Encouraging excellence in Early years
…Empowering practice, pedagogy and provision, enabling reflection and reflexive practice, based upon a greater understanding of research which enables unique children (0-5+) to thrive and learn.
EEY has a passion for empowering practitioners, teachers and educators
Enabling professional development opportunities, for all those working with young children, through excellent Early Years CPD, focussed on key research, play, neuroscience and child development as the basis for academic learning and thriving.. Those working with the under 5’s through excellent Early Years CPD opportunities focussed on research, play and child development as the basis for learning and thriving.
Run by Early Years Teacher, Associate Lecturer (FdA / BA (Hons) Early Childhood studies),Education Assessor (NCFE L3) and Early Years Trainer Hannah O’Donnell (BA (Hons) Psych, EYTS, PGDip – Dist (Early Years), MA – Early Years (Dist). Empowering Early Years aims to provide relevant, practical, cost-effective, high-quality Continuous Professional Development (CPD) training in key areas of child development, play-based learning and Early Years Educational practice, through online workshops, in-setting professional training and follow up mentoring or planning support for all those working professionally with young children.
EEY further aims to support parents in their key understanding of early brain development, play and allowing children to thrive and learn – through easy to understand developmental research into practice, play ideas and related understanding of how these link to later academic and life outcomes.
More about Hannah…
‘I’m passionate about showing that play IS learning and demonstrating the key links between enabling effective growth and development opportunities for young children through play and their subsequent achievement of their potential, later happiness, sense of security, love of life and engagement with education.
I also want to give practical, research- based ideas for reflection within practice, provision and pedagogy, which relate to recent child development, education and scientific research, in an effort to help all children thrive within their settings and schools.
I aim to give simple explanations of key complex ideas which can enable practitioners to develop their triple loop thinking and underpin their excellent practice.
Moreover, I want to help enable practitioners in their developing early years practice – with knowledge, ideas and reflection, through cost-effective CPD training opportunities, centred around the uniquely developing child.
Empowering Early Years Support
Information
Early Years Teacher/ Trainer& parent! Passionate about play for 0-5 age group as well as linking new practical ideas to recent child development, education and scientific research. Aiming for play to be cheap, fun and wanting to empower parents and practitioners with knowledge about how young children learn and develop effectively through being engaged in high quality play & fun!
Empowering Early Years
EY trainer, teacher (0-5), EYITT personal tutor, assessor & former lecturer, passionate about empowering unique children & educators through play, research & excellent, informed nurturing practices.Doing what I can for play!
SHAME is hugely powerful emotion ( see any Brene Brown!) for individuals that drives behaviour & is a negative social construct, designed to limit, reduce or malign human emotion and error linked to whatever social/ cultural norms exist at the time.
For children,this is often linked to adult initiated expectations, school / setting expectation ( behaviour, social rules etc), gender norms ( think quiet, well behaved girls), societal conformity etc, which means inherently there is room for masses of bias, stereotyping and the potential for harm to the individual, how they see themselves and their outcomes / well being ( esp children when developing).
A really useful infographic below from the social workers toolbox ( link on pic) detailing how shame for unexpected,unwanted or unusual behaviour can lead to children ( especially), feeling like THEY are the problem & believe this.
Coupled with no tools or guidance if they aren't fully 'seen' uniquely by empowered adults, possibly even given punishment... adds to toxic levels of shame, leading to low self worth, poor confidence, low resilience, stress behaviours (FFFF), poor MH, low output and reduced social contact, as well as a sense of confornimg to 'type' feeling nothing will change/ they are ' faulty'etc.
It's essential we see children for who they are as unique individuals, all developmentally different; ie where they may have unmet needs, issues of ACEs, trauma etc ...we need to be trauma informed & reflect on our practices/ words/ subconscious messaging, in order to allow them the safe spaces to grow, learn and thrive uniquely, without shame.
Attaching a level of shame ( even not meant) for ADHD children in particular can lead to huge rejection sensitivity dysphoria and dysregulation, which is extremely damaging if left unsupported by caring adults.
