School Age Summer Staff Orientation Series

Goal of the Series The school age summer orientation series has been designed to help you understand the basics of caring for school age children & youth. The school age summer orientation series has been designed to help you understand the basics of caring for school age children & youth.

Understanding the series Each module consists of:  Objective of the module  Training Content With a Youth: Activities With a Youth: Activities With a Peer: Read and Reflect With a Peer: Read and Reflect With a Supervisor: Self Assessment With a Supervisor: Self Assessment

What you will need  Print the PDF that goes with this course. The link is located by the link you clicked to open this module.  Paper and pencil  Approximately one hour of “quiet” time  Access to a printer  Optimistic outlook to gaining new knowledge

Module 8 Special Needs

Objective To develop an awareness of working with children and youth who have special needs. To develop an awareness of working with children and youth who have special needs.

Introduction In this module, you will understand: In this module, you will understand: The benefits of including children with special needs in a program The benefits of including children with special needs in a program The importance of Person First language The importance of Person First language How to develop knowledge about the best practices of working with participants who have special needs How to develop knowledge about the best practices of working with participants who have special needs When to ask for help When to ask for help

Special Needs Minnesota’s Core Competencies identifies the following best practices about special needs: Acknowledges the variety of special needs and the effects those variations may have on behavior, development, and group interactions Acknowledges the variety of special needs and the effects those variations may have on behavior, development, and group interactions Recognizes variations in ability and development that may indicate a need for special attention Recognizes variations in ability and development that may indicate a need for special attention Raises concerns regarding individual children or youth to supervisors Raises concerns regarding individual children or youth to supervisors Values each family as an integral partner with the program in caring for children and youth Values each family as an integral partner with the program in caring for children and youth

With a Peer: Read and Reflect Print out “Person-First language” from the PDF that goes with this module. Review a NEW way of referring to people with disabilities. The impact of your words do MAKE A DIFFERENCE!

What is the ADA? The Americans with Disabilities Act gives the civil rights (like the ones based upon race, color, sex, national origin, age, and religion.) to individuals with disabilities. It guarantees equal opportunity for individuals with disabilities in public accommodations, employment, transportation, state and local government services, and telecommunications. The Americans with Disabilities Act gives the civil rights (like the ones based upon race, color, sex, national origin, age, and religion.) to individuals with disabilities. It guarantees equal opportunity for individuals with disabilities in public accommodations, employment, transportation, state and local government services, and telecommunications.

Why do we need to know about the ADA It is our responsibility as staff to provide the best program possible for EVERYONE! It is our responsibility as staff to provide the best program possible for EVERYONE! The ADA is the law that insures every participant the best program possible. The ADA is the law that insures every participant the best program possible.

Confidentiality All staff are bound by law to maintain confidentiality (not sharing or talking about private information) about any participants in the program. All staff are bound by law to maintain confidentiality (not sharing or talking about private information) about any participants in the program. A breech of confidentiality may have legal ramifications. A breech of confidentiality may have legal ramifications. Issues related to health, intelligence, medical care, family status, school issues are to be discussed ONLY as they relate to the need to plan adequately for full participation for all kids. Issues related to health, intelligence, medical care, family status, school issues are to be discussed ONLY as they relate to the need to plan adequately for full participation for all kids. What are the confidentiality policies and procedures of your program? What are the confidentiality policies and procedures of your program? Respect the confidential nature of program and school records. Discipline, learning difficulties, children with special needs, family situations, should never be discussed with others. Respect the confidential nature of program and school records. Discipline, learning difficulties, children with special needs, family situations, should never be discussed with others.

With a Youth: Activities Watch the video of a successful summer program that includes children with disabilities. This video is of a summer camp program with youth. Observe staff: participant ratios. Observe adaptations that the staff make. What else did you observe?

