Transition and Working Towards Independence: A Collaborative Approach. Collaboration. Presentation Objectives

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Raising the Bar:

Educational Approaches that Go

Beyond Labels

1st Annual Education Conference

May 2013

Transition and Working

Towards Independence: A

Collaborative Approach

Lisa Bruno MS OTRL Ron Burd Teacher, CTC Diane Sandonato Teacher, CTC

Collaboration

From the inception of the transition program three years ago, the Transition Department and Occupational Therapists have joined forces to develop a comprehensive program which fosters independence both in school and in the workplace. Along with the development of essential employability skills, students develop visual-spatial, fine motor, sequencing and interpersonal capacities. Each child’s individual differences are supported in order for

work to become meaningful and purposeful.

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Presentation Objectives

Transition

Adult Curriculum

Community Based Instruction Job Skill Development program Occupational Therapy Supports Job Sampling Career Internships Job Readiness Self-reflection Self-advocacy Special Programs Take Home Strategies Resources

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What is Transition?

Under federal law, the term “transition services” means a coordinated set of activities for a student, designed

within results-oriented process, which promotes movement from school to post-school activities.

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When does transition planning begin?

Every student who is eligible for special education under IDEA must have an IEP that describes annual goals and details the services and supports to meet those goals. By the time a student is 14, the IEP

must reflect the student’s post-school goals.

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Transition Activities

Post-secondary education Vocational education Continuing and adult education Self-advocacy training Independent living skills training Community participation

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Adult Program Curriculum

CTC adult program offers a developmentally-based program designed to prepare young adults for

post-secondary life beyond the classroom.

It offers a diverse continuing education

curriculum which is aligned with the New Jersey Core Curriculum Content Standards for 21st

Century Life and Careers.

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Transition Program Domains

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1- Outdoor Education Video

n

 

Ron

’

s Lesson

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Targeted Areas of Development

Development

_FunctioningExecutive Theory of _Mind

Daily Living

Skills/Life

Skills

Ice safety _preservationSelf

Community

Exposures

Adjusting to a new environment Gaining confidence in a new and unfamiliar situation

Outdoor Education

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Outdoor Education

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Suggested Coursework for

Continuing Education

Critical thinking/ Problem solving Technology Applications

Financial Literacy Basic household Repair

and Maintenance Health and Well Being

Outdoor Education Community Exposures

Suggested Coursework-

Continuing Education

Friendship and Intimacy

Anxiety / Stress Reduction

Self Advocacy Executive Functioning/ Study Skills Project Management Leisure Exploration Community Occupational Therapy

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Suggested Coursework for

Continuing Education

Reading Club Public Speaking Civics Writing Workshop Justice System & Student

Government Sociology ChildDevelopment Global Issues 17

Community-Based Instruction

Community-based instruction involves learning by doing.

The student receives life skills, social skills, or work instruction at a community site (supermarket, library, post office, etc.) with either one-on-one support or in a small group. The instruction is designed to teach functional skills of everyday life through

hands on experiences.

Goals such as learning to shop, learning to use public transportation,

ordering food in a restaurant, making change, or using a map

may best be learned through

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Community Awareness-Pedestrian Safety

Real-life application

Class Presentation

Producing pedestrian

safety cards during OT

session

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2- Community Awareness-Pedestrian Safety

Video

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Transition Program-Job Skill

Development Program

Within our Job Skill Development Program, in-house jobs have been created which allow the students to contribute to the school community.

Ultimately, the prepares young adults for post-secondary life as they learn to generalize these skills in the workplace.

Along with the development of essential math and life skills, students develop visual-spatial, fine motor, sequencing and interpersonal capacities.

Each child’s individual differences are supported in order for work to become meaningful and purposeful

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In-House Jobs

School Store Clerical Maintenance Custodial Maintenance Box Tops for Education Laminating

Shredding Mail Delivery

3- In-house Jobs Video

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How Occupational Therapy supports

development in Transition

• Attention/ Regulation • Fine motor skills • Visual-spatial skills • Planning and Sequencing/

Motor Planning • Following directions • Daily living skills

• Functional vocational skills

Skills

necessary to

allow students

to function as

independently

as possible

include:

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Job Sampling

Job sampling is an initiative for

students to connect the classroom

to careers and engage students in

the world of work.

The length of the job sample

experience varies, but typically is

composed of half-day visits to a job

site.

Sites may include private, nonprofit,

or government sector where

students shadow employees and

participate in workplace activities.

Career Internships

Career Internships are structured, supervised activities that may take place in a school district, at an employer or agency, a community or faith-based organization, or

in the community.

They are designed to give

students structured, supervised

activities that will assist them to

accomplish the following:

Clarify career goals Explore career possibilities Develop employability skills Make the transition between school and employment 26

Job Sites

High View Farm (Budd Lake) ReStore/Habitat for Humanity (Randolph) Ritchie’s Music (Rockaway) Hope House (Wharton) ShopRite (Wharton) Family Florist (Budd Lake) Pax Amicus Theater (Budd Lake) TJ Maxx (Dover) Dover Public Library 27

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Job Sites

Saturday Matinee (Rockaway Mall) Ramsey Outdoor (Succasunna) Peer Place

Building site for Habitat for Humanity (Denville) Waterloo Village (Stanhope) Charles O. Hayford State Fish Hatchery (Hackettstown) Related Services Assistant ( CTC Wharton) Equine Tranquility Wellness Center (Andover) Administrative/ Teacher Assistant (CTC Wharton) DAWN Center for Independent Living (Denville) 28

4- Work Video Montage

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Targeted Job Skills

Following

directions

Attending

to tasks

Interpersonal

skills

Organization

skills

Accountability

Accepting

responsibility

Workplace

safety

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Occupational Therapy Checklist

Functional Lunch/Snack Skills

Functional Dressing Skills

Functional Hygiene & Grooming Skills

Executive Functioning Skills

Modifications Needed

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Job Readiness Skills

Resume Building

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5- Self-Reflection

Telephone Video

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6- Self-Advocacy

IEP Preparation Video

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Special Programs

Habitat for Humanity

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7- Special Programs

Habitat for Humanity Video

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Special Programs

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CTC Cafe

8- Special Programs

CTC Café Slide Show

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Take Home Strategies

Occupational Therapy Checklist

Work Observation Form

Goal and Reflection Sheet

Accountability Sheet

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Resources

Systematic Instruction of Functional Skills for Students and Adults with Disabilities

Keith Storey, Ph.D., Craig A. Miner

Steps to Independence: Teaching Everyday Skills to Children with Special Needs

Bruce L Baker, Alan J. Brightman

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Resources

Self-Directed Employment: A Handbook for Transition Teachers and Employment Specialists

James E. Martin, Dennis E. Mithaug, John H. Oliphint, James V. Husch, Eva S. Frazier