Reflection on our practices is essential to meet children's unique needs and allows us to check how shame may be perceived;
*through judgements on unexpected actions ( impulsive speech etc)
*age related skill differences or mis matches on given days ( ie you should know how to/ done before)
*unconventional behaviours ( good boys don't...)
* rewarding social acceptable/ conformity behaviour only ( silence etc)
*punishing other behaviour ( no play)
* having developmentally inappropriate expectations ( sitting still for ages).
Shame is unhelpful.
Being that trusted attachment matters to change cycles where children feel they alone are the problem.
We can absolutely empower them that they aren't , through valuing them, seeing them uniquely and supporting them to thrive.
For our youngest upwards, changing that brain wiring through positive feedback, meeting needs and gentle challenge and praise in a caring environment ( even if this is their only one) can reduce the impact of shame and increase wellbeing and positive outcomes.
#empoweringearlyyears
Reminder from the Institute of Child Psychologists about WAYS we can support REGULATION for children & thus support their developing SR Skills & more positive outcomes (nb' as SR and EF skills predict outcomes across many holistic domains...inc academic, socio- emotional, psychological etc,( Kalstabakken et al, 2021).
GREAT to consider how EY practices, environments and general pedagogy can build upon these concepts to allow REFLECTION on aspects already enabled and easy ways to create wider impact through enhanced understanding of what some of these opportunites are allowing ...
ie :
* more PLAY ( multi aspect benefit to brain/ body to regulate)
* more time OUTSIDE(Light, space to move, hide etc, nature, green, fresh air, seasons and predictability, senses, risk!)
*more SINGING ( sensory seekers of volume, calming effects of music, shared passions,memory, movement, vagus nerve calming ( resonates when sing), joy etc...
* more HEAVY work - sand, water, mud, digging, carrying,hanging, dragging,pulling, constructing ( proprioceptive input, essential for sensory integration, as well as stimulus and for sensory seekers to regulate- helps co-ordinate how brains and bodies work together in terms of muscle use!)
Etc..!
Source- institute of child Psychologists.
Play on...
#empoweringearlyyears
#selfregulationskills
#earlyyears #empoweringchildren
FAB reflective Q prompts for educators to ask when supporting REGULATION skills in children, linked to Co-regulation practices!
* Don't forget that self-reg skills are taught/ developed, NOT innate!
* Self regulation can't happen without Co-regulation to support a child to calm.
* Our most vulnerable children are likely to need alot more co-regulation, to regulate( as they may not have ever felt this / esp with trauma, unmet needs or ACEs, or have it modelled at home) and thus to help them develop hugely beneficial SR SKILLS.
* SR skills predict masses of positive outcomes ( as part of Executive Functioning skills), thus enabling them changes lives, wellbeing and outcomes, potentially for generations.
www.child-encyclopedia.com/resilience/according-experts/protective-role-executive-function-skills...
* REGULATED adults can only help co-regulate a child.
Source Via The Mehrit centre, CA.
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A GREAT infographic here (pic on source, via The contented child - Ricahrd Cohen) reminding us how to support strong emotions and overwhelm that has caused DYSREGULATION for young children, by ensuring we do these things in our acts of Co REGULATION (as regulated adults)...
This is all leading to us helping the (taught) pathway to feelings of calm and regulation,as part of SELF REGULATION skills development for young children...skills that are not innate, but al have the potential to develop...but require us to be relational, trauma informed and to support, enable and empower children with these skills, through our own co regulation practices...as big emotions are normal and managing stress loads is a life skill (which all research shows enables greater outcomes too!)
We need to be mindful of those children for whom this may be trickier and where this is not modelled at home, thus we are essential as part of the puzzle, to build upon SR skills for the child for life!
**Reminder** of last places for SR skills basics course online on WEDS 25th FEB 7pm GMT...booking via website or eventbrite,any queries for later dates, give me a shout!
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Course details via website or Event brite, evenings, 7pm GMT, £20 pp, 5 for £50.
( recording available for short time if unable to attend on given date).
Various dates, including;
Adult role in continuous provision - empower, excite, enable!
Anxiety, attachment& transitions.
Enabling Exec F skills in EY.
Developing Growth mindset in EY etc
Enabling Emotional intelligence skills in EY.
Enabling Self-regulation skills to empower learning & life.
