Made With LOVE

MADE WITH LOVE By Bridgette D. Tuckfield (’11)

A BYU grad student has watched special-ed students rise to her high expectations.

Grad student Patricia D. Lund (BS ’09) carefully pulled back the cover of her treasured Bernina sewing machine, a gift from her grandfather, her audience of seven high-school students standing by. A former junior high teacher, Lund didn’t know how it would go.
Like all good teachers, she wanted her students to succeed; however, Lund was now working with moderately to profoundly disabled students at the Dan Peterson School in American Fork, Utah. The assignment to help students transition from school to adult life was her dream job, but she felt frustrated by the limited curriculum of vocational skills offered.
Typical assignments included paper shredding and counter wiping, says Lund. “I had the feeling my students were beyond what we were doing. I just needed to discover each student’s individual talent.”

So Lund decided to try teaching sewing. To her delight, the students reacted enthusiastically. Initially, Lund kept it simple: threading the machine and straight stitching. This year, she is teaching her students to make skirts.

“Robin is my little seamstress,” Lund says of a student who picked up the basics in just two days. “She has a definite eye for colors that will go together. . . . There have been times when I have been trying to model how I want her to sew a project and she will stop, pick out better colors, and then let me continue. . . . She’s just like a fashion designer.”
Inspired by her students’ success, Lund started Life Occupation Vocation Education, or LOVE. The program helps students learn skills tailored to their interests and make choices about their future.

The students’ repertoires now include all sorts of crafts. There are Bekah’s Pocket Pals—colorful, microwavable hand warmers. Another student, Chloe, creates counting books for children. They also make handbags, hair accessories, baby items, candy cellophane cones, and molded chocolates. They first sold items to teachers within the school, playing commercials in the hallway. Now LOVE products are available online. All proceeds go to purchasing supplies and to the students.

“I see such potential in these kids,” Lund says. “I have nonverbal children who are making things independently and are happy and making their own choices. It’s been incredible. Aggressive behaviors have declined sharply. . . . Even the way the parents look at their students has changed. I’ve had people see their children work and say, ‘Whoa, I never knew she could do that!’”

While working at Dan Peterson, Lund wanted to further hone her teaching skills and successfully applied for BYU’s graduate program in special education. Her graduate work is helping her delve deeper, particularly a course on transition. “The class really got me soaring and thinking of ways to improve lives for older students with disabilities,” says Lund. She puts what she learns at BYU immediately into practice at work and hopes to do research with her students. Her goal is to start a mentoring program allowing them to explore interests such as dancing and pottery.

“If we don’t give our students opportunities,” Lund says, “we’re not going to see what they can really do. They really rise to the occasion. When you have high expectations of people, they will meet them. . . . Treating students like they are exceptional helps them to become exceptional.”

Web: 3tslove.webs.com

Teacher Appreciation Ideas

I've searched over the world wide web and created this collection of what I believe to be the cutest DIY teacher appreciation gifts. And now I'm going to share them with YOU! Teacher Appreciation week is May 2 - May 6. Have fun making crafts and teaching your child to show gratitude with one of these fun ideas!....

(all images & captions are linked)

Free printable thank you cards from Cottage Industrialist

I love this photo thank you! This could be used to make a card or it could be framed...
idea from Heinz Endowments

apple love idea from The Tumtum Tree

caramel apple for teacher idea from One Charming Party

Giving thanks in a photo idea from doobleh-vay

These "You are Sweet" free printables from Living Locurto
could be cute with any sweet treat!

Wordle word cloud idea from Instructables

heart-shaped word cloud with student names
idea from Tagxedo

"thanks a latte" free printable from Skip to my Lou

simple thank you cards from Printables by Amy

personalized sticky notes idea from How Does She

scent-sational free printable from eighteen25
put with yummy lotion, scentsy products, candle, etc. Fun!

Free printable tags from A Bushel and a Peck
This would be cute with a water bottle & flavor packs

adorable pencil vase idea from gumdrops to glitter

free printable compliment banner
from How About Orange

crayon wreath idea from
The Ballard Bunch

crayon monograms from The Three R's

apple-shaped picture collage
easy to make with Shape Collage

alphabet flower bouquet idea from One Charming Party

free alphabet-iloveyou printable from Sprik Space

Let me know if you make any of these! I'd love to see your masterpieces!!!

