November 18th, 2016
A few days ago, I saw a post on Facebook that truly inspired me. I have these fantasies about homeschooling my girls and traveling as a family. I love their school. They have awesome teachers. I have no problems with their experience at school. If they are going to attend school, KPS is my number one choice. However, both my girls beg me to stay home on a weekly, sometimes daily basis. Why? They are both introverts. They hate crowds and loud noises. They feel drained by the end of the day, not from the physical exertion but the strain of togetherness when what they really want is some quite time to draw, read, think and be.
Here is the quote that got me thinking:
"What if... instead of worrying about whether we should give kids gold stars for participating or gold stars for being the best, we involve kids in real world activities where the end result of the activity itself is the reward? Teach them gardening, woodworking, repair skills, fibre arts, sewing, cooking, get them out hiking somewhere with a gorgeous view. Raise animals and have them learn to care about something other than themselves. Have them help out a grandparent or elderly neighbour. Our society has lost sight of what's truly important in life. It's time to find it again". (Grow Food, Not Lawns).
I am convinced that our children would benefit from applying the knowledge they need to retain rather than trying to master information long enough to pass a test. What they learn in school is so abstract. When are they going to use long division? If they spend time in nature, learning about trees, plants, insects and animals, they will naturally feel more grounded and be inclined to protect the environment because they have a relationship with nature, they'll want to preserve it.
I have witnessed the detrimental effect of the school's health curriculum on preteens. We are so focused on avoiding child obesity that we are creating a generation of young girls who count calories and compare the size of their thighs, worrying that they will become obese. Why not teach them how to grow healthy food and eat fruits and veggies? There are no labels and packaging when you shop in your garden or greenhouse. How empowering would it be for children to learn how to prepare tasty, healthy food?
Math can be applied to every day situations from having a budget and shopping for food together, clipping coupons, comparing prices to find the best deal, paying bills, donating to charity and saving up for something special. Cooking and geometry go hand in hand. The same goes for woodworking. You can create many science experiments in your home with cheap materials like baking soda, dish soap and vinegar. Children's can pursue interests such as art, karate, gymnastics during the day rather than at the end of the day when they are exhausted.
What if we taught our children to be compassionate and gave them tools to succeed socially? Identifying and expressing emotions in a constructive way would be a start, coping with stress and anxiety, communicating with peers and adults in a positive way, learning to respect the boundaries of others while creating and enforcing their own. There is so much to learn in life and much of the important skills that make our children into good citizens are not taught. Why is that?
My friend Chris, who is from BC, told me about the elementary school she went to, an agricultural school where farming was included in the curriculum. That is genius! Is anyone else feeling that need to make education hands-on? I have the vision but I have no clue where to start. I'd love to hear some suggestions.
Anne Walsh
www.artnsoul.org
Showing posts with label life skills. Show all posts
Showing posts with label life skills. Show all posts
Friday, 18 November 2016
Thursday, 25 February 2016
Parent for life
February 23rd, 2016
The issue of caring for children even into adulthood never occurred to me until a woman asked for help with her son. He was employed a few hours a week and needed a ride home from work. The mother was able to drop him off on her way to work but she couldn't bring him back home after his shift just a few hours later. Her son had just graduated from high school and this was his first opportunity to work in the community. For young adults with Asperger Syndrome, transitioning from high school can be tricky. An opportunity to gain work skills can not be passed up. I was free at the time her son was done his shift so I offered to give him a ride home.
I wasn't sure what to expect. He was waiting for me outside his workplace when I arrived on the first day. We chatted on the way home about his responsibilities at work and whatever he purchased at the store. He was able to cook his own lunch and was looking forward to eating whatever was on the menu that day. As the weeks went by, I discovered his sense of humour and he opened up about his issues with family members, clients and the neighbours. I enjoyed our chats. He was very intelligent and interesting.
I have met other parents since then and learned about the tremendous pressure of loving an adult child with Asperger Syndrome. One of my mother's colleagues has an adult son who lives with them. She is worried about the future. She and her husband are aging and they worry about who will take care of their son when they are no longer able to do it. They have another son but they don't want to burden him with the responsibility. There aren't as many options for AS than for individuals with other needs.
A friend of mine has a teenage son on the spectrum. His friends are all getting their driver's licence but he is not able to get his. There are little realizations along the way that are challenging for individuals with AS and their loved ones.