Suitable for all those working in EY, reading links and refs given, a chance to reflect, to develop knowledge based on research and become reflexive in practice, provision and pedagogy.
Email for any bespoke queries!
A really fantastic INFO GRAPHIC here exploring POWER in EY.
How we share it, enable it, empower others, use it and possibly abuse it in ways that hinder growth.
Important to ask...'who's got the power?' In any given situation as although we have a duty of care to children and responsibilities to protect, nurture etc, they also need to THRIVE.
This requires power sharing, independence,gentle challenge, choice a voice and opinions in order to allow for AUTONOMY and ultimately growth and development as a unique human being.
Have a think how you use power in interactions in a day?
What could you reflect on to empower children to manage their own risks, develop intrinsic motivation and learning?
Shared via Mehrit centre and source of ref post.
This content isn't available right now
When this happens, it's usually because the owner only shared it with a small group of people, changed who can see it or it's been deleted.
Reminder from the Institute of Child Psychologists about WAYS we can support REGULATION for children & thus support their developing SR Skills & more positive outcomes (nb' as SR and EF skills predict outcomes across many holistic domains...inc academic, socio- emotional, psychological etc,( Kalstabakken et al, 2021).
GREAT to consider how EY practices, environments and general pedagogy can build upon these concepts to allow REFLECTION on aspects already enabled and easy ways to create wider impact through enhanced understanding of what some of these opportunites are allowing ...
ie :
* more PLAY ( multi aspect benefit to brain/ body to regulate)
* more time OUTSIDE(Light, space to move, hide etc, nature, green, fresh air, seasons and predictability, senses, risk!)
*more SINGING ( sensory seekers of volume, calming effects of music, shared passions,memory, movement, vagus nerve calming ( resonates when sing), joy etc...
* more HEAVY work - sand, water, mud, digging, carrying,hanging, dragging,pulling, constructing ( proprioceptive input, essential for sensory integration, as well as stimulus and for sensory seekers to regulate- helps co-ordinate how brains and bodies work together in terms of muscle use!)
Etc..!
Source- institute of child Psychologists.
Play on...
#empoweringearlyyears
#selfregulationskills
#earlyyears #empoweringchildren
Course details via website or Event brite, evenings, 7pm GMT, £20 pp, 5 for £50.
( recording available for short time if unable to attend on given date).
Various dates, including;
Adult role in continuous provision - empower, excite, enable!
Anxiety, attachment& transitions.
Enabling Exec F skills in EY.
Developing Growth mindset in EY etc
Enabling Emotional intelligence skills in EY.
Enabling Self-regulation skills to empower learning & life.
Email for any bespoke queries!
GREAT inforgraphic ( credit on pic) to support our scaffolding language when enabling children to take risks!
Saying 'be careful' doesn't allow children any real information with which to work effectively & is so broad ( ie be careful with what/ how/ why) that it doesn't support being able to then apply learning to risk taking.
Risk taking ( through engaging in risky activity) is also HUGELY important for children in order for their own safety skills & survival ( Brussoni et al 2015).
It often occurs more for optimistic children, ( Lu et al, 2023), but risk taking equals growth and so is essential for all children to thrive and grow/ learn, plus link to resilience, perseverance and healthy development.
Choosing our language careful to facilitate skills of risk management and being able to risk assess for themselves as unique individuals is VITAL. Some great examples here to try!
#empoweringearlyyears
LOVE this picture (no author given) illustrating the importance of the creative PROCESS for learning & the key role of the adult to STEP BACK when it comes to art or creative endeavours.
This is in order that we facilitate, empower and enable a child to fulfill their creative desires (not our own) ...where they have autonomy and can lead their learning experientially.
It's ALL about the PROCESS.
This means providing gentle scaffolds challenges and also curate /support the drive for child led ideas & passions, give praise for resilience and perseverance as well as build upon this MOTIVATED example of DIVERGENT thinking! (Crucial for later outcomes).
This all fits within the Characteristics of Effective learning also.
Where adults LIMIT creativity with their own concepts of 'art' or projects (CONVERGENT thinking)..that don't link to divergent ideas, choice, autonomy, innovation or creativity, they are truly limiting the learning potential ( not to mention the joy!)
