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Time to carry summer memories into the school year!
My husband Bruce and I were in Brittany this summer for two weeks celebrating our 30th anniversary. The GR 34 is a 1700 km path in Brittany, created in 1791 to allow customs officers to watch for smugglers and shipwreck pillagers! It was revitalized in 1968, and makes an amazing hiking path. Marked by red and white stripe signposts, it anchored our trip. We would invariably be in a small town on the coast and, pop – there would be the familiar colors telling us that, yes, we were on the right trail. . .
Imagine the most wonderful school year yet!
Yes, the school year approaches! Maybe you need a fun video to get you up and moving after all that computer prepping. Or maybe you have a group that wants to boogie into social group (I used this animation with a young adult women’s group, and wow, we had FUN!) Perhaps your family has, or would like to start, dance night. Or maybe your next staff meeting would benefit from a mid-meeting boogie. . Check out Fancy like Dance! And then come back to read the rest of this newsletter…
Ramping up for a successful year
Wow – it’s already August! While I am on a bit of a vacation for a few weeks this month, I thought it would be a great month to have a SALE! 🛍️ After all, school is starting up again, and if you are like me, you are re-stocking your materials in preparation for a year of growing with our students.
Ahhhh…summer!
I am finding time to get away and recharge, learn more French (off to Brittany next month), play my cello (aiming for cello camp next summer) and enjoy time outside with loved ones. I will also admit to still working, but with a caseload that is lighter than during the school year. I often find that summer is a creative time for me, so I am happily moving along on 2 projects.
Never too early to plan for next school year!
I hope this month is starting off well for you! Last time, we paired an animation and activity focused on that popular feeling, frustration. Let’s keep going with that theme and add the idea of continuums – after all, like the majority of feelings and social learning concepts, frustration fits well on the visual image of a continuum.
First watch & discuss, then practice…
A freeze frame says a thousand words….hmmm, might Roni (on the right) be feeling a bit frustrated? What do you think is in his thought bubble? (Maca and Roni: Dominos, by Kyungmin Woo)
Building bridges from characters to self
Yes, the end of May approaching can only mean one thing – it’s almost summer! And whether you will still be working, or have the good fortune to be taking some time off, these last few weeks of school can seem, well, a bit stressful.
Feelings are always changing…
I am driving to work. It's a beautiful day, traffic is in my favor, my hair looks on the better side of okay, I have some great groups to look forward to - it's all good and I am feeling happy, optimistic, determined, grateful and enthusiastic…
New Series Starting! It’s all about feelings…
The student illustration above came from such a series of exercises. We were able to talk about the event portrayed in his sketch, rather than going right to the "What do you think you could have done to help yourself feel better..."
Finding our best us…
This blog is finishing up my series of flexibility. What helps us find and maintain our ability to be flex? Well, I think it’s often encouragement – whether from within ourselves or from others.
Moving along the continuums…
After 2 blogs talking about flex and stuck, this time, let’s consider how we can support our students in building their flexibility. Remember, both flexibility and inflexibility reflect continuums – not static points…
The Holidays = opportunities for flexibility…
With the coming end of the calendar year come HOLIDAYS. Once we are past that first signpost, Halloween, Thanksgiving (sometimes now with a week break!) seems to come overnight. Quickly followed by Winter break…
The Holidays = opportunities for stuck…
Ah, yes. Holidays - a time of differences. Different schedules, food, expectations, beds… Sometimes even disappointments and challenges…
So many great animations…
There’s nothing like plowing through therapy notes trying to determine whether a student or group has already watched a particular animated video. And what work was done with that specific video…
The joys of in-person therapy!
In some ways, these two photos encapsulate my practice during COVID/SIP. And I know which one I prefer! So wonderful to be able to explore Critical Core (CC) in-person with my students. I got lots of comments and questions after my recent blog on the game, so this time I want to tell you a story that reflects the power of therapeutic role-playing games.
Broaden your teaching with a therapeutic role-playing game!
Some of you may have heard me talk about Critical Core the therapeutically applied role-playing game created by Game to Grow. Constructed on a DIRFloortimeR framework, Critical Core (CC) builds 5 “core capacities;” regulation, collaboration, planning, perspective, and pretend play…
A lifetime of changing
I’ve worked with Tim, an autistic young man, since he was 3. Now he’s 22. A long relationship with him and his incredibly supportive family. When I became fascinated with mental state verbs (MSV) and talked with his mother, we agreed that they weren't words Tim used. Two years ago, we started a concerted effort to build his exposure to, understanding of, and use of MSV.
Making more room at the table…
In last month’s blog, I wrote about my plan to spend some of the summers revising CPPEV through the lens of neurodiversity and self-advocacy. Thanks to those of you who wrote supportive emails because it turned out to be a BIG job! But I am ever so happy to say that I am…finished.
It's All About the Content. . .
A summer of writing and revising CPPEV has kept me busy, but with some spare time for travel – I grew up in Monterey and so enjoyed spending some time in Pebble Beach and at the Carmel Bach Festival with my husband! Hope you're having a wonderful summer also!