Developmentally Appropriate Behavior Guidance Facilitator Session A Brain

Developmentally Appropriate Behavior Guidance Facilitator:

Session A Brain Development & Social Emotional Development

Welcome & Introductions The Developing Brain Why Focus on Social Emotional Development in the Context of Relationships Attitudes about Challenging Behaviors & Closing Agenda

Shared Agreements Be respectful - Put away cell phones Be curious - Ask questions Be comfortable Be part of the learning

• Describe key facts about early brain development • Define social emotional development and describe how it unfolds in the context of relationships. • Identify two temperament traits and how they may affect a child’s behavior. • Describe the importance of schedules, routines, and environments in promoting children’s social emotional development and preventing challenging behavior. • Identify two strategies for preventing challenging behavior. Objectives

Child Development = PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENT COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT SOCIAL EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT ALL AREAS OF HUMAN BEHAVIOR AND DEVELOPMENT ARE DEPENDENT ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE BRAIN.

Brain Architecture http: //developingchild. harvard. edu/key_concepts/brain_architecture

The Developing Brain • Brain development begins within a week of conception • 100 billion brain cells (neurons) at birth • In a child’s earliest year the way that information flows through the brain and gets processed is largely established • This early structure is the foundation for a lifetime of learning.

Brain builders http: //www. albertafamilywellness. org/resources/video/how-brains-are-built-core-story-brain-development

Healthy Brain Development What do you think is important for healthy brain development?

New connections are formed through interactions young children have with their families, caregivers and the environment Healthy brain development allows children to…. Listen Concentrate Control impulses Crawl Laugh Speak Solve problems Eat

Serve and Return https: //developingchild. harvard. edu/resources/serve-return-interaction-shapes-brain-circuitry/

Social Emotional Development The developing capacity of the child (birth-5 yrs) to form close and secure adult and peer relationships; experience, regulate and express emotions in socially and culturally appropriate ways; and explore the environment and learn – all in the context of family, community, and culture.

Developing Capacity … • Infants & toddlers grow and change quickly. We are always looking through the lens of a child’s developmental age • Think about the different abilities of a newborn, 1 year old, 2 year old and 3 year old. • A 1 year old can not tell us how he is feeling but by age 3 -4 years children can begin to identify feelings.

Form close and secure relationships… Close & trusting relationships with caregivers build a child’s capacity to: § See the world as a satisfying and predictable place § Develop self–control; regulate their emotions § Make friends § Take on challenges § Explore the environment and become an engaged learner

Experience, regulate and express emotions in socially and culturally appropriate ways… • Infants and toddlers watch important adults to figure out how they should feel and act. • This helps children learn how to control and regulate their emotions so they don’t get overwhelmed by them.

Explore the environment and learn • Children need to feel safe before they can be free to explore and learn new things. • Close, healthy relationships provide that security.

All in the context of family, community, and culture.

Remember…. Culture is so much more than what we wear or eat or how we speak In the context of family, community & culture…

Social Emotional Development The developing capacity of the child (birth-5 yrs) to form close and secure adult and peer relationships; experience, regulate and express emotions in socially and culturally appropriate ways; and explore the environment and learn – all in the context of family, community, and culture.

Each child is born with his or her own temperament or individual way of approaching the world

EASY OR FLEXIBLE ACTIVE OR FEISTY SLOW TO WARM OR CAUTIOUS Three general temperament types

Trait Activity level - always active or generally still Child Low Provider High Low x Biological Rhythms – predictability (hunger, sleep, elimination) x Approach/withdrawal – response to new situations x Sensitivity – comfort with levels of sensory information; sound, brightness of light, feel of clothing, new tastes and textures. x Adaptability – ease of managing transitions or changes Distractibility – how easily attention is pulled from activity x x Persistence – how long a child continues with an activity he/she finds difficult Think about a specific child and how he/she would rate on each temperament trait. x High

Temperament traits 1. Activity level - always active or generally still 2. Biological Rhythms – predictability (hunger, sleep, elimination) 3. Approach/withdrawal – response to new situations 4. Sensitivity – comfort with levels of sensory information; sound, brightness of light, feel of clothing, new tastes 5. Adaptability – ease of managing transitions or changes 6. Distractibility – how easily attention is pulled from activity 7. Persistence – how long a child continues with an activity he/she finds difficult It is our job to adapt to the temperament of the child when possible

Reflection Activity Now consider your own temperament traits. . Put a small X in the Provider box after each temperament trait to indicate where you think you fall on the continuum. With your own temperament and the child’s temperament in mind consider the following: 1. Where do you see similarities in temperament between you and this child? Highlight the similarities. 2. Where do you see differences? Circle the differences. 3. Do you think the differences, or the similarities influence the way that you understand this child’s behavior? (i. e. Make it harder to understand? Make it easier to understand? ).

What we do and what we say are the building blocks of relationships • • Unpredictable Unresponsive Insensitive • Consistent • Responsive • Nurturing Threatening Insecure Attachment Secure Attachment

Toxic Stress https: //developingchild. harvard. edu/resources/toxic-stress-derails-healthy-development/

Are there behaviors in children that push your buttons? Participant Guide p. 3

Today • Describe key facts about early brain development • Define social emotional development and describe how it unfolds in the context of relationships. • Identify two temperament traits and how they may affect a child’s behavior. Next Session • Describe the importance of schedules, routines, and environments in promoting children’s social emotional development and preventing challenging behavior. • Identify two strategies for preventing challenging behavior.

Next Session Time and Place Thank You See you next time!