Monthly Archives: May 2016

Occupational Therapy Strategies

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Some kids need extra practice and strategies to access the learning environment. Occupational Therapists have shown me a multitude of these tips to help with student learning. Here are some resources:

Strategy Links:

Parent-Teacher Intervention Checklists

Parent/ Teacher Checklist/ Screening:

Manuals:

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Schools winding down for the year

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If Kids Ruled the School ms

As the end of the school year approaches, many children and teachers are counting down to vacation. The activities and lesson plans in this collection will help you celebrate what you’ve all learned together and ease the anxiety of the transition to summer. Source

Articles for Teachers:

Let It Marinate: The Importance of Reflection and Closing

Scholastic collection of articles*Comprehensive source

Top 12 Effective End of the Year Activities

The Teacher Report: Fun End-of-Year Assignments

It’s Quittin’ Time!

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

Articles for Parents:

Get Ready for Summer! Ideas for Teachers to Share with Families

Summer Enrichment or Just Hanging Out?

Parenting over Summer Break: Keeping Kids Learning, Healthy, and Out of Trouble

Summer Learning Tips for Parents

RESEARCH SHOWS VACATIONS MAKE KIDS SMARTER-Study Shows Link to Academic Achievement in First Graders

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Summer facts

To succeed in school and life, children and young adults need ongoing opportunities to learn and practice essential skills. This is especially true during the summer months.

Many Americans have a wonderful image of summer as a carefree, happy time when “kids can be kids,” and take for granted the prospect of enriching experiences such as summer camps, time with family, and trips to museums, parks, and libraries.

Unfortunately, some youth face anything but idyllic summer months. When the school doors close, many children struggle to access educational opportunities, as well as basic needs such as healthy meals and adequate adult supervision.

Did You Know?

  • All young people experience learning losses when they do not engage in educational activities during the summer. Research spanning 100 years shows that students typically score lower on standardized tests at the end of summer vacation than they do on the same tests at the beginning of the summer (White, 1906; Heyns, 1978; Entwisle & Alexander 1992; Cooper, 1996; Downey et al, 2004).

  • Most students lose about two months of grade level equivalency in mathematical computation skills over the summer months. Low-income students also lose more than two months in reading achievement, despite the fact that their middle-class peers make slight gains (Cooper, 1996).

  • More than half of the achievement gap between lower- and higher-income youth can be explained by unequal access to summer learning opportunities. As a result, low-income youth are less likely to graduate from high school or enter college (Alexander et al, 2007).

  • Children lose more than academic knowledge over the summer. Most children—particularly children at high risk of obesity—gain weight more rapidly when they are out of school during summer break (Von Hippel et al, 2007).

  • Parents consistently cite summer as the most difficult time to ensure that their children have productive things to do (Duffett et al, 2004).

    Source

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Thoughts for the future in school districts-

Article-

SUMMER LEARNING LOSS: WHY ITS EFFECT IS STRONGEST AMONG LOW-INCOME STUDENTS AND HOW IT CAN BE COMBATED

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Transgender and Gender Diverse Students

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While this is a hot topic politically. In public schools we have been working with diverse populations for awhile. Here is some information to better support Transgender and Gender Diverse students.

Start here:

 

Some statistics

How many people are lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender?

Increasing numbers of population-based surveys in the United States and across the world include questions that allow for an estimate of the size of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) population. This research brief discusses challenges associated with collecting better information about the LGBT community and reviews eleven recent US and international surveys that ask sexual orientation or gender identity questions. The brief concludes with estimates of the size of the LGBT population in the United States.

Key findings from the research brief are as follows:

  •  An estimated 3.5% of adults in the United States identify as lesbian, gay, or bisexual and an estimated 0.3% of adults are transgender.
  •  This implies that there are approximately 9 million LGBT Americans, a figure roughly equivalent to the population of New Jersey.
  •  Among adults who identify as LGB, bisexuals comprise a slight majority (1.8% compared to 1.7% who identify as lesbian or gay).
  •  Women are substantially more likely than men to identify as bisexual. Bisexuals comprise more than half of the lesbian and bisexual population among women in eight of the nine surveys considered in the brief. Conversely, gay men comprise substantially more than half of gay and bisexual men in seven of the nine surveys.
  •  Estimates of those who report any lifetime same-sex sexual behavior and any same-sex sexual attraction are substantially higher than estimates of those who identify as LGB. An estimated 19 million Americans (8.2%) report that they have engaged in same-sex sexual behavior and nearly 25.6 million Americans (11%) acknowledge at least some same-sex sexual attraction.
  •  Understanding the size of the LGBT population is a critical first step to informing a host of public policy and research topics. The surveys highlighted in this report demonstrate the viability of sexual orientation and gender identity questions on large national population-based surveys. Adding these questions to more national, state, and local data sources is critical to developing research that enables a better understanding of the understudied LGBT community.Source

