What Is Autism? Autism affects the way a person’s brain and body works. It is not a disease and is not contagious. You cannot catch autism from a classmate or friend. A person with autism may have a hard time commu¬nicating with other people, making friends, or following directions. However, with the help of teachers, classmates, families, and friends, children with autism often can find it easier to learn in spite of these challenges. How Do Kids with Autism Act? Children with autism may act in some unusual ways. Some may have difficulties with certain activities, but they may have strengths in other areas. For instance, a child with autism may be a math whiz, a great artist or unbeatable at computer games. Still, they may have trouble putting their thoughts into words or understanding what you say. Some children with autism prefer that schedules stay the same or that people always sit in the same seats. They may have a difficult time when things change. Changes may be scary for them, so they may try telling others what to do or where to sit. You may think they are being “bossy” but it is really them trying to adjust to the changes. When schedules change and they do not know what is coming next, they can be very upset, sad or angry. Why Do They Act This Way? Some children with autism do not see, hear, or feel things the same way we do. For instance, the sound of the school bell or the noise of a parade may hurt their ears. Some may have trouble eating certain foods because of the way they taste. Others may be very sensitive to certain smells. Smells you like, such as cookies baking, may make them feel sick. On the other hand, things that bother most of us, like a bee sting, may not appear to be as painful to them. It is hard for some children with autism to understand what we say or what our facial and body expressions mean. For example, if you are frowning or showing an angry expression on your face, your classmate with autism may not be able to understand that you are angry. However, this does not mean you should stop trying to talk to them. Sometimes showing them a picture or an object helps them understand things better. For example, if you are talking about baseball, pointing to a baseball card or a bat may help your friend know what you mean. Just because someone with autism may not be able to use words, it does not mean he can’t under¬stand your words. Please talk to him as you do with your other friends. Like all people, sometimes kids with autism can get frustrated and angry but they often cannot tell us why. Instead of words, they may use actions to express their feelings. When they are upset, confused, or bored, they may make noises or spin around. When they are excited or happy, they may flap their hands, jump up and down, or run in circles. Or they may do all these things at once to help them calm down. Many children with autism get upset when their surroundings or schedules change because new or different things can be very difficult or scary for them. They may cry or hold their hands over their ears. How Can I Be a Friend To Someone with Autism? When you become a friend to a person with autism, you both learn a lot from each other. Here are some ideas that can help you be a better friend to a kid with autism: • Accept your friend’s differences. • Know that some kids with autism are really smart, just in a different way. • Protect your friend from things that bother him or her. • Talk in small sentences with simple words and use simple gestures like pointing. • Use pictures or write down what you want to say to help your friend understand. • Join your friend in activities that interest him or her. • Be patient – understand that your friend doesn’t mean to bother you or others. • Wait - give him or her extra time to answer your question or complete an activity. • Invite your friend to play with you and to join you in group activities. Teach your friend how to play by showing him or her, what to do in an activity or game. • Sit near your friend whenever you can, and help him or her do things if they want you to. • Never be afraid to ask your teacher questions about your classmates with autism. • Help other kids learn about autism. Let me know when I make you proud. And help me to have
pride in my own accomplishments. Let me earn your trust. Then trust me. I won’t let you down. Let me know you love me. With a hug. Or a pat on the back. Or, when I need it, with a firm but gentle “no”. Let me be. Let me change. Let me grow. Let me tell you when I’m feeling bad. Or angry. Even at you. And let me know that even on my worst days, you still like me. Let me dream. Share my joy when my dreams come true. Share my tears when they don’t. Let me feel secure in my home. Help me realize that love is always there….. that I can depend on you no matter what. Let me run….let me laugh….let me play. And most of all, …….let me be a child. -Anonymous
No Name-Calling Week wraps up, with Warwick students learning how to Stomp Out Name-Calling1/25/2017
The Warwick Valley Central School District once again participated in the annual nationwide No Name-Calling initiative during the week of Jan. 17-20.
This week was designated No Name-Calling Week in our schools, and the national theme was “CELEBRATE KINDNESS!” Our District theme this year was “Stomp Out Name-Calling!” Students throughout the District participated in a variety of activities to help them recognize the impact of verbal bullying and to teach them strategies for coping and putting an end to name calling. Tuesday was Blue Day – everyone wore blue (the color of bullying awareness) to show support for No Name-Calling Week. Wednesday was Boots Day – students were encouraged to wear boots to Stomp Out Name-Calling Thursday was Backwards Day – students wore their clothes backwards to show that words can hurt, you can’t take them back, AND that a good person always has your back Finally, Friday was Purple and Gold Day – to show school spirit The District will continue throughout the year to emphasize the need to Stomp Out Name-Calling and Celebrate Kindness. Shown below are some of the boots decorated by Park Avenue students to help Stomp Out Name-Calling: The Warwick Valley Central School District will once again participate in the annual nationwide No Name-Calling initiative.
