>>Patty: So just as a brief introduction, hi, everyone,
my name's Patty Obrzut and you're going to hear me
for the next hour and a half on a prerecorded session.
I did that just to make sure everything ran smoothly today.
But I do want you to know that we have the opportunity to stop
the video.
Answer questions, fast forward.
So if along the way you have questions, please put them
in the chat.
And if I think we need to, we'll just take a little pause,
answer those.
And I did leave about 10 minutes
at the end to answer questions as well.
So this today is going to be on active learning, moving
from the field of curriculum or any kind of assessment
to using the field of curriculum or any curriculum.
So Nate, if you don't mind,
go ahead and get started with the video.
>>Patty: Hello, and welcome to today's lecture on active
learning.
My name is Patty Obrzut and I am
an occupational therapist and the assistant director
of Penrickton Center for Blind Children, which is located
in Taylor, Michigan, at Penrickton Center.
We provide active learning enriched environments
and programing for children who are legally blind, who have
at least one additional disability.
Many of our children have cerebral palsy, epilepsy,
autism and developmental delays.
And all of our children are between the ages of one and 13.
Today's lecture is going to talk about assessment, including
the functional scheme assessment and how to use those assessments
to create an active learning curriculum for children.
Penalty Center offers two main programs to families.
First is our residential program, where children can
sleep overnight with us
between one and five nights a week.
Second is our daycare program,
where children can arrive as early as six in the morning
and stay with us throughout the day until up to 9:00 p.m..
Both programs are offered between one and five days
a week, and they're offered at no charge to families.
Our main focus is to teach children to become as
independent as they possibly can be.
Here you see R.J. in the upper left-hand corner of your screen,
one of our children in our residential program enjoying
dance and movement therapy on the right side of your screen
is seen with our music therapist Ashley playing the banjo.
And at the bottom of the screen, you'll see three of the children
in our daycare program Easton, Vivian and Skye, all working
with Shirley in our volunteer coordinator, an oral motor
activities using things like harmonicas and whistles.
How do we determine the appropriate act of learning
curriculum for each one of these children?
That's what we'll be discussing over the next hour and hopefully
by the end of the session,
you'll be able to apply some of these ideas to your local
schools, daycare centers or home environment.
Prior to working with any child, our assessment process begins.
We start by holding an intake
with parents to gather general information about their child.
This is our intake, usually including our nurse,
social worker, activities director
and occupational therapist at a school.
This might also include the speech pathologist,
physical therapist
and Orientation and mobility specialist.
Now our intern intake serves many purposes, but number one,
it helps parents get to know our staff.
The other purpose is to gather information about a child so
that on their first day, we're prepared, we know what
activities the child likes and hopefully that child will be
more comfortable on his or her first day.
Our intake is quite comprehensive and includes
topics such as activities of daily living, how a child
eats, how they bathe, what toileting skills they have
and how is their personal hygiene skills.
We then move on to activities fine and gross motor skills.
What a child likes, what he or she dislikes.
How he or she responds to sensory experiences.
What cognitive activities the child engages in.
And also what positions is the child used to being in?
Does he or she sit in a wheelchair?
Does he or she lie in prone, supine, sitting or standing?
We also discuss a child's emotional level.
How does this child make contact with other people?
Is the child active independently, or does the child
always need an adult or a child in its presence
to become active?
Does the child have any behaviors,
any self-stimulant stimulatory activities
and in general, what type of affect does the child have,
such as does the child cry throughout the day?
Does the child need to be held
or does the child like to be asked by him or herself?
We also talk about medical needs, such as seizure activity,
whether or not the child is fed through a tube.
Does the child recognize or understand pain?
Is the child on any medications and then also, what type
of physical characteristics does that child have?
For example, if he or she has
cerebral palsy, what type of tone does the child
have or does the child have any contractures?
We also discuss social activities.
How does the child respond when he or she goes outside the home?
How does the child interact with adults and how does
the child interact with children?
We talk about communication skills.
Obviously, any nonverbal skills as well as any verbal skills.
We also find out if the child has ever been introduced
to any augmentative communication devices
or switches.
Lastly, we want to find out what are the desires
of the parents or desires of the child if the child
is able to express those desires.
The assessment process continues when a parent
visits our program for a tour
or on a child's first day because we are familiar
with the child through our intake process.
The first day is set up with activities and programing
we believe the child may recognize and be familiar with.
This fills the child's trust with this new environment.
As we focus on assessment,
our staff are familiar with the functional scheme.
Dr. Nielsen's assessment for children functioning
at levels of zero to 48 months.
Additional assessments.
More specific to certain areas of functioning also can be used
at the end of a child's first day.
We can already begin to record data on the functional scheme.
Observations and data can be input it on a child's effort
in the social and emotional sections
of the functional scheme.
Physical activities can be documented and gross
and fine motor sections start with observations
that you are certain of the can
a child grasp rollover or sit up more detailed
observations will occur over time.
Communication skills are recorded in the language
section, likes and dislikes are important observations and lead
to appropriate selections of materials always record when
a child is able to do independently.
If a child needs assistance with a skill, it's important
the child have additional opportunities to repeat
and practice this activity until independence is mastered.
Make a note of behaviors and self-stimulatory activity
in the section titled Develop developmentally
impeding functions.
Finally, note a child's
preferred toys and methods of play.
These offer a starting point
for building trusting enriched active learning environments.
Parents and caregivers play a vital role
in a child's education.
Knowing the skills of caretakers
will help professionals understand the home environment.
Assessing the skills
of caregivers will guide educators and therapists
and how best to provide guidance and training when
opportunities for giving such information arise.
Observe each family member or caregiver and how he
or she interacts with the child.
Do they promote independence or dependence?
Or caretakers knowledgeable
of a child's strengths and weaknesses?
Do they understand both the short term and long-term
effects of a child's diagnosis?
What are the communication skills and personality traits
of caregivers?
Are they, for example, shy, talkative, able to listen,
interested, stressed, tired, overwhelmed or nervous
when more than one caregiver is involved?
Do they all use the same strategy when interacting
with the child?
Or do they differ?
And lastly, what knowledge do
caregivers have of active learning or other approaches?
All of these observations will provide a foundation to build
appropriate communication skills with families.
Our goal is not only to educate
the child, but to provide families with the knowledge
to implement appropriate approaches in the home.
Understand the curriculum used in schools and daycares and as
a team with educators and therapists.
Provide enriched environments for children to grow
and develop.
Our observations and assessment
of the child continue throughout the entire time
period, a child is enrolled in our program, but some time
frames help guide writing both short term and long-term goals.
Within the first month,
we evaluate and assess a child using the functional scheme
and other appropriate assessments.
A month is not typically enough time to complete a thorough
assessment, but it will allow us to create a learning plan
a parent to center.
We have numerous active learning environments, such as the little
room helps address a surfboard,
residents board and support bench.
We also have position
boards, Velcro vests and activity boards.
A child's abilities in each
of these environments is evaluated.
If you do not have access in your school, daycare or home,
visit active learning space that work for information on items
you can make or materials
you can use to provide proper evaluation.
As a child’s skills may change in various positions,
you should observe the
child both in and out of his wheelchair.
Evaluate function in permanent supine, lying on the floor
or on a wedge and sitting
and then standing at a table or using a wheelchair tray.
Gather information on a child's
social responses to various adults and other children,
or note if the child prefers to be left alone.
A variety of scents from sensory materials are introduced,
including instant snow, slime, Play-Doh, water, rice,
beans or beads and kinetic sand.
We analyzed how a child responds to each note preferences.
Lastly, we observe a child both
inside and outside of the physical building.
This includes bus and car travel.
We make use of our playground, which provides various
equipment, but also different surfaces such as cement, wood,
grass and Astroturf.
