Suggested Circle Time Activities For The MH/DD Classroom and For The Development of Early Skills

These activities should take approximately 20 minutes in total. Choose one or two activities from each section. Rotate activities on a daily and weekly basis

1. Play "chimes" or "singing bowl" to get attention and settle down to start Circle Time.
2. Prayer - formal or spontaneous
3. Welcoming Song - "The More We Get Together" ( This can be personalized)
"Come and Make a Circle"
"Welcome Hello", p.400 from "IN GOD'S IMAGE"
4. Tactile Activities
- provide daily access to dry sensory play materials (rice, sand or beans);
- hide preferred toys in sensory play materials;
- therapy tubing or band to pull on, therapy putty, koosh balls, or rubber gloves filled with things like corn, rice, flour, etc.
- hand massage;
- fidget toys to hold quietly while listening;
- sitting in padded chair or bean bag chair, sitting against body pillow;
- any musical toys, kazoo, harmonica, party blowers, that require breath support;
- brushing;
- massage/back rub with varied lotions, powders, natural oils;
- tactile adventure bins with cornmeal, oatmeal, water, sand, lentils;
- treasure hunt/hide;
- play dough;
- foam soap or shaving cream;
- feelie bag, box or book - collect small items and different textures to match and sort;
- forts/ hide-outs - pillows, scarves, blankets and a flashlight;
- feelie road - small carpets, bath mats, rubber mat, sleeping bags;
- sticky play - tape, mac'tac;
5. Activities to develop: "Working With Children's Language", p.36-40, Cooke and Williams
Attention Control: Joint attention and early listening skills, work in sequential order through the attention control levels
LEVEL 1: To attract and sustain the child's attention to people, objects, and events in his environment, in order to promote sensorimotor and social interaction
LEVEL 2: To help the child tolerate the adult's presence and involvement in an activity of the child's own choosing
LEVEL 3: To establish the childs' own control over his focus of attention
6. Oral Motor Activities
- blow bubles with different types of wands and toys
- blow sound makers, party horns, pinwheels
- teach chld to blow bubbles through the straw into the liquid
- give child a whistle to blow
- use a feather and blow it off
7. Fine Motor Activities
- spray bottles nd squirt bottles to develop strength
- tongs for pre-scissors skills
- squeeze toys for water and air play
- eye droppers
- spinning tops
- wind up toys
- bubble paper popping
- blocks, puzzles
- play doh
- stringing beads
8. Gross Motor Activities
- walks and hikes
- tumbling
- big ball games
- bouncing
- obstacle courses
9. Closing Song or Finger Play

- TO BE CONTINUED

Bullying: Power of One Bully Prevention

Some feelings and behaviours are a normal part of growing up. However, the invisibility of some mental health disorders makes them easy to overlook, unlike a heart problem or a broken leg. It's often difficult to identify.

1 in 5 kids in Ontario struggles with their mental health such as anxiety disorder, depression, conduct disorder, ADHD, eating disorders, schizophrenia and bi-polar disorder etc. Conduct Disorder is such as bullying, vandalism etc. and 6 out of 10 ends up in prison later in life. Research has proven that early intervention is critical to providing a hopeful and healthy future for kids.

This is a video made for Bullying Presentation at Venerable John Merlini Catholic School. "The Power of One Oath: I will not bully others, I will not stand by while others are bullied, I will report bullying whenever I see it; because I have the power of one."

ADHD

Did you know that one of the most famous people with ADHD was Albert Einstein? Believe it or not, there are many successful people with ADHD: Alexander Graham Bell, Beethoven, Winston Churchill, Walt Disney, Will Smith, Abraham Lincoln, John F. Kennedy, Leo Tolstoy, Elvis Presley and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart etc.

These people are artistic, creative, intuitive, visionary, exuberant and original. ADHD does not mean that you cannot succeed or you cannot achieve your goals.

Today, we come across people with ADHD. They are doctors, lawyers, business owners, actors and artists. Many famous people throughout history have shown symptoms of ADHD and still achieve greatness. ADHD does not equate with failure.

What does it mean for Teachers?
http://www.canteach.ca/
http://snow.utoronto.ca/
- special needs opportunity window
- on-line resources and professional development for teachers and parents of students with special needs
www.addofoundation.org/linkseducation.htm
ADHD in Children:
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/adhd/ds00275/dsection=symptoms
ADHD in Adult:
www.webmd.com/add-adhd/guide/adhd-adults
Symptoms of ADHD and ADD:
www.webmd.com/add-adhd/guide/adhd-symptoms
Answers to your questions about ADHD:
http://www.ivillage.com/
Positives: Brad's Story
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z2hLa5kDRCA

Developing Music Program for DD and ME Students

"Musical training is a more potent instrument than any other, because rhythm and harmony find their way into the inward places of the soul and take the strongest hold there, bringing that grace of body and mind which is only to be found in one who is brought up in the right way." - Plato

One thing all my students have in common is a love for music. The learning of basic skills such as counting and recognizing colours can be made easier and more pleasurable by using appropriate songs and chants, and by coming together to dance and make music the students develop social skills. It also assists all children to develop coordination and motor-sensory skills, listening skills, creative thinking, and proficiency in speech and language.
http://www.storiesmusicandimagery.com/orff.html

Resource Guide for Teachers for Elementary Music: for Classroom teachers to Music Specialist: http://www.coalitionformusiced.ca/pdf/publications/Bibliography.pdf
Benefits of Music for Children with Special Needs:
www.ucp.org/ucp_channeldoc.cfm/1/16/98/98-98/5093
Autism Support Through Music: www.KylesTreeHouse.org
www.pacificnet.net/~mandel/SpecialEducation.html