Information for caregivers
The AECYC supports all parties involved in the the founding, management and development of pre-school centres. The management and administration of a nursery school or care centre plays an important role in the good practise of the school or centre.
The AECYC management realise the immense task and responsibility that are placed on the educators’/caregivers’ shoulders. As an educator/caregiver you are the substitute parent when the child is placed in your care.
The information below is directed to promote management, admininstrative- and educational practice in early childhood development.
Please contact the office if you have any queries.
Why young children bite their friends How to overcome creative blocks – and help others to be creative. Part 3 How to be more creative. Part 2 What is creativity? Part 1 To prevent the breakdown of discipline in your school Developmental milestones 3 months to 3 years Children need to move to be school-ready Why is the correct pencil grasp important? The impact of primitive brain reaction in the early years The art of storytelling Minimum contents of a First Aid Box First impressions The Incident Report Form Role-playing in the nursery school Reading with small children When bees strike Discipline: Accepting it and becoming disciplined individuals Bully policies Incidents on the playground Communication with parents
| Why young children bite their friends Wietske Boon |
Small children have not yet learned how to communicate their needs and emotions effectively, thus they might bite or pinch their friends to give them the message that they are not approving of the current situation. In most of these cases the child is feeling angry, frustrated, irritated or even overly excited. They have a feeling that needs to be expressed – now!
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| How to overcome creative blocks – and help others to be creative. Part 3 Eleen Polson |
Creativity is an innate natural human ability. Creativity manifests itself in every aspect of our lives. Typical we are overly developed in our analytical, logical functioning. The challenge is for us to access the “right” side of our intuitive, holistic, creative functioning. To be truly creative, we don’t require to know what the outcome will be, but rather to appreciate and embrace the process and to allow all possibilities to emerge.
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| How to be more creative. Part 2 Eleen Polson |
As explained in Part 1, “What is Creativity”, we were all creative as children – but lost the faith in our own creative powers whilst growing up. Creativity is much more than just the expressive arts (singing, dancing, writing or acting). It is the ability to create order out of chaos. It is the ability to express oneself in unique ways. Each and every day we create our lives through our activities.
Once we understand the importance of creativity, we can grow and cultivate this valuable gift. How do we do this?
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| What is creativity? Part 1 Eleen Polson |
We are living in unprecedented times with ever increasing demands, higher life expectancy and more resources at our finger-tips than ever before. Creativity is spearheading this evolution in technology and commerce yet creativity in education has been marginalised in favour of the more logical subjects like maths and languages (the three R’s). Let’s share a few thoughts on Creativity.
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| To prevent the breakdown of discipline in your school Learning Years |
Every teacher, whether in preschool or in the foundation phase will agree that the majority of children in their groups are normally well behaved. Disciplinary problems are however like measles. It starts with one or two children and left unchecked, will quickly affect the whole group.
One of the managing skills teachers must have and develop is the ability to take swift decisions. If and when misbehaviour erupts a teacher has to take a decision how to handle it. Of course prevention is always better that cure in these cases!
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| Developmental milestones 3 months to 3 years Marthie Stoltz |
Altough every child is unique and children often reach the suggested milestones on different times, it is helpful to have guidelines to milestone development. These guidelines also provide educators and caregivers with activities they can use in their classrooms.
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| Children need to move to be school-ready Basheera Surty |
“This child does not listen to a word I say.”
“If he sits still for more than 5 minutes, he will make my day!”
“I placed her at the front of the class and yet she has outbursts during lessons”.
These are comments we often hear from Grade 1 teachers about children with behavioural and academic challenges in their classes. These behaviours are also often associated with negative descriptions and emotions toward the child.
Why does the child appear inattentive and seek movement?
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| Why is the correct pencil grasp important? Carla Grobler |
An efficient pencil grasp facilitates legibility, letter formation, speed and endurance. An efficient pencil grasp is one in which the writing tool is controlled only through finger movements. This occurs when the pinkie side of the hand supports the whole hand against the writing surface, allowing the other fingers to hold and move the pencil/pen/crayon.
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| The impact of primitive brain reaction in the early years Isabella Carstens |
The first twelve months especially and again close to four years, is the most important time for laying down the foundations of neural development and for starting the process of linking up all areas of the brain. When the infant and toddler does not get enough stimulation from parents, teachers, environment and good nutrition this process can be hindered, leaving the neural connections, brain and senses immature.
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| The art of storytelling Dulinda Pieters |
We’re all storytellers and naturally use storytelling in one form or another every day – talking to neighbours, sharing secrets or recalling something dramatic, exciting or traumatic from our day. Sometimes we do it in an entertaining, or dramatic, or impressive way. Children love stories! Sharing stories is an essential part of their development, for sheer enjoyment and not only for the launch pad offered into reading and writing.
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| Minimum contents of a First Aid Box Learning Years |
Minimum contents of a First Aid Box as per the Occupational Health and Safety Act.
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| First impressions Cherry Stephen |
Does your corporate image give you an edge over your competitors?
“Your corporate image includes everything that says something about your school and is a strong factor in the perception of your business by outsiders.”
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| The Incident Report Form |
In the Guidelines for Early Childhood Development Services, issued by the Department of Social Development, this Incident Report Form was made available.
The Department requires that the form be completed in triplicate, one copy going to the parent, one copy to the child’s file and one copy to the accident file.
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| Role-playing in the nursery school Charmaine van der Merwe |
Role play is an effective learning tool as it encourages children to become active participants in their learning. They can move about, put themselves in someone else`s shoes, perhaps wear a costume and use props, communicate and make decisions in character, which will allow them to take risks and explore different areas.
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| Reading with small children Nal'ibali |
We know from recent research that the first five years are the most significant for brain development. And the experiences children have in their first three years are the most critical as these early experiences provide the base for the brain’s organisational development and functioning throughout life. So, whatever it is that caregivers do with them, this is the time that young children establish their foundations for language and life. Stories provide a wonderful way to develop children’s language, curiosity and thinking. Here are some ideas from the Nal’ibali reading-for-enjoyment campaign to help young children on their literacy journey.
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| When bees strike Andrea Hattingh |
We assumed that bees are just another insect, playing their role in the greater ecosystem; or so we thought, until the day a swarm of bees attacked our 20 month old baby girl and her nanny.
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| Discipline: Accepting it and becoming disciplined individuals |
Discipline is one of those age-old topics people keep discussing. What is the correct way to discipline a child? When should one discipline a child and whose responsibility is it? We came across this article in ‘Learning Years’ Vol 24 no 2 Winter/Spring 1999 and thought we would share it with you as it is still as relevant today as it was then.
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| Bully policies Magdelize Janse van Vuuren |
Can the AECYC office please assist with a policy on bullying? We have to address the issue with the parents of the bully as soon as possible since other parents are threatening to move their children to a different school if it is not handled.
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| Incidents on the playground Wietske Boon |
I am teaching four and five year olds and often one of them complains that one of the other children hurt them. Do you have any practical ideas on handling the situation when a child complains about an incident?
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| Communication with parents Wietske Boon |
Parents leave their most precious possessions in the care of the teacher at school. When they ask their child at the end of the day how their day were they usually reply with ‘nice’, ‘fine’, ‘okay’; etc. That is why parents rely on the teacher to communicate with them.
On the other hand, the teacher takes over from the parent and needs to be informed about any issues that might influence the child’s behaviour during the day.
Looking after the child is a communal responsibility and communication is of utmost importance. Parents don’t necessarily see the teacher on a daily basis when taking the children to school or collecting them in the afternoon.
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