Who wants to be all the same anyway???!
Without thinking around concepts of further skills to support for the unique child and using their motivation/ attention (for their own projects),to build upon through these key moments of creativity, we're not empowering children to be unique, lead their own learning or to find their unique zone of proximal development ...
Possibilities are endless and positive outcomes are hugely linked (WEF future of jobs 2027, Layard et al 2014 etc) to enabling executive fubctioning skills (like ordering,attention, task initiation etc), linked to divergent experiences, great adult support through facilitation (not direction).
#empoweringearlyyears
Some food for thought....🧐
There's a billion other research bits that spring directly to mind to evidence the importance of PLAY..(sadly we have to but hey, holidtically speaking for development, health (MH), advocacy, learning, wellbeing, academic outcomes etc it's ALL there linked to PLAY, being outside, child led joy and validated individuals).
For example, just one being.
Bai et al's (2023, The development of divergent thinking in 4-6y old children) study of divergent (innovation, creativity) thinking in 4-6 yr olds and how this can increase during this time, as well as memory retrieval skills/ encoding) with opportunity to link to personal experiences (ie child directed play).
Thus, the POSSIBILITY is there, linked to developing language skills and motivation...
Hence why TOP DOWN academic pressures ( that are not related to our research and understanding of learning experiences, conducive environments, the role of joy and the unique child) do really need to go in the bin as part of any inclusive practices.
Play is the way.
Pic ref from weskoolhouse.
BEST time of year for light/ sensory play!
This time - bath time, bubble bath, empty plastic pots fromm soap, paper straws and some left over glow sticks from eons ago.
Probably NOT the most sustainable resource sadly ( these were left overs, so re using).
However....LOADS of other ways to use light, shadow, colour etc to promote wonder, chat, STEAM thinking - processes etc, elicit open ended questions, support FM skills, SLC skills (bubble blowing, proprioception and chat!),UTW...to name a few that would fit in the EY categories!
Mini magic moments are what we need to curate for joy ultimately ( as this is where we learn most, when motivated, engaged and enthralled!).
As well as part of supporting healthy sensory integration systems, alongside links to regulated behaviour, inquiry based play and STEAM thinking about the wondrous world of light, dark, colour and senses! ( for all ages).
#sensoryplay #empoweringearlyyears #play
Some great info here from OT Toolbox, explaining why TRANSITIONS can be super hard for young children, esp when looked at through a NEURO DIVERGENT & DEVELOPMENTAL lens.
Ie home to school (& vice versa), finishing a task, lunch routines, different teachers or rooms,( changing) / key routines etc (ie sleep)
Supporting anxiety and emotion, linked to stress behaviours at times of transition is KEY, through anticipation, accommodations and adaptations that put the UNIQUE child first and support them in managing these tricky times, that require alot of EXECUTIVE functioning skills (HIGHER level cog skills in area of brain - pre frontal cortex, not fully formed until age 22).
EF skills are an area that children aren't BORN will, but can only have the potential to develop with supportive and nurturing adults.
They are HIGHLY predictive of ALL outcomes and for many ND children, access to these skills can be inhibited and interrupted if adaptations are not supported in the environment (ie move, sensory supports etc) & all linked to SECURE ATTACHMENT Relationships.
Thus, thinking of ALL the EF skills required for transition, we can see WHY it is super tricky for our ND children,for very young children in terms of development and also for those feeling more stressed/ at risk than usual (where the brain goes into survival mode and cuts off cognitive thinking).
Understanding that transitions are stressful and unpacking in what ways we can Flexibly and dynamically manage these for children ensures their REGULATION, wellbeing and ultimately good outcomes.
Some great tips here to check out from ot toolbox
#empoweringearlyyears
Super important to model how awesomely unique we all are, in terms of our language used around small children...so that we encourage confidence in individuality, choice and respectful differences.
Great pic from Neurowild here that shows this...where at key ages in education, children seek to 'fit in' for fear of being mocked or shame, yet this may not align with their own wants or choices, all of which they need to learn to advocate for in life and learning for ultimate happiness!
#empoweringearlyyears #empoweringchildren