9 years ago
Showing posts with label homeschooling. Show all posts
Showing posts with label homeschooling. Show all posts
The School Day
Today I managed to get in this year's first full day of school!
After settling into Ella's schedule, I had reassessed our priorities and retooled our school day and came up with a new system that would allow us to get the important stuff done.
The new school plan is based on a simple checklist of modules with interchangeable components. During this phase, a typical school day will include at minimum: four RDI activities, a heavy emphasis on toilet training, three fine motor and two gross motor exercises, helping to care for Ella three times over the course of the day, and at least four occurrences of something I've labeled "quality time" (this is basically delight-directed one-on-one time with Shiloh and Julie or myself). I also generated a list of activities for each module, which makes planning the day a breeze.
Today was our first day on the new plan, and it went remarkably well. I was able to complete all of my goals for the day (in between fiddling with Ella) with enough time for us to cook supper, do some housework, and spend the evening together.
In other news, Shiloh was perception-sharing at Walmart today (this has been one of his developmental goals that we've been working quite hard on). He also said, "Here," when showing me where something was. Yay, Shiloh!
Picture-Symbols
Because Shiloh does not yet verbalize, we have put together a book of picture-symbols. Called "the idea book", it is a picture list of things that Shiloh can do. This is to compensation strategy that was designed to help him deal with his uncertainty (of what to do next).
His therapist took some of the photos, because she has taken pictures for magazines and brochures in the past. By the time they were ready, however, we had thought of a number of other things to go in the book. After getting my new camera, I was able to take the pictures myself. Are they magazine-quality?
IEP
We've completed our new IEP for Shiloh's 2009-2010 school year, which officially began on Tuesday. I send this every year to the Homeschooling Office, along with my Homeschooling Notification Form. If Shiloh completes any of these objectives during the year, then I will update the IEP and send the revised copy with the required Progress Report in January or June.
I was planning to post the majority of the IEP here, but it's quite long and boring. Suffice to say, we're back in the saddle and ready for the coming year.
School Days
Life Skills. This includes toileting, brushing teeth, brushing hair, washing, etc. The eventual goal of each of these is independence. He's getting better at this every day.
Dressing. This is also a Life Skill, but it gets it's own heading in the book. Shiloh has come a long way since January, and can now take off and put on all of his clothes without assistance (except for fasteners, of course).
Gestures. At mealtimes, he is encouraged to use learned gestures to indicate what he would like to eat. He's gotten quite good at several of them, particularly the one for eggs. Guess what his favorite food is.
Chore(s). This usually rotates from day to day, because all of us get tired of doing the same thing every day. Some days he washes dishes, some days he puts them away; other days he vacuums, does laundry, puts away his clothes, or straightens up the living room. A few of these things he has learned to do fairly independently.
RDI. This one takes up the most time, but can also be the most relaxed due to the lifestyle nature of the therapy. What we do largely depends on what his current developmental goals are (the most recent ones were Emotion-Sharing, Resilience, and Co-regulation).
Physio. We have separated the trunk exercises and the leg exercises and rotate them on separate days. Today was trunk day, so Shiloh had to do two sets of each of the following exercises:
- Preps
- Sit ups (combined with chin tucks)
- Bum bridges
- "Row-your-boats"
- Push ups
- Arm swings
- Crossovers
- Wheelbarrow
- Bilateral rows
- Some sort of reaching activity on all fours (this is a trunk and neck exercise)
- He also does ankle extensions every day (he has a bit of a problem with his right foot that we're trying hard to fix).
We've also recently included "Mouth play" to the list of OTEs to be done each day, which involves doing things that target his lips and tongue (picking up cheerios with his lips, chewing hard or textured things, licking suckers, etc.). The object of this is to get his mouth more coordinated, which will help immensely when he's ready to start talking.
We can usually finish with most of these things in a couple or three hours, freeing up the rest of the afternoon for RDI and playing outside. Our summer schedule is much more relaxed than the winter one, as we have to keep him busier when it's too cold to play outside. We've definitely been trying to take advantage of the warmer weather, since we don't seem to get it very often in this part of the world.
