The Week's Themes
One of the pods at my school has figured out themes for each month, and, after years and years of asking teachers to give me some guidance about what they are talking about in the classroom, one of the teachers FINALLY did! So, I know what they are talking about at some time during this month!! I'm taking advantage of that fact to coordinate a part of my music therapy treatment for these classroom groups.
There are four themes each month. For January, we are focusing on Kansas (because we have to celebrate Kansas Day by the 29th - state mandate), Winter, Letters, and something else that I wrote down at work and have planned, but cannot remember right now... [head hung down in shame]. This week we are doing Winter and the something else I cannot remember right now. (NOTE: I think it is traveling in air vehicles...)
I am not a therapist who likes to plan out a script and follow it regardless of what the clients are doing. I am a therapist who likes to have basic ideas of how I will address client goals and objectives, but who has the moment evolve organically - taking cues from the client. BUT, this theme idea has some merit.
For one thing, using a theme for a portion of my session means that everyone is doing something that will enrich their learning in another area - the classroom. For another, I am only planning one theme-based TME per session. That offers me other opportunities to address clients' needs in the moment which is what I think a therapist has to do to be most effective.
So, what are we doing this week?
We're going to choose clothing for us to wear in the winter. I have some picture sheets in sheet protectors that we will use to point to our choices for winter garb. We're also going to sing a social story about riding on an airplane - complete with pictures.
One of the best things, for me, is that I have some structure for TME development. I have to come up with something that will address each one of the themes, and my year is laid out in front of me. So, today as I am engaging in some of my valuable planning time, I can sit down and write my TMEs for the airplane social story. I can arrange my materials so students can access them easily.
Off I go to talk about winter clothing.
Do you ever do anything with themes? If so, what??
There are four themes each month. For January, we are focusing on Kansas (because we have to celebrate Kansas Day by the 29th - state mandate), Winter, Letters, and something else that I wrote down at work and have planned, but cannot remember right now... [head hung down in shame]. This week we are doing Winter and the something else I cannot remember right now. (NOTE: I think it is traveling in air vehicles...)
I am not a therapist who likes to plan out a script and follow it regardless of what the clients are doing. I am a therapist who likes to have basic ideas of how I will address client goals and objectives, but who has the moment evolve organically - taking cues from the client. BUT, this theme idea has some merit.
For one thing, using a theme for a portion of my session means that everyone is doing something that will enrich their learning in another area - the classroom. For another, I am only planning one theme-based TME per session. That offers me other opportunities to address clients' needs in the moment which is what I think a therapist has to do to be most effective.
So, what are we doing this week?
We're going to choose clothing for us to wear in the winter. I have some picture sheets in sheet protectors that we will use to point to our choices for winter garb. We're also going to sing a social story about riding on an airplane - complete with pictures.
One of the best things, for me, is that I have some structure for TME development. I have to come up with something that will address each one of the themes, and my year is laid out in front of me. So, today as I am engaging in some of my valuable planning time, I can sit down and write my TMEs for the airplane social story. I can arrange my materials so students can access them easily.
Off I go to talk about winter clothing.
Do you ever do anything with themes? If so, what??
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