Videos of Alana working on Work Boxes at her TEACCH Model Work Station at Home

Alana's Work Box Tasks for TEACCH Work Station at Home; Videos of them being done to come next!

Here are some pictures of the work tasks Alana was doing yesterday at her Autism TEACCH model workstation here at home. I videotaped her doing each one and that post is next!! So stay tuned!

The picture above is the file holder that has worksheets, file folder games etc. in it to use for her tasks.

This I just wanted to point out that I am the biggest procrastinator and from the green over to the "shire" is file folder games that I have yet to actually put together into a folder. I copied them all from a book I borrowed from her teacher last year.


This pizza puzzle file folder game I got from abcteach.com among many other things I got from there. It is difficult because you do not match the shapes but the pepperonis and they all look very similar! You can make this harded by not having the picture to match the piece too.. just them putting it together like a regular puzzle. I printed it on cardstock, but only laminated the pieces (not the paper glued to the folder) and use velcro.

This is tracing sheets, Letter and her Name.. I place these in the same bin together. I have masters that I just copy as needed.

This is of course a puzzle. It's one of the more difficult ones because a) it is an actual picture while most 25 piece puzzles are cartoony and have more solid lines, b) its a free standing puzzle (not a board that it is placed on that shows its border etc.). If I am giving her a puzzle that does have a board with it she gets 3 of those in one bin because they are easier. But for this one, one is good. Puzzles can be used by most ability levels, by outlining the puzzle pieces on their matching board, numbering them with matching numbers on the board, making a board that goes with a free standing puzzle, using peg puzzles, starting at simple 3 piece peg shape puzzles.

This is a gripping activity that also teacher patterns, very good for fine motor. Before I bought this I used cheap clothespins from the store and carboard colored the same colors with marker, so that is always an option!! I bought this from Abilitations.. and have lost a yellow and blue pin.. ughh I hate little pieces!

This is what we used before I bought the one above.. I think these were like 2$ at the store.

This is nuts and bolts activity, I give them to her put together and then she takes them apart and puts them back together. Good for fine motor also matching. I got thses from abilitations (comes in a huge pack of 24 I think).. but you can always use some from the hardware store but we have little piece issue here and these were cuter lol.

This is a Sticker Dot Letter activity. I have every letter for younger kids you can start with just one letter but I do the full page of 2 letters. I got these from her teacher and keep a master of each letter (a to z) and copy as needed but you can probably be easily made yourself by hand or in a paint computer program. it helps with fine motor (the stickers) as well as letter recognition.

This is a cutting activity, I got some of these cutting sheets from her teacher and again keep what she gives me as masters and copy them as needed. The thicker outline makes it easier to cut, and could easily be done with any coloring book page and just outlined with a thick black marker and copied as needed. The scissors you see here are from abilitations catalog, they have many different types.

This is her last box which is normally the reward box, this is dot art page she used an art dobber to "color". Other ideas for a reward box are playdough, candy, any toy your child likes. A folder with pecs type pictures so they can choose the reward, (audio book, outside, ticker, squeeze, books, computer time, candy etc.)

Just a few pictures of the station (bins start on the left and when completed move to the right)

If your child isn't distracted by it supplies can be kept on the top of the REINFORCED shelving units and on the bottom shelf. I have the file holder up there (2 actually) and a bin of flashcard that I use to do some activities and folders (see a previous post on using them for folder games) and a bin full of puzzles etc. and of course her work light since she is often working in the evening after school.

Walk Now For Autism Speaks Seattle ; Final Update W/ Pictures

Walk Now For Autism Speaks

Seattle

October 3rd, 2009

TEAM ALANA

We raised 489$ on behalf of Team Alana!

And had a team of 28 people (including children) supporting Alana!

I would like to thank the following people for donating in some form.

Lisa Noel

Dianne (Alana's speech therapist)

Anna Fang

Dennis (my sister's Boss)

Dentri McDonald's

My mothers Boeing co-workers

My grandmother and her lovely friends

Buzz INN (marysville)

Nancy

Tesoro's Gas Station

Gas Station (unknown name in Arlington)

Just For Kids Consignment Shop

Coin Laundry on 128th

Los Potrillos

Dora Lattish

Julie Swanson

I think I got everyone!