A child's abilities and reactions can vary on each,
as well as during changes of weather.
No matter what your field or background, a comprehensive
assessment on a child is imperative to creating
a developmentally appropriate curriculum.
At the end of the first month, we have hopefully completed
a portion of the functional scheme
and other appropriate assessments.
We have identified the priorities
of the family and the child.
Our observations and assessments are summarized in written
reports or in the schools in the path.
We have outlined long term goals for the child and written
obtainable, developmentally appropriate short-term goals.
A thorough assessment will continue
throughout the entire year.
We have begun to align the child's greatest
needs to the Expanded Core Curriculum.
And meet with parents to inform and get
their input on our finalized plan.
Our active learning curriculum has been developed
and is ready for implementation.
At the end of three months, we have a greater understanding
of the child.
Initial impressions may change and therefore the actions
may need to be made to the program.
The functional scheme
should be now completed and we confirm that our
long-term goals remain appropriate.
We review progress made on short term goals and ultra-short-term
goals as needed to ensure that they reflect
the abilities of the child.
Discussions with parents continue.
I cannot stress enough that short term goals should
reflect the child's ability level.
Instead of writing a goal where a child will participate
with assistance, identify the smaller skills required
to master that larger skill or goal.
Rewrite the goal where
the child can independently perform that refined skill.
All children can learn if you provide
the perfect enriched environment.
Every quarter, additional
information is added to the functional scheme
whenever appropriate goals are reviewed quarterly
and either eliminated if inappropriate or mastered
changed if determined that the goal was too difficult
for the child to attain or the goal may remain in effect
to allow the child more time to master an emerging skill.
Progress is always reviewed with caretakers or parents,
and their input may influence how goals are written.
The functional scheme should be reassessed in its entirety
yearly, although the initial assessment is time consuming.
Annual updates proceed at a much faster pace.
Teachers and therapists can revisit emerging skills
and those skills at the next level of function to determine
the child's present level of function.
Because one functional scheme assessment is completed
for one child and then passed on from teacher to teacher
or school to school,
professionals and parents can track progress
and development over months and years.
Let's now use a case study of one of the children
at Penrickton Center to identify his level of function
and determine appropriate goals to meet his developmental needs.
Michael is 12 years of age and has been enrolled
at Penrickton Center for Blind Children since he was three.
He participates weekly in a school program
at the grade seven level.
His diagnosis includes hypotonia, hydrocephaly,
ROP- retinopathy of prematurity.
He has a seizure disorder.
He had a Grade 4 hemorrhage when he was born,
and he was born early at 28 weeks gestation.
This chart represents Michael's
completed functional scheme assessment, you can identify
Michael's strengths and weaknesses and how
one area of development can influence another.
We will not be going into Michael's individual
results in each area function
as this lecture is limited in time.
The number recorded indicates the percentage of skills
Michael has mastered in each age range.
One hundred percent means
Michael can perform all skills in that area of function.
This therapist is determined a score of 80 to 100 percent
may reflect Michael's current functional level,
a score of under 80 percent may reflect splinter skills.
These areas are of greatest concern and help professionals
to identify skills that are missing or skills
in need of strengthening.
Focusing activities and goals in these areas will strengthen
a child's foundation and, with time, allow a child
to regress to the next level of function.
Ignoring these areas will in time produce a child
in conflict with his or her environment.
Behavioral and self-injurious behaviors can result and
can be a roadblock to learning.
Let's take a look at Michael's report.
And the gross motor area, Michael is functioning
at the age of nine to 12 months.
Michael has many splinter skills that go all the way
up to 30 months.
Michael can walk independently with a walker.
He can also go up and down stairs
while holding on to the rails.
He has difficulty with standing independently.
These are things that he needs to work on in the area
of fine motor skills, Michael's functioning
at approximately six to nine months.
But he has splinter skills
that go all the way up to 42 months.
These offer many opportunities for him to work on improving
fine motor skills.
In mouth motor activities, Michael is functioning
at about six to nine months as well, with splinter skills
again that go all the way up to the 42-month range.
And visual perception, Michael's functioning
at approximately zero to three months old
with splinter skills that go up to the
12 to 15-month-old age range.
Michael benefits from a cortical visually impaired assessment
to improve these areas of function.
One of Michael's strengths is his auditory perception
with him functioning
at approximately 36 months of age and splinter skills
going all the way up past 48 months of age.
This is the strengths of Michael's.
His haptic tap tactile perception is functioning
about approximately 12 to 15 months of age,
with splinter skills going up to the 30-month age
and some even being noticed at the 48-month-old level.
Michael is able to smell and taste at approximately
the 18 to 24-month-old level, with additional skills
going up to the 36 and 48-month-old level.
I'm making note that I've assessed Michael
at an 18 to 24-month level because some of these skills
are missing, and I feel he should work on those two
to move up to that higher level of function.
In spatial relations, in evaluating the different
characteristics of each level of function,
I've placed Michael functioning at approximately
15 to 18 months of age.
In object perception, I have him functioning
between 12 and 15 months of age, with splinter skills
going up to 36 months of age.
His language skills, expressive and non-verbal,
are up at the 42 month and 13-month-old level,
with splutter skills going higher.
His comprehensive language is quite high.
Social perception, Michael is functioning
at 18 to 24 months of age,
with some splinter skills going up to four years of age.
At the emotional perceptual level, Michael, I have him
functioning at a six to nine-month-old age range,
although he has splinter skills that go up
to a 48-month-old level, emotional level
is quite important to pay attention to.
When we leave Michael alone, he tends to manipulate toys
by mouthing them and does not engage in constructive play,
which is characteristic of a six to nine-month-old.
He also throws toys quite frequently and has a limited
attention span when utilizing objects.
And this is why I've placed him down
at the six to nine-month-old level.
And playing with activities again, he plays it a three
to six-month-old level, but has splinter skills
that go all the way up to the 42-month-old age range
and in activities of daily living.
He functions at a 12 to 15-month-old level
with toileting and undressing.
Personal hygiene and eating is functioning at a nine
to 12-month-old level, although he has splinter skills
that again can go up to the forty eight
forty eight month old age range.
How do I come up with my top priorities for Michael?
What I've done is on the left has again listed each section
of the functional scheme.
If we go to the gross motor section, I look at the different
skills required in the different gross motor sections,
the level he's functioning at.
And then I look at what skills are keeping Michael from being
able to proceed and go to the next level of function.
And I come up with my top three priorities
for Michael in each section.
So in the gross motor section, some of the things
that Michael should be working on would be kneeling,
rising to standing and standing and balancing in standing.
As I said, Michael can walk throughout the building
with a walker without any trouble.
However, if I want him to progress,
he needs to increase
his balance in a standing position that will occur
from participating in kneeling activities
and activities that encourage him to rise to a standing
position from being seated on the floor.
Hence, now I have the top three priorities in gross motor
to work on in the fine motor section.
Some of the things that Michael needs to work on is increasing
his ability to use a pincer grasp, rotating his wrist
and releasing objects with a purpose.
And this means placing objects in certain areas, putting things
in and out of containers.
Rotating the wrist rotation of the wrist
is one of the things that is affecting his ability
to eat independently as he has difficulty rotating the fork
in in order to stab food or scoop food onto a spoon.
So you'll start to pay attention.
How one area function starts to influence another.
In the mouth motor area, the three things that he should
be working on to improve function would be lip closure
blowing and swallowing saliva.
So any activities that we can come up with that will encourage
him to close his lips,
pierced his lips or helped to swallow his saliva,
will improve his mouth motor function, which will improve
his feeding skills as well as his language skills.
Vision perception, Michael needs to learn to look at objects
with his eyes, track objects that are moving
and visually identify objects.
