Day 1...The tension, the nervousness, the anticipation of not knowing what to expect or know what to do or how to do it.
Tonight 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, your group and your CAPES! participant? What are some things that you are going to try and address to be better prepared for next week?
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ReplyDeleteMy first night at CAPES was a little different since my student wasn't able to be there. The work that I did with the kid I helped with was awesome. At first I was really nervous but once I started working with him, I got more confident and it better feel better going into next week when I will hopefully have my kid for the first time.
ReplyDeleteAustin W. Barron
My first night was pretty hard. I was extremely nervous to meet my participant but excited because I had an idea of what I wanted to do with her. After meeting her, my plans all changed. When I was told that she was non-verbal I wasn't expecting her to not listen to instructions at all. I didn't get much progress with her because of that. I have a lot of changes in mind that I am going to attempt to implement next time. I am going to try to take her to a more secluded space to try to lessen the amount of stimulation. I am going to have a behavior management plan that I can implement and use the stuffed animals that she likes for reward. I a going to have to be a little more stern in my tone to help this along. I am also going to try to be out to the pool first so I can get more progress in the pool before she has a chance to sit on the side. I plan to use the watering can as a reward there. Still nervous about how the next meeting time will be since last time was hard and didn't give me much feedback but I'm hoping some of these ideas will help.
ReplyDeleteI was so nervous going into my first night of CAPES! I did not know what to expect, or how to act. As soon as I met the mother of my participant I was instantly relieved. She told me about her child and what to expect from her. My participant is non-verbal but she is incredibly smart and responds very well to smiles, modeling, saying her name, and high fives She is very energetic and fearless. She loves the water and I really want to work on swimming with her she can almost do it on her own. She will imitate my movements and I thin she could very well swim by herself with more instruction. I noticed she had a short attention span, something I want to work on is trying to get her to focus on an activity for longer than 30 seconds. To be better prepared for next week I am going to think of ways to keep her engaged in one activity, I can keep switching it up while still working on a particular skill.
ReplyDeleteI was scared to death to meet my student, but he is great! A seems ready to show all of his skills and have a good time. I think we will have to work on expectations and procedures to make things go more smoothly (for my sake). I need to plan a week or two ahead to have activities that he might like for our time. I think it will important to remember that he is not going to like everything that I plan, so we can try something else out. After talking to A’s mom, we are going to try and do some activities with other students, to work social skills. I am really hoping that we can play a traditional sport (like kickball) with like 10 other people, so more of the kids get a feel of being on a team. This is going to be a great environment to practice sports.
ReplyDeleteI honestly am not sure how I felt going into this! I just didn't know what to expect. But I'm really glad I got the first day out of the way because now I have a much better idea and will be able to plan more games and activities in the following weeks. A was very friendly! She was a lot more active and adamant than I was expecting, in fact, she mostly chose the activities. I understand now what people were saying about them being able to "run us over"! Something I will have to work on myself :) I didn't have anything planned this week because I just didn't know what was going to happen and was hoping to focus and get to know A. Now that I know her a little better, I will focus on planning more activities that will help her skills develop even more.
ReplyDeleteThe last couple of weeks I was really excited to get to know my participant! Not until the morning up CAPS did the nerves set in and I got really nervous. I wasn't sure how I would connect with the parents or the T. I was unsure of how to communicate with a child that was non-verbal. Something I want to work on is carrying out the little bit of sign that he knows so that we can communicate better. I want to try and see if he will catch on with the signs "yes" and "no". His Dad mentioned that they have been working on it and I want to go into this next week trying those two signs with him. He may even know already what they are, but it would be good practice for the both of us! I think that something that went really good was us being able to have fun! We laughed a lot and he began to trust me more and more as the evening went on. T is such a happy kid and I couldn't have been more excited to have learned that about him!
ReplyDeleteI was honestly very nervous to go to capes and meet J. and his parents. I was hoping that everything would go smoothly, J. would like me, that I would know what to say to the parents, and that J. would have fun. Something I will work on after initially meeting J. is to work on communication and socialization. In his box account it stated he wanted to be better in groups. Throughout the night I feel he slowly warmed up to me. I want to integrate him talking more to me, as well as more to a group. I'm also going to make sure I do activities that he personally enjoys. I read that he loves puzzles and coloring, so I will make sure over the weeks to come I will incorporate things that will really help build the trust relationship. I am so excited for this semester and everything I will learn every week!
