Transition and the Real World : The Teacher’s Perspective

1. Transition and the Real World : The Teacher’s Perspective Transition Series Keene State College March 27, 2008

2. MRHS Mission Statement a light bulb moment • Monadnock Regional High School strives to engage all students in a quality education that enables them to develop and meet their individual goals and prepares them to lead satisfying, productive lives as global citizens

3. MRHS Life Skills Program • Student Composition: • Multiple disabilities, MR, autism , speech imp. • Access General education curriculum • Set High Expectations • Related Services : occupational therapy, physical therapy, speech therapy, nursing supports, counseling ( girls group and individual) • Other: shared vocational coordinator, guidance

4. Program description ( cont) • Community Experience coordinated set of activities taking classroom frameworks and matching them to real world expectations • Curriculum is not rocket science • What skills do we use on a daily basis and need to become productive citizens • Embed frameworks and curriculum

5. Student directed IEP Understanding IEP and meeting process – Skills Dev. class Attending or facilitating their meetings Self- Advocacy & Disability awareness Advocacy binders mentors Futures mapping Life Skills Inventories Learning Styles Assessment Career Exploration and Assessment Internships Echoices/Bridges Volunteering Internships Job shadows Career Days Disability Mentoring Opportunities School-to-Career Class Transition planning

6. Making transition happen • Student driven • Form a cohesive team that can think outside the box ( instruction, daily living, recreation and leisure, employment) • Have a unified vision • Age appropriate assessments/ inventories • Identify what you need to know and find the assessment that will provide that information • Networking • Use your own backyard • There are lessons to be learned from every experience ( Cedarcrest)

7. Student and family Guidance counselor Case manager Tutor School to Career teacher General Ed. teacher (mentor) Related Service providers Nurse/ medical team SAU Vocational Coordinator MDS and/0r MFS family services case manager Voc Rehabilitation Counselor Disability consultant Internship supervisor Big sister or brother Coach, advisor, peer, sibling Transition Team Members

8. Other considerations for transitioning • Agency connections- use their expertise • Medicaid • SSI eligibility • Guardianship • Job training • State non-drivers ID • Bank account • Accessing public transportation • Phone calling • Safety skills • Community Connections • Independence

9. Functional and Consumer Math: Money management Banking Counting money Making purchases Budgeting Understanding paychecks Ordering from menus Cooking measuring Shopping lists & quantity for recipes Scheduling time Calendar skills Organizations Using resources Curriculum Application

10. Social Studies CIVICS Volunteerism Voting Pitch activity ideas Register to vote – recite personal information Geography Mapping skills Reading directories Reading schedules Economics What’s Next class Independent Living Curriculum Application

11. Life Skills Household Skills Cooking Laundry Shopping Cleaning Gardening Safety home/ community/ pedestrian Stranger Fire Internet Accessing resources: Newspapers Schedules Menus Applications Phone books & individualized phone book Curriculum Application

12. Examples of Career Exploration • School to Career Class • Summer Program: Stonewall Farm, Swanzey Police Department, Swanzey Town Hall, Mount Caesar Town Library, Community Kitchen, Shir-Roy Campgrounds, Hair Designs, • Internships: day care, preschool, Cedarcrest, Carpenter Home, Winchester Emergency Services, Cheshire Medical Center, Swanzey Parks & Rec., Salvation Army • Earning school jobs as free choice activity • Recycling, mail delivery, office runner, trophy care taker, hall monitors, stocking vending machines, message board entry, nurse’s office, library media transport, stocking sales items, labeling, sorting and filing mail

13. Hidden Opportunities to build skills • School’s Mission Statement • Fundraising: • Soup sales • Accounting, ordering ,tallies, delivery, money collection, making change, filling deposit slips, banking skills, social skills • BoxTops for Education • Collect, sort, date checks, bundle and tally, mail, recycling • Cartridges for Kids • Funddraiser for nonprofits; school oversees collection of used ink cartridges within building • Contact local businesses as partners

14. Career Exploration Resources • Service Learning Projects Combines: • civic responsibilities • Mission statement and grading rubric • Career exploration • Life skills • Community access Examples: Spots Out !, Boxtop collectors, delivery service, summer garden Internships Volunteering- Meeting Civic Responsibilities

15. Advocacy Binders • It’s never too early to start. Sections: About Me My IEP Accommodations Disability resources Work samples Learning Style Inventories Life Skills Inventory Career Exploration Honors and Awards Extracurricular activities Work experiences and contacts *Embed into class activities

16. Assessments / portfolio data • Work Logs • Class activities • Job Shadows • Service Learning Projects • Family input • Classroom projects • Online career assessment results

17. Challenges • Time • Documentation • Discover resources – print and community • Networking • Money restraints • Team commitment • Think beyond the 4 walls of the classroom • Know what is out there • We can learn as much from what doesn’t work as what does work.

18. Biggest bang for your buck! • Transportation is expensive • One trip to multiple nearby locations • One stop let’s some walk a bit and practice pedestrian skills • Get to outer bus route and drop off for public transport practice • Meet 2 goals with one activity- • Many transition activities can align with alternate portfolio evidence for variety of settings & natural supports • Embedded frameworks • Spend less on materials to maximize $$ for bus runs • Create materials or look online to save $$ transfer to transportation monies

19. Use what you’ve got • Office jobs within the building • Internships at neighborhood sites • Other schools nearby • Town offices • Shopping for other departments • Courier service • Stack transportation • Voting for class activities- pre-register to vote • Laundry service • Schools and staff

20. Examples • Stephen • Turns 21 in August Timeline Futures plan : wants to be Spiderman! Probing questions: help people & costume Started weekly visits to Carpenter Home – social activities with residents ( badge) Enjoyed but didn’t have a uniform More probing questions: wanted to be a policeman

21. Job shadow and interview with Officer Kassotis • Volunteered once a week at Winchester Emergency Services Building • Cleaning vehicles, filling chimney fire bags, rolling hose, cleaning tasks • Invited to lead holiday parade with police • Lunch break with officer lead to paid job

22. Paid work at pizzeria • Regular visits from Police • Continued volunteer work • Continued to request police training • Did ride-along with Chesterfield Police • Did ability/check on skills observed • Researched jobs that had uniforms • Worked with student to identify strengths • Hall monitor with badge ; report in to school resource officer

23. Futures planning • Skills match- social, safety, cooking skills • Student identified desire to be security guard after going to movies • Set up scripted interview with security guard • Match made at Cheshire Medical Center • Volunteer job gives student a badge, vest and supplies ( labeling gun)

24. Placement works: staff member has experience with disabilities • Student checks in office where sees Security guard – feels connect • Has uniform and badge • Positive first visit (plunge) • High level of built in safety for independent work • Transportation issues can be met- City Express