Welcome to “On the Horizon”
Issue 84: Learning to Think – Part Two: Mindfulness Throughout the Day
On the Horizon is an award winning weekly ezine for parents of children with developmental disabilities who want simple, effective strategies to reduce stress, support their child’s development, and improve quality of life for the whole family.
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Tools That Work
 A Note from Nicole: Trick or Treat; Solving Meaningful Problems
Idea of the Week: Caramel Marshmallow Delights
Feature Article: Learning to Think – Part Two: Mindfulness Throughout the Day
The Horizons Team Recommends: Raising Minds®; Horizons Workshops
Upcoming Events: CORE Approach Parent Teleseminar; Sibshop
Hi Everyone!
We had a fun Halloween weekend with the kids, even though it was quite cold and wet. This year the kids dressed up as a man with a melting face (my 9-year-old’s idea of a cool mask), a pirate, a vampire, and Tinkerbell. They had a great time trick-or-treating in my parent’s neighborhood and eating doughnuts, popcorn, and cider at their house once the candy bags were full. Needless to say we have enough candy to last through the holidays! Speaking of treats, check out the idea of the week for a yummy treat we love to eat at the office. Thanks to Erin for introducing us to them!
This week’s feature article by Courtney is a continuation of her previous article about mindfulness throughout the day. There are some excellent ideas for pausing to have students (and kids at home) stop to think and solve meaningful problems. This is one of the many topics we will be covering at our 1-day workshops for professionals and families coming up later this month. If you haven’t seen the details about these workshops, check them out here www.HorizonsDRCWorkshops.com.
I’m headed to Las Vegas for some meetings later this week, and hoping for much better weather than we’ve been having around here! Enjoy whatever your week has in store for you!
Looking to the horizon,
Caramel Marshmallow Delights
For this great spin on Rice Krispie Treats you will need: 1 package of large marshmallows, 1 package of caramels, ½ cup butter (cubed), 1 can of sweetened condensed milk, and 1 package of crisp rice cereal. Place the cereal in a large bowl and set aside. In a metal bowl over simmering water, combine the milk, butter, and caramels – stir until smooth and then remove from the heat. With a fork, quickly dip the marshmallows into the caramel mixture, allowing the excess to drip off. Then roll them in the cereal. Place on a foil-lined pan and chill for 30 minutes. Remove from the pan and refrigerate in an airtight container. These are a favorite at our office!
Learning to Think – Part Two: Mindfulness Throughout the Day
By: Courtney Kowalczyk, M.Ed.
School has been in session for over a month now, and students are busily working on their studies. Teachers have dug into the content of their curriculum for the year, and everyone has had time to adjust to the new routine. As a former teacher, curriculum was an integral part of my day; and working with students with special needs could be very challenging, especially when trying to pull from so many different pieces of curriculum. I did my best to look at each child’s unique needs, and best match their capabilities with the curriculum options I had available; however, I still found myself struggling with what I had. My students needed extra practice and a slower pace, which most curricula today do not allow. I also wanted to see my students learning to think and process information instead of learning static skills.
While pondering this issue about mindfulness and curricula, I found myself creating opportunities during the day for thinking and problem solving. I continued to use modified forms of curriculum with my students in order to meet their academic goals; but, I found that providing my students with opportunities to think and do problem solving made a tremendous impact in all aspects of their education and livelihood. Here are a few suggestions for adding moments of “mindfulness” to your day with students.
- Allow your students to get the materials they need instead of doing it for them. For many teachers, it is easier to get the materials that we need before inviting our students to join us. However, asking our students to get the materials themselves gets them thinking ahead to what it is that you will be doing, and to prepare for the activity themselves. This allows for a great deal of thinking on the student’s part, which is very important. You are not only teaching them how to think but also how to plan, which is a necessary life skill that every child should have.
You Have Questions.
We Have Answers.
Join us for learning experiences designed to provide you with the information, tools, and motivation you need to make a meaningful difference in the lives of individuals with autism and other neurodevelopmental disorders.
Horizons
Workshop Opportunities
-
Evaluating for Autism: The Nuts and Bolts of Quality School-Based Autism Spectrum Disorder Evaluations
-
Autism in the Classroom: Simple & Effective Strategies to Learn Today and Use Tomorrow
-
Day of Change: A Groundbreaking Workshop for Parents of Children with Autism and Other Neurodevelopmental Disorders
-
Extreme Makeover: Autism Education Edition
For more information, click here
Discover a Source of Information
and Support for Parents Just Like You!
Imagine for a moment what your life would be like if you knew how to
identify and address the biggest obstacles facing your child. I’m
talking about the core issues that create difficulties for your child,
for you, for your family, and for anyone else involved in your child’s
life. What would it be like if you could help your child learn to:
- Attend to the right things at the right time
- Thoughtfully communicate—not just talk in memorized or mechanical ways
- Be genuinely interested in the emotions, ideas, and actions of others
- Take responsibility for actions
- Flexibly adapt to change
- Understand the intentions of others
- Come up with creative ideas and solutions
- Have meaningful conversations
- Develop curiosity about other people, events, and things in the environment
- Be self-aware—know who s/he is as a person and how s/he is being perceived by others
The information available at Raising Minds® will help you understand exactly what deficit areas require treatment and how to accomplish that, while lowering your stress in the process.
Now, just imagine the peace you will bring to yourself and your
family, not to mention the results you’ll create for your child, when
you have 24/7 access to the information, resources, and motivation you
need to understand your child’s needs and powerfully impact his/her
development.
For more information, click here 
Please join us!
- CORE Approach Parent Teleseminar: Q&A with Michelle & Courtney
(Horizons Families Only)
Monday, November 2, 2009 from 1:30-2:30 PM EST
- Sibshop – Horizons Sibling Network
Open to everyone!
Saturday, November 7, 2009, 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM EST
- Horizons Parent Education Day
(Horizons Families Only)
Topic: Remediation-Friendly Treatments for Feeding Problems and Sensory Processing Disorders
Saturday, November 14, 2009 from 10am-4pm
- CORE Approach Parent Teleseminar: Topic: TBD
(Horizons Families Only)
Thursday, November 19, 2009 from 11:00-12:00 PM EST
- Workshop – Autism in the Classroom: Simple &
Effective Strategies to Learn Today and Use Tomorrow
Friday, November 20, 2009
- Workshop – Dayof Change: A Groundbreaking Workshop for Parents of Children with Autism and Other
Neurodevelopmental Disorders
Saturday, November 21, 2009
- Workshop – Evaluating for Autism: The
Nuts and Bolts of Quality School-Based Autism Spectrum Disorder Evaluations
Thursday, Feburary 11, 2009
- Workshop – Autism in the Classroom: Simple &
Effective Strategies to Learn Today and Use Tomorrow
Friday, March 12, 2009
- Workshop – Day of Change: A
Groundbreaking Workshop for Parents of Children with Autism and Other Neurodevelopmental Disorders
Saturday, March 13, 2009
- Extreme Makeover: Autism Education Edition
August 4-6, 2010
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