Every Thursday night is game night, which we haven't been doing a particularly good job keeping up with since Julie's been on the nest. This is Shiloh's favorite part of the week, though, since we play all sorts of fun games.
Since we started late, we still have fourteen school days left to go in this school year. We're planning to take August off, though, and have a bit of a break. After this week's good news, we think Shiloh deserves it -- and we do, too.
Paper Work
In Manitoba, parents are required to register for homeschooling and submit two Progress Reports per year: one at the end of January and one at the end of June. Every six months, the Home Schooling Liaison Officer at Manitoba Education, Citizenship and Youth gets a progress report from me on Shiloh's education status. I usually include an updated IEP (Individualized Education Plan) as well, but I've decided not to change it until the beginning of the next school year, as it's very likely that his goals will change over the summer.
The IEP contains a series of "Domains" (areas) that have specific objectives assigned to them. Of course, the IEP isn't exhaustive; we don't feel the necessity to include all of the elements of Shiloh's training in it. Currently, the IEP contains goals related to social thinking and communicating (RDI), gross motor, fine motor, and life skills. The progress report simply defines his current status in completing the objectives assigned in the IEP.
In any case, this is the progress report that I wrote for this term, in which I was pleased to report significant growth.
The IEP contains a series of "Domains" (areas) that have specific objectives assigned to them. Of course, the IEP isn't exhaustive; we don't feel the necessity to include all of the elements of Shiloh's training in it. Currently, the IEP contains goals related to social thinking and communicating (RDI), gross motor, fine motor, and life skills. The progress report simply defines his current status in completing the objectives assigned in the IEP.
In any case, this is the progress report that I wrote for this term, in which I was pleased to report significant growth.
Progress Report
Date: June 5th, 2009
Shiloh has continued to make steady progress in his Individualized Education Plan goals. The development of his social skills, problem solving, thinking skills, self awareness, and memory continues to increase.
Because Shiloh’s 2008/2009 school year began later than normal (September 16th, 2008), and due to the nature of the RDI programming and physiotherapy requirements, Shiloh’s school year will continue into the summer. Therefore, Shiloh’s IEP will remain unchanged until the beginning of the next school year (2009/2010), at which time it will be updated with new goals.
Since January, Shiloh has showed progress in the following IEP domains:
Social Thinking and Communicating
1. Objective: Expressive and Receptive Communication: Function - to Share Experiences
Shiloh has demonstrated improvement in this area and video samples show an increase in his awareness of the primary purpose of communicating- to share experiences. During samples on file, Shiloh more readily shifts his gaze to considers the expressions of others (looking when others are communicating). He is starting to become “infected” by the more subtle emotions of others, - becoming excited when they are excited, smiling when they laugh. Shiloh is also now expressing a larger range of his own positive reactions to the experiences he is having. These thoughts are showing up on his face.
Shiloh does not yet pass this objective because he hasn’t yet discovered that others will react to his emotional expressions, and he should be looking for this reaction. When he shares his emotions and sees others react to them, he will discover that the feelings he has are “amplified” or they are “justified” or they are “surprising” to others. This is important feedback for Shiloh to have, and critical to the natural learning process. This objective will remain on his IEP for the next term.
Fine Motor Skills
1. Objective: To develop Shiloh’s fine motor functioning.
Shiloh has accomplished four of the six objectives in this domain. Shiloh has learned to screw and unscrew a 1” bottle cap, cut a 5” line with scissors without assistance, button and unbutton a ¾” button, and to put together a 4-5 piece puzzle without assistance. Shiloh will continue to maintain these skills, as well as working on the remaining three objectives for the remainder of the school year.
Gross Motor Skills
1. Objective: To further Shiloh’s gross motor functioning.
Shiloh has completed one of the five objectives in this domain: he has learned to jump down 8” with one foot leading. However, Shiloh has begun receiving regular physiotherapy from the Children’s Hospital in Winnipeg, and his new exercise regimen has been given priority. Shiloh will continue physiotherapy for the foreseeable future, and will also continue to work on the remaining four objectives in this domain for the remainder of the school year.