These are all skills that he can be worked on
in many activities in auditory perception.
He's great at talking, but he has difficulty listening.
He also has difficulty
at focusing because he has impulse control issues.
So Michael can hear everything, but he has difficulty with this
impulse control and focusing, and that sometimes prevent him
prevents him from learning and imitating from other people.
In its haptic, tactile
perception, he should be working things and things like feeling
lines or the details of an object, pulling objects
and exploring the surfaces of objects with his feet
to increase his ability to know about spatial awareness.
With smells and tastes, he needs to work on identifying
what objects smell a certain way,
he needs to be able to be able to identify tastes.
And identify things that have sweet, sour,
or salty characteristics.
This will also help improve his language skills.
In spatial relations, Michael needs to pay attention
to visual awareness, placing objects in specific
locations and building with objects.
In object perception, his top priorities are imitating
the adults or children in his areas, sharing with others
and comparing the characteristics of objects
or grouping objects by characteristics.
Again, Michael's impulse control and ability to focus
is influenced in this area as well.
Michael tends to be
self-absorbed and how he plays with objects, and so he pays
attention to what he's doing more than he pays attention
to what adults are doing or other children.
In terms of language,
Michael should be working on his lip closure and
identifying feelings related to nonverbal cues.
Understanding when he's mad, when he's happy.
One of the things Michael still does is he screams
when he's upset.
And so being able to identify feelings so that he can
say that he's mad instead of screaming is appropriate.
In verbal language, he needs to work on his pronunciation.
Increases purposeful conversation and his
understanding of sentence, structure, content and pronouns.
Incomprehension, Michael needs to work on his listening skills
and his ability to focus on one specific thing.
In social perception, Michael again does not really
engage in parallel play with other children.
He needs to be more interested
in activity and learn to imitate others and increase his activity
with other children and decrease his attention on adults.
At the emotional level, Michael is beginning to share
his interest with others, and this should
be encouraged as well.
He could work on testing new situations.
He also can work on his desire
to engage with others in new activities.
Michael tends to want to do the same activities day
in and day out.
And this can be seen as in his limited ability
to want to imitate others.
In play and activities, Michael can be encouraged
to participate in rolling, pouring characteristics
of playing with toys, taking apart with focus
and putting together with focus.
Right now, Michael just pulls things apart randomly versus
really understanding what he's doing, and then that would lead
to more constructive play and toileting.
Michael can use the bathroom, but he's working on identifying
when he's wet or dry, when he needs to use
the bathroom and increases successes on the toilet
in undressing and dressing.
He needs to continue to work on independently removing
a shirt, working on fasteners like zippers, snaps and buttons,
and also putting on large
fitting items so that he can do so independently.
And then over time, those objects can be appropriate
in size so that he learns to dress things that are
a little bit more snug on his body with personal hygiene.
He could be encouraged to wash and rinse to poor and to brush
with eating skills.
He's currently working on scooping, stabbing
and pouring.
We need to include increases lip closure so that when he drinks
and eats, he has less spillage coming out of his mouth.
And eating large items
like apples and sandwiches by learning to bite instead
of having those objects cut into small pieces for him.
So just in this chart alone,
we have three different areas that he can work in and each one
of these sections, and it provides us with a wealth
of things that he could be working on throughout the day.
>>Patty: So I just wanted to stop and answer some
of the questions that were in the chat.
One of them that was brought up was about the section
for spatial relations and why I rated them so high when he had
some lower data in the lower fields.
When we do the functional scheme, there are multiple
people sometimes helping with filling in the data
on the functional scheme.
Sometimes we agree.
Sometimes we don't agree.
And sometimes people answer a question as a yes,
and sometimes they answer it as a no.
So there's just certain data in there that I think either
Michael's achieved or aren't relevant to him learning it
to move on from this section, which is why I rated him
at a higher level than what the data was showing.
I was flipping through the book so I could give you an example,
but then I'm paying attention to the chart at the same time.
So, for example, there might have been one that was on site,
and it's a kind of a more general question that I think he
could be working on some more site-specific goals through
maybe a cortical visual impairment.
And so the one that was recorded in there, I would have counted
as either a pass or I would have done it.
And so he would have gotten more
of a 100 percent or an 80 percent in that section where
somebody else might have marked him a little bit lower.
So that kind of hopefully explains why I did that section
that way.
And the other thing I'm trying to look in the chapter was one
other question.
Yeah, sir, it was related to vision, if I remember
correctly.
And some of the sections only
have like three comments in that section.
I want to make a point with the functional scheme
really always meant the functional scheme to continue
to be expanded as she lived or as other people worked
on the functional scheme throughout life.
So some sections maybe only have
five things that you assessing or 10 things for others have 20.
But if I were to do the functional scheme today
and write it, there could be sections where I had another 20
skills to that same section.
That's why I said, you use the functional scheme and other
assessments because the vision section of the functional scheme
is not as thorough as a cortical visual impairment section
or a motor skills is not going to be as in-depth as
an occupational therapist using an oral motor skill assessment.
If you wanted to, you could take all of those and throw them
into the functional scheme and you have an even broader
assessment plan.
So, and to be honest, if you do the functional scheme,
it's going to take you months to complete it and then add all
those other assessments.
You're adding even more time.
Well, hopefully you're getting what I'm doing is taking that
functional scheme and then looking at each section
and going, what is causing the problem?
And for Michael, it was those
top three priorities and each section then I'm going to use
those top three priorities to start writing my goals.
That's what we find works best for our agency.
So hopefully that helps
>>Patty: Now that we have a list of priorities for Michael,
how do we develop an active learning curriculum that will
meet his needs?
First, gather as many resources as you can.
This includes items he can
manipulate materials and equipment.
Don't think you have to run out to the store and buy everything.
There are many creative ways
of increases increasing the resources that you have.
For example, maybe put a box in your break room and ask
individuals to donate items from their homes that they no
longer want.
People may get rid of pots and pans from their kitchen.
They might get rid of cookie sheets, and these make great
magnetic boards.
Individuals might donate old golf balls or ping pong balls
that they know young, longer use.
You can contact Boy Scouts Girl Scouts to see if they're
interested in making any projects for you.
You can contact sewing groups.
You can even contact your local Lowe's, Home Depot or Kohl's
to see if they'll donate materials for your classrooms.
Next, create a list of appropriate activities that will
address the areas needing improvement.
Don't limit yourself.
Come up with as many ideas as you possibly can.
And don't forget to share those
activity ideas with the classroom next door to you.
If you come up with 10 ideas
and the person next to you comes up with 10 ideas and so forth.
All of a sudden you're going to have a thousand different
activity ideas.
Next, create a list of appropriate environments
by which the child can facilitate learning through
activity.
Think of all the positions a child can be in laying down,
sitting up, standing in prone and supine,
and then other environments.
Do you have access to a little room support bench S.F.
Board?
Can you make a residence board
to have mobiles that you can set over the children?
Do you have tabletop mobiles?
You can make activity versus position boards for some ideas
on different things that you can make.
I again recommend that you go to Active Learning Space dot org
to find some of the things you can create yourself.
They also have a great resource
page that will give you ideas and materials that you can get.
Lastly, you need to determine
the role of the adult in each activity that you're creating
for each child, it might be a little different.
So sometimes the adult will play a direct role in the activity
participating with the child.
Sometimes the adults should just facilitate learning.
For example, if a child is knocking over bowling pins when
they're in a standing position, the adult may just be setting up
the bowling pins again after a child knocks them down,
but not knocking them down themselves.
Or lastly, the adult might be sharing in the experiences,
actually making a comment here or there on the child's activity
to build those social skills.
Here's an example of just some of the materials we have
at Penrickton Center for Blind Children.
We often use containers to store materials, as well as a variety
of shelves.
