Transcript Elementary Peer to Peer Support Goal

Elementary Peer to Peer
Support Goal
Enhance the Elementary Proposal to
Increase the Implementation of
Elementary Peer to Peer Support
Programs Beyond Lunch and Recess
Elementary Break Session
Afternoon of the 1st Day
• Proposal Primary Focus of Group
• Present the Elementary Proposal to small
groups or individuals – Familiarize
• Increase Implementation Options
Example of a Student with ASD
Integrated ½ Day 4th Grade
Example of 1st Grade Student
with ASD Integrated Full Day
Increase Implementation Options
• Elementary Students with ASD Providing
Own Sensitivity Awareness to the
Classroom they are Attending
• Laurie Potie – Shepherd Community
Schools
Brainstorm
• How does this fit into proposal?
• Will people need more information to
implement?
• Who helps student with ASD Create
Power Point?
• Next Steps?
Increase Implementation Options
• General Education Teacher Implementing
Peer to Peer Support Program in General
Education Classroom
• Lisa Carruthers – Troy Schools
Our journey began with a SMILE!
We ventured through the school year
with some highs and lows.
We tackled each week
TOGETHER knowing
we are “linked”.
Lisa Carruthers
3rd Grade (former 5th grade teacher)
Leonard Elementary School
Troy, MI
Very early in this journey
We were reminded of the
Power of One all over again!
The Power Of One
One song can spark a moment,
One whisper can wake the dream.
One tree can start a forest,
One bird can herald spring.
One smile begins a friendship,
One moment can make one fall in love.
One star can guide a ship at sea,
One word can frame the goal
One vote can change a nation,
One sunbeam lights a room
One candle wipes out darkness,
One laugh will conquer gloom.
One step must start each journey.
One word must start each prayer.
One hope will raise our spirits,
One touch can show you care.
One voice can speak with wisdom,
One heart can know what's true,
One life can make a difference,
You see, it's up to you!
Ashish Ram
Our Story…
• 29 third grade students with
various needs that include:
– English Language Learners (5) – 2 of
which are new to the country
– Reading Support (6)
– Support Services such as
occupational therapy, teacher
consultant, social work, etc. (4)
– ASD (1)
• District offered ASD training
with Maureen Ziegler and my
principal asked if I was willing to
go.
• Shared what I learned with
child’s parents.
• Hold on to your seats!
• Training
• Shared with staff
• Helping my little guy as he
progressed through the grades
was a pivotal point for me and
pursued further training in the
Peer to Peer program
• Attended a 2 day Peer to Peer
training with START!
• Came up with a plan to
implement at an elementary level
with the assistance and approval
of child’s parents, Special
Education Department, and
district.
T.E.A.M. Time
Together Everyone Achieves More
• We started small – focused on ONE
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Powerpoint presentation led by Peer (parent present)
Pamphlet was given to students to share at home
27 out of 29 students signed up to be a LINK
PEER and LINK responsibilities created by ALL stakeholders
Names of Links for the first week were shared
•
Check-in
– Daily or as needed
– Weekly during TEAM Time
– All students take notes to reflect on week (individually) in written form in writer’s
notebooks
– Complete debrief sheet (Celebrations, Problems, Solutions) together through
Link/Peer discussion (Friends share their thinking when appropriate)
– Send copy of debrief sheet home with Peer and Link to share with parents
– Friends take notes during process in preparation for their Link time or in reflection
– Responsibilities for PEER and LINK are on desks (visual reminder for Peer, Link, and
Teacher)
•
Reset
– New week = 2 new Links with one carry over from week
prior
– Revisit goals/reflections from debrief of week prior to
start current week’s debrief
– Review confidentiality and respect of personal
situations
Tips to remember:
Keep it simple
Keep it do-able
Keep it REAL!
Our vision for
creating a classroom
of LINKS is to
promote a learning
environment that
understands the
strengths of its
members and
provides support to
everyone, including
the teacher!
We may start with
ONE, however our
“ripple” will reach far
beyond our third
grade classroom!
Through this process experiences may include…
LINK
what a Link is really about!
TANK
…like being a fish
out of water!
Most of all…
THINK
reflecting, learning, and
THINKing about life
through a new lens!
the gamut of
emotions…
remembering
to breathe!
feeling like WE
could do anything?
falling in love over and
over, and over again!
BE the Power of…
…MAKE A DIFFERENCE!
Brainstorm
• How to get General Education Teacher
Buy In
• How to keep it simple, real, doable
• How does this fit into proposal?
• Will people need more information to
implement?
• Next Steps?
Increase Implementation Options
• Cross Aged Peers Supporting Students with
ASD in both General Education and ASD
Classroom
• Erin Gauthier – Martin Schools - Allegan ESA
Cross age LINKS - Scheduling
• DON’T OVER THINK IT!!!
