Virtual Instruction: 7 Tips for Fun & learning with the Littles
Virtual learning, teaching, instruction, whatever you want to call it, is hard. H-A-R-D hard! I don’t need to list out the thousand reasons why. We are experiencing it first hand. It’s hard for us and it’s hard for our learners. Especially challenging for us as...
Determining Intent: Avoiding Over-reactions
Uh oh, why so upset? “Hey, watch where you’re going!” Nobody likes getting bumped into or having their foot stepped on or their important papers spilled on, but it happens. On the flip side, nobody likes getting yelled at or scolded for things that were not...
Get your BST on: Research Supports You!
We recognize the need for social skills supports. Just look at the DSM-5 criterion for autism spectrum disorder diagnosis. To meet diagnostic criteria for ASD according to DSM-5, a child must have persistent deficits in each of three areas of social communication and...
USOPAC, USOPAC, USOPAC, chant it with me!
USOPAC pronounced “you so pack” is how we, the cool kids of Team MC, refer to Dr. Parten’s 6 stages of Play: Unoccupied, Solitary, Onlooker, Parallel, Associative & Cooperative. The field of applied behavior analysis, just loves those acronyms, so why not add...
Play Purchases: How to avoid buying all of FB marketplace
Toys & games are expensive! But…we NEED them if we are teaching play & social skills, right! Before diving into the conversation on how to avoid buying all the things, I want to share some more general information about the purchases we make in our centers...
Go ahead, buy the fun, nice stuff!
I’d like to introduce our “Privilege Poofs”! I eyed these up in Walmart awhile back and then circled back to touch them and ehhh maybe hug them (they’re so soft!) at least 3 times all the while internally arguing with myself that we NEED them, no we don’t, yes we do,...
Cues or Prompts?
As we know, our learners with special educational needs often require additional supports to acquire new skills or display certain behaviors that will help them to be more independent and successful in less restrictive environments. When we add something to the...
The 123’s of FCT
Ever seen problem behavior? Yep, me too! There are 2 main functions of behavior. People are either engaging in a behavior to GET something (attention/item/activity/sensory stimulation) or GET AWAY from something (attention/item/activity/sensory stimulation) Is it ok...
Avoiding Teaching Play?
Play is so much fun, isn’t it!? Well, maybe not if you are the adult crawling around on the floor neighing like a horse or running around the room with your arms outstretched making your best jet plane noises only to be met by a less than impressed kiddo or a little...
Go With The Flow! Teaching FLexibility
If you work with children with autism and related disabilities, I am pretty confident that at some point, you have shown a learner a picture and asked, “How are they feeling?” Good goal, right? Well, that depends…what’s the point of this activity? Often times when we...
Teaching Emotions: Why & How
If you work with children with autism and related disabilities, I am pretty confident that at some point, you have shown a learner a picture and asked, “How are they feeling?” Good goal, right? Well, that depends…what’s the point of this activity? Often times when we...
Lets have some fun! Wait… is it actually fun for everyone?
Some of my fondest childhood memories were from family game night. Sitting around laughing, joking and maybe sometimes getting a little too competitive! Why is it then that until recently I rarely allotted time for games with my learners? Just like teaching play...
QR Codes Deciphered
At least once a day every day, I think about what it would be like to just get rid of my phone, like throw it into the woods and run off to the minimalist life. I know I wouldn’t be able to last a day, but just the thought of returning to the simple life is so nice...
More Than Words: The power of teaching non verbal communication
One of my absolute favorite set of activities we do with the kids at Mission Cognition Social Skills Development Center is related to non verbal communication. In the office, we call these our “No Words” days. On these days, staff are not allowed to communicate using...
Welcome
Hello there…After nearly 15 years working with individuals with autism and related disabilities, pursuing formal education, attending conferences, watching webinars, reading everything I possibly can, networking with colleagues and listening to families, I’ve come up...