THEME: Starting and Ending - September 2-5, 2014
1. School Activity Theme: STARTING AND ENDING ACTIVITIES2. Partnership Theme: SAME TIME, SAME ROLE
Learning how to partner with others allows us to learn and grow via guidance from others. These people may be parents at first in quiet home environments, then peers, classmates, and other people in the community. We may learn something by watching someone else (e.g., how to use a new UScan machine at the grocery store or how to do that new yoga move). However, if we only learn by our own exploration and cannot learn through observing others and experimenting with our role and/or active participation, we can only go so far in what we can experience and learn. We may not even see the possibilities for growth, change, exploration, and new experiences.
Children typically learn how to partner with their parents first, by gazing at them, their parents gazing back... then later playing games such as peek-a-boo, learning to sit up, walk while holding hands, activate toys by an adult helping them push harder or softer, then into children simply following parents around doing what they see their parents doing (e.g., talking on the phone, trying new foods, eating with a fork, making a bed, etc).
Children with autism seem to have difficulty with learning from and through others while managing the multiple sensory inputs involved in daily living. This difficulty can lead to mild misunderstandings about nonverbal communication through more severe difficulties with learning from one on one teaching and then into group learning being next to impossible. Therefore, giving your student practice with quite, less sensory-overwhelming, successful, meaningful, and usually hands on practice with partnering is crucial to laying the foundation for later learning in busier situations. I think of partnering in quieter, more manageable environments as cracking the door open to reveal the new learning and new experiences available to your student. Swinging that door wide open would be very overwhelming and the student is likely to slam that door shut and bolt it - never to go there again... but if we provide daily practice in manageable amounts, that door will open wider and wider for the future.
Focus on helping your student understand that s/he can do things at the same time and with the same role as his or her guides. This is a more difficult partnership than turn taking, in that a student must now attend not only to his/her movements, but yours as well. Here are some new examples of this type of partnering (see also last post's recommendations):
- Each carrying a handle of a laundry basket filled with books, building blocks, or other materials from one room to another
- Pushing a table out of the way for some floor activity you are going to do
- Washing dishes or materials together in the sink or bathtub
- Your using hand over hand support to guide his/her hand to open something with an extra tight screw top or to use a can opener
- Pouring rice into a container for either cooking or sensory exploration
And another of children working together to get a ball out of a tree
And another in a pre-teen game I found on the internet (and remember from a fair when I was little, too!)
And to ensure that you know that the best plans do not always work out...
FOCUS ON STARTING AND ENDING ACTIVITIES
This week, we will be helping your student start, return, or hone his or her schedule-following skills. The theme is: starting and ending. Most students using an in home school scenario need some guidance on how a schedule can be useful to guide one's activities. Many have also had negative experiences with following a schedule that either did not make sense or fit their learning styles. Therefore, we will be approaching your students' schedule as a guide to the order of activities but without times. The focus will be on the start and end to the activities within the schedule. You will be expected to guide your student to reference the schedule with you to begin each activity then to clean up and specifically end each activity before moving on to the next. Changes may be made, the activities can be short or long. The focus is truly on helping your student understand that there is a beginning and end to activities and his/her responsibility to and attention to both.
Greeting - Start your day
Be sure to start your day by saying "hello" and connecting first. Students in home programs often need a quieter, slower transition into the day and expectations. This is a time for you to connect with your student, find out where his/her regulation and attention are for your day/session together. If the student is less engaged, very focused on special interests, or seemingly agitated, it is not the time to jump into the first exciting activity you have for him/her. Taking your time now to re-connect will make your well-planned and enjoyable activities truly received by your student.
Reading
START: Show your student his/her schedule, point to and slowly engage your student in the word "reading," without saying more words. Body position yourself to guide his or her attention to the book options. Then you can either provide a choice or location for sitting to read.
Offer your student at least 3 choices of books to read during this time. Each of the books should have topics relevant to your student's interests and include one that is seemingly above developmental level.
Ensure that your student holds the book while you read or vice versa.
Read aloud to your student, emphasizing familiar words, pausing and waiting for joint attention to the word and/or picture you are reading.
Do not use this time to quiz your student or have him/her read or fill in words into sentences. Pausing prior to turning the page in familiar books to increase suspense and anticipation in familiar or exciting books is always encouraged.
END: Have your student put the books away not just in the stack you brought with you to the reading location but to the home of the books (e.g. shelf). Show your student his/her schedule and have him/her check off/mark off the fact that you are now finished with that activity.
Math/Sensory
START: Again, connect first (allow processing time and engagement with you). Show your student the schedule and "math" on the schedule. Then show him/her what the activity is for math. Here are some ideas:
•Start with an empty bin. Have a large container with a screw top lid on it full of rice, beans, water, etc. State "empty!" and explore the inside of the bin together. Feel the texture of the bin ("smooth," etc). Then when your student indicates wanting some of what is in the container, pour just a little tiny amount. Explore that amount. When s/he requests more, offer just a little "more," and so on. Remember to explore and enjoy each step, each amount, without assuming s/he wants more until s/he asks/indicates.
