NPR: The Key to Raising a Brilliant Kid: Play

NPR: The Key to Raising a Brilliant Kid:  Play

https://www.npr.org/2019/10/10/769052767/the-key-to-raising-brilliant-kids-play-a-game

PPS Looks for Community Input for 2 Billion in New funding

Make your voice and priorities heard.  Fill out this survey and please advocate for our most vulnerable populations.

https://bit.ly/2P8nKTM

Https://bit.ly/31ueTOQ

https://bit.ly/31xVvR7

Book Creator - Free for Educators

https://spark.adobe.com/page/Gn7HwKfZW02ce/

All teachers now have access to Book Creator, a simple tool for creating digital books. You can create your own teaching resources or have your students combine images, audio and video to create: interactive stories, digital portfolios, research journals, poetry books, science reports, instruction manuals, comics, and much more. To get started, follow the simple steps below. Check out the Resources for Teachers page to help you make the most of Book Creator in your classroom.

1. Create a teacher account by signing in to app.bookcreator.com/sign-in/teacher. You'll create your first library as soon as you start using the app.
2. This library will have an invite code which you can give to students. Next, students sign in using Clever. They can also sign in at app.bookcreator.com. They can use their district Google account to sign in.
3. Once students have signed in, they'll enter your library invite code and join your library.

Sample Books

https://read.bookcreator.com/library/-LCESe5qTaw-qLZCBqm3

Organizational system and fine motor opportunity

I found this three layer tray at IKEA. They also sell butcher paper. My daughter and I outlined the tray and cut out the shape from the butcher paper. This can act as a liner, writing surface, snack mat, etc.  Students can practice their fine motor skills by cutting out the mats.

It’s a Spectrum” Doesn’t Mean What You Think.

“It’s a Spectrum” Doesn’t Mean What You Think | The Aspergian | A Neurodivergent Collective

https://theaspergian.com/2019/05/04/its-a-spectrum-doesnt-mean-what-you-think/

What happens when you add loose parts to recess?

Earthstock 2019 - Now Happening: https://www.earthstockpdx.com/

https://www.earthstockpdx.com/

A Nice Resource for Attention Deficit and Learning Disability

https://www.understood.org/en

Easy Shoe Tying


Shared by Melissa Williams PPS OT

Kawa Model - A way to visualize the flow and blockages to our life and growth.

In the Kawa Model water represents your life flow.  The rocks represent barriers or blockages to that flow.  Drift wood can enhance or block life flow.  The silt at the bottom can be past experiences and also shape the flow of your life.

It can be therapeutic to draw your own Kawa Life Flow model and label the components.  You can also help your client or friend do the same.  Recognition of the variables, people, and experiences that influence life, may help you better shape the way you move through it. 

http://www.kawamodel.com/v1/2017/07/06/681/

Makey Makey Project

Neurosequential Model Explained

Full article can be found here: 

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1UN0UeATzd6aTnAi7mZ9e6KQAvzQh3nz3/view?usp=sharing

Additional Article found here:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1vF88aGiIOdVW9MNztJ3bPGnbFepA2rKu/view?usp=sharing

Modified Trays for Sorting Activities - Kathy Toomey COTA

Kathy Toomey recently helped me fabricate some nice trays for students with CP.  The modified tray allows students with limited upper extremity (UE) mobility to practice sorting (pre-vocational) activities and bringing UE into or crossing midline.  Thanks Kathy!

People With Disabilities Are Entitled to a Free Lifetime Pass to National Parks

People With Disabilities Are Entitled to a Free Lifetime Pass to National Parks - lifehacker.com If you or your child has a permanent disability you may be entitled to a free, lifetime pass to visit the National Parks and Federal

#repostedbyMelissaWilliamsOT

ODE Recommends Increased OT/PT Supports for Oregon School Systems

ODE recommendations for improving some of the problems in Oregon schools:
https://www.oregoned.org/images/uploads/blog/DisruptedLearning_Report_2019_v5.pdf?sfns=mo

What Makes a Good Fidget? A School-Based Approach and Tip Sheep

What Makes a Good Fidget? 

A School-Based Approach and Tip Sheep

What makes a fidget helpful? What makes a fidget annoying? 

Kids and school-based occupational therapists (OT's) may be the best people to ask the first question.
Teachers may best be able to answer the latter. As an OT working in the schools I see too many fidgets fall into the category of annoying.  Then I see them literally fall into the waste bin.  This could be because there was insufficient training when the fidget was handed out.  It could also be the design of the fidget or the distractibility of the students or teacher.  Regardless, there are some ways to make fidget a useful tool for dealing with anxiety, the need for movement, and in developing fine motor skills.

For more tips and guidelines, check out this ever evolving document:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1t-Ub-j5KM-8p1ZpJ8ScZtmY2dQMBjAxYB2A5nGTQsLw/edit?usp=sharing

A stressed society: What is plaguing our kids?

PORTLAND, Ore. — We’re a stressed society, and it’s impacting adults all the way down to kids.

“What we’re seeing is more people under more stress and, therefore, children struggling more with typical developmental challenges that they have to face,” said Dr. Ajit Jetmalani, director of child and adolescent psychiatry at OHSU.

ADHD, or attention deficit hyperactive disorder, anxiety and depression are the most common psychiatric or mental health diagnoses for children.

Full article here:

https://katu.com/features/kind-is-better/a-stressed-society-what-is-plaguing-our-kids

Video:

https://katu.com/features/kind-is-better/a-stressed-society-what-is-plaguing-our-kids