Procedural Knowledge: Life and Self-Care Skills
1. Objective: Shiloh will learn to use the toilet. He will recognize his own need to toilet, and will communicate this to his caregivers.
Shiloh has shown increased discomfort and awareness when wet or soiled, and on numerous occasions has alerted his caregivers to this fact. Warmer weather has allowed us to facilitate necessary programming changes to further this objective. This objective will remain on his IEP for the next term.
2. Objective: Shiloh will learn to dress and undress himself with little assistance.
Shiloh has greatly improved his skill in this domain. Shiloh is now able to dress himself with only limited supervision. This objective will remain on his IEP for the next term.
3. Objective: Shiloh will learn to use a washcloth or towel for personal hygiene.
Shiloh has made marked improvement in this domain. He has learned to dry his face using a towel, and has also learned a detailed hygiene procedure and sequence (including washing and drying his face, brushing his teeth, combing his hair, etc). This objective will remain on his IEP for the next term.__
Because Shiloh’s 2008/2009 school year began later than normal (September 16th, 2008), and due to the nature of the RDI programming and physiotherapy requirements, Shiloh’s school year will continue into the summer. Therefore, Shiloh’s IEP will remain unchanged until the beginning of the next school year (2009/2010), at which time it will be updated with new goals.
Since January, Shiloh has showed progress in the following IEP domains:
Social Thinking and Communicating
1. Objective: Expressive and Receptive Communication: Function - to Share Experiences
Shiloh has demonstrated improvement in this area and video samples show an increase in his awareness of the primary purpose of communicating- to share experiences. During samples on file, Shiloh more readily shifts his gaze to considers the expressions of others (looking when others are communicating). He is starting to become “infected” by the more subtle emotions of others, - becoming excited when they are excited, smiling when they laugh. Shiloh is also now expressing a larger range of his own positive reactions to the experiences he is having. These thoughts are showing up on his face.
Shiloh does not yet pass this objective because he hasn’t yet discovered that others will react to his emotional expressions, and he should be looking for this reaction. When he shares his emotions and sees others react to them, he will discover that the feelings he has are “amplified” or they are “justified” or they are “surprising” to others. This is important feedback for Shiloh to have, and critical to the natural learning process. This objective will remain on his IEP for the next term.
Fine Motor Skills
1. Objective: To develop Shiloh’s fine motor functioning.
Shiloh has accomplished four of the six objectives in this domain. Shiloh has learned to screw and unscrew a 1” bottle cap, cut a 5” line with scissors without assistance, button and unbutton a ¾” button, and to put together a 4-5 piece puzzle without assistance. Shiloh will continue to maintain these skills, as well as working on the remaining three objectives for the remainder of the school year.
Gross Motor Skills
1. Objective: To further Shiloh’s gross motor functioning.
Shiloh has completed one of the five objectives in this domain: he has learned to jump down 8” with one foot leading. However, Shiloh has begun receiving regular physiotherapy from the Children’s Hospital in Winnipeg, and his new exercise regimen has been given priority. Shiloh will continue physiotherapy for the foreseeable future, and will also continue to work on the remaining four objectives in this domain for the remainder of the school year.
Procedural Knowledge: Life and Self-Care Skills
1. Objective: Shiloh will learn to use the toilet. He will recognize his own need to toilet, and will communicate this to his caregivers.
Shiloh has shown increased discomfort and awareness when wet or soiled, and on numerous occasions has alerted his caregivers to this fact. Warmer weather has allowed us to facilitate necessary programming changes to further this objective. This objective will remain on his IEP for the next term.
2. Objective: Shiloh will learn to dress and undress himself with little assistance.
Shiloh has greatly improved his skill in this domain. Shiloh is now able to dress himself with only limited supervision. This objective will remain on his IEP for the next term.
3. Objective: Shiloh will learn to use a washcloth or towel for personal hygiene.
Shiloh has made marked improvement in this domain. He has learned to dry his face using a towel, and has also learned a detailed hygiene procedure and sequence (including washing and drying his face, brushing his teeth, combing his hair, etc). This objective will remain on his IEP for the next term.__
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