Benefits of inclusion for all School Age and Youth Learn from each other Learn from each other Notice similarities between themselves and others Notice similarities between themselves and others Develop better language and communications skills Develop better language and communications skills Learn better social skills Learn better social skills Can develop self advocacy skills Can develop self advocacy skills Begin to understand empathy and to accept others as they are Begin to understand empathy and to accept others as they are Understand the importance of helping others Understand the importance of helping others Learn to accept their own strengths Learn to accept their own strengths Understand that people are More Alike than Different Understand that people are More Alike than Different

Benefits of inclusion for staff Improves knowledge of adaptations for participants with special needs Improves knowledge of adaptations for participants with special needs Gain knowledge on a variety of medical, physical and emotional issues/needs Gain knowledge on a variety of medical, physical and emotional issues/needs Understand that everyone has unique needs Understand that everyone has unique needs Enhances empathy, compassion and ability to respect others Enhances empathy, compassion and ability to respect others

Tips to an Inclusive Environment Acknowledge differences Acknowledge differences Model Appropriate Behavior Model Appropriate Behavior State the rules for treating others respectfully State the rules for treating others respectfully Educate ALL children Educate ALL children Answer questions honestly and clearly Answer questions honestly and clearly Involve the participants in adapting the environment Involve the participants in adapting the environment BE A POSITIVE ROLE MODEL BE A POSITIVE ROLE MODEL

Adaptations in Activities The goal of any activity should always be maximum participation for all participants. Here is how to make sure everyone can be included; If an activity/game doesn’t seem to be a good fit for all participants, try to; Decrease/increase the speed of the activity Decrease/increase the speed of the activity Alter the type/size of the equipment Alter the type/size of the equipment Modify the boundaries Modify the boundaries

Adaptations in Activities Modify the rules Modify the rules Problem solve with the youth. Staff: “I see that we don’t have everyone participating. It seems like if we make changes more of you can play.” Staff: “Help me figure out what we can change…” Problem solve with the youth. Staff: “I see that we don’t have everyone participating. It seems like if we make changes more of you can play.” Staff: “Help me figure out what we can change…” Allow for peer support (friends helping friends) Allow for peer support (friends helping friends) Adapt the equipment (bigger, smaller, more or different) Adapt the equipment (bigger, smaller, more or different) Adjust the difficulty level of the activity Adjust the difficulty level of the activity Don’t be afraid to make modifications to include everyone

Try it, then evaluate how it went… Did the adaptations allow for full Did the adaptations allow for full participation for all? Ask the participants to comment on or assess their participation levels and the FUN factor! Ask the participants to comment on or assess their participation levels and the FUN factor! What other adaptations need to be made? What other adaptations need to be made? WHO can provide resources for you with additional ideas? WHO can provide resources for you with additional ideas?

Key Points There are benefits to everyone involved when include school agers and youth with disabilities in your setting. There are benefits to everyone involved when include school agers and youth with disabilities in your setting. It may take some extra work and modifications ask the participants for help in the process. It may take some extra work and modifications ask the participants for help in the process. Remember impact of your words, model appropriate attitudes! Remember impact of your words, model appropriate attitudes! Learn about the unique needs of all the program participants, the more you know the better you can respond Learn about the unique needs of all the program participants, the more you know the better you can respond

With a Supervisor: Self Assessment Print the worksheet “Special Needs Scenarios” Fill it out the best you can LINK Print the worksheet “Special Needs Scenarios” Fill it out the best you can LINK When you meet with your supervisor bring along the “tips” sheet LINK When you meet with your supervisor bring along the “tips” sheet LINK Review the resources in the following slides. Visiting the websites of each of these will provide you with more ideas on being a professional! Review the resources in the following slides. Visiting the websites of each of these will provide you with more ideas on being a professional!

Resources _SAC.cfm _SAC.cfm _SAC.cfm _SAC.cfm html html html html Tutorials on specific disabilities are available on the Center for Inclusive Child Care’s website: Tutorials on specific disabilities are available on the Center for Inclusive Child Care’s website: g/ (check out the learning center) g/ (check out the learning center) g/ g/

Congratulations You have successfully completed Module 8