Transition to Adulthood: How to Ease the Transition and Plan Ahead

April 22, 2013Leave a comment

Planning the Transition to Adulthood

There are many factors to take into account when planning a student transition to adulthood. This transition can be compounded when intellectual disabilities are involved. Here are some things to consider in making the transition to adulthood more student lead:

• Designed within an outcome-oriented process, which promotes movement from school to post-school activities, including post-secondary education, vocational training, integrated employment (included supported employment), continuing and adult education, adult services, independent living, or community participation.

• Based upon the individual student’s needs. The transition plan takes into account the student’s preferences and interests.

• Includes instruction, related services, community experiences, the development of employment and other post-school adult living objectives, and, when appropriate, acquisition of daily living skills and functional vocational evaluation

Other Things to Consider in the Transition…

School-to-Work

What help is available for learning disabled adults seeking jobs?

Self-Advocacy

Self-advocacy refers to:

An individual’s ability to effectively communicate, convey, negotiate or assert his or her own interests, desires, needs, and rights.

It involves making informed decisions and taking responsibility for those decisions.

The importance of developing self- advocacy skills to access services in the classroom
Study Skills are necessary for students to become self-advocates

Transition Skills

You are getting ready for some major changes in life.

What are they and how will you get there?
What do you need to do to be successful at what you do?

Patience

We all make mistakes.

Support Network

Friends and family to get you back on your feet can truly make a difference of conquering your goals.

Ways to make friends

Develop hobbies
Sports
Any extracurricular clubs
Jobs
Church
Volunteer work

Communication

In the workplace, there is a need to know for appropriate response, like:

What is OK to say
What is appropriate conversational distance
What tone is correct for the situation

Good Behavior

Maintaining attention
Listening
Taking turns
Being polite

Technology in the Classroom: the Use of Smartphones

April 17, 2013Leave a comment

In the current technological age, technology in the classroom is often a leading force in education, but how can a smartphone be used to further a students success. Here is a info graphic on just that topic: Do Smartphones Make Smart Students…

As technology takes over the classroom, it is important to keep it researched based. In order to maximize the students benefits, keep in mind what truly benefits the student. As the info graphic states, in 2011 over 85% of handsets could access the web. With such readily easy access to grand information, students have the power of a grand TI calculator and a massively extensive encyclopedia plus more in one little device. How times have changed. With this potentially grand education that can fit in your pocket, how is it being used? Is it more than just a way for teens to be on the cutting edge in number of texts sent?

As this graphic demonstrates, not only are teens the highest percent of smartphone users, they are also mostly college achieved individuals. With this in mind, at the time of this info graphic iPhone was the best geared toward education. With so many apps out there, the possibility for learning is limitless, but how do you keep kids engaged in learning and not getting into trouble with things like snap chat?

Perhaps as the teacher or parent, it is our job to challenge students within the confines of not only their technology but also their interest. Think about ways in which to apply the students interests into the education instead of the other way around. In other words, technology in the classroom is a possible way toward a successful education if applied to bigger projects and ideas. For example, photography, video recording, GPS, and even social networking could be used toward educational goals through projects and other manipulations of things that already excite the child.

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Early Sexual Activity in Children: Know the Facts & Help Your Child

April 10, 2013Leave a comment

Early sexual activity in children can occur for a myriad of reason and with a wide variety of consequences. Here are some facts to know in order to help your kids:

Reasons of Early Sexual Activity

Today’s culture promotes early sexual activity with little regard to the consequences
Students are inundated by the message that early sexual activity is an acceptable decision that will promote popularity and solid relationships
Lack of communication at home whether about why to be abstinent or protection
Overall lack of sex education
Lack of monitoring by responsible adult (either outside of the home or within the home)
Peer Pressure
Contradicting messages from family, school, friends, and the media
Self-doubt
Lack of education while going through radical physical/hormonal changes
Low self-esteem

Consequences of Early Sexual Activity:

Self esteem issues
Stress of an image or reputation to uphold
Center of critiques from others, often negative
Change in attitude towards school and authority
Difficult time focusing on her school work
Loss of respect toward adults
Provocative clothing
Contracting a disease
Teen Pregnancy
Adolescents who have sex early are less likely to use contraception, putting them at greater risk of pregnancy and STDs

Between 2006 and 2008, 14 percent of female adolescents and 25 percent of male adolescents had sex for the first time with someone they had just met or with whom they were “just friends.” –National Center for Health Statistics

How to Help Your Child

Talk with them openly
Be supportive
Encourage positive outlets
Educate them on sex
Monitor your child: know where they are at all times
Watch for warning signs, like sudden withdrawal
Get them involved in positive activities
Know your child’s friends and their significant others

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Transitioning to Toddler Bed: How to Ease the Move to a Big Kid Bed

April 3, 2013April 3, 2013Leave a comment

Transitioning to a toddler bed might seem like a daunting task for your little one, but here are some things to help when making the move to a big kid bed:

Let them pick out their own sheets and made a big deal out of it
Tell them that they aren’t allowed to get out of bed by himself
A sticker reward chart for each night he stayed in bed or something else to positively reward/enforce good behavior
Having the bed in their room for a while to help them get used to the idea and talk about what it is there for
You might need a gate at their door so that they can’t “get out” of the room.
Plan on them falling asleep on the floor the first few nights
If it helps, they can sleep on the mattress on the floor to eventually got the hang of sleeping on the bed.
Make a big deal about them staying in bed, special breakfasts or whatever help them feel like they really are doing great work
If they get out of bed walk them back and say “it’s bed time” then kiss them said I loved them and walked out. If they get out again say NOTHING and walked them back to their bed and walk out, and if they come out again say NOTHING and walk them back again, until they eventually stay in their bed or in their room
Keep positive so that they don’t sense your nervousness and your child might just be super excited about it!!

A Child With Needs

Early child development from a mom and professional.

Month: April 2013