In theory, there seems to be housing options. The Asperger Autism Network website (www.aane.org), recommends factors to consider when choosing adequate housing for individuals with AS. "It's important to choose housing that will support their sensory, social and environmental needs". They must have a place where they can be alone, comfortable and quiet.
According to an article in www.autismdigest.com dated July/August 2012, "it is estimated that approximately 500,000 individuals with ASD will reach adulthood in the next 15 years". This website proposes the use of the Functional Skills Screening Inventory (FSSI) in order to "improve services through observable behaviour change and by focusing on the functional living skills needed to be an integral part of the community". Once you have assessed the individual's strengths and needs, you can examine the variety of housing options ranging from adult foster homes to supervised apartments.
As you read about independent living, supported living and group homes, it can seem that finding appropriate accommodations is simply a matter of choice. However, as I speak to parents of adults on the spectrum, the reality is that these options are not available in their community. Therefore, parents are left to care for their adult offspring on their own or, with some assistance from an agency, while their son or daughter lives with them.
I did some research and found an exciting program in Texas. You may wonder why I am bothering to report on it since it is so far away. I think it can serve as a starting point and role model to inspire discussion and innovation in our community.
Marbridge is a residential program for individuals with AS. It "fulfills all nine of the Autism Society's quality of life indicators". Young adults come to this program after high school and Marbridge provides an individualized program for them to meet their personal goals. The focus may have to do with personal skills like self-care, life skills like cooking or washing laundry or, if the individual wishes to find employment, job skills including writing a resume and preparing for interviews.
The program was founded in 1953 but it has been re-vamped in 2001 to integrate "education, socialization, recreation, independent living skills and employment instructions". Their website is www.marbridge.org. Their home page boasts a success story, detailing the many steps that were taken to get this young man to his current independent life. We need more programs like these to support the many families seeking adequate solutions.
Anne Walsh
www.artnsoul.org
The issue of caring for children even into adulthood never occurred to me until a woman asked for help with her son. He was employed a few hours a week and needed a ride home from work. The mother was able to drop him off on her way to work but she couldn't bring him back home after his shift just a few hours later. Her son had just graduated from high school and this was his first opportunity to work in the community. For young adults with Asperger Syndrome, transitioning from high school can be tricky. An opportunity to gain work skills can not be passed up. I was free at the time her son was done his shift so I offered to give him a ride home.
I wasn't sure what to expect. He was waiting for me outside his workplace when I arrived on the first day. We chatted on the way home about his responsibilities at work and whatever he purchased at the store. He was able to cook his own lunch and was looking forward to eating whatever was on the menu that day. As the weeks went by, I discovered his sense of humour and he opened up about his issues with family members, clients and the neighbours. I enjoyed our chats. He was very intelligent and interesting.
I have met other parents since then and learned about the tremendous pressure of loving an adult child with Asperger Syndrome. One of my mother's colleagues has an adult son who lives with them. She is worried about the future. She and her husband are aging and they worry about who will take care of their son when they are no longer able to do it. They have another son but they don't want to burden him with the responsibility. There aren't as many options for AS than for individuals with other needs.
A friend of mine has a teenage son on the spectrum. His friends are all getting their driver's licence but he is not able to get his. There are little realizations along the way that are challenging for individuals with AS and their loved ones.
In theory, there seems to be housing options. The Asperger Autism Network website (www.aane.org), recommends factors to consider when choosing adequate housing for individuals with AS. "It's important to choose housing that will support their sensory, social and environmental needs". They must have a place where they can be alone, comfortable and quiet.
According to an article in www.autismdigest.com dated July/August 2012, "it is estimated that approximately 500,000 individuals with ASD will reach adulthood in the next 15 years". This website proposes the use of the Functional Skills Screening Inventory (FSSI) in order to "improve services through observable behaviour change and by focusing on the functional living skills needed to be an integral part of the community". Once you have assessed the individual's strengths and needs, you can examine the variety of housing options ranging from adult foster homes to supervised apartments.
As you read about independent living, supported living and group homes, it can seem that finding appropriate accommodations is simply a matter of choice. However, as I speak to parents of adults on the spectrum, the reality is that these options are not available in their community. Therefore, parents are left to care for their adult offspring on their own or, with some assistance from an agency, while their son or daughter lives with them.