How to Talk to Kids About What it Means to be Transgender

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Other readings:

GLAAD Media Reference Guide

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Policies on Transgender Students for across the United States

 Atherton High School, Jefferson County School District (KY), Policy on School Space (2014), 

 Boulder Valley School District (CO), Guidelines Regarding the Support of Students and Staff Who Are Transgender and/or Gender Nonconforming (2016), 

 California Interscholastic Federation, Guidelines for Gender Identity Participation (2015), 

 Chicago Public Schools (IL), Guidelines Regarding the Support of Transgender and Gender Nonconforming Students (2016), 

 Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, Guidance for Massachusetts Public Schools Creating a Safe and Supportive School Environment Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Gender Identity (2014), 

 Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District (AK), Transgender Student Guidelines (2015), 

 New York State Education Department, Guidance to School Districts for Creating a Safe and Supportive School Environment for Transgender and Gender Nonconforming Students (2015), 

 Rhode Island Interscholastic League, Rules & Regulations (Article I, Section 22 – Gender Identity), 

 Shorewood School District (WI), Nondiscrimination Guidelines Related to Students Who Are Transgender and Students Nonconforming to Gender Role Stereotypes (2014), 

 Washington Office of State Superintendent of Public Instruction, Prohibiting Discrimination in Washington Public Schools (2012),

LGBT Resource List

 

 

Behavioral practice

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Every kid has a point in time when they need either their parents and/ or teachers to support them with learning new behavioral skills.

Practical Practice Ideas for developing a variety of social emotional skills.

Taking Turns and Being Patient

Please take a moment and practice these skills at school and at home by:

  • Playing a Game
  • Reminding me to wait my turn
  • Asking me what
  •  I can do while I wait for my turn

 

Having rules and Following rules

Please take a moment and practice these skills at school and at home by:

  • Asking your student why rules are important
  • By playing a game with rules
  • By creating new rules

 

Feelings and Emotions

Please take a moment and practice these skills at school and at home by:

  • Asking your student to name as many feelings as they can
  • Encourage your student to verbally name their feelings
  • Verbally expressing your feelings as the parent/teacher
  • Asking your student to identify the feelings of others in a story or on television
  • Have your student show you what different emotions look like

 

Using “I” statements

Please take a moment and practice this skill at school and at home by:

  • Having you student use “I” statements throughout the week (e.g. “I feel…”, “I want…”, “I think…”)
  • Ask student why it is important to use “I” statements
  • Ask student in what setting they should use “I” statements

 

Anger

Please take a moment and practice recognizing Anger at school and at home by:

  • Asking what your students body look like when they are Angry.
  • Ask your student to explain the Grouchometer
  • Ask your student where they are on the Grouchometer throughout the week

 

Words and there meanings

Please take a moment and practice these skills at school and at home by:

  • Asking your student what kind of messages words send.
  • Ask your student to give examples of “Nice” words
  • Ask student why people may say “Not Nice” words

 

Anger

  • Asking what your students what they should do when angry
  • Ask your student to explain things that may be triggers for Anger
  • Ask your student what they can say if they are Angry
  • Practice “Stop and Think” to calm down

 

Teasing

  • Ask your student, “What does teasing look like?”
  • Ask your student what are their options for dealing with teasing (ignore, agree, tell adult, ask, “Why did you say that?” Say, “I want you to stop”).
  • Role-play situations and ask your student what they would say or do in these situations.

 

Consequences

  • Recognizing that there may be both positive and negative consequences.
  • Have your student list positive and negative consequences throughout the week.
  • Role-play scenarios and have your student state appropriate consequences.
  • Play a board game that has consequences

 

Problem-Solving

  • Role-play disagreements and ask “what does each person need?”
  • Have students consider consequences
  • Have your student make the best choice or make a plan to help with problem solving.
  • Reflect on whether or not the plan worked

Other Resources:

Vanderbilt CSEFEL- Practical Strategies for Teachers/Caregivers

“You Got It!” Teaching Social and Emotional Skills

Fostering Social and Emotional Skills Development in Early Childhood – PPT

Resilience Booster: Parent Tip Tool – APA resource