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ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed my first CAPES! experience. I didn’t feel super nervous, I felt more anxious to finally begin what we had discussed for the first couple of weeks of the semester. I felt fairly prepared with the information that the student who had worked with G last semester wrote in her end of the semester questionnaire. I had read that G didn’t get in the pool much last semester so I was interested to see how that went. I actually thought that I would have to do more coercing to get her even close to the pool. She came into the pool and starting running to the opposite side of the pool which made me nervous because I didn’t want her to slip. She proceeded to go directly to the medal stairs and I thought she was going to go right in so I immediately got in and stood in front of the steps to make sure she didn’t just jump in. The rest of the time she mainly stood at the stairs I just tried to gain eye contact and let her earn my trust by understanding that I wasn’t going to do anything that she wasn’t happy about. I touched her feet and put water on her feet, while trying to get her to splash me with her feet. I felt successful at one point because I actually got her to take my hand and brought her in the water. I could tell she was a little nervous so I went to the opposite steps where we poured water in each other’s hands. After getting dried off we went into the gym and I was pleasantly surprised by her physical ability. I kind of let her go where she wanted to go, but if she was at a station too long I tried to get her to another station. I tried to get her to repeat as many words as I could to work on her verbal skills. At one point when she was repeating numbers as we were counting I paused and she said the nest number on her own. I felt like this was a positive thing and kept working on her counting. All in all, I think it was a successful evening and at the end G’s mom said she thought we were a good fit which made me happy. Next week I want to have more things set up in the pool area like items to pour water because she seemed to like to play with the water that way. I also am going to try to get some laminated pictures to play with in the pool that maybe will help work on her verbal skills at the same time.
ReplyDeleteMy first day of CAPES! Was so much fun! I (like most everyone who has commented above me) was extremely nervous about meeting and interacting with M because she is a brand new participant this semester. I was worried that she would run away, that her parents would be too protective and not let us get any work done, etc., but I was blessed to have a partner to help care for my participant, and M's mother was extremely helpful and relaxed about the whole situation, so I was immediately relieved. M really loved to play basketball, and she had great manners with taking turns and saying thank you, but she wouldn't focus on anything but basketball, and when it came time to rotate to the pool she fought us a little. Next week we want to work on being more assertive and follow through with rules and promises like "last throw before we leave" and "you can swim to the wall one more time, but then we have to go change." Overall, the other night was a lovely experience, and I'm so excited to work with M this semester!
ReplyDeleteCAPES was super fun, but a little stressful! I was super excited and nervous to start because there are so many unknown variables. There wasn't tons of information about B so I felt really unprepared, but I think it went well! The start was a little difficult, but once we got into the grove of things, it went a lot smoother. Now that I know what to expect and I know more about B, it will be easier to communicate and have fun! I think that the best thing was the pool. B seemed to really love splashing in the water, it might not be the best to teach that, but it got B more used to the water and making the connection that it's fun to play and swim. Next week I think that we will focus on blowing bubbles in the water. B was really responsive to that and I think that is a good step towards swimming! I also saw that throwing went really well. B hit most of the targets spot on and also liked to bat. I noticed that many times, B wanted to do many things without any help, which sometime times didn't always go as planned, but I loved that B was asserting that independence. There were several occasions where my partner and I were in a little bit of a pickle because, on two occasions, B was either hanging or stepping on something that wasn't meant for those activities, but it all worked out okay! B also really liked the sit in this bucket, it really seemed to calm B and get B more centered. Next week I think that my partner and I will try to let B know the game plan before we start doing anything. I also think that we need to address different ways to communicate with B, there were some miscommunications, but I think next week will go better! I'm so excited for the opportunity to work with B this semester!
