WAM is currently working on a SIF2 grant, "Reinventing Storytime" exploring our current storytimes, researching, to help determine some recommendations of where we might look for the future. One of the areas we are exploring is serving families with children who have special needs.
This sessions was very interesting because it helped understand what areas we need to know more about - what is inclusion, language, programming structure, activities, conversation topics that need to be had, training, the amount of staffing as spaces need to be fully staffed and facilitated, and best idea of all - PARTNERSHIPS!
One of the museums use a local college's psychology students to put on a program!
It was really helpful to also see from a design perspective / play perspective what universal design (for use by everyone) looks like.
If this sounds like what you're interested in - take a look at my notes below. Happy to answer any questions.
Notes from session:
Jennie Sumrell Play Core
Marcos Stafne, PhD Brooklyn Children's Museum
Jayne Griffin,EdD Creative Discovery Museum
Jennie, Playcore, play company based out of TN, background in special ed, taught 7-8 years, worked with museum for several years as a consultant.
Jayne could not make it - back up Shannon in severe car accident could not make up.
Marcos, Vice President of programs.
Address physical, social, emotional, cognitive, sensory needs of all children.
Configural play with modular elements, loose parts, hands on manipulatives provide meaningful unique experiences.
Benefits of play - "children's are at their highest level of development when they are at play" - Vygotsky 1978. Play is essential.
What is inclusion: different discussions.
To me: a place where everyone feels welcome, there a space, an opportunity to take part in the group in a parallel way that is comfortable and meets the child's needs.
MN - variety of inclusions, volunteer program for special needs, play possible equipment to help, Dawn Devine Director of Rochester museum, background medicine, son blind and son wheel chair, Autism center
VT? - Sensory garden
Jeannie - not all children while teaching were not "Active", there was a classroom and a place for them, but she needed to teach teachers how to incorporate them.
Ex. circle time activity - about communication (all children communicate differently), ex. sing a welcome son "Who came to school today" child could say there name then class sang name back. For a child who can't speak, don't say it for them. She game child button that said his name, so he could push the button that would speak his name for them. Help children understand that everybody is actively participating.
Piaget - process of intelligence, 4 processes, bottom line play is a social experience
Inclusion: makes a fundamental statement, provides active and meaningful experiences for people of all ages, recognize strengths and individuality and ability.
Marcos - Brooklyn Children's Museum - oldest children's museum over 100 years old (115?)
Not just space, advocacy needed. Thank you for being here. Started with some cultural objects in a park.
Brooklyn: 2.5 million residents, 70 neighborhoods, 180 ethnicities, 130 countries, 90 languages spoken (if a city - would be the 4th largest in the nation), 18 community districts avg. pop. 139,556
As a children's museum you have to see who is in your neighborhood and serve.
View as facilitator of social services.
Totally tots space for children 5 and younger. 2,000 sq. ft. exhibit. Meant for BODIES 5 and younger. Water play, sensory experience. A parent wanted to bring her 9 year old son in the totally for tots, answer no, she wanted to speak to the president. Listened, created a space.
Transformed a small classroom 12 children / parent. Interactive equipment, welcoming environment, multisensory experience, auditory, tactile, flexible design.
Must say you are a "friendly welcoming space" to acknowledge to parents that you get autism, they are welcome.
SNUG play (durable equipment children 11 and up, adults, teens can use). Build your own playground.
4 x 12 multi sensory snake. doors, hinges, etc.
Compression bean bags, heavy blankets.
Space always facilitated, staffed, but only 4 days a space.
Space is in a remote part of the building.
Advocate - big apple orange - helps women find autism resources / Eden II helps autism students transfer from schools to adult environments, Long Island Children's Museum has an inclusive space.
Community listening - IMLS grant - panels for discussion of children's needs. Partner with zoo and children's museums to talk to other organizations to help talk these places and explain what special needs families would do in space and how they could be welcoming.
Aaron Feinstein - Miracle Project - theater/music partnership, brought out faces of statues from different countries around the world.
Friendship circle - lots of museums, jewish children's museum, friendship circle is a jewish children's special needs group, recreated the sensory room int heir museum (they posted on facebook instead of talking about it with the museum), but the museum was ok because they are helping kids (even though IDENTICAL) they're both open, but at different times, serving the community.