I did some research and found an exciting program in Texas. You may wonder why I am bothering to report on it since it is so far away. I think it can serve as a starting point and role model to inspire discussion and innovation in our community.
Marbridge is a residential program for individuals with AS. It "fulfills all nine of the Autism Society's quality of life indicators". Young adults come to this program after high school and Marbridge provides an individualized program for them to meet their personal goals. The focus may have to do with personal skills like self-care, life skills like cooking or washing laundry or, if the individual wishes to find employment, job skills including writing a resume and preparing for interviews.
The program was founded in 1953 but it has been re-vamped in 2001 to integrate "education, socialization, recreation, independent living skills and employment instructions". Their website is www.marbridge.org. Their home page boasts a success story, detailing the many steps that were taken to get this young man to his current independent life. We need more programs like these to support the many families seeking adequate solutions.
Anne Walsh
www.artnsoul.org
Saturday, 9 January 2016
Technology, A Decidedly Love-Hate Relationship
January 9th, 2016
You may or may not have noticed that I missed a post on my blog for the first time yesterday. It wasn't because I was at a loss for things to say and, it had nothing to do with the seven 9 year olds partying at my home, celebrating my daughter's birthday. The problem was technology. My husband was contacted by a Bell representative and decided to upgrade our router. What we didn't know was that they disconnect your existing router and mail out a new one. We received our updated router yesterday but none of our devices worked despite the fact that all of them displayed full bars. My husband called Bell after work to complete the set up. They were progressing really well until they got disconnected. He looked at me and announced: "I've been disconnected from Bell", to which I replied: "Bell is the connector, how can they lose their own connection?" When my husband tried calling back, a recording informed him that the office was now closed. He was cut off because Bell's office was closed whether he was in the middle of a conversation or not.
We eventually got things sorted out and now I am able to post today's blog. What is ironic is that my post was about technology. It struck me yesterday, as I hosted a group of 9 year olds, how technology changes the way we live and interact. Most of the children showed up with an iPhone, usually their parent's old but still functional model. They used them to take photos. They pulled them out each time their was a few moments of free time (as I cleared off the table for art or prepared the cake). When I asked who would like to call their parents to say good night, some of them opted to text instead. When I said it was lights out, much to their chagrin, they were looking for outlets to plug in their phones. They also used their devices as a source of light so they could read or chat. They all noticed that we had no WiFi.
I have been lobbying to get into schools in order to offer art therapy workshops which promote pro-social behaviours. Our children learn to read, write and add but there are so many skills involved in living a full life that are taken for granted until you realize that they are lacking or underdeveloped in the next generation. I will give you a few examples. Looking at someone when they are talking to you is a given, right? Yet, you see so many couples out for supper, each checking their messages or texting. I even saw some of my college students texting each other at the library, they are sitting next to each other. Spelling is a skill that has been lost in an age of abbreviations and spell check. I once met with a student who wanted to discuss her assignment. She brought her computer and typed in ideas as we spoke. She would type in what she thought the word would look like and highlight it for spell check. She did this automatically and for most of the words.
Critical thinking and creativity are at risk. When assigning work as a college professor, I asked my students to pick a cause they were passionate about and answer a list of questions. I wanted their opinion. This assignment was not complicated but they needed to come up with the information on their own. You can't google your opinion. What I found was people would ask each other what they had picked for their topic and they would ask others for ideas.
Now I want to clarify, I am not anti-technology. I used my iPad when I was tutoring at-risk children who were struggling with the alphabet. They hated reading and the first time I called them over for tutoring, they dragged their feet. However, I played "Endless Alphabet"with them on my iPad and they were hooked. They got to recognize letters, hear how they sound, learn what the word meant, see a short animation about the word and watch monsters destroy the word on the screen. I use Facebook to connect with friends and relatives who live far away and to promote my business. I love that someone in Australia can read this blog and that I can offer a Skype art therapy workshop for women in a shelter at an undisclosed location.
What worries me is seeing young children who don't know what to do when they feel stressed, who try to think and act like everyone else, who stand at a regular sink and wait for the water to start automatically, stymied, who feel bored if they are not entertained even for a few minutes. They have lost their imagination, the concept that they can make things happen in the world around them, not just on Minecraft. What is frightening is witnessing this transition, as I have through volunteering in my children's classes. In Grade 1 students are excited by a box of art materials and can't wait to jump in and create. By Grade 4, students examine what others are making, venture a few ideas to check if others approve and ask for more assistance than they need.
