Boardmaker Online

The item of interest I want to share is a multi-level approach website that is mainly utilized for the special education classroom, however, offers benefits to all educators and service providers. The website is https://goboardmaker.com/. Boardmaker online is an online resource that allows you to create, search and support interventions in place through visuals. Beyond the creation of visuals, boardmaker online also serves as a gateway to other resources. The boardmaker online website provides links to additional hands on games, manipulatives and actives that are evidenced-based practices, particularly relating to Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA).

Boardmaker also allows you to address behavior, and mental health services in a multi-level approach from of the school social work practice mode by creating or finding documents from the website that monitor progress and evaluate service effectiveness. Boardmaker can be an assistant to collecting data and tracking student progress towards IEP goals and educational standards.

Individuals with disabilities learn and manage their world better when visual strategies are used to support their, understanding, expression, and positive behavior.  Visual strategies encourage communication, emotional regulation, learning, and independence for our students. The visuals from Boardmaker also help with organization and structure for students who either struggle with organizational skills or require organization.

I have utilized Boardmaker to create data tracking documents, behavior charts, emotion cards to help students communicate, visual task cards to keep students on track, graphic organizers, visual schedules for school and home to ensure services are being implemented in all settings, and social stories to encourage positive behavior.

Boardmaker is not free however since this resource can be used by ELL teachers and general education teachers I would highly recommend advocating for access. This resource has been used by ELL and Gen. Ed. teachers by creating word walls that are visuals cards with sight or vocabulary words to help the students create sentences.

Prices:

Personal: 1 month/$9.99, 1 year/$99, 2 years/$190, 3 years/$270

Professional: 1 Month/$19.99, 1 Year/$199, 2 Years/$360, 3 Years/$540

District: Call for pricing (800) 588-4548



Free resource that offers premade visuals: http://www.victoriesnautism.com/communication--behavioral-cues.html

Anger Management Groups

Anger Management Groups

This item of interest is based off of a CBT-based anger management curriculum called Healthy Choices. This is geared towards high school students, but can be easily adapted for younger students. The goal of this group is to work towards three social and emotional learning goals: 1A.4a: Analyze how thoughts and emotions affect decision making and responsible behavior. This is achieved through focusing on the A, B, C model of the relationship between events, thoughts and feelings. The second goal it focuses on is: 1A. 3b: Apply strategies to manage stress and motivate successful performance. The focus of this goal is to help teach relaxation techniques, including deep breathing, counting backwards and positive imagery. The last goal is: 2D.3a: Evaluate strategies for preventing and resolving conflicts. In this strategy you will help students be able to use assertiveness and positive decision making to stay out of conflicts.

The format is an 8-week session with small groups of students who either have been identified from your experience, the Dean’s office or a teacher referral. Below is an example of what the 8-week outline resembles.

Session Outline

 Session 1 – Introduction

 Overview of the purpose and goals of group

 Review group rules, expectations, and confidentiality

 Icebreaker Activity

 Pre-Test

 Anger Thermometer

 Introduce Hassle Logs

 Session 2 – Triggers and Cues

 Identifying Triggers (Anger Buttons worksheet from Strategies for Anger Management workbook)

 Identifying Physical Cues (body signs) (Physical Cues to Anger worksheet from SAM workbook)

 Session 3 – Anger Reduction Techniques

 Deep Breathing

 Counting Backwards

 Positive Imagery

 Session 4 – ABCDE Model

 ABCDE of Anger Control

 ABCDE Analysis of Student Examples

 Session 5 – Effective Communication

 Assertiveness Training

 Conflict Resolution

 Session 6 – Skill Building #1

 Dealing with an Accusation

 Keeping Out of Fights

 Session 7 – Skill Building #2

 Dealing with Someone Else’s Anger

 Understanding the Feelings of Others

 Session 8 – Review and Closure

 Review of Past Sessions

 Completion Ceremony

Reference:

http://www.schoolsocialwork.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Anger-managment-group.pdf

Social Stories

What is a Social Story?

_________________

Social Stories are a social learning tool that supports the safe and meaningful exchange of information between parents, professionals, and people with autism of all ages. The people who develop Social Stories are referred to as Authors, and they work on behalf of a child, adolescent, or adult with autism, the Audience.

Authors follow a defined process that begins with gathering information, discovering a topic that ‘fits’ the Audience, and the development of personalized text and illustration. Most frequently associated with short, simple Stories, there are also Social Articles for use with older or more advanced individuals. The Social Story Definition and ten defining characteristics (The Social Story Criteria) guide the development of every Story and result a patient, respectful, and unassuming quality that is the hallmark of the approach. It is that quality that distinguishes genuine Social Stories from social scripts, skill checklists, or ‘social stories’ that do not meet the current the definition.

There is only one definition for the term ‘Social Story’:

A Social Story accurately describes a context, skill, achievement, or concept according to 10 defining criteria. These criteria guide Story research, development, and implementation to ensure an overall patient and supportive quality, and a format, “voice”, content, and learning experience that is descriptive, meaningful, and physically, socially, and emotionally safe for the child, adolescent, or adult with autism.

How are Social Stories Used?

• Safety: Understanding safety may make it easier to follow some rules.
• Tragedies:  What a tragedy is and understanding tragedies on television.
• Discovery of Self and Others:  Each person is one of a kind.
• Advanced Concepts: Stories to address ‘elusive’ topics like stereotypes and resilience.
• Change: Changes in their daily life, including transitions. 