ReplyDeleteI began the semester pretty nervous about the course's requirements. CAPES, for 2 hours a week, and for 10 weeks. I have worked with adults with disabilities, but never with children with disabilities. The first Tuesday being involved with it, however, was more fun than I could have imagined. It was entertaining, and my friend A was really fun to play with. My experience with working with children helped me overcome my original thoughts and nervousness. Playing with A was no different than with any of the other kids I have worked with. A helped me get over my worries for the semester, the preconceived notions I held before the program began to correct into the real-world fact that these kids cannot be generalized based on their disability. I'm excited for the rest of the semester and I will do my best to make sure my kid gets the most out of the few hours a week we are together.
ReplyDeleteThe first day of CAPES! was nearly what I expected. As soon as the participants arrived our family sought my partner and I out. We asked the family to follow us to a quieter location (classroom) so that we may properly meet. There we began the Parent Q&A. We wanted to know how we could better accommodate S's needs and understand how we can make S's time at CAPES! a great experience. S's family was quite informative and seemed as though they enjoyed speaking with us. S's family seemed appreciative that I took the time to write out questions to ask.
ReplyDeleteAfterwards, we headed to the pool. This is where most of my apprehension lied for the CAPES! requirements. I am not a great swimmer, but our participant loves the pool. Thankfully, my partner is an excellent swimmer compared to me and will be able to lead the pool portion. Our biggest concern in the pool was what to do. We started with getting in the pool which was quite cold. Once we became acclimated to temperature in the pool, we started going underwater. One thing I noticed is that S has a hard time holding his breath underwater. Once S was ready to move on we played basketball and had him search for pool rings underwater, both of which he enjoyed.
Then, we moved on to the land based activities. S enjoyed the stations that challenged his balance and agility which made sense due to his interest in American Ninja Warrior.
All in all, the first night went well. S seemed to really appreciate our company. Needless to say, we only had to correct his behavior a few times, but that is to be expected. Next session we plan to work on breathing underwater and some swimming strokes as well as his accuracy when throwing a ball and reaction time to certain challenges!
Rohan Vajupeyayajula
My first day of CAPES! was a great experience. My participant has been in this program from the beginning, so she was very familiar with all of the activities and knew exactly what she wanted to play with. I felt very comfortable after meeting her parents because they are easy going, supportive, and there to help if we ever need them. K loves the water and we were able to encourage her to get all of her hair wet by going under water and she was also very good at blowing bubbles in the water. On land, we worked on catching and learning how to hold a basketball. After just a couple minutes K really grasps what she needs to do and does a great job carrying out the task. Next week we plan to work on coordination and move to the deeper end of the pool.
ReplyDeleteEver since I signed up for this class I have been very apprehensive about CAPES! As the starting date grew nearer my apprehension and nervousness only grew more and more. Once my CAPES! participant showed up I knew I had to jump in head first in this experience otherwise I was going to be miserable. After talking to A mom for a while we headed into the gym to play and preform some of the assessment they had set up for us. A was a little overwhelmed at first and continued to be distracted by all the other people while we were in the gym. She really enjoyed hitting different objects off the tee and playing with the badminton shuttles and rackets.
ReplyDeleteWe also had a great time in the pool. A did not get in all the way and stayed by the stairs the whole time but we still had a good time playing with a sponge (that she repeatedly dumped on my head), a ball and the floating noodles.
My goal for next week is getting A talking. I was surprised how much she talked to me but is still very shy around other people. I also want to get her focusing on what we are doing and not everyone else. I was thinking I would find a quieter spot for us to play. Lastly, I want to get A all the way in the pool. From what I've heard she loves the pool once she is in it, I think we'll have a better time if I can get her all the way in the water.
McKay Barker
I was not very excited for CAPES. I was very nervous to go. Once my kid got there and I started talking to his mom just to kind of figure out what he was like it got a lot better. My kid has so much energy! He gets really excited for everything, but he also gets very distracted. When we were at the stations if a ball of something flew past him he would immediately want to go do that instead. I will for sure have to be in a separate room without any distractions. He loves running on the track so I can for sure use that as a reward. Overall it went a lot better than I thought and I am excited for next week.
ReplyDeleteKellee Page
I was so nervous about CAPES! I was nervous all the way up until my participant showed up. Once he got there, it was time to roll, ready or not. After I talked to his mom, we went right into it. We started with all the different stations. We played basketball. He loved all the different stations, especially the sports stations. He loves to play sports like football, basketball, hockey, and even through the ball to play catch. He is competitive and definitely likes a little competition. He is so happy with a cute personality. He makes the experience better with how happy he is to be there!
