The design of Incredible Years in Clare is based on the creation of whole school-communities that have been trained in Incredible Years skills and principles. Under this model of delivery the IY Teacher Classroom Management (TCM) programme is delivered on a whole school basis, which means that all staff at an identified primary school are trained in the IY TCM programme. The programme is delivered by a combination of professionals from NEPS, HSE Clinical Psychology Service, and teachers who have completed Incredible Years TCM facilitator training. There are 6 workshops in total delivered over 42 hours on a monthly basis.The focus of workshops is on strengthening the home-school relationship,the use of proactive and positive strategies to manage children’s behaviour in the classroom, teaching children problem solving and emotional regulation skills. Strengthening children’ social, emotional and academic competencies are key concepts of the IY TCM Programme. Teachers have reported feeling more confident about classroom management and a greater sense of being part of a supportive team having completed IY TCM training as a whole staff.
The IY TCM programme is offered to identified primary schools in Co. Clare and is delivered by professionals from NEPS, and the HSE’s Clinical Psychology Service. Large primary schools with a high level of motivation to participate are prioritised for IY TCM training as part of IY Clare’s whole school-community approach. It is delivered over six workshops, to all teaching staff at identified schools.After this, schools are encouraged to have two (or more) staff members trained in the IY Classroom Dinosaur School Programme, so that teachers can deliver this curriculum in their classrooms to teach children social, problem-solving and emotional regulation skills. This is in keeping with IY Clare’s whole school-community approach to programme delivery. As IY Clare has evolved, the vision and model of delivery has expanded to include preschool staff, whereby feeder preschools for IY trained primary schools have been offered training for their staff in the use of IY Classroom Dinosuar and the parents of children attending these preschools have been offered the opportunity to participate in the IY Preschool Parent training programme. (see IY Preschool Parent Programmes section). In keeping with the whole school-community approach when a primary school has undertaken the IY TCM training, the IY School Age Parenting programme is then offered to a group of parents from the school. Parents are recruited to the IY School Age Parenting programme through a collaborative effort between the school and the agencies of IY Clare. (see IY School Age Parenting Programmes section)
To date (2018), a number of primary schools have completed the integral parts of the Incredible Years Training Series, i.e. the IY School Age Parenting programme, the IY Teacher Classroom Management (TCM) programme and are using the IY Classroom Dinosaur School programme. These schools are Holy Family Junior NS in Ennis, Scoil Chríost Rí in Ennis, Scoil na Maighdine Mhuire in Newmarket on Fergus and Scoil Mhainichin, Ennistymon, Ennis National School,St. Senan’s NS, and St. Tola’s NS, Shannon, Scoil Realt Na Mara Kilkee, staff from Cooraclare NS, Kilbaha NS, Kildysart NS, St. Senan’s NS Kilrush and Educate Together NS Ennis.
Based on staff resources currently available to deliver the IY TCM programme to whole schools, one “Incredible Years Whole School-Community” is trained every two years in Clare.
Educational Psychologists from NEPS in Clare also offer separate IY TCM training outside of the whole school-community approach.This training is held at the Clare Education Centre, Ennis annually and has become known as The Education Centre Model. The aim of this model of delivery is to accommodate members of staff from smaller rural schools with an interest in IY TCM training and staff members who work in schools that are not yet in a position to avail of the whole school-community model of delivery. Teaching staff from any primary school in Clare can apply for a place on the IY TCM programme but it does not include IY Parent training for parents of children in the school, therefore it is seen as supplementary to the core IY whole school-community approach in Clare. (see www.clareed.ie for further details)
The IY TCM Programme has been well researched and validated. It involves group led discussions and practice time within the group in order to problem solve and try out new techniques. Video clips are also used to illustrate key points in each session and provide the group with time to discuss concepts shown and how best to apply these ideas in the classroom. Participants are provided with the book which accompanies the IY TCM programme- “How to Promote Children’s Social and Emotional Competence” by Dr. Carolyn Webster-Stratton. Participants also receive handouts and behaviour plan record sheets to be used for specific children. Facilitators request that these behaviour plans and other related assignments are completed by participants between workshops in order to ensure that they obtain maximum benefit from the programme and can be certified at the end of the 6 workshops.
In schools where there is a large number of teaching and SNA staff the group will be divided as appropriate. The logistics of facilitation will be discussed between each school and the Incredible Years Clare steering group. Schools cover the cost of the programme as regards venue, books, lunches and puppets (if required).
Overview of programme Content
The IY TCM programme promotes teacher competencies and strengthens home-school connections in the following ways:
- Strengthen teacher’s effective classroom management skills, including proactive teaching approaches.
- Increase teacher’s use of effective discipline strategies
- Increase teacher’s collaborative efforts with parents and promotion of parent’s school involvement
- Increase teacher’s ability to deliver social skills, anger management, and problem solving skills in the classroom
- Decrease levels of classroom aggression.
Furthermore the IY TCM programme promotes children’s competencies and reduces aggressive and non compliant behaviours by working on the following areas:
- Strengthening children’s social skills and appropriate play skills
- Promoting children’s use of self-control strategies such as effective problem-solving steps and effective anger management strategies.
- Increasing emotional awareness by labelling feelings, recognising the differing views of oneself and others.
- Boosting academic success, reading and school readiness.
- Reducing defiance, aggressive behaviour, and related conduct problems such as noncompliance, peer aggression and rejection, bullying, stealing and lying.
- Decreasing children’s negative cognitive attributions and conflict management approaches.
- Increasing self esteem and self confidence.
To download more information on the Incredible Years Teacher Classroom Management Programme, click on the following link: IY TCM Programme Information
What does it involve?:In total, the IY Teacher Classroom Management programme involves a commitment to a six day training schedule, commitment to the completion of assignments related to the programme and the adoption of the IY classroom curriculum in the school as appropriate.
Video Taping: In order to attain accreditation from the IY committee in Seattle USA the facilitators need to tape themselves in action in each session. This allows them to improve their group delivery skills. The camera is on the facilitators only, not participants, and material is viewed only to examine facilitators skills, not participants responses.
Quotes from Previous Participants:
“Very beneficial and lots of food for thought”
“I am definitely much more aware of individual needs and solutions”
If you want more information on the Incredible Years Teacher Classroom Management Programme, contact: Eve Brennan IY Development Worker, Clarecare 4 Dooneen Pk. Toler St., Kilrush. Phone: 065 905 2817 Email: e.brennan@clarecare.ie
To view the Incredible Years website click on the following link;http://www.incredibleyears.com