Decoding Behaviour Summit
I am the mother of two neurodivergent children. My own parenting journey has been challenging and at times chaotic, however it has also been incredibly rewarding. Finding creative and supportive ways to encourage two vastly different and strong-willed people has also been the catalyst for my move into Early Childhood Education.
The 2022 Decoding Behaviour Summit was an online conference that I attended in February 2022. It was run by Behaviour Revolution (2022) and included presentations from a range of Teachers and Allied Health Specialist on topics such as ‘How sensory responses shape behaviour’, ‘Inequities in Education’, and ‘Strategies to improve challenging behaviours’.
I believe that it is incredibly important to be continually updating our knowledge in order support both the needs of students and our own children. I participated in this conference to offer support to my own children but have been able to draw upon the content on several occasions within the classroom.
Artefact 4
Decoding Behavior Summit Certification
During my 10 day 4-year-old placement I met a young student who had extremely limited resilience. Minor frustrations would often result in such large displays of anger that it would put both himself and other students at risk. The permanent staff were in regular communication with his parents regarding suspected developmental delays and home environment concerns, however other strategies needed to be implemented to help him though these large feelings, and to keep himself and others safe.
To assist this student in developing the language needed to explain his feelings, I introduced the class to the ‘Zones of Regulation’ (Kuypers, 2011) and created laminated posters to refer to as needed. When helping students through big emotions I paid particular attention to the language I was using and made sure to refer to these zones where appropriate. I also created a quiet zone within the space with a collection of fidgets, sensory objects, and quiet activities.
Though my time at the centre was limited, we saw immediate improvement in meltdowns for this particular student. On several occasions he was able to remove himself from conflict quickly and safely, allowing myself and other educators to step in and help him through his feelings. This is an area of practice that I am particularly passionate about and find incredibly rewarding. I am sure it will be continually evolving, and I look forward to building upon this knowledge in both personal and professional contexts.
References
Behavior Revolution 2022, Decoding Behavior Summit, viewed 13/02/2022 via <https://thebehaviorrevolution.com/>
Kuypers, L. 2011, The Zones of Regulation: A Curriculum Designed to Foster Self-Regulation and Emotional Control. San Jose, CA: Think Social Publishing Inc.