We have one day room in the building that all
of the staff can access and use
these materials for all of the children.
Talk to your administrator, see if there's a closet
somewhere or an extra room somewhere where you can store
materials that the entire building can share.
If you're still not sure where
to begin with coming up with activity ideas.
Nielsen has provided the FIL A curriculum, which offers
730 learning environments and activities.
Now you shouldn't feel that you need to purchase this curriculum
or only stick to 730 learning environments.
Lily created this tool to get you started.
One of the things she always commented on was that she wanted
you to add to any of the materials
that she has provided.
So, in fact, she provides blank
cards for you to add your own activity ideas.
Fearless stands for flexible, individualized,
enriched and level appropriate activities.
Lily's wanting you to pay attention at any given time.
Children need individualized
goals and activities that meet their needs.
So please don't limit yourself to only one or two activities.
Go out there and find as many of them as you possibly can.
If you do use the field curriculum,
there's a few things you should understand
about the way she writes the activity ideas.
First, at the very bottom, there's a number with a plus.
This indicates the developmental level in months that a child
must have in order to perform the skill.
So if you see zero plus a child at zero months of age
should be able to perform the skill.
If you see 15 plus, then typically a child
would need to be developed to the age of 15 months
in order to independently perform the skill.
Green cards are a combination of gross and fine motor skills.
Blue cards are gross motor skills and yellow cards are fine
motor skills, some skills have an ace CEC next to them,
and that means that that activity requires an adult
to be present during the activity.
Other activity ideas have an s, which indicates that the child
will need to have some site to perform this activity.
Lilly strongly encourages that at least once per day,
every child should get some individual attention
from an adult, so at least one activity a day should have that
AC marking on its card so that that child will receive their
individual attention.
This is a good opportunity to remind you of the Dynamic
Learning Circle by Dr. Leslie Nielsen.
It reminds us how children or adults, for that matter,
learn a new skill first in stage one.
Children become aware
or interested in sensory or motor experiences,
objects in the environment or people in the environment.
Once their where are interested, they lead.
That leads to stage two, where a child becomes curious,
and that leads to activity and repetition,
which develops into learning.
Next to child moves onto stage three with after time
of experiencing and interacting with those objects or people
in the environment,
a child completes learning with that activity.
Finally, a child moves into stage four where they're
ready for something new if new challenges are presented
at the child's appropriate developmental level.
The child will move back to stage one.
Become aware, interested, go to states to act on their
interest, go to stage three, complete learning and move
on to learning something new in stage four.
When planning for a curriculum,
you need to take this dynamic learning circle into
consideration in the activities you present to your children.
This harmonious learning can occur when there's a break
in the dynamic learning circle,
and this can occur in any one of the four stages.
If a child is not aware or interested in objects
or people in the environment or they're not aware of their
own actions or sensory experiences, then they aren't
in stage one and they won't act on objects to learn from them.
In stage two, maybe they're not
given enough opportunity to repeat an experience,
and therefore they can't learn all they need to learn
about an object or an experience to move on to stage three.
In stage three, maybe a child has completed their learning.
However, they continue to get the same object on a daily
basis, and therefore they never move to stage four, where
they're given something new to learn from.
It's important in planning our
curriculum that we take the dynamic learning circle
into consideration and pay attention to where learning has
been obstructed or is just harmonious and
correct the problem so a child can learn.
Here we have a sample field.
A curriculum for Michael Lewis created a chart by which she's
planned six sessions throughout the day,
Monday through Friday.
We've gathered all of our activity ideas and we just
randomly placed them into the grid.
On the far-right-hand side, you'll see a column with extras.
Now, normally you would have maybe 30 extra activity ideas.
We get to Monday morning.
Michael comes into the classroom and his first session of the day
is going to be playing with shoes that are too big
for his feet.
This activity requires a skill of 15 months plus and encourages
gross and fine motor skills.
Now why did we pick this activity?
One of the things Michael should be working on is stressing,
and he has difficulty with dressing things
that are too snug to his body.
So by providing clothes that are overly sized for him or shoes
that are too big for him, it will make it easy for Michael
to put shoes on and off his feet, or maybe even on
and off his hands in practicing this skill.
Once you master it, then we can move on to him actually learning
to put on his own shoes.
But let's say we get to Monday morning and Michael doesn't want
to do that activity.
Or maybe the supplies aren't
there in the morning for us to begin.
That's simple.
All we have to do is go
over to our extras on the right side of the screen and select
one of those activities that we would do.
So maybe we want to switch it with the first one following
directions while dancing.
So we put on some nice dance tunes and we start dancing,
and then we encourage maybe Michael to take a step
to the right or take a step to the left or back or forward.
And now we're working on those listening skills and
following directions skills that Michael also needs to work on.
We would take the plane with shoes card and put it back
into the extra column for later use.
So now we've gone throughout
the day on Monday and maybe done the second session, the third
session, and we get to the fourth session
and that activity idea isn't going very well.
So maybe we pull that one out,
put it back in the extra column and maybe we pull that plane
with shoes card back into the fourth column
on Monday, and we have Michael do that activity.
The nice thing about the feel of curriculum
is it allows for flexibility.
We can change the activities
whenever we want to because we have a wealth
of activity ideas that we can pick from.
If you look at the different cards, you'll notice there's
a green card almost every day, some blue cards every day,
and there are also some white cards.
And those are the ideas that I came up with
that aren't listed in the field of curriculum.
So, for example, on Tuesday, the second session
is just rotating the rest using noisemakers.
Maybe I get out musical instruments that include
rain sticks or us that require the risk to rotate
in order to activate the sound.
Michael is highly motivated by auditory activities,
and so this is a way to teach them to rotate the wrist,
which will help him with scooping this food onto a spoon
or stabbing food with a fork.
But it will also provide him with the reward
of noise making activities.
Now, just in talking to you, I came up with another activity,
which is one of the things
we could have is a piece of Styrofoam with forks
and spoons stuck into the Styrofoam.
So Michael can pull those things out of Styrofoam
and hence be working on rotating the wrist,
using spoons and forks and Styrofoam.
That's another idea that I could throw into my activities.
Another important characteristic of this plan is that every day,
Michael should be given the opportunity to work
one-on-one with an adult.
So if you'll notice there is an AC card listed
every day of the week.
However, maybe on certain days that ability to work
with an adult needs to change
based on staffing needs or the timing of the day.
So by switching up those activities and putting them
in different places throughout the day allows for flexibility
and change of programing on a daily basis.
There also should be a mix up of colors of cards.
You don't want to do a fine motor activity,
another fine motor activity and another fine motor activity
one after another.
You could even change this
concept to work on things that you want to work on.
Maybe you come up with red cards that are speech activities
or your purple cards that are
vision activities by placing them in this kind of grid.
You can see that you're mixing up a child's day to offer
variety flexibility, taking a child's interest
and also paying attention to the wealth of activities
that that child could be using to teach new skills.
The fever curriculum comes in a book where you can just
read it and look at the activity ideas and apply it how you want
to use it in the classroom.
There's also a very expensive, larger book where each one
of these cards is on a piece of Velcro and you're given
a Velcro board that looks just like this, where you can attach
the Velcro cards and swap them out as you go.
The nice part is over time, as Michael progresses,
let's say he's now able to climb stairs.
We would pull off that activity that's listed on Wednesday
at the second session and take it and get rid of it
because Michael's mastered that skill.
And now we would add more
activities that he does not have the skills.
It's just like the Dynamic Learning Circle as children
master skills that they no longer need to practice them,
that we're going to pull those out of our back to the ideas,
and we're going to add things that are just slightly more
difficult and new for the child
so that learning progresses throughout life.
How does the feel of curriculum
and active learning meet the curriculum standard?
