Training Talk - Small steps
Gabriella Jozwiak
Monday, May 1, 2017
Kanak Patel (pictured) learned about the impact on children of environmental factors at a workshop.
One day, West Wickham’s Bizzy Bees Pre-School joint leader Kanak Patel noticed a girl in her setting avoided her. The next day, she acted normally. ‘Looking back, it was my perfume,’ she says. ‘It wasn’t until I went on this course that I realised.’
How environmental factors affect children was one of many subjects covered by the Portage Workshop Ms Patel attended last year. Portage is an approach to supporting pre-school children with SEND. It emphasises partnership between children, families, educators and other support services.
Bizzy Bees only has up to three children with SEND from 34 daily attendees, but Ms Patel says Portage principles help all children. Delivered by the National Portage Association, the course consists of two days covering Portage principles, including some written work. A week later, there is a follow-up session.
The workshop can lead to a BTEC Certificate Level 3 in Portage Skills.
Ms Patel says the idea of breaking goals down into achievable targets has proved particularly successful. One example was with a four-year-old girl with delayed communication who liked to play alone. Ms Patel knew the girl liked sensory play so she sat near her with playdough and encouraged her to join. The girl did, and each day they played slightly further away for a week until she approached the playdough table herself.
Working with parents is fundamental to Portage. Since the course, Bizzy Bees updates contact books to keep parents abreast of what they can reinforce at home, such as words practitioners are teaching. The setting always had an open-door policy, but now regularly invites parents inside and ensures they can contact practitioners even during holidays about any matter.
Celebrating success and being positive are also key principles. As a result, Bizzy Bees practitioners reward children for behavioural progress with a medal or treat, such as a disco.
Ms Patel says the course had a positive effect on practitioners, parents and children. Ofsted has since praised the setting’s Portage approach at its last inspection, when it retained its Outstanding rating. ‘The little things go a long way,’ Ms Patel says.
https://www.portage.org.uk/support/training/types-training/portage-workshop
