JMCC Preschool Program Lives

We are very proud to say that the JMCC preschool program will continue to be a service and facility open to families in our community. The program has been revamped and restructured to make it a more financially viable program that will live on to see many future years.

The program focus has shifted slightly (and I mean sightly) to the addition of more typically developing children. What a wonderful plan, a fully integrated program where children of all abilities can learn and grow together. 

We were part of the program launch last week. I felt really proud to have seen the program through to this point and even more proud to have my 2 girls enrolled together. The program is a family plan for us and for that we couldn't be more thankful.

Here are the links to the media coverage of the event:

The Windsor Star - http://blogs.windsorstar.com/news/mcgivney-centre-launches-revamped-child-care-program

CTV News - http://windsor.ctvnews.ca/mobile/children-to-benefit-from-redesigned-program-at-john-mcgivney-centre-1.2525731

Am800 - http://www.am800cklw.com/News/Headlines/John-McGivney-Children-ts-Centre-launches-redesign

I was asked to speak about why the centre was a good fit for our family. I will attach the speech for those who would like to have a read.

We have two daughters Hazel who is 3 1/2 and has down syndrome and Nola who will be two in November. Hazel has been attending for about six months.

In the beginning Hazel had a lot of anxiety about being anywhere that was unfamiliar to her. When we started her here the staff had the ability to help her through that anxiety, and make her feel safe and comforted. The staff is still able to maintain a constant level of safety and comfort and ensure that Hazel is happy even while they undergo some program changes.

One of the main reasons this facility makes sense for Hazel is the on-site therapy. Her speech therapist, occupational therapist, and physiotherapist, are never very far away and able to come visit on a regular basis to check on Hazel's progress and consult with the staff at the preschool about current and future goals.
Not to mention that there is a resource consultant in the classroom who provides extra support on a daily basis for the staff and the students.

This facility is not only capable of meeting hazels needs but it is easy, affordable and provides an opportunity to be ONE place that supports our entire family's needs.

Being able to send Nola will be such a blessing for us in many ways.
1. Our girls will be together helping with comfort and familiarity

2. Having one consistent place to drop both our kids off will make the day to day craziness that much more manageable.

3. It provides opportunity for an integrated program. For Hazel to reach her full potential she needs to be around typically developing peers so that she has a model for behavior and language. It is important to us the new preschool model took that into account. But just as equally important for us is that Nola will be able to grow with children of all abilities. Not only does the program offer inclusion for our kids with special needs, it also offers inclusion to typically developing children, creating an environment of learning, caring and growing together starting from a very young age, helping prepare them for the inclusionary environment of the school system.

We believe in order for both of our children to reach their full potential an integrated model is the best. Children working together of all abilities creates awareness, knowledge and compassion. I want that for my kids. I want that for Hazel, who has special needs. And I want that for Nola who has TYPICAL needs.

We feel that the new program design has a real focus and commitment to helping all children grow to the best of their ability regardless of what that might mean for each child. Not only do they have the commitment to do this they have a plan, a program model and support that will help them to actually succeed.

We live in a world that focusses on the things children with special needs CAN'T DO but at the JMCC they focus on the things they CAN. And as a parent you're always worried that your other children suffer or don't get everything they need because you are consumed by caring for your other child. Here at the JMCC they work with us to make sure both our children get the best possible care and attention they need to grow. We are super excited to have this program available to us as a viable plan for our entire family.

I have so enjoyed being a part of this process - even when it was an emotional one. We feel good about our choice to send both our girls to the same place. We also feel equally confident that each child will get the attention they need to grow to reach their full potential.

Hop over to the John McGivney Facebook page for more info and to keep updated on the coming events. 

A HUGE THANK YOU!!!!!

To all our our supporters here at Chasing Hazel. Whenever we ask you to stand up and help us you JUMP. So many of you have shared our story via Facebook and I can't tell you what that means to us. Thanks for all your support and your continued concern for the future of the children at the JMCC preschool. 