I would also like to thank all of those who walked on our team, supported our team and raised donation money!!

The day of the walk turned out to be a nice day, no rain this year! It was held at the Dempsey arena at the University of Washington and the walk was through the UW Campus. Please enjoy the photos!!

Our team photos (click for larger)

Alana doing ???

Oh Geoffreyyyyyyyyyyy

Little man...

My sister, niece and Donni

Alana and Uncle James (my brother)

Maria and Ana from TEAM ANA and Alana.

Seahawks Blue Thunder Band and Blitz Mascot performing at opening ceremony

Crazy mascot...

We're off!

Gma and Alana

She walked the whole way this year!

Our team or most of it relaxing at the fountain!

A family photo... never get a family photo im always behind the camera or we arent in the same place at the same time lol.

I had to take this picture, just thought it was funny that the 4 strollers on our team were being pushed by the men :-P.

Last Plee for Walk Now For Autism Contributions!!

The Walk Now For Autism event in Seattle is tomorrow.

This is my last plee to please please donate if you can, even 5$ helps!!!

www.walknowforautism.org/seattle/alanateam

(choose a walker to donate under)

Need a reason?? Watch our video..

I will be picking up the donation bins here in a bit and will make a final walk post with details of the walk, photos, $$ raised etc.. here on Saturday evening or Sunday so stay tuned. I also have a post in the works about Alana's work station stuff so stay tuned for that too!

First day of school + some ; Kindergarten, 2nd Grade

Kaila has been in some type of school since 18months old so Kindergarten wasn't much of a big change like it is for most! She started September 2nd at the same school with Alana (we had to transfer because that elementary school is not the closest to us but I wanted them together) and has been doing well since. Her class is a mix of kids from all over the district that also transferred from their close home schools to this school through the no child left behind act.

2 weeks in and we got a notice that the teacher was only a sub to start the class off and a new teacher was being brought in.. This shocked all the parents because not one of us was told she was a "sub" for the first few weeks. I like the new teacher but they should have told us that the other teacher wasn't there for the long haul because Kaila was bawling the last day the teacher was there because they had all formed an attachment to her. She is of course over it now, love the memory of a 5 year old. That day though I let her write a note to the teacher (in email) and make a picture on paint to send to her too and that helped stop the crying. So they basically started over again 2 weeks in, each teacher does things their own way and the kids had to learn about her and her about them but so far so good..

Alana was also switched about a week in to another class with most the kids she was with last year and the same classroom but another teacher. I was on totally board with her class change though, the school initiated it and I agreed. The original class she was placed in was 1st and 2nd grade Teacch program (which was a Kindergarten class last year).. last year she was in 1-3rd grade Teacch class and she was the youngest in that class so she has been used to being with the older kids (and she's been in class off and on with these kids since preschool) then they put her in a class where she was one of the oldest.. a new classroom, new teacher, all new students to her, they were only doing the work station once a day when last year she was doing it at least twice and sometimes 3 times a day... it just seemed like a huge step backwards.

I would think that they automatically would have kept her in with the same kids and that class changed from 1-3 to 2-3 and shes in second grade so the move didn't make sense. Not even mentioning that they told me nothing about her class placement this year besides she would be in the Teacch program as usual...since I wasn't told anything different, I had assumed she would've been with the same kids.. at least those 3rd grade and under and I also assumed she was staying with that same teacher since she had grades 1-3 and Alana was going into second grade but they moved the teacher without informing me and changed classes around.

I love how schools totally keep you out of the loop like you don't give a shit what class they put your child in. ((hugs)) to all those with kids on IEP's, heck anyone with kids in school period.

I am not even going to start about Kaila's bussing situation because that would make this post REALLY REALLY long.

Below is Kaila on her first day of Kindergarten.. it was an orientation day where the parents stayed. I had Donni and Donni is well in a screaming phase.. I don't think the teachers will be asking me to volunteer in class anytime soon...

Oh and we already have our first fundraisers too.

And they had their pics taken last week as well, I'll share them when they arrive.. My plan was to let them take the photos by thierselves and if they come back good then great if not then I will take them to school and supervise the retakes :-D. Crossing my fingers for decent photos!

And one of Donni too just for the fun of it.. He exists really he does.