Transcript Circle of Friends Lesha's Twist

Circle of Friends
CHMS & Lesha’s Twist
12/4/06
Introductions
 Lesha Gates – Special Educator/ Autism
Consultant at Camels Hump Middle
School & Chittenden East Supervisory
Union
 Mark Carbone – Principal at Camels
Hump Middle School
Activities
 1- 20 ( debrief)
 123 Look (debrief)
Where did COF comes from?
 Netwon, Colin & Derek Wilson. Creating
Circle of Friends
 Tonight you will hear CHMS & Lesha’s
Twist
Why COF @ CHMS
 It is a need that should be met in the
school community.
 CHMS COF: To provide access to
natural friendships across peers that are
self-sustaining.
History of COF at CHMS
We have been running and supporting
Circle of Friends group at Camels Hump
successfully for 5 years. We have built
and supported 4 different groups in that
time. Currently we have one group in
their second year and are in the process
of forming 2 new groups. Lesha
continues to support two groups that
have transitioned to the high school
MEET COF Groups:
 Madeline’s Group
 Picture #1 5th grade year
 Pictures #2 & #3
 Video Clip # 1 ( 15 minutes)
Group Formation:
 Facilitators Commitment
 Parent Commitment
 Teacher Commitment
 Administrative Commitment
 Student Commitment
Student Commitment
Consider:
 Age group
 Group #
 Boys vs girls
 Time commitment varies
 Each group is different a varies on need
How are students chosen?
 Teacher and administrators select
 Volunteer
Pre - activities
 New classes/New Peers: Introduction to
classmates in groups of two around a
reinforcing activity
 If class has been together for a while
(popcorn & skittle activity) to whole class
and then ask for volunteers
Popcorn and skittle activity
 Outside row ( family)
 Next: Community ( church, gas station
 People paid to be in your life( teacher,
Dr.)
 Friends/Acquaintances ( hi, how are you)
 Close Friends( you call on the phone, do
things outside of school)
 Attached sheets
Key Concept:
 You are building natural supports not
teacher helpers
Cycle of Meetings
 Joint Connections: On-going learning
about each other and what they have in
common
 Community Services
 Celebration
Joint Connection Examples:
 Reading Ian’s Walk
 Risk Zone and Safety Zone
 Planning to Include
 Laughing at yourself and Laughing at
others
 Sensory Activities ( clip # 2 – 30 sec.)
Community Involvement
 ( after group is established ) we found
that the best way to solidify natural
friendships is to have students
participate in volunteer activity outside of
school
 i.e. Ronald McDonald House, baking
Dog Biscuits, school assemblies
Celebrations
 Recognition for what they have done so
far is a regular occurrence whether it
involves displaying posters, notes home,
quarterly specials
Other Activities Supported by
COF
 Unified Sports ( power point )
 after school sports programs supported initially through
Special Olympics and then supported by the school and
private donations. Involves recruiting students with
disabilities and their peers without disabilities to partner
as they participate in sports activities such as soccer,
floor hockey, snowshoeing, bowling, and skiing
Other Activities Cont.
Summer program - the summer program is
designed to focus on retention of IEP goals
including self-care, academics and the primary
focus, social relationship development and
maintenance. CHMS – CAMP NO NAME
Group involvement in the curriculum (theme
projects with one of the CoF who is in his class,
support when IA is absent and no sub)
Teachers and Advocates
Successes - Testimonials
 M- – 1st year the girls ran to her dad’s car grabbed her stuff and







said bye to her dad – his reaction
2nd year - Mad went on the camping trip without her 1:1 a
request of her CoF and supported them ( required them to
rephrase directions, use visuals, help with fine and gross motor
tasks, take care of her hearing aids and FM system), skiing at
Sugar Bush and then Bolton – Skiing birthday party
J – learning to communicate with hand signals treky, high five,
knuckles, E.T., wicked
A – boys taught him when to swear, what to wear, and why not
to tell girls that you love them
A – help picking out a dress for 8th grade graduation, help with
being laughed out and laughing with
R- support at school dances, independence in the community
Clip # 3 Ms. Zagursky - Teacher
Clip # 4 Carol Bennett – Madeline’s Mom
Struggles
 It is very adult heavy in the beginning. It
is a big commitment and time needs to
be allotted for planning and
communicating.
 Inclusion vs. Exclusion
 Not building teacher helpers
Josh’s Story
 Clip # 4
 Clip # 5
 Att: notes from first year meetings (quick
jots excuse GUM and typos) and parent
testimonial
 Thank You Josh (and Hilary) for letting
us share your story
Questions
 Thank You