"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