Remember that the Office of Special Education
and Rehabilitative Services says that standards must be
clearly related to grade level content.
However, they may be restricted in scope or complexity
or take the form of introductory or prerequisite skills.
Therefore, focusing on prerequisite skills
is appropriate for children at these developmental levels
based on the interpretation of general education curriculum
set forth in this letter.
We expect annual IEP goals to be aligned with state academic
content standards for the grade in which a child is enrolled.
This alignment, however,
must guide, not replace the individualized
decision making required in the IEP process.
So there is a method
for providing an active learning curriculum in which the
curriculum is aligned with the state curriculum.
However, it breaks the curriculum down
into the prerequisite skills
necessary to meet that curriculum and offers
activities that are working toward those goals.
Let's look at Michael again and watch some activities
and how those activities meet the state curriculum,
but yet are broken down into their prerequisite skills
so that you can talk to your administrators and parents
how you're working toward a curriculum goal.
But at the developmental level of a child.
Michigan Grade seven standard for English language in Earth
reads write informative,
explanatory text to examine a topic and convey ideas,
concepts and information through the selection
organization and analysis of relevant content.
Develop the topic with relevant facts, definitions, concrete
details, quotations or other information and examples.
The essential elements for this curriculum are that the student
can select a fact detail
or other piece of information that relates to a given topic.
Now let's watch a video of Michael working with our
dance and movement therapist, and then we'll talk about how
this activity could meet the standard.
[metal rattling]
[indistinct talking]
>>Michael: [excited sound]
>>Karen: [imitates sound]
>>Michael: [indecipherable]
[metal ringing sound]
>>Michael: [excited sound] >>Karen: [indecipherable]
Yes, if you shake it, it doesn't make any noise.
Tap another one.
Tap it next to the other one.
Doesn't make any noise, right?
[balls tapping] [bell ringing]
[excited vocalizations]
Does this one make noise?
>>Michael: Yeah.
>>Karen: What kind of noise does that make?
>>Michael: [indistinct]
>>Karen: Yeah!
[balls tapping, bell ringing] [Michael vocalizes]
[ball drops into bucket]
>>Michael: [indistinct]
[Karen laughs]
>>Karen: That would be hard to eat.
[balls tapping] [bell ringing]
>>Karen: Want to try a different one?
Pick another one out of there.
Pick another one.
>>Michael: Gonna eat it. I wanna eat it.
>>Karen: Gonna try to eat it?
>>Michael: Yeah.
>>Karen: I don't think you can.
They're very hard, aren’t they?
[Michael vocalizes] And also very big.
[indistinct]
Shake that and see what it sounds like.
[plastic rattling]
[bell ringing]
There you go!
Oops!
There’s another one.
Oops!
[plastic rattling]
[Michael vocalizes]
[Karen laughs]
[Michael vocalizes]
Yeah, it doesn't eat very good, does it?
>>Michael: [indistinct]
>>Karen: Yeah?
How about this one?
Tap them together. See what happens.
[plastic clacking]
There you go!
[plastic clacking]
>>Michael: [sings] We will, we will like you!
>>Karen: Oh, I like your singing.
>>Michael: [sings] We will, we will like you!
>>Karen: [laughs]
[sings] We will, we will like you!
>>Michael: [laughs]
[excited squeal]
>>Karen: Good job!
>>Patty: How does this curriculum goal match the active
learning goals that we identified from the functional
scheme?
Well, first, this is an activity time with Karen, her dance
and movement therapist, after the activity is over.
You can tell a story of the activity time with Michael
and then ask Michael to give one detail about the activity time
related to the topic.
You could ask him to identify the ball that made noise,
the eyeballs that didn't make noise or identify large balls
from small balls.
And this would match the curriculum goal of Kenneth
students select a fact or a detail or other piece of
information that relates to a given topic.
The act of learning goals that were identified from the
functional scheme can be worked on at the same time.
That would be Michael listening to directions, focusing on
activities, balancing and sitting, releasing objects
with a purpose, working on correct pronunciation of words,
rotating the wrist and paying attention to others with the
same activity.
We can complete active learning goals and curriculum goals
at the same time.
Michigan Grade seven standard for English language and arts,
says use this knowledge of language and its conventions
when writing, speaking, reading or listening.
Choose language that expresses ideas precisely and concisely,
recognizing and eliminating worthiness and redundancy.
The essential elements are that the student can identify the
correct use of language to communicate effectively with
familiar people.
For example, sharing information, responding to
greetings, being polite and making simple requests.
Let's watch Michael again performing an activity that he
does every day and how this would meet, how this would meet
this curriculum goal.
>>Michael: I want to take a bath!
>>Karen: You want to take a bath?
Okay, well, later on tonight, right?
Gonna take a bath later?
Good!
[Karen laughs]
There's nobody in there!
But you know what? If you go to the next door
I bet you can say hi to Anita again.
>>Michael: No. >>Karen: No?
You don’t want to say hi to Anita?
>>Michael: I want to go the long way.
>>Karen: This is the long way.
Go all the way to the end.
>>Michael: [indistinct]
>>Karen: Around the corner.
And then we'll come in the door that's close to my room.
>>Michael: [indistinct]
>>Karen: Okay.
Say hi to Anita.
>>Michael: Hi!
>>Patty: Here he is expressing hello to Anita, our cook.
>>Karen: Come on in.
>>Patty: He makes it all the way
to the Dance and Movement therapy room.
>>Karen: Oh, you want to sit on the blue chair?
>>Michael: Yeah. >>Karen: Okay.
>>Michael: [indistinct]
>>Karen: Okay, you can crawl.
>>Michael: [indistinct]
>>Karen: Gonna do a bear crawl?
Like your bear crawl.
[indistinct talking] [music on backround speakers]
>>Karen: You go you first?
>>Michael: Yeah. >>Karen: Okay.
[indistinct talking] [music on backround speakers]
You want me first or you first?
>>Michael: [indistinct]
>>Karen: You want me to step in front of you?
Okay, I’ll go in front of you.
[Michael laughs and vocalizes]
Okay, come and get me.
[indistinct]
>>Karen: Okay!
[laughs] Should I go now?
>>Michael: Yeah.
>>Karen: Whoooo! >>Michael: [excited squeal]
>>Karen: Okay! Come on!
>>Karen: Whoooo! >>Michael: [excited squeal]
>>Karen: Was that fun?
>>Michael: Go again.
>>Karen: Go again? Okay.
Let’s go again.
You going to stand up or you going to crawl?
[indistinct]
Okay. I’ll meet you by the stairs.
Come on.
Bear crawl!
You wanna what?
[background voices]
[indistinct]
[Karen laughs]
>>Patty: He’s saying that...
he would like to go up the stairs first before Karen.
>>Karen: You are welcome, Michael!
You are very welcome!
[background voices]
There you go! That was a pretty good job!
[background voices]
[indistinct]
>>Karen: Is Michael gonna go or is Karen gonna go?
[background voices]
[indistinct]
>>Patty: Our curriculum goals and active learning goals are
very similar in this activity.
The student can identify the correct use of language to
communicate effectively with familiar people.
So curriculum goals are that Michael was sharing information,
communicating ideas with familiar people, being polite
and making simple requests.
Our act of learning goals identified from our assessment
were that we wanted Michael to listen and follow directions,
make simple requests, rise from a seated activity.
Have impulse control and have increased purposeful
conversations with others.
Michigan K-through-12 science content standard number four.
Develop a model to generate data for interactive testing and
modification of a proposed object tool or process, such as
an optimal design can be achieved.
The essential elements for the standard are identifying
the function of a given tool or object.
>>Karen: Take the little one out and put it on there?
Now-- oh, you want to close the lid?
