A Note from Supervisor MartyAnn Guiney... |
|
Hello students, families, and friends,
Despite the bitter cold and piles of snow, there are some signs that spring is waiting for us around the corner. I know that I am enjoying the additional daylight that comes with the longer days.
March is National Reading Month! We are proud of the work that students in all of our programs are doing within literacy instruction. In March, students will participate in additional activities focused on reading. Please see the March is Reading Month calendar provided below in this newsletter that includes ideas for fun activities to engage with your child to build literacy skills.
You are also invited to join us for a virtual parent informational meeting about supporting your child's literacy skills at home on March 18 at 6:45-7:30 p.m. The link to access this meeting is found at Parent Literacy Meeting. Megan Zell, TBAISD Assistive Technology Consultant and Trainer on Literacy Instruction for Emergent Readers, will be leading the meeting.
As always, thank you to everyone for your flexibility this year and for your continued support of your children's education. I hope you enjoy this newsletter. Please let us know if you have any questions or concerns.
Sincerely,
MartyAnn Guiney
Supervisor of TBAISD MOCI, SXI, and Homebound Programs
|
|
Calendars - Parent Supports - Resources |
|
Get Involved in Fraternity of Fathers |
|
Dads in our school community may be interested in Fraternity of Fathers, a 10-week interactive, live video program that aims to support fathers with young children (0-8). It is tailored for dads and utilizes adventure therapy principals to deliver attachment-theory based content in a fun, interactive, connected format.
Participants (fathers) in the community gather in weekly virtual sessions to discuss the experience of being a father, how individual experiences impact how they parent, and new ways to think about and understand kids’ behavior and development.
The sessions begin on Tuesday, March 2 at 4:00 to 5:30 p.m. Weekly meetings continue each Tuesday until May 4, 2021. The 1.5 hour live video interactive program is funded by a grant and is available at no cost.
Space is limited to 15 participants and registration deadline is February 19. Please see the blue buttons to the right for additional information and registration.
Upon registration, participants will be contacted by a program facilitator before the program begins to gather background information and ensure commitment for the 10-week program.
Participants will need an internet connection and a device to participate remotely. Tablets are available for participation if needed.
|
|
Click image above to see full-sized flyer |
|
Classroom News & Activities |
|
10 Tips for Interacting with Children
Who are Blind or Visually Impaired
|
|
|
 |
Always use names
Always use a child’s first name when addressing them. When passing in the hallway/classroom, you might say, “Hi Sam, it’s Ms. Valentine. How are you today?”
It’s okay to use words that reference sight
It is important not to avoid words like see, look, or watch. Just like their sighted peers, these words should be part of a blind or visually impaired child’s vocabulary to connote how they see, whether by touch, bringing things close, or in normal conversation like saying, “See you later!”
Always verbalize in addition to gestures
Use positional and directional concepts such as above/under/on top of, behind/in front of, left/right, etc. Descriptive sentences are helpful such as, “The ball is next to the door.”
Avoid asking the child directly if they can see something
Instead you might say, “Tell me about what you are looking at.”
Preferential seating
Be aware of your child’s visual strengths, including his/her best field of vision and optimal viewing distance. Try to keep windows to the child’s back.
Be a confident Human Guide
Performing this task with a young child looks different than with an older child. A young child may hold your wrist or two fingers, where an older child will hold your elbow or shoulder.
|
|
|
|
Follow the leader
When in line, provide a description of the person they are following. If your student does not have usable vision, provide verbal support if appropriate. Or check with your VI staff for support.
Contrast, contrast, contrast
Big, bold and simple! Toys, work items and food should contrast the surface they are placed on. Quick fixes include use of contrasting placemats or craft foam sheets for table activities and blankets or mats for floor play.
Hand under hand
When showing your child an item or object, allow them to independently explore or use hand under hand technique (your hand is under their hand). A verbal cue used at school is, “Hop on!” indicating the child can place his/her hand on top of yours.
Safety first
Your child’s safety is always top priority. The above suggestions are intended to promote positive independence for children with blindness or low vision in a safe environment.
Submitted by
Jessica Rubino & Mollie Houser
|
|
|
|
~ Adapted from “Teaching Blind Students - 10 Tips for Teachers - WeAreTeachers” |
|
Independent Living Skills
~ Kayla Pendergast, MOCI Teacher
|
|
|
Independent living skills allow students to learn the steps and processes needed to carry out simple tasks around the home. With the COVID-19 pandemic, we have been spending a lot more time at home, which is a great opportunity to encourage children to start working on independent living skills in the home setting. Teaching independent living skills might occur through modeling a task or showing your child a YouTube video of how to complete a task. Doing tasks together also encourages bonding time and allows children to help around the house and to learn valuable life skills. Here are some ideas on how to get kids more involved in the home:
- loading the dishwasher
- sorting clothes into lights and darks
- doing the dishes
- feeding the animals
- sorting silverware in the correct location within an organizer
- folding towels
- sweeping the floor
- shoveling snow
Encouraging participation around the house helps children feel pride in the work they have completed. In our classrooms, we have a money system where students complete work training tasks to earn money, and then are able to spend it in a school store. Not only are students motivated by earning money for their work, they are also learning valuable money-management skills. This idea can be used at home as well using play or real money.
|
|
Building Pre-Vocational Skills at TC Central High School
~ Tyler Schell, MOCI Teacher
|
|
At Traverse City Central High School, a huge part of the students' learning involves pre-vocational skills. To meet the needs of the students, staff created more than 50 work boxes to give students opportunities to practice skills that are crucial for successful employment. The work boxes include a variety of tasks varying in level and difficulty, allowing students to work on sorting, packaging, assembly, filing, and many other skills. This is a weekly activity that many of the students look forward to throughout the school week.
Because of COVID-19 restrictions, students were at risk of missing out on many opportunities that have been available to them in the past. To comply with safety protocols, students are not able to practice work skills and life skills in common areas of the school or in the community this year. These work boxes enable students to continue to work on those important skills in a safe and rewarding way.
|
|
|
|
March is Reading Month!
At Traverse Heights, we love to celebrate March is Reading Month! This year, we hope that you will join in the fun by trying some of the activities on our March is Reading Month calendar. Click on the link to the bottom left for the calendar.
|
|
Supporting Remote Learners
Remote learning is challenging for both students and their parents. We know that logging into the school devices has been especially challenging due to difficulties with the filtering systems. Thank you for being patient and working with us to overcome these obstacles.
Remember, you can always reach out to your child's teacher or to Lisa Poortenga at 933-3561 if you need help with accessing technology. Click on the red buttons see resources to help you support your child with remote learning.
|
|
|
TBAISD staff wishes you and your family a winter season of fun! |
|
|
Traverse Bay Area Intermediate School District
Traverse Heights
933 Rose Street | Traverse City, MI 49686 | 231.933.3561
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
