In Case You Missed It: Fall Themes & Halloween Links

Photo: Phil Owen
gamefront.com

There is a coolness in the air-and the smell of baked apples floating through my home and office today.

I've picked the last of the peppers, squash and eggplant from the garden in anticipation of the frost we are supposed to get this evening.

These events mean that my favorite time of year is beginning. I love the fall: festivals, apple picking Halloween and other events & activities for families.

This week's Friday Blog is filled with recipe links, activities, games and other informative articles geared towards this time of year. Please enjoy and feel free to pass them on!

(If you know of any others, please post in the comments section below!)

Have a fantastic weekend!

~Barbara



Halloween facts: Costumes, History, Legends and More

Making Halloween Fun for Special Needs Children

Fall Harvest Foods

Sensory Strategies: Avoiding Halloween Overload

NJ's 5 Best Family Halloween Activities

7 Best Pumpkin Picking Destinations in NY, NJ & CT

Halloween Activities for Kids

Cat Pose: Holding on & Letting Go

Halloween: A Spooky Time for the Sensory Challenged

Spooky Snacks (Seasonal Snack Recipes)

Halloween Inspired Math Activities

The Top 20 Special Ed Blogs

What Inclusion Looks Like (InfoGraphic)








Contact: barbara@bodylogique.com  

In Case You Missed It: September 3-7 2012




Photo: ©2008-Barbara Gini

  "Play is the work of children. " ~Maria Montessori

As everyone settles into the new school year, I'd like to take this opportunity to remind everyone to make time to play.

Children are relaxed, receptive and learn best when playing, and believe it or not, so are adults. Play releases stress from the body, calms the mind, integrates the brain and body, builds social skills and stimulates the imagination. Play is a safe way for us to explore the world and to test (and expand) our boundaries.


Wishing you a play-full weekend!


~Barbara



The Absorbent Mind

The Theory of Play

Creating Inclusive Learning Environments

Soapy Slime Fun

Woman Creates "Sensory Sheild"

Sensory Games and Activities

Take it Outside

The Power of Water (and Wasted Opportunities)






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What Comes After Awareness?

Photo: Mind.org

As you’ve probably heard, April is Autism Awareness Month. I've been asked to walk, write an article and help at several awareness events this month, and I have decided to not to participate in any of these events or activities.

To those of you who don't know me, this will sound contradictory to the work I do. It might even confuse or offend but before you un-join my blog or de-friend my Facebook page in protest, let me explain why I will not be raising any more awareness for any causes.

I feel as if the time & energy spent ‘raising awareness’, debating vaccines, medications and the political correctness of the phrase ‘autistic child” & re-reading & quoting the statistics (which are from old data), could be put to better use. Over focusing on these things only stirs up fear, misunderstanding and other un-useful emotions and deters us from taking more effective actions. I'm leery of people, organizations & corporations who use this fear and misunderstanding to exploit families and push emotional buttons for the purpose of self- promotion & financial gain.

Awareness initiatives were useful at first. It got people to pay attention and it helped them understand better. But as time has passed, they have become less about education & more about promotion. There are awareness and acceptance campaigns for everything and instead of building bridges of understanding, I see people starting to filter and tune it all out. The messages have gotten lost and I see 'awareness' becoming less helpful & more of an excuse for inaction.

The truth is that parents and families of the “1 in 88” have more awareness than any walk or press conference could ever raise. If you want awareness, spend some quality time with an autism family. That is real awareness. Those who don't know what autism is, or don't need to know (because it doesn't affect them) will remain unaware & won't seek out the information that is out there until they have to.

Awareness alone will not cure, eliminate or solve anyone’s problems, and is of no use if you don’t take action with what you know. Discussing, debating & perpetuating the same emotional upheaval will never help a single child. It’s not what is needed. Action is what is needed.

Action cannot be effective as long as there is time spent getting stuck on statistics. Numbers will change, depending on who is reporting them and what their agenda is. The numbers are not going to give us any clues, ideas or answers. We cannot help thousands of children at a time or even 88 at a time, only the one or two who are closest at any given moment. We need to fully focus on each individual and take those actions needed. We need to start with the individual if any children are to be helped.