[Karen laughs]
>>Michael: I want to close the lid.
>>Karen: Okay.
Push down.
[metal sounds]
>>Michael: [indistinct]
>>Karen: You want to what?
>>Michael: Take them out.
>>Karen: Take them out? Okay.
[indistinct]
Okay, we'll put it on...
and then you can take it off again.
OK, go ahead.
>>Michael: Ohhhhh!
>>Karen: Whoo!
You want to put it back on?
>>Michael: Yeah. >>Karen: Okay, go ahead.
Push!
>>Michael: I want to shake it.
>>Karen: You gonna take it off?
[metal clank]
Oh! Off!
>Michael: I want to shake it.
>>Karen: Okay, shake one.
[bell ringing]
>>Karen: Okay, you going to close it back up again?
>>Michael: Yeah. >>Karen: Okay.
>>Michael: Uh uh uh uh.
[metal clank]
>>Karen: Open!
[metal clank]
Close!
>>Michael: Open. >>Karen: Open.
[metal clank] Open!
[metal clang]
[indistinct talking]
>>Voice: You're welcome.
[Karen laughs] [indistinct talking]
>>Karen: On?
>>Michael: [indistinct]
>>Karen: You going to pull up?
Or put it back on?
>>Michael: Up. Up!
[lid rattles on container]
>>Karen: Let's not drop it down again though
cuz then I might not--
--might lose it again.
[lid rattles on container]
>>Karen: On.
>>Patty: And Michael’s learning to place objects in a specific...
spot as requested.
>>Karen: Are you going to get it off?
Off?
>>Michael: Oh!
>>Karen: Oh, it’s really stuck now.
You pushed it on good that time.
[lid rattles on container] Whoa!
Okay! Did it fly off?
>>Michael: [indistinct]
>>Karen: And put it on…
[lid rattles on container] ...and off.
>>Michael: [indistinct]
>>Patty: Some of the curriculum goals that Michael's working
on are identifying the functions of the container and identifying
the functions of the lid while also working on active learning
goals.
Identified from the assessment, including working on balance
and sitting.
Placing objects in specific locations, releasing objects
with a purpose, putting together with a focus and sharing with
others.
Michigan K-through-12 Science Content Standard says defined
the criteria and constraints of a design problem with
sufficient precision to ensure a successful solution.
Taking into account relevant scientific principles and
potential impacts on people and the natural environment that
may limit possible solutions.
Again, the essential elements are participating in activities
that demonstrate finding a solution to a simple design
problem.
In order to identify one action or a material.
>>Patty: Watch, watch.
Okay, that part?
>>Michael: [effort sounds]
>>Patty: If you pull real hard...
...off it comes.
I’ll put it on, put it back on.
Now see if you can get it off.
>>Michael: [effort sounds]
>>Patty: Oh! Wow!
Put it back on? Okay.
There's a hole.
[Michael vocalizes] Can you get it off?
Okay. Pull!
>>Michael: [effort sounds] [squeals]
>>Patty: Okay. On.
>>Michael: [laughs]
>>Patty: Alright.
>>Michael: [effort sounds] [squeals]
>>Patty: You did it.
>>Michael: [indistinct]
>>Patty: Are you gonna get it again?
>>Michael: Yeah.
>>Patty: [unclear] ...pull with two hands.
Yep.
>>Michael: [effort sounds]
>>Patty: There you go.
>>Michael: [effort sounds]
>>Patty: On?
[unclear] [Michael laughs]
>>Patty: You like those?
Good job. You done with that one?
Should I do two?
Watch this. I can do two.
Now I got two.
Looking for that container?
Oh!
That container…
has more playsticks in it, where these go.
[indistinct]
We did go outside, didn’t we?
>>Michael: [vocalizes]
>>Patty: What, you want to go again?
>>Michael: Yeah.
>>Patty: We can do that next week.
>>Michael: Next week.
>>Michael: [effort sounds]
[unclear]
>>Patty: Okay. Can I help you?
>>Michael: Yeah.
[unclear]
>>Patty: Now push. >>Michael: [vocalizes]
>>Patty: And push.
Are you trying to eat it or are you trying to pull this off?
[indistinct talking]
>>Michael: [effort sounds] [laughs]
[indistinct talking]
>>Michael: [effort sounds]
[indistinct talking]
>>Patty: Could you do me a favor?
I need those back so I can put them back together again.
[indistinct talking]
Okay. Ready?
[metal clang]
Oh. You got them together?
Can I pull one apart?
Okay.
>>Michael: Want to eat it.
>>Patty: Does that taste good or bad?
>>Michael: Bad. >>Patty: Bad?
>>Michael: Mmm. Taste it.
[laugh]
[metal clang]
>>Michael: I want to go outside.
Okay.
>>Patty: Not okay.
We just came from outside.
>>Michael: No, I want to go outside.
>>Patty: Maybe next week we’ll go again.
>>Michael: [vocalizes]
>>Michael: [effort sounds]
[unclear]
>>Patty: Gonna try to put them together?
>>Michael: Yeah. >>Patty: Okay. Give it a try.
>>Michael: [vocalizes]
>>Patty: Need help? Okay.
[unclear]
>>Patty: You think so?
[indistinct talking]
>>Patty: Do you need help putting it together again?
>>Michael: Yeah. >>Patty: Okay.
[indistinct talking]
>>Patty: I need my one container right here.
>>Patty: So how did these meet the curriculum goals?
Well, Michael was working on how to identify taking apart,
how to identify putting things together, how to use two hands
and how to open and close containers.
So this is participating in activities that demonstrate
finding a solution to a simple design problem in order
to identify one action or material from the act
of learning goals identified
in the functional scheme assessment.
Michael again was working on how to take things apart,
how to put things together, how to use two hands,
how to open and close containers, how to pull items,
how to work on fasteners and how to focus and listen.
Now in Michigan, K through 12 science content gather and make
sense of information to describe that synthetic materials come
from natural resources and impact society.
The essential elements giving concrete objects identify
which are made by humans and which are made in nature.
Here's Michael in our backyard, climbing over one
of our playground pieces of equipment.
And then he'll end up on the grass down below.
So just by going outside,
we can work on Michael identifying what's
man made and what is made through nature.
Again, Michigan Science Content conduct an investigation
to provide evidence that living things are made of cells,
one cell or many different numbers and types of cells.
The essential elements identify
things that are living and non-living.
Here's Michael outside with our farm animals that come to visit
once a couple of weeks during the summer.
And so he's got a small baby goat in his arms and so he can
identify living things versus things that
are not living outside.
He also does horseback riding and will play with the plants
and the flowers outside, as well as rocks, sticks, twigs, dirt.
This way, we're identifying things that occur in nature,
things that are living and things that are non-living.
Again, science content.
He can construct and interpret graphical displays of data
to describe the relationship of kinetic energy to the mass
of an object and to the speed of an object.
What are the essential elements?
Observe two objects in motion to identify which is faster
and which is slower.
Here's Michael during one of our activities where we brought
in different animals and he's got a tortoise.
That is, he is sitting on.
Again, put that next to the goat
that he just had, and we can compare living animals as well
as which animals move faster and which animals move slower.
We could do activities where we take cars and roll them
down a ramp and see what goes faster and what goes slower.
This is all science activity, but it's also active learning
mission grade standard for mathematics use variables
to represent quantities in the real word world or mathematical
problems, and construct simple equations and any inequalities
to solve problems by reasoning about the quantities.
What are the essential elements?
The student can identify how much is one more or when
one is taken away from a quality
quantity of up to five with a model.
>>Michael: I want to show Patty.
>>Karen: You want to show Patty?
Okay, put this on your head.
>>Michael: [happy squeal]
>>Patty: That's a pretty cool hat.
How long can you keep it up there? Uh oh.