Safe Zone

Retrieved from AOL News, story by Marc Hartzman.

There are certain teachers whose influence can affect students for the rest of their lives, whose names are never forgotten. Doug Forbis hopes to become one of those -- and it's not just because he doesn't have any legs.

The 24-year-old Spartanburg, S.C., man is finishing up his first year of a two-year graduate education program at Converse College. He plans to teach physical education to kids with special needs.

Born with a rare condition called sacral agenesis, Doug Forbis had his legs removed at the age of 2. He's now 24 and studying to teach physical education to kids with special needs.

"When I was growing up, if you had any sort of difference in a PE class, there wasn't a lot you could do," Forbis told AOL News. "You could be a score keeper or watch, but it wasn't the most productive use of your time."

Rather than spending his youth as an observer, he joined swimming and basketball leagues for disabled kids.

"It was a big deal to meet others going through the same issues. It gave me a safe zone each week going to practice," he said.

Now he hopes to offer that safe zone for those in need at a local self-contained school.

"It's so rare for kids with special needs to have a teacher with special needs -- that almost never happens," he said. "I think it would help a lot for these special need kids to say, 'Look, Mr. Forbis is a teacher, I can do that, too. He lives by himself, gets around town, goes shopping, I can do that, too.' A lot of kids don't know that's an option. They just depend on the system their whole lives."

Forbis was born with a rare condition called sacral agenesis, preventing his lower spine from developing properly. It left him with malformed legs, which would only serve to hinder movement.

So at the age of 2, his parents took a doctor's recommendation and elected to have his legs amputated. As a child he tried using prosthetics in an attempt to "be more like everybody else."

But he soon chose to go without them.

"They were tiring, hot and more hassle than they were worth," Forbis said. Instead, he gets around by walking on his hands or using a custom-built titanium wheelchair.

When he needs faster wheels, he drives a minivan, outfitted with hand controls and a hydraulic driver's seat that allows him to see over the dashboard. Forbis bought the van to accommodate the various wheelchairs used for his individual sports -- which eventually grew to include track.

In 2008, Forbis even tried out for a position on the U.S. Paralympic team. "People always think I'm overcoming something. I'm not," he said. "I've never known anything different.

"The only challenges I run into are other people's mindsets, nothing physical or anything related to me," he added. "People who think a person in a wheelchair shouldn't be at the mall or shouldn't be hanging out with their friends. It's crazy."

But Forbis takes all the looks and murmurs in stride -- particularly when they come from naturally curious children. It's parents who tell their kids not to look and to keep quiet that bother him.

"I'd rather they bring them over to me and I can explain everything, then they walk away and they're cool with it," he explained. "But if parents don't let them ask, it contributes to the lack of understanding and learning, and nothing's going to get accomplished. It makes a person with a disability feel disabled, because people don't understand. You shouldn't have to feel disabled."

Helping others understand is something he's been doing his whole life. Forbis frequently offers advice to people with the same or similar disabilities -- some of whom did not have their legs amputated and are now contemplating it as young adults.

Once he receives his teaching degree, he'll be certified to help a much broader range of kids find confidence and success, from those with intellectual and physical disabilities to those with emotional and behavioral disorders.

Doug playing frisbee with his girlfriend Elizabeth in their local park on September 15, 2010 in Spartanburg, South Carolina.

Last semester he gained classroom experience assisting 22 typical second-graders of all ability levels. In addition to helping with reading skills and research projects, he often shared personal anecdotes about his own days as a pupil and encouraged students to set goals and achieve more.

"I could see immediately that Doug knows how to talk to children and help them to understand acceptance and respect," said Angela Ridings, his supervising classroom teacher and mentor at the Spartanburg school. "He is a unique individual with many talents, and I am positive that he will go far in the profession of teaching. The students love seeing Mr. Forbis, and I know he will be remembered for a long, long time."

But despite Forbis' accomplishments and ambitions, don't call him an inspiration.

"I get called that a lot and it drives me crazy," he said. "I'm doing what any 20-something college grad would do, it's not really any different."