• If a LINK doesn’t work out, we can move them
later
• Everyone deserves a chance
• Figure out who needs the support and start
there
Cross age Peers finally start in
January
• 2 day training
– Used START Materials and Classroom specific examples to
show an overview
• 37 Middle School/High School LINKS
• Syllabus
– Used STARTS generic outline and modified for our program
• Expectations
– Attendance is important!
• BE A FRIEND!
Middle School High School LINKS
• Earn credit for the course
• Learn about Autism
– 1 Lecture class a month and 1 case conference a
month (for this year)
• Develop a friendship
• Mentor same age peers
Lectures - Autisminternetmodules.com
Mentoring Same Age Peers
• Teaching the same age peers how to help out
their friend
– Teaching them to play a new game at recess
– Friendly reminders to stay quiet
– Social cues – “we don’t kiss at school”
– Showing them how to help in specific situations
Develop Friendships
Increased Engagement
Brainstorm
• Benefits of Cross-Aged Peers
• Where do you find Cross-Aged Peers
• This is in the proposal, do we need to
make changes to the proposal?
• Will people need more information to
implement?
• Next Steps?
Increase Implementation Options
• Books About Students with ASD
• Lanyards and Badges for Elementary
Students
• Laurie Potie – Shepherd Community Schools
All about me!
Hi! My name is Amara.
I have a very special story to read to
you. It is ALL ABOUT ME and
something called Autism.
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This is my family. My mom, my stepdad, my little sister Layla and me.
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This is my Uncle David and Aunt Katie.
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This is my grandma and grandpa.
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I also have a dog named Rex. He
is a blue heeler.
I love my family very much and I
know they love me too.
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I like a lot of things but the really
special things are:
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That’s not all. I also love:
I bet some of you like that stuff too.
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Something else about me is I have
something called Autism Spectrum
Disorder.
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That is a really long way to say my
brain developed differently.
You can’t see my brain so it is hard to understand
what that means. I will try to explain it.
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I was born with Autism. The
doctor’s don’t know what causes
Autism but they do know it is not
anyone’s fault that I have Autism,
it just happens.
Kind of like some kids are born
with allergies or asthma.
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Some things are harder for me than they
are for other kids. Loud noises seem
even louder to me and I don’t always like
to be touched. This is because my eyes,
ears, nose, skin, and mouth are more
sensitive than other kids.
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I have a hard time understanding the
social stuff at school. Like my voice is
louder than it should be sometimes. I
don’t always know when it is OK to
make noises and when I need to be
quiet.
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I really like school but some things
about school are hard for me so I
have an adult to help me during the
day, her name is Cheryl.
Cheryl is with me when I get to school
until the end of the school day.
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I leave the classroom sometimes and
go see other teachers. Mrs. B is one of
my teachers.
Mrs. B helps me with Math and Reading.
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This is Mrs. Moeggenberg,
she is my Speech teacher.
She helps me learn how to make sounds and
understand what others are saying to me.
Sometimes I have a hard time communicating so I
will use my hands instead of my words. I don’t
mean to hurt you and I am trying hard to use my
words to say what I need.
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This is Mrs. Stempky, she is my
Occupational Therapist.
Mrs. Stempky helps me practice writing,
coloring, cutting, and drawing.
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When things are hard for me at school I
sometimes need to take a break. When I take a
break I might go get my blanket and go to the
back of the room. Once I feel more relaxed I will
come back and be with the kids.
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Sometimes when I am upset at school
I go to a place called Time Away.
Time away is a small room just down
the hall where I can calm down and
then come back to the classroom.
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If I get REALLY upset at school,
adults have to hold me tight.
When adults hold me tight it feels like a
BIG HUG. I am OK when adults hold me
tight and after a few minutes I feel
better.
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I know these things are different about
me. Sometimes I scribble when I color.
Sometimes I have trouble sitting on the
rug. Sometimes I have putty or balls in my
hands. These are called “fidgets”.
These things are different because
of my Autism. We are all different
and that makes life fun!
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Please remember that I like school
and friends and want to play with
kids. Please include me when you
are playing and ask me to do fun
things.
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I will always have Autism but that is
just one part of me and it is getting
easier for me every day.
Thanks for listening to my story and if you have any
questions, please ask!
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Brainstorm
• How does this fit into proposal?
• Will people need more information to
implement?
• Who Creates the Book about the
Student with ASD
• Who Creates the Lanyards and Badges
for Peer to Peer Support Students
• Next Steps?
Other Ideas
List in Order of Importance Additions
to the Current Proposal
Thank You for Taking Elementary
Peer to Peer Support…
Beyond Lunch and
Recess