....and its over...

Here is just a little of the things I get on my end from parents on the work and changes YOU are making.  Never forget...YOU did this and these things!!!  Dr. Williams and I only provided you the opportunity to do such amazing and awesome stuff!  Without you and your efforts CAPES! would not be anything....

His social interactions everywhere are much improved.  He goes into new situations with more confidence.  And they are benefited by the physical activity, both in general better health and in learning and practicing new skills.

He is a much better listener and follows directions better now!

·         The student instructors were awesome! I love that my kids could interact with any of them and any of the kids and I didn’t have to explain them. They were accepted and included just as they were. It is the only (outside of family and school) social experience that has been successful for them. It is huge that our daughter was able to do the whole CAPES experience without a single panic attack. I can’t think of another situation that has been true.

CAPES!

WSU Student Debriefing

Now that you have completed your CAPES! experience, please take a few moments to reflect on the entire program, yourself, and the participant(s) you worked with.  Complete the following questions and e-mail them to Dr. Z. (jameszagrodnik@weber.edu).  DO NOT post on the blog, as we need to protect the privacy of your participants!!!!  The information you provide here will help us make CAPES! better from a WSU student perspective as well as give the next group of WSU Students some beginner clues on what to expect, do, and achieve.  You may remember seeing information similar to this when you started...it was from people last Spring who filled this out.  Think about how helpful that was for you and how you will be helping out the next group of students!  We realize that some of you moved around a lot this semester, please select the participant you worked the most with this semester and complete what you can.  THANKS!

Name of participant(s) you worked with the most this semester:

What can he/she/they do physically? What can they not do?

What can he/she/they do cognitively? What can they not do?

What can he/she/they do socially? What can they not do?

What was the biggest “break through” that occurred this semester?

What are some tricks/strategies you learned to be successful?

What are some things you learned NOT to do?

What was his/her/their favorite thing to do?

What was your favorite thing to do?

What do you think the next group should work on with this person the most for next semester?

Any additional information you would like to give the next group that you wish you knew at the beginning?

What could be done to improve CAPES! from your perspective?

What did you like about the program as a whole?

What did you not like about the program as a whole?

Did being in groups work or would you have rather been sent off as individuals?

Is the blog a good/effective method to reflect?

Do you want/need more assistance from Dr. Z. or Dr. Williams or did you like how we essentially let you off the leash?

Anything else you would like to say or express?  

Pick ONE of the following discussion topics and respond to it! (Please indicate which one you are responding to...thanks!) #1...Future Environments and Functional Skills So often we forget that our students' lives do not end with our classroom/gym. It is our responsibility to prepare them for environments beyond the current one. What have you done this semester with your CAPES! students that takes them beyond the gym and the classroom? What skills have you taught that will prepare them for their future as contributing members of our society? What functional skills have you taught them that will impact them for a lifetime?

Pick ONE of the following discussion topics and respond to it! 

 (Please indicate which one you are responding to...thanks!)

#1...Future Environments and Functional Skills

So often we forget that our students' lives do not end with our classroom/gym. It is our responsibility to prepare them for environments beyond the current one. What have you done this semester with your CAPES! students that takes them beyond the gym and the classroom? What skills have you taught that will prepare them for their future as contributing members of our society? What functional skills have you taught them that will impact them for a lifetime?

OR

#2....Beware the Rut!

Congratulations the downward journey for CAPES has begun!  You only have two weeks remaining in the gym & pool. You can see the light at the end of the tunnel getting larger each day, and you know if you just hang on a little longer it will all be over and you can move on.

How do you maintain motivation, excitement, and energy for the final few days?  Now that you know your students, and you have a fairly good idea of what you are doing, and have established a routine (for yourself, your group, your students, and parents) it is very easy to "get stuck in a rut".

How will you keep yourself motivated to be invested in your students learning?  How will you makes things more exciting for you and your learner now that things have gotten "normal" and possibly a little "boring"?  What will you do to re-invigorate the energy and expectations from yourself and for your learner?

What have YOU learned?

