Category Archives: Special Needs Events

View Box Christmas Story

Learning disabilities, Special Needs Events

Children with Disabilities love a seek-and-find story. I’ve been busy making boxes of story for our children’s group. Find boxes to fit your pictures, glue the pictures inside the boxes, and attach with tacks to the wall at eye level. Then put the lids on the boxes. Children love opening the boxes to help tell the story of Christmas. In January we continue with boxes about the life of Jesus. It’s the same for everyone: we learn the characters, and then, little by little, over the years, we find out what the story really means. If we are lucky we remember the real Christmas gift all year and we make new discoveries about Jesus as we go along. I just love discovery. For more information, go to  How to Use Stories With Students With Disabilities.

On another front, our teen and adult groups hold their year end Christmas party on December 8. We can’t decide who has the most fun – Santa who brings gifts, the leaders who watch it all, Jim who drops in to share fun with his favorite persons, or the students who share their gifts with us.  The Harbor Light Choir will entertain with a carol program.

Transformation and Excitement

Learning disabilities, Special Needs Events

This week’s talent show was so awesome it renewed my feeling that what the leader-volunteers do is beyond measure. It also showed us that our students grow. With no rehearsal, just an announcement the week before, about twenty adults shared their talents. One young man who for ten years has frozen in front of a group faced the audience and sang clearly into the karioke mike. A shy, stuttering  young woman became tongue-tied facing the audience until a leader put her arm on the woman’s shoulder, turned her around  making her back to the audience to sing her song. Some told jokes, and others had jokes lined out to them by the master of ceremonies. A big, well-prepared guy  passed out copies of his song, gave an accompaniment disc to the master of ceremonies, sang four verses and asked the audience to join him on the last.    The most touching for me was a very shy person, who had obviously been at war with herself over participating, stood up at the very end after the group was asked if anyone else wanted to do something. She reluctantly got to the front, faced the audience, and, unaccompanied, in a beautiful soprano voice sang “Silent Night.”

To read how our students grow in many ways see stories of spiritual growth.

Drums Were A Pounding Success

Special Needs Events

Last week’s drum concert showed the audience that drums are fun as a group and that individuals love to make their own patterns, and they want to continue with another course of drumming. Tom Jaber brought some choir members to join the drum groups in a song, and the audience joined in for the last chorus. It was a triumph of learning in class as the leaders watched some students with speech impairments learn to count out loud and beam with accomplishment, and it was a triumph of self esteem at the concert when each performer excelled.  The same evening featured a talent show, and we watched as students showed how they had matured in the last few years. Most rewarding was  how the audience showed respect and silence when someone goofed or chickened out. This group shows love and affection without reservation.

If you’re thinking of starting a drum group, remember that drums need safe storage. The bigger the djembe, the more space required.

Bullying and Unkind Words

Disability Issues, Special Needs Events

Bullying and unkind words are on the menu everyday for students with disabilities. The words wound as much as the fists, and they also injure parents who are helpless to stop the source. Many parents report bullying to school officials who cannot be present for every incident, but who try to stop it. The bullying then becomes more subtle, often retreating to playgrounds and sidewalks where school officials are powerless.

Students who attend ARC, Circle of Friends, Joy programs and Friendship activities find a haven where love is spoken and people respect each other. These organizations become like caring families for students and parents.

If you have a heart for persons with any kind of special need, try volunteering some time with these organizations. Orientation will be provided, and you will soon be “hooked on helping.” Johns Hopkins University recently released findings on research that proved what they call “helpers high” that releases endorphins in the body that are not only good for your body but make you feel a good high after community service. Surprisingly, the high persists when you talk about it or remember it. Take note that volunteering with students with disabilities can be good for you. It’s a gift exchange. You help them; they help you.

Volunteer Appreciation Time

Disability Issues, Special Needs Events

It’s official. We are all appreciated by our church, and the caring ministry is throwing a party for us! What a great opportunity for us to get together and talk on a personal basis. Anyone who has worked with persons with disabilities knows that when you are ‘working,’ you are not on personal visitation mode. You’re listening, checking, enabling, keeping safe. So now we get personal. Cathy just got married, so we get to meet her new spouse. Some leaders have new jobs and new grandchildren. It may be that we will start talking and never stop. I’ll let you know.

On other front: Drums! Noisy, fun, educational, grounding! Drums also take extra storage, but we found a niche for them. If you feel the ground shake in a couple of weeks, it is our drum concert that preceds our talent show.

Drums for Persons with Special Needs

Disability Issues, Special Needs Events

The Circle of Friends adult group begins a new break out class tonight, and I can hardly wait to see the students  excitement when their hands first slap on to the djembes and bongos. Then hang on to your hats and maybe cover your ears if you are nearby. Joyous noise sounds like a din even if it’s organized.  The rhythm of drumming and the feeling of being centered with the earth make this an ideal outlet for many persons with disabilities, and it is ideal for persons who cannot speak but want to express themselves.

New research with children who had pre-birth trauma or post birth trauma such as abuse, major illness or violence either inflicted or witnessed have been shown to have an under-developed neuron. Researchers have had good success with improving this development using methods of rhythm including drums.

My first internet question about drum groups brought responses from Japan, Scotland, England and all across the US. Drumming is used in nursing homes and with persons with disabilities of all ages. Everyone was enthusiastic and felt that there was progress in expression and self esteem. Drumming with a group, often called a drum circle, awards a sense of belonging and being at one with others. Can’t ask for much more than that.

Tomorrow I will let you know how this group sounds, and we can chart the esteem factor.

SPECIAL NEEDS END OF YEAR SWIMMING PARTY

Disability Issues, Special Needs Events

Wednesday, May 26

Circle of Friends, our special group where everyone is a star, splashed into a big beautiful pool for the last social event before going on summer vacation. A few loafers sat in the hot tub. A few persons played cards, some threw balls, many just hung out to visit, some splashed water on bystanders. I was a target, so I carried a towel to dry my electric wheelchair. Robert stayed clear so his chair wouldn’t drown. Every one in and out of the water squirmed through the Macarena over and over. About sixty people created masterpiece hot dogs swimming in chili and onions and everything gooey. There were homemade brownies and ice cream with delicious trimmings, even cake. No one went away skinny.

Then it started to rain!

Not to fear getting wet, eh? We dripped over to our closing prayer circle under cover of the patio. The sacred flow was evident as everyone spoke love and said the “That’s Awesome” chorus of thanks for hosts. A left over towel and watch will eventually find the right home. A great Amen for a year of spectacular fun, learning, spiritual growth, new boy friends and girl friends, questions and more questions.

This group of adults and teens is very precious to our church, and they bring many gifts to us.

Circle of Friends Sunday School will meet all summer, but the Wednesday night programs begin again in September.

This cat is Weird (or, "This is my cat, Weird?")

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Cheerio,

Naomi Mitchum Naomi Mitchum