Boom.
[Karen cheers and claps hands]
>>Karen: [unclear] --your hat will stay on?
You want to put your hat on again?
>>Michael: Yeah.
[crosstalk]
>>Patty: Oh, one... two... three...
I'm gonna count and see how long--
One... two... three... four... five...
six... seven... eight--
>>Patty: Oh, it fell off at eight.
[crosstalk]
>>Michael: [indistinct]
>>Karen: ...two...
You want to count to twelve?
Oh, you want to try to balance it for twelve?
Okay, well, here.
>>Patty: You ready?
>>Karen: We'll go for twelve.
[Michael shrieks]
>>Patty: That was on for one.
[unclear]
>>Karen: Here we go. Wanna put it on?
>>Michael: [unclear] ...twelve.
>>Patty: One... two... three... four... five...
Oh, that one only made it to five.
>>Patty: So the item fell off Michael's head at five.
And then he's going to put the item back on the head again.
Now you might ask, how is this removing an item and counting?
Well, Michael is not at that level yet, so we're just working
on counting to five using different numbers of props.
And then eventually we'll start
taking one away and see if he can say.
Now there are four, but we have
to start at the level that Michael's at, and he's not
at the level of taking something away yet.
We're working on the prerequisites, which
is counting to one to 12.
So in the curriculum goals, we're working on counting zero
to 20 use of props to eventually lead to the removing of one and
identifying the quantity that is left active learning goals
that were identified from the functional scheme assessment.
We're focusing, listening, trying to impulse control,
working on balance and sitting, imitating adults
and other people.
We're trying new situations like holding something on top
of your head and trying to keep it there for a certain number
of seconds.
Sharing experiences with other people and putting together
and taking apart with a specific focus.
Science Content Standard Michigan K through 12.
Gather and synthesize information that sensory
receptors respond to stimuli by sending messages to the brain
for immediate behavior or storage's memories.
The essential elements participate in an investigation
to use the five senses to collect information
and identify the sense that was used from two choices.
[plastic crinkling]
>>Michael: [unclear]
>>Patty: It makes a sound when you squeeze it?
[plastic crinkling]
It does make a crinkle sound, doesn't it?
[plastic crinkling] [Michael vocalizes]
This one doesn't crinkle. [metal rattles]
This one stays solid.
[plastic clatters]
This one stays solid.
[marbles clang into pan]
Okay, you'd like the crinkle again?
>>Michael: [unclear]
>>Patty: I'm gonna fill it up.
[marble clatters in bottle]
[marbles rattle in pan]
[marbles clink in pan]
[marbles rattle in pan]
You want the cap?
>>Michael: Yeah. [marbles clatter in bottle]
>>Patty: Put a couple more inside
so it shakes and makes noise.
[marbles clatter in bottle]
Here you go.
Got it? [marbles rattle in pan]
>>Michael: [unclear]
[marbles clatter in bottle]
>>Patty: You ready for it to make noise?
>>Michael: Yeah. >>Patty: Okay.
Here, I'll put two in. [marble clatter in bottle]
Now, I'll put the lid on. [plastic crinkle]
Is it all the way on?
So it doesn't fall off?
[plastic clatters] Here, I'll turn it for you.
You like the crinkle.
[marbles rattle in bottle]
>>Patty: Michael used his senses to explore the items
in this activity.
He was definitely using the sense of hearing to listen
to the crinkling of the bottle.
He was using his sense of touch to explore the features of
the bottle, as well as the sense of taste when he was licking
the bottle, placing the bottle up to his mouth.
The adult in this activity could wait until after the activity
was over or during the activity to say you're using the space,
the sense of taste or the sense of touch, or the sense of
hearing during this activity and then given two choices.
Ask him which sense he's using at this given time.
Some of the active learning goals that were identified
from the functional scheme that he was working on during this
activity included opening and closing containers.
Working with a pincer grasp to put those marbles inside
the container imitate the adult actions to listen and focus
on the activity.
To release objects with a purpose instead of just throwing
them or setting them down anywhere and placing objects
in specific locations like placing the marbles inside
the bottle.
Now, Grade seven standard for mathematics is use facts
about supplementary complementary vertical and
adjacent angles in a multi-step problem to write and solve
simple equations for an unknown angle in a figure.
What are the essential elements?
The student can differentiate between a shape that has corners
and one that does not.
Let's watch Michael and this activity.
[plastic clatters]
>>Patty: Okay, you go ahead and play with that one.
I got my own cups.
[plastic clatters]
[unclear]
[plastic clatters]
>>Michael: [vocalizes]
>>Patty: You're going to put them together?
>>Michael: Yeah. [plastic clatters]
>>Michael: [high pitched sounds]
>>Patty: You did it.
[plastic clatters]
>>Patty: You knocked my tower over.
[Patty laughs]
[plastic clatters]
>>Michael: [indistinct]
>>Patty: You going to try it again?
[plastic clatters]
>>Michael: [high pitched sound]
>>Patty: Knocked it over again.
[plastic clatters]
>>Michael: Uh oh.
[plastic clatters]
>>Patty: Are you just taking all my stuff?
[plastic clatters]
[metal clatters]
[indistinct]
[plastic clatters]
>>Michael: [high pitched sound]
>>Patty: I think you can do it.
There, you got it.
>>Michael: …hat.
>>Patty: You think that’s a hat?
>>Michael: Yeah. >>Patty: Watch.
[plastic clatters]
Uh oh.
>>Patty: So what goals,
curriculum goals Michael work on?
Well, he was distinguishing between the round shapes.
There were the round flat plates and the round cups.
He could also distinguish between objects with corners
such as the plate tray that was in front of him.
What active learning goals was
he working on from the functional ski?
Well, he was putting together and taking apart with a purpose.
I was trying to get him to imitate my actions by stacking
objects, the cups, the plates together.
We were working on focus and paying attention to activities.
He could feel the lines or the details of the objects that he
was holding.
He could release objects with a purpose and also have a desire
to engage with others in new activities, for example, that
stacking activity.
Now, I know Michael didn't participate in the stacking
activity.
He did knock down.
But over time, if we continue
that activity, maybe he would become interested and want to
imitate my actions and participate in the activity.
You've observed how to relate core curriculum standards to
the functional scheme assessment.
How do you rate specific long-term goals and short-term
objectives to meet Michael's needs and to reflect active
learning in the field of curriculum?
I'll be showing you some examples from Michael in the
following slides.
Remember, in creating long term goals and short-term objectives,
identify the top skills that require attention in each area
of learning.
Create a long-term goal that the child can attain through
independent activity and try not to write participatory goals
whenever possible.
Develop short term objectives that the child can attain
through independent activity,
which support reaching the long-term goal.
Just a side note that I think the percentage of time a child
should exhibit success should be high.
Typically, articles are written
that they occur above 80 percent.
This demonstrates that the skills are learned.
A goal or objective met only 20 percent of the time can indicate
that it is too difficult and
should be rewritten with different parameters.
Reevaluate objectives every three months if a child is not
progressing, rewrite objectives sooner than later.
A child learns faster through a greater percentage of
successes and a smaller percentage of failures.
Here's an example of language arts goal and speaking and
listening for Michael the annual goal by January 31st, 2023,
Michael will remain on topic of a discussion during a 10 to
15 minute hands on active learning activity, independently
answering at least one question and making at least one topic
contribution to a discussion 80 percent of the time.
Two objectives to meet this goal by March 31st, 2022.
Michael will remain on topic of a discussion during a 10 to
15 minute hands on active learning activity, independently
answering at least one question related to the characteristic
of an object and making at least one on topic observation about
the object at least 50 percent of the time.