Last night you had an opportunity to share with President Wight how you personally have been impacted by CAPES! Many of you did not get the opportunity to share, so here is your opportunity. How has CAPES impacted you, not only on a personal level, but as a future teacher of students with disabilities? What have you learned about individuals with disabilities? What have you learned about yourself and your abilities to teach?

"He Can Be Taught"

-Genie from Aladdin

Learning can be defined as "the relatively permanent changes in behavior".  One major aspect of CAPES! is to help children with disabilities learn physical, cognitive, social, emotional, and behavioral skills.  The other major aspect of CAPES! is to help WSU students learn about themselves and to learn about learners with disabilities.  After 6 weeks of CAPES!: 1) what has the child you have been working with learned?; 2) what do they still need to learn?; 3) what have you learned?; and 4) what do you still need learn?

Surprise!

Often in teaching its the unintended little surprises you experience during the learning process that mean the most, but they often keep you going during the "hard times", and make all the effort worth it.  

For instance, I had a long discussion with a parent Tuesday night who praised and thanked us for CAPES!  She talked about the changes their child has experienced since beginning in CAPES! Increased social interactions, better behavior at school and even counting down to the next CAPES! 

Congratulations, YOU are making these changes, not me or Dr. Z (We just get all the credit ;) The joy, appreciation, and "thank you" written all over her face and words makes all the effort of putting CAPES! together worth it. 

Explain a few surprises you have had while at CAPES! so far...about the child you work with and about yourself. Additionally, many of you had the opportunity to work with a student you had never worked with before, or even had two students- How did you adjust to that? What kinds of surprises did you encounter with that situation? But most importantly what did you do to hurdle those surprises? 

Being Challenged...

As you continue implementing your own lesson plans and activities that will eventually assist the students with whom you are working to be as independent as possible, you are bond to encounter some challenges. Challenges which were unforeseen and only realized once you were in the moment.  For example, when Dr. Z. had a summer camp for disadvantaged youth he was unprepared for the daily demand it would require (over 13 hours every day!)  However, he figured out some ways to overcome this challenge in order for the camp to be successful.  

What were some challenges you observed and how do plan on meeting these challenges in the next few weeks so that your learning environments go smoother and you are more prepared for them when they come up again? 

Let's Talk Behavior...

Let's Talk Behavior...

Think about the social behaviors, appropriate, or not, that your students have been displaying the first couple of weeks of CAPES! How might you address those that are inappropriate? How can you use those appropriate skills they have to teach them new appropriate skills. I believe strongly that inappropriate behaviors are social skill deficits- how does this impact how you might teach your students appropriate social skills in order to address their inappropriate behaviors?

Communicating...(sorry for the late post...)

A major part of life is communication.  We have multiple ways of sharing information and more appear all the time.  Dr. Z. struggled to communicate while growing up. He was unable to form words audibly until 4th grade.  Share your experiences, trials, and breakthroughs, trying to communicate with your participants.  What are some ways we can try to become more effective at communication?  Keep in mind your learners and where they are developmentally compared to you!  

Hint: most of us use verbal communication only when sharing thoughts, directions, feelings, etc broadcast to others.  What are some other ways we could communicate (and maybe more successful at getting our messages across?) What about those who do not use verbal means for communication, what are some ways people communicate nonverbally? How can you begin to read those nonverbal cues? 

Day 1...How was it?

Day 1...How was it?

Last night was your first experience with your CAPES! participant. How was it? How did it feel to get your 'feet wet'? What were some things that went really well for you and your group? What are some things that you are going to try and address to work on with your CAPES! participant this semester?

Welcome to CAPES!

Welcome to CAPES!

I am sure that many of you may be quite apprehensive about this upcoming experience, as many students have been in past. But here are a couple of statements from students last semester that might put your mind at ease...

"Starting out CAPES I was very hesitant, and not entirely interested in the program. I always saw it as sort of a nuisance. All of that has changed now, I have said in a previous post that capes gives me a sense of purpose, and makes me feel as though I am making changes not only in others' lives but mine as well."

"...Capes ha[s] been nothing what I expected, but everything I needed." 

"I learned that...even though I wasn't some specialized assistant or teacher I could still plan useful/purposeful activities for a child with a disabilities"

For further info check out the CAPES Website