Resources for Assistive Technology

A.T. Tipscast
Accessible Technology Tips
Adaptations 4 Kidz
Apple Assistive Technology
Apps for Children With Special Needs
Assistive Tech Forum
Curriki

Junior's Voice
Moms With Apps
SpeEdChange
Teaching All Students
Tequipment
Using Technology to Support Diverse Learners
Wrightslaw Way

Which technological device(s) do you use for your special needs child? Which apps are your favorites? Which online resources do you find most helpful? Please share!

A Little IEP Humor

Top Ten Signs...
That You're Going to Have a Bad IEP Meeting
By Colleen F. Tomko


10. The IEP invitation lists "drive-thru" hours.
9. When you get to the meeting, the staff want to know what you are doing there.
8. They give you complimentary white flags and tissues.
7. Your child's student ID # is 666.
6. They try to convince you that the attending speech therapist really is the janitor's identical twin.
5. You find yourself explaining that...the regs say they can use IU's for related services, not I-O-U's.
4. The special ed coordinator says 'Have we got a place for your kid".
3. They think "inclusion" is some type of venereal disease.
2. The staff is bumming because their label maker burned out.
1. You over hear the staff talking about the Least "Resisted" Environment.

I Do Not Like These IEPs
~Author Unknown

I do not like these IEPs
I do not like them, Jeeze Louise
We test, we check
We plan, we meet
But nothing ever seems complete.
Would you, could you
Like the form?

I do not like the form I see
Not page 1, not 2, not 3
Another change
A brand new box
I think we all
Have lost our rocks.

Could you all meet here or there?
We could not all meet here or there.
We cannot all fit anywhere.
Not in a room
Not in the hall
There seems to be no space at all.
Would you, could you meet again?

I cannot meet again next week
No lunch no prep
Please hear me speak.
No, not at dusk. No, not at dawn
At 4 pm I should be gone.

Could you hear while all speak out?
Would you write the words they spout?
I could not hear, I would not write
This does not need to be a fight.
Sign here, date there,
Mark this, check that
Beware the students ad-vo-cat(e).

You do not like them
So you say
Try again! Try again!
And you may.
If you will let me be,
I will try again
You will see.

Say!

I almost like these IEPs
I think I'll write 6003.
And I will practice day and night
Until they say
"You got it right!"

Brain Development 101

I've received a lot of emails and questions regarding a post that I wrote earlier about a therapy program that I have on my daughter at home. For those who live in California, if you are interested, Donna Bateman will be coming in January to do a seminar. Attending this seminar would more clearly answer any questions you have. If you can come, it may be worth the $90 for you. At the seminar I attended, there were people from Sacramento who had driven up for the day. If you are interested in having your child evaluated, I would contact Donna to schedule that, or even just talk to her to get a feel for it all before even deciding if you want to go to the seminar. I'm just putting it out there for you all. Here is the flier that I received (a little altered to fit into a blog format here) from Patty Ezell (who is the contact person here in the Bay Area). Who knows? This could be what you're looking for...or you could think it's a load of hay. If you're on the fence about it, she comes to this area roughly every 6 months, and you can always call her or Patty...or me.

I hope you all had a wonderful holiday and are ready to get back into the swing of things again! :)

Is Your Child Struggling With . . .

Hypersensitivity

Autism/Asperger’s

Inattentiveness

ADD/ADHD

Developmental Delay

Social Struggles

Learning Difficulties

Inappropriate Behavior

Anxiety

Motor Skills

Poor Eye Contact

Impulsiveness

We Invite You to Attend

Brain Development 101

Saturday, January 29 9 am to 5 pm

Community Church, 3536 Monroe Street, Santa Clara, CA., 95051-1419

Course Objectives: By the end of the seminar, you will understand:

* how a child learns

* the root cause of most learning problems

* the seven main areas of brain function

* the order in which the brain learns all functions

* the significant milestones of brain development

* how to support and stimulate the healthy development of the brain

* what you can do TODAY if a child is not developing properly in some area

* the joy of understanding a child and participating in their development & learning

Donna Bateman, Neurodevelopment Specialist and mother of eight children, will lead you through the Integrative & Developmental Progression Chart. Learn about the aspects of a child’s physical, emotional, social, and neurological development and your critical role.