•Using a cupcake pan or empty egg carton, place one item in each place. Count them as you place them in each hole together, slowly. Change the items that you count into the cupcake pan. You might count playdough balls one time, then cut pieces of paper the next, then apples the next. The idea is that each number has a very specific place and count. (one to one correspondence).
•Start with 5 or 10 of something (e.g., toy animals). Use the above cupcake pan or empty egg carton to count how many of something you need to give each something (e.g., a leash, a hat, a pretend cookie).... place the needed items in each of the pan/carton spots then use them one at a time, counting each when you put in and take out.
Here are some inexpensive ideas for counters to go into the pan/carton spots (careful with students who may put things in their mouths. Use best judgement):
- buttons
- cleaned coins
- pom poms
- wooden disks
- floral marbles
- large beads
- dried pasta
- small erasers
- party favors
- dried lima beans
- small rocks
- large legos
BREAK
Show schedule, "break," and provide "break box" for students who need support knowing what to do on break OR bring to area designated as break area
-This can be a great time to take a walk together to get some exercise, if you can see that some fresh air and/or movement might be helpful
-This can also be a time to allow your student to do whatever they wish without your interference (with you keeping him/her safe). This means that stim behaviors are okay during this time. It may be the way that your student re-regulates, focuses, thinks. S/he may need this time to integrate what s/he has learned!
Game
START: Again, connect first (allow processing time and engagement with you). Show your student the schedule and "game" on the schedule. Then show him/her what game you have chosen (go to location where it is kept and retrieve it together). Here are some ideas:
•Writing "start" and "end" on a piece of paper of different sizes (pre-done, if possible)... then start together at the start.... drawing a line that either goes straight to the end or meanders in squiggle fun patterns before hitting the end point.
•Similarly, if your student is ready for more formal mazes... this is a great time to do these together and even make them together, if possible
•Instead of just tossing beanbags, balls, or even rolled up socks into a bin together at the same time, consider using "ready, set, START!" and tossing them in together (same time, same role) into the bin as fast as you can... then as slow as you can... then as silly as you can.... remember to re-regulate with a simple engagement before finishing the activity.
•You can play "start/stop" with anything... helping your student understand that s/he can share when to "start" and when to "stop." You can use a deck of cards, for example, and start putting one at a time in a small bin between the two of you. If you are helping hand over hand, you can guide your student in being the one to put the cards into the bin one at a time.. then you say "stop!" and label the number, write it down nearby, clap the number, stomp the number, or whatever you choose to do together. With no materials (no cards or anything) you can sit face to face or side by side very close and start stomping your feet together so that you are doing it at the same time together... then stay "stop!" and enjoy the moment, staying "start!" or "go!" to return to the game. Repeat with different movements, different locations around the room, or add sounds, etc. to make it silly but definitely remember to return to a relaxed engagement that is easy and patterned before finishing the activity - do not end on an overly silly or frustrated note.
END: Indicate that "game" is finished (using visual schedule). Then ensure your student helps to clean up with you... putting all materials away with you.
Writing
START: Again, connect first (allow processing time and engagement with you). Show your student the schedule and "writing" on the schedule. Then show him/her what you will use for writing (go to location where the journal, paper, and/or pens are kept and retrieve them together).
This is your time to wind down the school session you have had with your student. Typically this is after approximately 2 hours of time. If you have another 2 hours or more to go, use this time to reflect on the day so far.
We are guiding your student in being able to use his/her memory more effectively, understand the schedule, and accept your guidance for new challenges.
Use a notebook or journal to draw pictures, write a short description of the activities you have just done together. Have your student actively contribute by (1) filling in ends of open ended sentences verbally or in writing; (2) draw a picture of something you did together. Emphasize that the activities were achieved together vs. alone... so "we made a really tall building!" vs. "you made a really tall building."
END: Please ensure that your student puts all materials (journal, paper, pens) away in their home location to indicate being finished on his/her schedule.
FINISH YOUR SESSION TOGETHER - EMPHASIZE AUTHENTICITY
Connect at the end of your session. If it went really well, say so. If it didn't go well and was tough for regulation, behavioral, or other reasons, do NOT fake it. Simply say a simple monotone "goodbye" with indication when you will return. I am NOT advocating for any negativity on tough days. I am advocating for authenticity, not to mention that if it is a tougher day, regulation is most likely in question - making simple, monotone interactions simply more digestible then complicated, lengthy, or confusing goodbyes.
Please let me know should you have any questions and/or concerns,
Barb Avila
Synergy Autism Center
503-432-8760
synergyautismcenter@gmail.com