A Simple Game for Teachers & Parents

I know a lot of teachers are just going back from holiday break. Also, parents at home are getting routines established and trying to settle in after the holidays. Here is a quick easy resource for you to use to keep the teaching and learning easy...I hope.  

 

I came across a blog called "Colorado Moms" that has a section devoted to Special Needs. As I was skimming through, I happened to see a really helpful post about a really easy tool that can be used in a classroom or at home with a child with special needs.

Connect 4

Here is an excerpt from the post on Colorodo Moms:

"I am a pediatric Occupational Therapist who works with the birth-three population in their home environment. A big part of my job is to educate parents on which toys or games are good for their child to facilitate developmental skills. I would like to take this opportunity to share a couple of my personal favorite “therapy tools” that I utilize frequently in my therapy sessions.

Connect Four – What a fantastic game Connect Four is! I use it with children as young as one and have also used it with children as old as 8. Connect Four is a great game to work on fine motor development to target the following skills:"

1) grasping patterns 2) functional release 3) eye-hand coordination 4) visual-perceptual skills 5) language/social-development

Please check out and read the rest of the post on how you can use "Connect 4" with your kids, here on Colorado Moms.

This post goes on to explain in detail each category that I posted above. It seems super easy to use and it helps to develop some really important skills.

Please let me know if this resource was helpful for you!!!

Charlie and Isabelle

I'm so excited to be able to post this and start this series on the blog!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

In honour of a new school year, here is my first attempt at ideas to help to educate our kids. I sincerely hope parents and teachers out there find it useful!!!

Educating Our Kids - Resource #1

 

Watch this video of Charlie and Isabelle with your children or your classes to try and start a healthy conversation about what it means to have Down syndrome. I think it would be utilized best with younger children, ages 4-7.

If you are in a classroom setting, this video might be a great way to bring up the topic without having to center anybody out.

Click here if you are having trouble viewing the video 

Please don't assume that because your kids go to school with a person that has Down syndrome, or are friends with a person who has it, that they have an accurate understanding of what it means. Actually, I find that it is the opposite. Just because students are all in the same room together doesn't mean that they pay attention to one another.

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Suggestions for a lesson plan:

*Teachers out there...you are the professionals. This is just what I have come up with. Hope it helps!

Ages: Primary grades (K-2) or ages 4-7

Major Learning Goal: All children are unique creations and have something different to share. Children with Down syndrome achieve all the same goals that other children achieve but at different times. For example, it might take them a little longer to learn how to read, but they will learn how.

Introduction to lesson:

Have a group discussion with your children or students to assess what their prior knowledge of the subject might be. For example, try to find out if they have ever heard of Down Syndrome (or other special needs) and/or what their experience with it might be (this might be difficult with the really young ones, who may not even realize that other kids are different - which is a beautiful thing - you know them best, you be the judge).

Core Lesson:

Show the video to the students and have another brief discussion about things they noticed about Charlie and Isabelle in the video. What was the same about them? What was different? Did they have fun together?

Activity:

Kindergarten (ages 4-5)

Have the students choose a previously selected colouring picture of an activity they would like to do with Isabelle and Charlie. I have added some printable colouring pics here, here and here, but feel free to use which ever pics suit your students or children best.

Grades 1-2 (ages 6-7)

1. Have the students do a brief journal entry of your choice and an accompanying picture.

2. Have the students pretend a new student has come into their class. This student has Down syndrome. Have them role play healthy ways to welcome this student into the class. Have them come up with activities that they think would make ANY new student feel comfortable.

Conclusion:

Close up the discussion by revisiting the major learning goal. All children are unique and should be treated with respect no matter what. I believe children with Down syndrome (or other special needs) should be included in all activities that the others are included in. This way the teacher is providing solid modeling for the children to imitate.

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Anyway...that's just an idea!

I am writing this both as a mom and a teacher. I am by no means an expert at either and have not had the opportunity to try this in a classroom. I am open to feedback or ideas about how you incorporated this video into your teaching about DS.

Please feel free to share your ideas and experiences in the comments of this post!!!

I think it is important to provide opportunities for all children to be empathic towards each other. We need to try to teach our kids that everyone is different and capable of different things.