By September 31st, 2022, Michael
will remain on topic of a discussion during a 10 to 15
minute hands on active learning activity, independently
answering at least one question related to the types of objects
used and making at least one on topic observation about the
actions of objects at least 75 percent of the time.
Any essential life skills are self-care area and you will go
could be by January 2023.
Michael will independently step food onto a fork or scoop food
onto a spoon during mealtimes at least five times during a
meal period 80 percent of the time.
An objective by March 31st,
2022, Michael will pro an eight or soup and ate his wrist
independently to activate a musical instrument or toy.
At least one time during a five to 10-minute active learning
period.
70 percent of the time.
Another objective by September
30th, 2022, Michael will independently scoop sensory
items into measuring cups or spoons during a five to
15-minute active learning activity period, 80 percent of
the time, and the area of communication skills and
language an annual goal by January 31st, 2023.
Michael independently repeat exactly the pronunciation of
a simple word that requires lip
closure during a five to 15-minute activity period, 80
percent of the time and objective by March 31st, 2022.
Michael will independently sing songs into a microphone in
exactly pronouncing simple words that require lip closure upon
demonstration from a caregiver during the five to 15-minute
active learning activity period 70 percent of the time.
Another objective by September 30th, 2022.
Michael independently close his lips around oral motor
experiences such as playing a harmonica or a flute, licking
a sucker or blowing bubbles via straws into liquids during a
five to 10-minute active learning activity period, 75
percent of the time in the area of mathematics, expressions and
equations.
An annual goal for Michael by January of 2023.
Michael will independently hand
an adult one, two or three objects upon request during a
five to 15-minute active learning activity period 80
percent of the time, an objective by March 31st, 2022.
Michael will independently place one object inside one container
that can only hold between one and three objects as an adult
counts to one verbally nearby during a five to 15 minute
active learning activity period 75 percent of the time.
Another objective by September 30th, 2020 to Michael will
independently place one, two or three objects inside a
container that can hold one, two or three objects as an adult
nearby verbally COMS to either one, two or three during a five
to 15-minute activity period 60 percent of the time.
I hope that these examples will help you in creating appropriate
goals and objectives for your students as each school or
daycare center has different requirements.
Learn to work with the standards of your facility and educate
your administrators on how active learning can meet the
needs of your special needs students.
In summary, when moving from assessment to curriculum,
complete a thorough assessment of your child's abilities in all
areas of function and include professionals and caregivers
in this process.
Identify the child's strengths and know which skills require
attention, as these areas can prevent new skills from
being attained.
Develop a comprehensive list of enriched activity ideas.
Focus on a variety of enriched environments and positions.
Create developmentally appropriate goals and objectives
using benchmarks that display independence instead of reliance
on others.
Assess the child's independent
actions and rewrite participatory goals.
Always be on the lookout for new
and creative materials to maintain a child's attention
and to enrich your learning environment.
Thank you for your attention today.
If you'd like more information, you can look at Penticton
Center's website at Penticton Dawg.
If you have questions, you can
email me at Patty at Penticton dot com.
You can always check out Active Learning Space dot org for more
information and training materials and lovely works.
Dot org also provides information on active learning
equipment as well as reading materials.
Thank you and have a wonderful day!
>>Patty: Okay, that was the end of the prerecorded section.
Excuse me, I'm just coming back live here to see if anyone has
any questions.
I did want to show you in the background.
I do have this is the feel of curriculum.
The board with the pieces of Velcro are you can take it off
and switch to the ideas.
I do not think it's worth the
amount of money to purchase that.
But if it helps you great, I just think it's more important
to come up with as many of the ideas as you possibly can and
understand that flexibility is key and being able to switch out
new activities.
And just like that dynamic learning circle, when kids have
learned something from an activity and it no longer is
challenging, they're ready for something new.
Get rid of those old ideas and
put new ideas in to keep the kids learning new skills as
opposed to staying with the same thing day in and day out.
If you do the same activities every day, the kids are going
to get bored and they're not going to continue their learning
skills.
So I'm just double.
Excuse me now my coughing begins.
I'm just double checking that no
one had any questions in the chat that I didn't answer.
I just gave you some goals ideas.
At the end, I could write another 50 for Michael.
You just have to pick up Penticton.
We only do five goals a day because any more than that is
just too much for people to track in terms of documenting.
But we do that.
He'll work on like 80 things at one time.
>>Kate: I love this presentation.
I think it really did clarify a lot of things for folks and
really show that, you know, active learning approach can be
used to teach any content that you have to teach.
And I think that the parts that you really emphasized the
importance of knowing what goals
you're working on with student is so important to drive home.
If you know your goals, you can work on a variety of things,
but your goals, your AP goals are going to focus you to make
sure that those priority areas are getting worked on every day.
And I think that that's a really important thing.
I just love it.
I really think that, you know, little by little, we can win
people over and help them understand that for kids at this
developmental level, an active learning approach can get them
further down the road than our more traditional approaches that
address kids at higher developmental levels.
>>Charlotte: Patty, one question did come in in the chat.
I wanted to see if you could give us a quick response.
Nicholas Nicole is asking, Do you use the functional scheme
for progress monitoring or do you review it annually or what?
>>Patty: We use the functional scheme for progress.
So once we do the first assessment, which, like I said,
takes about three months, then every year thereafter we pull it
out and you just look at the things that were problems and
say, Has this child mastered that or are they still working
on it?
You can do it through.
Once you learn it, you can look
through that book and just update it throughout the year.
But we once a year take a minute to look at every section and
to make sure we're completing it.
The fun part is when you go over 12 years or six years, you start
looking back because it's all data and you can see, Hey,
Michael, wasn't, you know, if you watched Michael on that
whole bear crawling up the slide.
I remember when that little picture of him at the drum, I
had to hold him up to keep him standing at the drum.
And yes, that progress takes years, but you do see progress.
>>Charlotte: And one more thing a lot of people have been asking
in the chat is this video
recording will be available on the Active Learning Space Site.
Absolutely.
It will be week.
And I think I wrote a number of times in the chat that I was
going to come after Patty to get some more of these videos
because I think everybody learns really well, just watching
examples.
So give us give us some time to to post things, but we
definitely will be adding everything.
>>Patty: Yeah.
And I actually I have a whole another child that I did the
same thing for.
I just ran out of time.
So I have R.J.
who is a little guy who's developmentally at a zero to
three-month-old level.
And you just see the difference between someone who can walk
and someone who can talk and someone who's
not able to roll over or sit up in.
One of the things I love is with him.
He's actually opening and closing his fingers to pick up
objects.
And here you have a child who can't roll over and has, you
know, poor head control, but that little guys learned how
to use his fingers.
All of you have the right programing for him.
And I just want to stress before we go to please make the goals
what the kids can do.
Not that they participate in an activity because.
It really shows that the goal is
for the child, not for the staff.
I always say, if you're making a goal, it says you will
participate.
It's really, you know, not what the kid is learning, but what
the staff can do.
And I think that that really helps.
Patty, where is that?
They open the video I was talking about with RJ,
I have it privately.
I'll get it to Kate and
Charlotte to put on the active learning space org website.
It's just time is a big deal right now with COVID,
so I'm just saying.
>>Charlotte: Patty, I'm glad you mentioned about writing goals.
We get a lot of questions.
Kate and I both have a lot of questions about
writing how to write goals about equipment,
and I think it's really important to stress that the
equipment itself is not a goal, right?
That putting a child on a resident's board is not a goal.
It's what the child does.
And so I really want to just kind of underline that as well.
>>Patty: Yeah, we'll say while the child is in the little room,
they will open and close their finger on an object.
But the goal is the child will close their finger.
Not that they go in the room, but the little room is one where
you can have a mobile hanging over them or an adult to be
holding the object and you can get the same goal.
Yes, the child has to do the activity.