ReplyDeleteThen we went to the pool. I was so nervous for this part. He loves the pool. He will just go under the water for as long as he can. He loves to just float under the water, but he forgets to breathe! To be honest, it scares me so bad. He is a little wild in the water. He definitely loved to race and will work hard for an incentive.
Next week will be fun. I want to work more on his fine motor skills. I want to work on having him work more with his hands and arms. In the pool, I want to get him to swim better and work on breathing and kicking his legs. I am excited for next week!
Makell Hull
I was very nervous about CAPES, I thought that going to the orientation would help calm my nerves, but it just made them grow! I was nervous to meet the little girl and her parents, especially the parents. I am usually good at talking to kids but I had no idea what to say to the parents. Once I met the little girl and got acquainted, it was so much fun. The little girl knew exactly what she wanted to do and the time went by so fast!
ReplyDeleteI am excited for the next time that I get to go, since that first day is out of the way the nerves are (mostly) gone and we can focus on having fun. I also want to focus on being more active and moving around more. When we were in the gym, she wanted to go the cup stacking the whole time. I want to work on an activity where we both can be more active. I think it'll be a good semester!
This was really fun. Are kid well call S. we had a great time. We went swimming. Held our breath under water played basket ball and dove for rings. It was really fun. We also had a great time. After we went to the gymn played on the some balancing stations then went to some throwing stations. played soccer did some bowling and some battmitton. by the time we were through I was exhausted. We took some pictures of us smiling and gave S Back to his mother. Excited for tonight as well!
ReplyDeleteThe first night was full of ups and downs. It was really hard to get my students to work together and interact on a social level. That will definitely need some work. The swimming portion went well and I was really excited that S and J were willing to get right in, with some coaxing on my part of course. However, the gym portion did not go as well. S and J started to get tired and had a hard time finding activity they wanted to do. S kept running away, so that was an adventure. I'm excited to implement some new ideas this week. It should be a good experience!
ReplyDeleteTonight, went great. I enjoyed spending time with M and we tried a lot of different activities. M loved to swim me and my partner had a hard time keeping up with him. I felt we could spend the whole time in the pool and he would have been extremely happy. The land based also went well. M knew what he wanted to do and led the group in the different activities. We started off with some balancing activities. At first, M had a bit of a hard time with them but once he got going we did great. One thing my group did was add challenges to add challenges to make M focus more. I think there are many things I would like to work on next week. We did not have the time to see M fine motor skills so I would like to spend time on that. To see how well he is doing. I would also like to find ways to add challenges while swimming.
ReplyDeleteJanessa Frandsen
Before we began I had a lot of anxiety and I was nervous about all the unknown. But, once I met the child I was working with and got a sense for what the experience was going to be like all my nerves left me. I found myself smiling and having a great time and really learning a lot about T. He had been at CAPES last semester so he had a good sense of the routine and there was visible excitement from him as we did different activities. I constantly found myself surprised by T and his ability, especially in the water! Next week, I plan to continue to get to know the child I am working with and better identify his interests and what activities he enjoys doing. I’d like to learn his different ques and signals because he is non-verbal so I will better be able to sense his needs and wants.
ReplyDeleteThe first night of CAPES went very well. K loves the water, but is afraid to leave the side of the pool. We worked on throwing rings on the steps to get her to put her to put her head in the water.
ReplyDeleteThe land activities went ok. She threw the basketball, and football, balanced, jumped rope, play tag, stacked cups, hula hooped and put together a puzzle. There was so much to do that it was distracting.
When it was time for K to go home she sat in the corner and was upset. I would like to work on this. Shes a great kid and alot of fun.
I had a wonderful first experience in the CAPES program. It was a little intimidating at first, but once I was with the child I had so much fun! It was amazing to me to see how much these children are capable of and how much fun they have as well. I can't wait for the next week and to learn more about what I can do to help in this program.
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ReplyDeleteI had a great time meeting A and was so excited to get to know her better and find out what she is capable of. M is a great partner and I look forward to working with her as well. I was surprised how comfortable I was with A and how much she enjoyed spending the time with me and M.
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