Where we began…
I began Activating Children’s and Teachers’ Voices – Facilitating Teachers’ Learning focused around supporting the social-emotional well-being (i.e. the mental health) of early childhood teachers and leaders by helping them address 10 of the most common challenges and stressors experienced by teachers and leaders. To support them in building their social-emotional skills to address their challenges, we worked on developing 3 foundational skills. These included emotional intelligence, behaviour management, and emotional self-control skills.
However, since COVID-19 hit, personal and familial priorities have changed for most of society, including myself and my business.
Where we are now…
ACTivatingVoices – Facilitating Learning has a new focus around supporting children’s first and most important teachers – the parents and carers in their lives, but our mission is still the same. ACTVoices is still about empowering everyone with a ‘voice’ and thereby strengthening foundations to build the social-emotional well-being of all involved in the education of children, including children themselves.
We all know that children look up to their parents and carers the most. They want to become like you, and at the end of the day, they look to you to get their needs and wants met, and to seek comfort and security. However, when you are trying to help them grow and develop in the best way, but are under additional stress in your personal and professional lives this influences your ability to support children in their most vulnerable and needy times. The times when they are crying and can’t control their emotions, The times when they are finding it so hard to learn how to settle to sleep, toilet train, to make new friends, and to find the words to communicate what they want and how they feel.
And so, I decided to realign the business to help parents and carers address 8 of the most common challenges centred around routines and experiences that all parents and carers go through at one time or another as they raise their child.
To support you in building your social-emotional skills while addressing your challenges and concerns we will focus on working on the skills of reflection, both self and collaborative reflection. This is an underestimated skill, but a foundational skill that will enable you to engage in holistic reflection that will allow you to identify the three major factors that contribute to any situation, for good or bad. It will help you recognise that changes in one of those factors will dramatically change the end result for better or worse.
ACTivating Voices – Facilitating Learning
OUR MISSION – EMPOWERING VOICES. BUILDING WELL-BEING. SHAPING IDENTITY.
OUR VISION – RELATIONSHIPS. CONNECTIONS. COMMUNITY.
OUR VALUES – STRENGTHENED FOUNDATIONS – HEAR. BELIEVE. ACCEPT.
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- I AM HEARD – I hear my voice and others hear my voice.
- I BELIEVE IN MY VOICE – I believe in myself.
- I AM CONFIDENT – I accept myself for ‘who I am’.
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Why are our prices so low?
You might wonder, “why our prices are so low?” ACTivatingVoices is not all about the money. It’s about reaching out to as many children, parents and carers who need some help. It’s about empowering you and equipping you with skills and strategies to manage and enjoy your day and life as a parent/carer, especially during the daily routine times and experiences.
My past. My present. My experience.
My qualifications, specialisation and interest.
I am a qualified and experienced early childhood teacher with a Bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood and 15+ years in the field teaching babies, toddlers and preschoolers in long day cares and preschools. I have expertise in guiding behaviour and supporting the positive development of social-emotional skills and well-being. Additionally, as second-in-charge at the services that I worked at, I attained leadership skills along with skills in mentoring and reflective practice. All these areas I have pursued through my work, research and studies to which I obtained my Master’s Degree in Early Childhood.
Along with my studies at Macquarie University, since 2013 I continue to work in the School of Education at Macquarie University involved in teaching and the tertiary supervision of students on their practicums.
* With an experienced background in teaching in the early childhood years, knowledge of development and how to promote social-emotional well-being I can give you informed support and strategies with the ‘every day’ routines and experiences. This will support your child in their growth and learning and support you and your child’s mental health.
Working with parents/carers @ ACTVoices.
I’m a facilitator at ACTivatingVoices and I support parents and carers address their concerns, questions with frustrations as they engage in the ‘every day’ routines and experiences with their child. I help to build a positive social-emotional well-being with parents/carers that influences the type of environment that is cultivated and interactions that take place between adults and children.
* I will be a source of support, an advisor, guide and listener. I will be your sounding board for reflection and self-growth, and I will also facilitate and model effective practices that will support you and your child in the daily routines and experiences.
* I individualise my approach to your needs, concerns and questions about daily routines and experiences with your child, while also addressing your mental health as a parent/carer.
Working with children and families @ ACTVoices.
I have been supporting families with young children at various stages of parenting since 2015, in their home context. I provide teaching and care to children, as well as mentor and most importantly I bring a listening ear to families. I do this by working alongside parents and carers, facilitating their learning and role modelling effective ways to support their child’s learning and development.
One family I’ve also supported the grandparents who are the major carer during the working week helping facilitate and merge primary carer (i.e. parent) expectations and more modern ways of raising children to those of the expectations and attitudes of the older generation.
* I take a family-centred approach, so I support you as parents and carers improve your social-emotional well-being that influences the type of home environment that is cultivated and interactions that take place between you and your child.
* I will also support you and your child with strategies to enjoy and effectively manage the daily routines and experiences together.
Tirzah (Founder and Owner of ACTVoices)