Sensory Processing-Great Resource

The book "Sensory Processing 101 by Dayna Abraham, ClaireHeffron, Pamela Braley and Lauren Drobnjak. is a great resource for enabling us to better understand how children's' bodies process the world around them.  Relevent resources include:  top websites, books and communities for support, cheat sheets for all 7 of your senses, reference uides or sensory doughs, bins and bottles, red flag behaviour checklists and more.

Anger is not Rudeness

From Michael Reist:

Being angry is not being rude. Anger is an emotion. Rudeness is intentional offence. Disagreeing with what you say is not “giving attitude.” It is a difference of opinion.

Children have as much right to their feelings and opinions as we do.

Sometimes we accept our own anger and opinions as legitimate and shut down our children’s. We come to believe that unquestioning obedience is a virtue. We may have learned this from our family of origin. We certainly learned it at school where unquestioning obedience to authority is totally expected.  

We want to raise children who are capable of expressing their feelings and opinions. Unquestioning obedience is not good for one’s personal development nor for a democratic society. We need people who have the courage to talk back and say what they really think and feel – in healthy, constructive ways. Anger can be a motivator for personal change and social change. 

Feelings can be messy. That’s OK. 

We are comfortable with the light end of the emotional spectrum, but we often have a problem with the “dark” end. We deny difficult feelings like anger – both in ourselves and in our children. Repressed anger will come out in other ways. In males it comes out as emotional numbing, addiction and high-risk behaviour. In females, it comes out as depression. Boys act out. Girls act in.

We need to listen to our own anger and that of our children. Anger is a message from the soul: A boundary has been violated. An expectation has not been met. Something needs to change. Children learn how to deal with anger by watching us deal with ours.

3 Questions to ask yourself about your own anger:

1. Do I express my feelings in healthy ways? Remember the “Don’t freak out rule.” When you freak out, you send a message to your children – don’t bring me your “stuff” because I won’t be able to handle it. I will freak out and make the situation worse. 
2. Am I aware of my own emotional state?  Do I let my feelings about something else (my boss, my job, my life) affect my functioning with my children? Do I let my child’s anger trigger my own repressed anger?
3. Is this the best time to talk about this? Is my best self going to come out right now or am I likely to say something hurtful? Children hear with their hearts. “Mom’s mad. I’m bad.” Take a time out and come back to it later.

Anger can lead people to say rude things and do things that hurt others. The freedom to express your anger ends where the rights of others begins. Say what you feel. Control what you do. You can’t hit your little brother. You can’t call me names.

10 Ways to help you and your child express their anger in healthy ways: 

1. Use “I messages.” Talk about how you feel. Don’t attack the other person.
2. Cry (especially relevant for older boys)
3. Hit something (not a person and don’t break things)
4. Move (walk, run, ride your bike, play basketball)
5. Express yourself through art: draw, play an instrument, write
6. Breathe
7. Listen to music
8. Count to 10 (out loud so people know to stand back)
9. Walk away
10. Take a time out and come back to the topic when you’re not angry

Finally, at the end of a bad day, rebuild the interpersonal bridge by making nurturing contact with your child. The next day, push the reset button. No grudges or references to the past.

Anger is like a storm that passes. A storm can nourish life or it can be destructive. Which one it will be depends on how we respond.

What To Do When...You Worry Too Much: A Kid's Guide to Overcoming Anxiety

In her book, Dawn Huebner teaches school-aged children cognitive-behavioral techniques to reduce and overcome anxiety, fears, and worry, through writing and drawing activities and self-help exercises.  This book includes information for parents! 

The Power of Keeping Your Cool

Rebecca Albers insists that we are responsive, not reactive.  See the tips in her article The Power of Keeping Cool.

Edutopia

Never lose sight of your dream!

Invest in yourself!  Believe!
An inspirational video!


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7 Ways to Boost Kids Emotional Intelligence

Dr. Michele Borba provides 7 ways to enhance children's abilities to read nonverbal messages thereby helping them to fit in and handle everyday life situations.  Check out her article 7 Ways to Boost Kids Emotional Intelligence.

http://micheleborba.com/blog/the-emotional-iq-deficit-110-kids-unable-to-read-nonverbal-cues-why-its-a-big-deal/

What is Summer Reading Loss?

Prevent the reading slide that can occur when young minds sit idle during the summer months. Reading Is Fundamental indicates that such reading loss is cumulative (http://www.rif.org/us/literacy-resources/summer-reading-slide.htm).  Incorporate reading into your activities!



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Obsessive Compulsive Disorder: A Guide for Parents and Students

http://www.amazon.com/What-When-Brain-Stuck-What/dp/1591478057

This book by Dawn Huebner is a step-by-step guide to help children recognize and respond to OCD tricks and provides examples and activities to assist in breaking free of the urges of OCD.

Sensory Integration

Indiana Resource Centre for Autism explains what sensory integration is and provides Tips to Consider about visual and auditory input, taste and smells, and proprioceptive and vestibular input as well as helpful ideas to assist in each of these areas.

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Read & Write Tutorial -Everything You Need to Know

Everything you need to know about Read & Write!

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Autism Parent Resource Kit

Autism Parent Resource Kit The Ministry of Children and Youth Services is pleased to let you know about the availability of a resource kit for parents and caregivers of children and youth with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). This web-based kit provides information and resources to support families of children and youth with ASD at all stages of their child’s progress and development. THE KIT INCLUDES INFORMATION ABOUT: • Diagnosis and treatment • Strategies for daily living • Services and assistance available in Ontario, including information on financial support • School support, extra-curricular and recreational activities • How your child develops, including sensory, physiological and social development • Health care • Parenting and family support

"Kids Do Well If They Can"

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Alex Shevrin in Kids Do Well If They Can: A Strength Based Approach shares Dr. Ross Greene's philosophy and reminds us that students use the skills that they have and when things are not working well, we need to see what skills are lacking.

Growth Mindset and Math

The Growth Mindset:  Ability grows with experience.
What is your belief about students' abilities in math?


http://learnteachlead.ca/projects/jo-boaler/?video=0&active=0

Self-Injury

The Self-Injury Outreach and Support website provides helpful information, resources and online videos about self injury.  Thanks for sharing this information, Diana!

http://www.sioutreach.org/

Google Docs -Quick Start Tutorial

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Video: Google Chrome: Dear Sophie

A father uses the web to share memories of his daughter as she grows up!
Classroom Use:  Share classroom memories with parents on Mother's or Father's Day or perhaps at the end of the school year!
 
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Video: Inspiration for Parents of Children with Special Needs

Some great reminders:



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Top 5 Blog Posts this week!!

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Please find below the top 5 Blog Posts for this week:

Digital Organization: Folders Nov 3, 2014	21
Facebook-Digital Citizenship Advice Nov 8, 2014	19
Hard of Hearing and Deaf Students: Tip Sheet for ... Nov 2, 2014	15
How to Set Up Google Read & Write Nov 3, 2014	14
Twitter-Digital Citizenship Advice Nov 8, 2014	14

Twitter-Digital Citizenship Advice

Digital Citizenship @the York School provides helpful information for teachers and parents about using Twitter -what are the risks, what is trolling?, are you supervising?, how to talk to the child about concerns?, and when should you be worried about your child?

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Digital Organization: Folders

Digital organization is important to be able to access files. Using Google Apps, this can be done anytime, anywhere and from any device.



https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPro5oIVhclY7c57B_OlkBw