I'd love to teach stress management, healthy emotional expression, boundaries, positive communication, creativity, community involvement and self-care, just to name a few. These skills will foster a generation of children who are self-aware, creative, confident and involved in the community. That sounds good to me! What do you think?
Anne Walsh
www.artnsoul.org
You may or may not have noticed that I missed a post on my blog for the first time yesterday. It wasn't because I was at a loss for things to say and, it had nothing to do with the seven 9 year olds partying at my home, celebrating my daughter's birthday. The problem was technology. My husband was contacted by a Bell representative and decided to upgrade our router. What we didn't know was that they disconnect your existing router and mail out a new one. We received our updated router yesterday but none of our devices worked despite the fact that all of them displayed full bars. My husband called Bell after work to complete the set up. They were progressing really well until they got disconnected. He looked at me and announced: "I've been disconnected from Bell", to which I replied: "Bell is the connector, how can they lose their own connection?" When my husband tried calling back, a recording informed him that the office was now closed. He was cut off because Bell's office was closed whether he was in the middle of a conversation or not.
We eventually got things sorted out and now I am able to post today's blog. What is ironic is that my post was about technology. It struck me yesterday, as I hosted a group of 9 year olds, how technology changes the way we live and interact. Most of the children showed up with an iPhone, usually their parent's old but still functional model. They used them to take photos. They pulled them out each time their was a few moments of free time (as I cleared off the table for art or prepared the cake). When I asked who would like to call their parents to say good night, some of them opted to text instead. When I said it was lights out, much to their chagrin, they were looking for outlets to plug in their phones. They also used their devices as a source of light so they could read or chat. They all noticed that we had no WiFi.
I have been lobbying to get into schools in order to offer art therapy workshops which promote pro-social behaviours. Our children learn to read, write and add but there are so many skills involved in living a full life that are taken for granted until you realize that they are lacking or underdeveloped in the next generation. I will give you a few examples. Looking at someone when they are talking to you is a given, right? Yet, you see so many couples out for supper, each checking their messages or texting. I even saw some of my college students texting each other at the library, they are sitting next to each other. Spelling is a skill that has been lost in an age of abbreviations and spell check. I once met with a student who wanted to discuss her assignment. She brought her computer and typed in ideas as we spoke. She would type in what she thought the word would look like and highlight it for spell check. She did this automatically and for most of the words.
Critical thinking and creativity are at risk. When assigning work as a college professor, I asked my students to pick a cause they were passionate about and answer a list of questions. I wanted their opinion. This assignment was not complicated but they needed to come up with the information on their own. You can't google your opinion. What I found was people would ask each other what they had picked for their topic and they would ask others for ideas.
Now I want to clarify, I am not anti-technology. I used my iPad when I was tutoring at-risk children who were struggling with the alphabet. They hated reading and the first time I called them over for tutoring, they dragged their feet. However, I played "Endless Alphabet"with them on my iPad and they were hooked. They got to recognize letters, hear how they sound, learn what the word meant, see a short animation about the word and watch monsters destroy the word on the screen. I use Facebook to connect with friends and relatives who live far away and to promote my business. I love that someone in Australia can read this blog and that I can offer a Skype art therapy workshop for women in a shelter at an undisclosed location.
What worries me is seeing young children who don't know what to do when they feel stressed, who try to think and act like everyone else, who stand at a regular sink and wait for the water to start automatically, stymied, who feel bored if they are not entertained even for a few minutes. They have lost their imagination, the concept that they can make things happen in the world around them, not just on Minecraft. What is frightening is witnessing this transition, as I have through volunteering in my children's classes. In Grade 1 students are excited by a box of art materials and can't wait to jump in and create. By Grade 4, students examine what others are making, venture a few ideas to check if others approve and ask for more assistance than they need.
I'd love to teach stress management, healthy emotional expression, boundaries, positive communication, creativity, community involvement and self-care, just to name a few. These skills will foster a generation of children who are self-aware, creative, confident and involved in the community. That sounds good to me! What do you think?
Anne Walsh
www.artnsoul.org
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