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Early Intervention Educators and Transition Into School

The early intervention educators (EIE) provide support and teaching to children in their Early Childhood Centre (ECC), for example kindergarten, play centre, Montessori. They work alongside the ECC staff and parents to enable the child with special learning needs to access the curriculum and environment. The EIE is part of the Champion Centre interdisciplinary team and her role is to support the child in the ECC to build communication skills, interactions and friendships with his/her typically developing peers.

When children turn 3, they are able to have an EIE for one or more sessions at their ECC. This is an opportunity for the learning goals to be practiced and generalised in the early childhood setting. These goals are based on Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum, and are guided by the principals of empowerment, holistic development, relationships, family and community.

When the child is ready to be transitioned into school the EIE takes the child on visits to school, and spends several sessions at school with the child once he/she is enrolled. The EIE facilitates the settling of the child in this new environment and along with the therapy team, can pass on knowledge of the child and his/her special needs, to the child's teacher and teacher aides.

They work alongside the ECC staff and parents

to enable the child with special learning needs

to access the curriculum and environment.

Transition Into School - A successful transition to school has positive benefits for everyone involved.

We believe our transition process makes a difference to the inclusion of the child and in supporting the classroom teacher. We are flexible in our approach to this process with our main focus on being the best outcome for each child and his or her family.

Our aim is to ensure a smooth transition process for the child, the family and the school. To enable this to happen we offer a gradual transfer of information and knowledge about the child together with facilitation for building new relationships necessary for the child.

The transition into school, for each child, is supported by a person well known to this child – his or her early intervention educator. The role of the early intervention educator is critical in preparing the child, in this new unfamiliar context, to succeed.

The belief of the Transition into School Programme is "all children are unique". Each has unique capacity.

Carole Wright, Head of Junior School – speaking about the Champion Centre transition to school programme said,
“The staff are outstanding. They not only display a high degree of professionalism but also deal with the children, parents and their prospective teachers in a positive, warm and sensitive manner. Their support of parents who are feeling fragile, vulnerable and sometimes in shock is superb. They help the parents to come to terms with their child’s learning needs and help then to set realistic goals for these tender little people. In their liaisons with the child’s prospective school they nurture the transition period carefully, providing the child and family with a professional advocate for their learning needs ensuring that the start to school is as smooth and as constructive as possible. I am totally in awe of the skill and professionalism of these people. I find watching them, and working with them an inspiration.”

 

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