For information and registration contact Patty Ezell at 408-362-9780 or patrealee@gmail.com Please bring a lunch for a “working” break.

Cost is $90 per couple (normally $125) which includes materials.

Donna can be reached at http://www.parentswithpurpose.com/

Funny or Sad or Both?

What Defines Me Is My Determination

Today's guest post is written by a wonderfully inspirational young lady, Erin Breedlove. I am completely blown away by her blog, Empower People, Change Lives. I often joke that Austin will probably grow up to be a doctor because he has such an extensive medical background. As you will read Erin's dream is to do just that, I have no doubt that her drive and determination will take her all the way to the top.

Without further ado:

As a college student with cerebral palsy, I find that there are certain words, often used to describe those with disabilities, that are derogatory in terms of the way that they describe people like me and unlike me, the ones that have worked so diligently to get to where they are today.

Handicapped implies that there is a figurative “cap” on the things that students with extra challenges can achieve and perform. The truth is, though, that there aren’t any limitations on anyone. The only limits that are set are the ones that you set for yourself. For instance, I will graduate from college as a music therapist and will obtain a board certification and a certification in neurologic music therapy. Upon graduation, I will hopefully attend Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine to obtain my MD in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation so that I can assist others in achieving the maximum level of independence and the highest quality of life possible.

By default, I expend more energy by nine o’clock in the morning as someone without my challenges might by nine o’clock in the evening. Every day, my muscles are fighting with themselves. They all think that they have a job to do when only one muscle or limb of my body should be exerting energy. Because I am a college student and my classes are in different buildings, I need to have the energy to transport myself from building to building, which is heavily aided by the fact that both buildings that house my classes are adjacent to the dormitory building. Even before I think about transitioning from one building to the next, I must wake, get dressed, put on my shoes, makeup, and brush my hair and teeth. Nightly, my routine consists of relaxation, homework, preparing for the next day, dinner, and shower. Though it seems quite structured, I have learned which things work for me. For instance, Facebook and Twitter are things that I use to wind down during the day and to maintain energy levels. I find things that are easy and practical for me. I can access Twitter and Facebook on my Blackberry, so the issue of carrying the laptop when you’re waiting for class is just not a big issue. Blogging has also helped me, in recent days, to accommodate the fact that I do need social interaction while getting cognitive stimulations through the articles and thought-provoking stories that you always hear in association with the community of people with disabilities. Now, I will have an even greater impact on the way that people with disabilities and other injuries and conditions live and thrive throughout the course of their injuries and side effects. Handicapped? I think not!

Disabled implies that an individual is not “adequately able” to perform a given task. While the individual may not be able to complete the task in the same manner that individuals without impairments might be able, the task is, in fact, one that is completed. Therefore, full credit is deserved. For example, when hanging clothes on hangers, I lay the hanger on a flat surface to clip pants or hang shirts. Different process to get there. Same result.

The word disabled has many meanings to many people, but I have often been surprised by the fact that the Americans with Disabilities Act doesn’t have a section in which it is addressed as to which terminology is generally user-friendly and acceptable. You’ve all seen the “Campaign to End the R-Word” groups online, and personally, I believe disabled should be at the very top of this list as well. Because I’m disabled doesn’t mean that I have less entitlement to goods and services in the USA, so why should it even be used? My favorite alternative for the “r-word” has to be “developmentally progressing,” which implies that the individual isn’t quite where they need to be…just yet. They will get there. Where there’s a will, there’s a way. I am comforted by the fact that when I apply to medical school, they will not be permitted to turn me away because of my disability, and for those who have or work with younger children, you might encounter situations in which children are under the impression that they will be discriminated on the basis of their disability. It is vital that you ensure that they understand that in 2010, that should not and will not be the case. In college, the discrimination, if you will, rarely happens on our campus, but it did for the student who was told he couldn’t live in the dorms because of his challenges. At the college-level, you have so many classes with so many different people that no one remembers that you weren’t in the class taking the test with the rest of the class because you had extended testing time; I feel that public elementary, middle, and high schools should make a conscious effort at blending other students in with students who may have challenges, even beyond the basics of inclusion.

It doesn’t take a word to let your child know his or her challenges. It takes a day in his or her shoes for him or her to show you his or her challenges.