Start with the child nearest to you. Parents, professionals & support staff need to get on the same page and instead of spending time being enemies, put that time to better use. We are all on the same side, or are supposed to be. Communicate & think outside of the lesson plan, IEP and core standards and get creative in devising & implement challenging, self-affirming experiences that teach and assist kids to be more self-reliant at school, at home and in life. Help them learn skills that will give them the best opportunities for functioning in a world that may or may not be aware, & may or may not accept, support and adapt to them like their families are hoping and expecting it to. Teach them that not everyone will include nor accept them, and that is okay. It never makes them less. Sometimes they will have to be the ones who need to accept and adjust to others.


I’m not involved this year in any walks or events promoting awareness. Not because I don’t want to help, but because I know my strengths and my limitations. I know that helping raise awareness is not the best I can offer. I know that as long as I debate, discuss & promote, I am not taking action. I can offer families and professionals so much more and for long as I can, I will. So, I will continue to support children, parents and professionals through adaptive movement & yoga-based education as I have been for the last 12 years.

Its time to think beyond awareness and take action; not just for autism, but for all the other challenges and
"-isms" out there. Not just for a month or a day, but every day.

Action is what will always have the biggest impact.

 

*What actions will you take that will have the greatest impact?

Contact: barbara@bodylogique.com

7 Keys to Adapting Movement & Sports for Special Needs Children

Barbara mirroring  movement
for a non-verbal student.
(Photo by J. Yurgel)

Inclusion is about providing a broad range of fun & engaging options to children of all ages, abilities and backgrounds. This means modifying an activity or sport to provide a more appropriate version for a particular group of participants. This can be done in such a way that the integrity and structure of the activity is maintained, while softening the rigidity of how one should participate.

When I was a child, I spent many hours outside playing in the yard and inside playing board games with my younger brother. There is nearly a 5 year difference in our ages & I would come up with ways to adapt & modify the activities so he could be included too.  As we both got older, we still carried on the tradition of  of  "making it up"  much to the dismay of my father who was trying to teach us to 'follow the rules."

The practice & skill of modifying and adapting games and activities has served me well in the early elementary & special education field. I always looking for ways to adapt common (and not-so-common) activities such as yoga, dance, storytelling, movement games & art to make them more accessible and inclusive to all children. So far, my efforts have been  been successful.

My daughter with a 'Buddy'
at the Special Olympics, 2010

Statistics show that physical activity for children with disabilities as compared to children without disabilities is much lower. In recent years, there has been a call for more physical activity for kids. At the same time, there is awareness of the need for more adaptive recreational programming to address the growing population of children with a variety of  physical, sensory and other adaptive challenges. While the idea of adapting for and including a variety of children with different abilities may overwhelm many coaches and educators, I think we need to see this instead as an incredible opportunity to expand existing programs, or create entirely new ones & step out of what is comfortable and predictable. The benefits far outweigh the little bit of extra preparation it takes.

Modifying the methods & rules of exercise, activities or even of competition structure of a sport is nothing new. In fact, most national sporting organizations provide modified versions of many sports for their junior programs. (Special Olympics, The Miracle League and others.) As the need for adaptive movement activities has increased, so has the interest in how exactly to do this in a meaningful and effective way. Here are 7 key points to keep in mind:

• The purpose of adapting and modifying movement activities & sports is to make them more accessible by minimizing or eliminating the disadvantage caused by the environment in which a sport or activity is played. There are as many ways to do this as ther are children who need it. Think of ways to break the activity down into its smallest most basic parts and build up from there. Don't be afraid to experiment with new ideas or to change something that is not working.
• Modifications can be minor - such as a change in rules (6 strikes to be 'out' instead of 3) or piece of equipment (lighter or shorter bats). Sometimes bigger modifications are necessary, that may require some planning in advance (using  equipment that contrasts with the playing area: white markers on grass, bright balls or mats, sound/echo proofing a room, etc.) 
• Know your students. Talk with their parents and other members of their education or therapy team to gain insight into the best way to structure your activity or program. Use common sense in determining what activities that child should avoid. (A survey form filled out by parents and therapists before an instructional program starts is very helpful.)
• Learn to view all modifications as temporary. Review them regularly for restructuring or to be phased out. Adaptations are just another step toward a program that is fully accessible. (In some cases, the changes may become a part of a regular program, such as those previously mentioned junior sport programs. ) The end goal is to allow participation with as much independence as possible.
• Teaching Style is important! The way an activity is communicated has significant impact on how inclusive it is. Use appropriate language for the group, speak clearly & keep instructions short and to the point. Using visual aids, (pictures) demonstrations and a buddy system are effective ways to support students as they learn & interact. Be sure the students understand rules, techniques and procedures before they begin. Keep it simple!
• Environments can be adapted in simple ways such as reducing the size of the playing area or using an indoor surface rather than grass or even using grass as an element of sensory integration or slight challenge when the student is ready. In any case, you also want to minimize distractions in the surrounding areas as much as possible.
• After an activity or game is played, assess it for the need for new or different modifications. There is always room for improvement, so ask yourself what worked, what did not and why. Get feedback from the participants. Their input will give you clues on what to keep and what to improve upon to make it more fun and inclusive for everyone.

 

* Are you an adaptive sports coach, a special education teacher or instructor? In what ways do you modify and adapt your program to make it more inclusive for children with special needs? We want to hear from you! Leave your comment below!

 

For More Information:

The Miracle League (Northampton, PA)

Special Olympics (PA)

B'More Abilites  Special Arts Center

One World Karate

Sensory Swim

Horse Boy Method

American Association for Adaptive Sports





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Inclusion is Belonging

Many people have debated back and forth over the idea of inclusion for years. Some say its helpful and others say it is not. From the position of an adaptive movement educator, inclusion is the whole reason I do what I do: I simplify & break down stories, exercises & movement games so that ALL kids can feel competent and motivated to participate with a group of peers.


"Inclusive programs create accepting environments and send a powerful message that all children are welcomed and valued. This provides all children with an authentic sense of belonging."   ~Angela Moorad, MS, CCC-SLP, IAYT, RCYP-2 -  Founder, OM Azing Kids Yoga

Angela  Moorad is another Yoga teacher I know who develops inclusive programs for children in Norman Oklahoma. She has incredible energy, many years of experience & a great vision of a Universal Design for Inclusion. She has generously shared some of her inspiring ideas as well as a dozen excellent resources for educators on her blog here: (You can also find Angela and OmAzing Kids Yoga  on Facebook)


Universal Design for Inclusive Kids Yoga: Inclusion is Belonging



Inclusion is belonging. Do you have a resource or an idea for inclusion that you'd like to share? Please post it below in the comments!


To contact me: barbara@bodylogique.com

Giants, Wizards, Dwarfs...and Mermaids?

Today, after a wonderful weekend of teaching, learning & laughing with friends, I am experiencing a "Twlight Zone" kind of day; a day where I feel much like many of the children I work with must feel: at odds with everyone, disconnected from everyone else's idea of reality & like I just don't "fit in". I seem to be on another realm of existence, communication & understanding than the adults I have come in contact with today and I can't seem to get away from it except to retreat to the woods, to my writing & to my yoga mat.

This is a feeling I am familiar with, that has carried with me from childhood. My name, Barbara even means "a foreigner, a stranger" in its Latin form and that is exactly how I've felt today. Like a foreigner-a stranger in my own life.

There is no need for alarm. The fact that I am aware of it and that it brings me to a deeper understanding of the children I teach is the hidden silver lining. The fact that I know I don't need to fit in and the fact that I know when I need to retreat and when I need to be with those who love, accept & understand me is the blessing in disguise.

