The_Craft_World_School

October 11, 2019

#The_Craft_World_School  There is no sure shot way of ensuring #Inclusion,  However, one basic mandatory requirement is #Intention. Unless and until there is a true intent to include, no laws, no regulations, no strategies, no professional or parent will make a headway.  Very often our focus is on the child who has come with a diagnostic label. But it is important to realize that just as much support the child may need to understand the world around and function in interdependence , all those interacting with the child too need support : the family, the neighborhood, the peer group at school, the teachers, the administration and the support staff too.  The dedicated #Support_Team of Craft World was so eager to learn more and understand each child, all of them had so many questions and experiences. Same way,  listening to the experiences gives us so much insight into how sometimes not getting bogged down by a diagnosis and working focusing on the child alone one can make a lot of head way. They did not speak great knowledge about any diagnosis, nor was there any planned strategy or method in place. What was strongly in place was a true intent to help ,support and loads and loads of love.  Nothing else mattered.  One of them asked - translated to English " When we see some children struggling to express what they feel we struggle as well to understand and that upsets the child and us. How do we work around that?" Now that was empathy at its highest form explained. Feeling the same frustration and struggle that the other feels and wanting to reach out. How do we translate this to actionable steps

1. It's okay not to understand the cause of the child's struggle. But what's important to understand is that the struggle is genuine and the child is unable to express it. 
2. Be the calm in their storm. Avoid making it your struggle as well and slow down. Take control of your own emotions first.
3. Ensure Safety. The child may not be fully in control of what he or she says or does when upset.  Make sure the they do not indulge in self harm, or harm others or property/environment in the process. Lead child to a clam or safe space so that they are attended to but not getting too much attention. Keep your voice soft and calm if at all you need to speak. Lead other children to move to whatever they were supoossed to do. The message is not to ignore the upset child instead to give him/her the needed space and time.
4. If you are already aware of what soothes the child, use it. If not, observe what the child is seeking and follow the lead. Watch out for diffenece between a tantrum that started to get something tangible and a sensory meltdown. In a meltdown you will notice the child is not able to connect with you and in a tanturm most often the child looks for your attention and is actively connecting. Avoid giving in the item if it is a tantrum. If you are unsure- ask for help.
5. In either , indicate a space he or she can sit down. Sit along and say nothing. Engage only after he or she has settled. 
6. If you feel  things are escalating- Ask for help and do not take it harsh on yourself that you couldn't help. It's okay. We are all learning and each day can be different. 
7. After there is clam and before leaving the child back to class to engage with the rest and cooperate with teacher- explain what he or she should expect to see there and what he or she is expected to do next. Get a verbal or non verbal acknowledgement of the same and check readiness and then send. 
8. Back in class , avoid a loud entry. Allow him or her to join in from where he or she left. Teacher to take on.
9. If this is a frequent occurrence,  teacher to give timed breaks before the overload sets in. Outdoors safe places best where the child can go to what he or she seeks. Set a timer as per each child's need and send them back following Step 7. 
10. Always be willing to seek further professional help as per specific need of the child. Like children,  each teacher  has a different skill set, each support staff has a diffenet one too. Choose the right people to intervene for starters before making sure all are equipped to do the same and the child works with all. 

❤None of the above is full proof . Take no shame to seek help.❤