I have learned two things today
- I am severely out of shape... I was sore from all that moving in physical education yesterday
- I am stronger than I know... I have been pushed, shoved, grabbed, and hit today (and it really hasn't phased me)... Welcome to Special Education!
Today is my last day of school as I am presenting at the conference at Church Teacher's College, tomorrow. Today I wanted to work specifically with the student whose first experience with school started this year. For his privacy, and for the convenience of writing, I am going to call him Fred.
To recap, Fred is a student who has autism and has not been in the school system until this September. He does not talk but can follow some simple directions and gestures. Most of the time, sadly he is just sitting in the corner not doing anything while instruction continues for the rest of the class. His needs are more than what the teacher can currently accomodate with all of her other students. So, today I wanted to try working with him 1:1 and see if we could make progress. I really wanted to see if I could get him to use pictures/symbols as a means of communication.
So, today before school, I went and visited with my friend Lizzy to see how she started using the symbol system. We tried using phaydough as an object of interest to Fred. He would play with it, I would say "my turn" and then he would have to give me the playdough container before he got it again. We first had to do hand over hand, but then he started getting it after a few trials. However, the playdough was not something of interest for him so he didnt want it back. BUT THEN....
I brought unifix cubes today for the math lesson my teacher was doing. I gave him a set of 10 and he was very interested. So much so, that this time when I tried to take it away, he wouldnt let me. I was able to do a couple of trials where he gave me a single cube and then I would give him all of them. BUT... all good things have to come to an end lol. He didnt want me to take them away so I just let him play with them (by this time he had three sets... I was trying to have him sort them by colors). He really enjoyed building with them and it was close to what other students were doing BECAUSE...
My teacher used the cubes to count in math today! It was much more interactive than all of them coming up to count to 9 on the board (and each of them could do it at the same time!). They were physically moving the blocks and it was great! She had them all counting to different numbers based on their ability. It was really great! I got some video, so I will post that!
I couldn’t get them to embed from the app, but it should link to a YouTube video here:
The teacher asked if she could keep them and of course I said yes! It was a completely differnt lesson just with those manipulatives. It was great!
So then after the blocks, I though Fred would get bored (he didn't, but I had already improvised just in case!) so I used clothespins and colored a paper around the edges. I had him clipping the clothespins on and off of the paper and then putting them into a cup. He would go back and forth between the activities usually stopping one midway and then going to the other one. He was busy all morning where normally he was just sitting. I call that a WIN!
Now, I had him busy but I knew the ultimate goal was for him to understand he had to show me what he wanted before I would give it to him. So I had the clothespins in a cup and gave him one which then I pointed to my hand. Only when he placed it in my hand did he receive all of them. We did this a few times but then he wasn't having it anymore... he pushed me away. So I left it at that. He had done enough. BUT THEN.... we had to do something else for class and he wouldn't let me take any of the materials. He was so attached to them that he pushed my hands away, and then also grabbed at me once I had them in my hand. Fortunately when I did have them, and put them away he was good to move on. So now I need to consult the internet and some professionals to see what I do about this. Granted it was the first day of this and him being busy so that could have something to do with it too. I mean imagine how you would feel if you just sat and stared at the walls around you day in and day out and then all of a sudden had something to busy your mind and hands. I think I would be pretty defensive about it too. Fred also laughed when they were brought out again to him. My teacher had a surprised look on her face ... her comment was "Wow, he must really like it." #educationwin I'm thinking that all year they haven't had the chance to engage him like this or to keep him busy... just let that one sink in... SO GLAD I BROUGHT THE UNIFIX CUBES!!! lol.
So we are now post lunch and I am curious to see if we actually have civics and sewing today or that starts "next week, man".
UPDATE: Civics and sewing class today consists of watching videos that are playing on a laptop. The laptop sits on a book shelf (with the sound that comes from it-- not very loud) and the students are just supposed to watch. My teacher also just pulled out the unifix cubes again so at least they can try to keep their minds and hands busy building. They seem to really enjoy that. "Next week, we start" (in reference to following some sort of a curriculum plan! (It's just a totally different mentality than I am used to where every second is spent on teaching!)
Laptop set up sans projector (look hard to find it!)
So, as two kids sleep, eight are building, and my teacher left to finish the curriculum planning meeting. I am going to pull out the whiteboards I brought, soon to practice writing their names! I'll add a picture of what I did for them, later.
Building with the blocks (during civics & sewing)! Gettting their minds and hands working!
I also did have a chance to look at their version of an individualized education plan (IEP). They call it individual intervention plan (IIP). I was also told that the parents don't have anything to do with it. The teachers make it up, and sometimes the parents see it sometimes they don't. I'll black one out so you can see what that looks like too! (Below... excuse my messy whiteout job)
And finally my classroom pictures:
Out of Many, One Education.
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