Responses and their impact on the children’s behaviours.
2016 marks the completion of the 25th anniversary of Children’s Integration Support Services (CISS). We were not given a road map when our journey for a seamless system of supported inclusion began. As we travelled down the inclusion road, we learnt that change is inevitable and it is up to each of us to grow with each lesson learned. We also understood that it was alright to ask for directions. Our story began with a road trip to the Region of Durham to seek information and ideas from others who had already started their inclusion journey. Believe it or not, “Google Maps” had not yet been invented so it became a leap of faith, knowing that we all believed in and were committed to a path where full inclusion was possible by working towards supporting the needs of each child, their parents and the early childhood educators and providers. The inclusion pioneers who had bravely gone before us shared all of their lessons learned on how they achieved their success as well as sharing what roads for us not to go down. We had a strong belief in a vision where ALL children belong. We knew our journey was going to be positive and possible. Continue reading
In 1991 when Children’s Integration Support Services was formed, a unique role was created to support licensed child care programs with the integration of children with special needs. That role was then known as Integration Advisor.
The Integration Advisor’s primary role was to demonstrate to programs that a child is a child first, and that a child with a special need can integrate well into a community program when there is a strong partnership between the family, program, and community partners. Today Integration Advisors are known in the community as Resource Consultants. Continue reading
An intricate part of the Ontario Ministry of Education pedagogy: How Does Learning Happen? (HDLH) highlights the importance of building relationships with children and families. Vanier Co-operative School-age Program has found a way to embed the four foundational conditions of HDLH “Belonging, Well Being, Engagement and Expression” through their enrollment process as it relates to the inclusion of diversity at mealtimes.
The foundation of engagement is reflected during the enrollment process which engages families, children and educators to build relationships that support the child within the context of his or her families’ culture and diversity. As part of the enrollment process, a food survey is conducted with the parents, as they know, their child best. The child’s top 3 favourites from each food groups are highlighted as well as food allergies, restrictions, intolerances and special dietary information. Continue reading
We are a family of four which consist of myself, Annik, my husband, our oldest son Jeremy who is thirteen, and our youngest son Bryce who is eight. Jeremy was born on October 1, 2002. We were the happiest parents in the world. Jeremy was reaching all of his milestones except for language until the age of one. I was concerned as he was getting frustrated and upset as he couldn’t communicate with us. I went to the doctor who referred us to First Words. Within a year, I received a call at work and that’s when it all began.
Jeremy was diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in the fall of 2005. I will never forget the day when my husband and I got the diagnosis from the assessment at the Ottawa Children’s Treatment Centre (OCTC). Our world went spinning that afternoon knowing our child has ASD. It was hard at the beginning as we did not have much information and questioned what the future held for a child with ASD. OCTC was a big help for us as they guided us in the right direction. Continue reading
The child care community is currently in the process of change and educators/home child care providers are continuously making efforts to create engaging environments and experiences to foster children’s learning and development. They are deeply engaged in recognizing and adapting their own personal perspectives to support children’s well-being and their sense of belonging.
We as educators/home child care providers and parents/guardians all have our own personal perspectives, values and belief systems, and it can feel unnatural to change or adapt how we express ourselves. Recognizing and being more conscious of the statements we use with children helps shift the focus to a more positive approach that can lead to a decrease in the intensity and frequency of challenging behaviours. Continue reading
ACCESS Inclusion Newsletter 