Find out more at: www.warwickvalleyschools.com/9579- One of the most important things your child can do to achieve academic success is also one of the most basic: going to school every day. In fact, research has shown that your child’s attendance record may be the biggest factor influencing his/her academic success. A 2008 study conducted by the Rodel Community Scholars at Arizona State University that tracked students from Kindergarten through high school found that dropout patterns were linked with poor attendance, beginning in Kindergarten. Gregory Hickman, director of the Rodel Community Scholars program and former director of the Arizona Dropout Initiative, notes they discovered that as early as kindergarten, behavioral differences are apparent between those who go on to graduate and those who drop out, with dropouts missing an average of 124 days by eighth grade. Benefits of attendance
What you can do As a parent or guardian, it is possible to plan ahead in order to limit your child’s absences. Make school attendance a priority, and help your child from falling behind if it is necessary to miss a day of school. You can do this in the following ways:
By making your child’s school attendance a priority, you will be taking an important step in supporting your child’s school success, and setting a good example. Remember, every day counts! Parents regularly ask the school counselors in Warwick about the various services we provide to students. They also request information that we feel would benefit the whole student community. In response to these requests, we are going to be periodically posting a newsletter called the Counselor's Corner, where we can share pertinent information with all parents. If you have other questions or we can be of further assistance, please don't hesitate to contact one of us. Banana splitsThis is a support group to help children handle emotions associated with separation and/or divorce. The group helps children to regain feelings of stability and establishes the peer support of kids who share feelings of loss and change. Together students confront and learn to deal with the ongoing issues relating to recent or past family changes. A consent form will go home to all students regarding this program. Study skillsThis is a 10-week program offered to all fourth-grade students at some point in the school year in the student's classroom. Some examples of lesson topics might include (but are not limited to) listening to and following directions, organization and time management, study/test-taking strategies, creating good work habits and student responsibilities. lunch bunchSmall groups of students from a select class/grade may be invited to have lunch with their counselor on a given day. Students have lunch in a different atmosphere, play a game and get to know us and each other a little better in the process. This is strictly voluntary. Individual/group counseling/social skills groupIn addition to the above programs, individual and group counseling is provided throughout the school year by all counselors based upon the individual needs of our students.
Below are the e-mail links for summer camp opportunities for children of various ages. You may also visit the Orange County Youth Bureau website for additional information. (The link for this site is under the resources button on our counselor’s corner webpage.) http://www.hvmag.com/Hudson-Valley-Magazine/February-2011/Hudson-Valley-Summer-Camps/?cparticle=7 (Hudson Valley Camps Link) http://middletown-ny.com/departments/recreation-parks/forms/1623-sports-camp.html (Middletown sports camp) http://www.primosports.net/ (Primo Sports) http://braesidecamp.org/ (Braeside Summer Day and overnight Camp) http://test.freespiritnaturecamp.com/ (Free Spirit Nature camp) http://midhudsonlax.com/Page.asp?n=49156 (Turf 17) http://www.ymcanyc.org/camps (New York YMCA Camp) http://www.winslow.org/ (Winslow therapeutic Riding Camp) http://www.campwarwick.com/CampWarwick.htm (Camp Warwick) How we speak to our children is a matter of great importance. From infancy onward, children listen to and model themselves after the people who care for them. Despite our best intentions, outside pressures can sometimes prevent us from treating children with the sensitivity and respect they deserve. The following tips may be helpful to both teachers and parents as they talk to the children in their life. 1. Use a quiet but firm tone of voice. A quiet voice is calming and reassuring to children. 2. Use “I” messages rather than “You” messages. Take responsibility for your own emotions, and expect children to do the same. Begin with “I feel angry when you….”instead of “You make me feel angry when you…” 3. Give Choices. When children are offered choices, they learn that they can have control over situations. Limit choices to two alternatives: “Isabella, you may ride the trike slowly without bumping into other children, or you may choose a different activity. 4. Acknowledge children’s feelings. Say “I can see that you’d really like to play with the shopping cart, but right now its Casey’s turn.” Children will know that you respect their desires, even if you cannot approve of or allow their behavior. 5. Use humor. Humor makes setbacks easier to handle (for children and adults). For instance, if a child accidentally falls off his chair, you might say, “Oh no! Is that chair playing tricks on you again?” 6. Offer gentle reminders. Reiterate the rules in short, positive sentences. Try “Please walk” instead of “Don’t run.” 7. Teach techniques for conflict resolution. Give your children the words they need to make their feelings know. For example, encourage them to responds to aggression by saying “Don’t hit me. I don’t like it.” 8. Focus on the positive. Let your children know that pro-social behavior is worth noticing. Strive to say, “Everyone really appreciates the way you cleaned up” more often than you say, “don’t do that”. 9. Separate the action from the person. When it’s necessary to correct your children’s behavior, make sure they understand that you still care about and accept them, even though their behavior is not acceptable. Be nonjudgmental. Instead of saying, “You’re a bad girl for biting Stephanie”, try “you may not bite. That hurts Stephanie, and I cannot let you hurt her or other children.” 10. Explain the rules. Rules aren’t arbitrary; there are reasons why certain behaviors are expected. Let your children know the rationale behind your group rules, and enlist their help in establishing new ones. Be direct and concise. “You need to use your inside voice. It hurts my ears when you shout.” |
WVCSD Elementary school counselingJeanette Myrick, Children Learn What They Live Archives
May 2017
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