Friendship, love & belonging are so vitally important to all of us, but especially children with cognitive & social challenges, and I am vividly reminded of this as I look back over the events of this day. Humans are social creatures & need other people to share whether it is friendship, love, affection or sense of belonging, from a single person or a group of people. We need to give & express love and to be loved by others. If this need is not satisfied, many can become anxious, lonely & depressed.

I first became aware of how it felt to be left out in the 4th grade. It was the first day of middle school and all of us were in the (noisy) cafeteria, listening for our names to be called to go with our new teachers to our new classrooms.

Every child was called except me and a boy who had just moved here from Peru. (His name was Pedro and he was terrified-he spoke very little English.) I was suddenly afraid & aware that I belonged nowhere. Of course it was just an oversight and the principal cleared it up and escorted me to my classroom. My teacher (an angel-wherever she is now) Miss Drew, was the one who first influenced me to become a teacher, through her compassion & kindness to me that first day of 4th grade. This has always stayed with me,  however so has that feeling of "I don't fit in."

While I loved to play sports, I was shy and not very coordinated, so I didn't fit in with the "athletes". I was smart but not exceptionally so I did not fit in with the "smart kids", and I certainly did not fit in with those other kids-you know the ones. The ones that were always getting attention, clowning or getting into trouble. I had no idea where to look for friendship, because I did not fit the norm-was not in any of those categories. Even now, my diverse circle of friends illustrates my inability-or rather my refusal- to be defined.
 
This is my motivation to continue to educate children about how to build friendships & to create fun, inclusive enrichment activities and games where all children can be included and feel unique, accepted, cared for & successful.

A Robert Fulghum story came to me as I contemplated all of this & relaxed on my mat. I can think of no more appropriate story for a commentary on love, kindness, belonging & friendship than this one. It's from Fulghum's All I Really Needed to Know I Learned In Kindergarten book. The story has many messages: accepting oneself, being unique, wanting to fit in, etc.

I sincerely hope you enjoy it as much as I have.

~Barbara


"Giants, wizards and dwarfs was the game to play.

 Being left in charge of about eighty children seven to ten years old, while their parents were off doing parenty things, I mustered my troops in the church social hall and explained the game. It's a large-scale version of Rock, Paper, Scissors, and involves some intellectual decision-making. But the real purpose of the game is to make a lot of noise and run around chasing people until nobody knows which side you are on or who won.

Organizing a roomful of wired-up gradeschoolers into two teams, explaining the rudiments of the game, achieving consensus or group identity-- this all is no mean accomplishment, but we did it with a right good will and were ready to go.

The excitement of the chase had reached a critical mass. I yelled out, "You have to decide now which you are--a GIANT, a WIZARD, or a DWARF!"

While groups huddled in frenzied, whispered consultation, a tug came at my pants leg. A small child stands there looking up, and asks in a small, concerned voice, "Where do the Mermaids stand?"


Where do the Mermaids stand?

 A long pause. A very long pause. "Where do the Mermaids stand?" says I.

 "Yes. You see, I am a Mermaid."

 "There are no Mermaids."

 "Oh, yes, I am one!"

She did not relate to being a Giant, a Wizard, or a Dwarf. She knew her category. Mermaid. And was not about to leave the game and go over and stand against the wall where a loser would stand. She intended to participate, wherever Mermaids fit into the scheme of things. Without giving up dignity or identity. She took it for granted there was a place for Mermaids and that I would know just where.

Well, where DO the Mermaids stand? All the "Mermaids"-- all those who are different, who do not fit the norm and who do not accept the available boxes and pigeonholes?

Answer that question and you can build a school, a nation, or a world on it.

What was my answer at the moment? Every once in a while I say the right thing.

"The Mermaids stand right here, by the King of the Sea!" says I. (Yes, right here by the King's Fool, I thought to myself.)

So we stood there hand in hand, reviewing the troops of Wizards and Giants and Dwarfs as they roiled by in wild disarray.

 It is not true, by the way, that mermaids do not exist. I know at least one personally. I have held her hand."





*(From All I Really Needed to Know I Learned In Kindergarten by Robert Fulghum, Villard Books, New York, 1988, pp.83-85)