We don't ask i fa kid is on the spectrum is at the door. Activities good for kids with all abilities. Only problem is families who do't have a special need come in (ex. mom w/ 8 kids and her friend - then room is closed to other families).
Museum Access Committee - working on spreading to all museums to be inclusive/ welcoming. Even though not experts, more experts than tv host (gently correct) - not different kids - "for all kids".
Bold move to become hub (become community center).
Will email copy of slides.
Avante - autistic child bolted from school (happens) - term "elopement", host meeting of minds, Pearls for her services for women over 40, NAACP, Avante and brother came to session - opened up space to talk and feel safe.
Creative Discovery Museum - great programs
Chattanooga Discovery Museum
Located downtown, hub of area, aquarium, over 300,000 visitors
Explore, innovate, create and play
Programs: people looking for places, want a safe place for a positive experience
Friends Discovery Camp, designed for children's on the autism spectrum and peers (1 to 1 ratio), needed lots of partners and facilitation UTC (partnered with psychology department there) students take as an elective get credit, train park and recs department, do a two weeks experience, big buddies. Child with autism paired with kids without autism and a buddy. For ages 7-10. and 11-12. 1 week not enough. This experience is powerful, results in lifelong friendships. Psychology students change major after this experience, change major to help students with autism.
Schedules, behavior modification training, visual support and cues (red shows how much longer) visual schedule, different way to communicate, picture cards, board maker slides
Computer cards can create visual images (great for storytime!)
Club Discovery (Club D) age 7-12
Kids with disability and peers, after school social experience, focus on life skills, cooking, music, driven by group interest, get a free membership if kids come to it
Museum educator with background in special education runs it (Ally) Find somebody to lead this initiative, has the passion
Kids like you, like me (12 years?)
Started in 1997, create the exhibit and expand into teacher training, special events, bottom line celebrate similarities of all kids, hands on simulation activities, everyone can do all these things, but may do them differently, experience day int he life of the child, assistive technology devices. Example wake up with an alarm clock that buzzes if you can't hear.
Businesses paid teachers to come to 3 day workshop. Teachers learning how to be advocates. Majority general ed teachers, but also special ed teachers. Simulated different disabilities (out in community) lecture, skits, inclusive socials, disability panels, sharing resources, gave movies and dvds, gave lesson plans and things they could replicate at home, journaling and reflection
School tours - 2 hour field trip tour, heavily facilitated (required a LOT of hands on facilitators, trained LOTS of volunteers, 15-20 volunteers in exhibit, translate and provide message of inclusion. Special events - painting as an example. Taught kids a chant "tell me, tell me , who do you see? kids like you, kids like me!" Watch an adaptive art lesson. Question and answer with a person with disabilities and ask questions, how do you go to the bathroom, do your legs hurt, can you have kids? Powerful for even volunteers.
NAEYC now selling their specific activities.
Using preferred language -
People first language promotes dignity and respect. A child with a disability is a child. Put the person before the disability - a child with autism instead of an autistic child. Example - his mother has a physical disability and the structure is not accessible (instead of she is crippled and get on the structure).
Special events - marketed to kids of all abilities, (national lekotek center) test toys for toys r us, evaluated snug equipment
Lekotek - non profit, therapeutic toy sessions for therapeutic sessions for special needs, snug pieces require cooperation to build, physical disability able to play
Loose part play allows physically active and inclusive. Me2 and 2Play together are play programs from Playcore that allow all children t o play together - TEACHER and FACILITATORS required to teach children to play together.
Accessible good - universal design is BEST. Universal means all people can use.
Disability means that someone cannot experience play because of the NARROW PLAY SET REQUIRED BY THE ENVIRONMENT.
Emphasis on design play accessible by all.
Ages 3 - 21 is when children receive services. Approx. 85 will have disabilities - only one physical all the others are sensory, cognitive, etc.
Focus on the developmental needs of the WHOLE child!
7 principles of universal design: be fair, be included, be smart, be independent, be safe, be active, be comfortable. Make things usable by more people to the greatest extent possible.
Book hand out coming.
Siscan children's institute?
Double wide ramp allows kids to go with a fiend or other people to go around (no hurry up).
Of all play projects - inclusion most requested.
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