Additional Social Story Information:

Where did Social Stories come from?
The History of Social Stories

Is THIS a Social Story?
It is NOT a Social Story if… An initial screening instrument

How the Social Story Criteria keep pace with experience and research
Social Stories 10.0 – 10.2 Comparison Chart

Self Esteem Quiz/Video/Seventeen Mag/Face Your Feelings Activity

Design:

I designed this as a 4-in-1 activity to be done in one session. This activity can be utilized in a school setting; however I feel it can be utilized in any setting if modified. It is best used with small groups of 4-6 students. This activity can be used as a secondary build upon activity from the Popsicle Surprise activity I presented last week. It can be tailored for any child/adolescent/teen ages 5 – 19. This activity can be custom designed for any group you are having surrounding different topics. You can have Face Your Feelings about Anxiety, Depression, Social Skills, Healthy Dating, LGBTQIAAP. The word cut outs for the mirror activity can be tailored around your specific topic; you can find a video clip about your topic, and short survey question quiz regarding your topic (or create a survey quiz).

School Social Work Model:

This item of interest meets the School Social Work model under the practice feature of “Promoting a school climate conducive to student learning and teaching excellence.” This is done by school social workers promoting a psycho-social environment that fosters academic engagement and achievement. This practice is implemented by the school social worker building supportive relationships within and between students and facilitating engagement between students such as small groups. (sswaa.org)

Objective:

The objective of this group 4-in-1 activity is to increase open discussion about specific areas and challenges students are having in relation to self-esteem, self worth, self-confidence etc. The goals for this 4-in-1 activity is for the students to increase self-awareness and understanding of their own challenges surrounding the topic of self-esteem and continue to facilitate open dialogue; while also continuing to build the students trust, knowledge, support, and from their peers.  

Process Method:

I haven’t decided yet which order is best to perform this activity. If watching the video clip first, then quiz, then mirror activity is best and would result in the most open and honest dialogue or switching it around. I will be putting this 4-in-1 activity to the test next semester at my placement starting a new girls group. (This is where I need your feedback)

Self-Esteem Quiz:

The quiz is kept confidential during the activity. I explain to them that I will collect them and keep them. No names needed on the papers unless they feel comfortable putting their names on them. Give them 1 minute and 30 seconds to do the quiz.

http://www.self-esteem-experts.com/self-esteem-quiz.html

Video clip link:

The video clip is 1 minute long.

https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FIndependent.ie%2Fvideos%2F10154664274658470%2F&show_text=1&width=560

Seventeen Magazine Comparison:

Compare the two covers from 2011 to 2016. (You can go on their website and get old covers.

Face Your Feelings Mirror Activity:

Purchased mirrors from the Dollar Tree, and Velcro self-adhesive circles from Joanne Fabrics. Used Seventeen magazines to cut out various thoughts, feelings, ideas, catchphrases all surrounding self-esteem, self-confidence, and self-worth. In total I have about 40 different positive, negative, and neutral types feelings. Dump them on the table (preferably prior to the students coming in but cover them up) Give the students 30 seconds to pick the first 4 feelings that they can relate to at this exact moment (not yesterday, not two hours ago, not how you want to feel in the future) how they feel about themselves right now. I learned that giving them too much time to pick feelings also gives them too much time to think about what others are picking and second-guessing their feelings etc.

The remainder of the group will be used to have open dialogue about the students thoughts, feelings, reaction to the video clip, the quiz, the feelings they faced on their mirrors, and the two Seventeen magazine covers.

          

Strong Kids: Strong Start Curriculum

Item of Interest 2:

 Strong Kids: Strong Start Curriculum

            Strong Kids Curriculum is an evidence-based practice that works with students from K-12. Each book in the curriculum focuses on the needs of the grade level of the student. The curriculum is designed to incorporate Social and Emotional Learning Standards. More specifically is the Strong Start Curriculum.  This curriculum works with students aged 3-5 and another is designed for K-2. This set of curriculum works with teaching students about feelings and how to recognize their feelings in their own bodies. During each lesson, students read a book based off of the feeling that they are working with. The students then talk about the feeling of the lesson. Students’ focus on what that feeling feels like in their bodies. Students also work with coming up with different names for that feeling along with how to tell if others are feeling that feeling. This item of interest meets the Social Work Model under the practice feature of “Provide[s] evidence-based education, behavior, and mental health services”. This is done by implementing the curriculum, monitoring the progress of the lessons and evaluating if the student is making progress with the lessons.

Example:

For example, students can identify happy. Read the book I Like Me! with the students.

Another word for happy is excited. When happy, you can feel like you “are glowing”. Students can identify that other students are happy because they can see a smile on the student and lots of energy. Students can pair up and show each other what they look like when they are happy.

 

Sources:

Merrell, K. W. (2007). Strong start: A social & emotional learning curriculum. Baltimore: Paul H. Brookes Pub.

http://strongkids.uoregon.edu/strongstart.html

Simple Thought Record

Item of interest

Simple Thought Record

 A simple thought record is one of the main tools used in Cognitive Behavior Therapy. This Tool Can be used for individual or group sessions. It is used to help break down a problem or situation into smaller parts. First it is important for the client/student to understand the connection between thoughts and feelings: “How the way we think can affect our actions and mood”. Students often need help and practice at identifying the link between thoughts and emotions before they move on to challenging these negative thoughts and replacing them with more helpful/positive thoughts. Some clients might find it helpful to practice identifying Negative Automatics Thoughts using a Simple Thought Record before introducing the process of evidence-gathering and thought challenging. The simple thought record will ideally help identify triggers for anxiety, depression, stress, etc. and help connect thoughts with these feelings. The next steps for a more complex thought record would include alternative and positive ways of thinking and ways you can include them in your life.

Simple thought record

Situation Who, what, when, where?	Thoughts What was going through your mind as you started to feel this way? (thoughts or images)	Feelings What did you feel? Rate your emotions 0-100%