Get REAL Saturdays The Entrepreneurship Education Solution for Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder Barbara Gaertig Special Education Teacher Barnett Shoals Elementary School Clarke County School District Athens, GA 2009

Get REAL Saturdays ?

What is Get REAL Saturdays ? students-teachers-parents-community group for families with children with disabilities (primarily with Autism Spectrum Disorder)

What are the objectives for Get REAL Saturdays ? Provide support for families with children with autism Provide a free program easily accessible to all families Provide opportunities for students with autism to learn functional, job related, and social skills

Get REAL Saturdays- How does it work? Students MeetingParents Meeting Meets Once a month on Saturday Morning Lunch

Parents Meeting Build a Support Team by: - introducing learning styles -incorporating team building activities -addressing the topics according to the families needs and interests

Student activities are based on the REAL curriculum Students learn job-related skills including: - understanding the concept of earning, saving, and spending money -following directions -self-help skills (i.e. food safety preparation) -social skills

Formula for a Successful Meeting familiar structure visual schedule social stories visual directions for jobs and activities use of sign language behavior intervention plans

Student Meeting Components transition time – students and volunteers have a chance to get to know each other

Student Meeting Components Social story is provided to introduce the topic for the meeting –i.e. when we were opening our business, The REAL Food Restaurant, the students were presented with a social story about the Pizza Place. Students learned: - how the restaurant operates, how the job is divided, how the team works together.

Student Meeting Components Structured activities based on the topic of the meeting.

Student Meeting Components The REAL Food Restaurant is run by students Students prepare lunch for all participants While working in the restaurant students earn the “REAL” money Students learn job related skills including: rules about food safety, team work, job division, customer service, following the rules and procedures, and more…

The REAL Food Restaurant

How We Earn Real Bucks ? Get REAL Saturdays Program does not get financial support from the school budget, therefore we found other ways of funding

Drive-By Pumpkin Patch

Silent Auction Bake Sale ACT Grant – Athens Council for Transition