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HOLIDAY
CELEBRATIONS AND STAYING HEALTHY
Written by: Kathy
Brinker (bio)
Staying healthy and teaching good health
habits in physical education:
It appears that the H1N1 has hit the
Midwest as it has everywhere. Our students
with disabilities are particularly vunerable
to secondary complications due to the
flu. In my adapted classes, we are carrying
a backpack of some extra-assorted goodies
of non-latex gloves, wipes, towels,
Kleenex, and hand sanitizer. Never hurts
to be prepared. My peer tutors at the
high school level at this time of the
year know each of my students intimately,
and would not hesitate to catch them
with a Kleenex mid sneeze. I do remind
them, “If it is wet and not yours-
well don’t touch it.” For
me it is all about protecting the health
and safety of everyone. Check out Henry
the Hand program to promote good
handwashing and suggestions for controlling
germs at http://www.henrythehand.com/pages/content/hwaw.html.
How do we teach good health habits
to our students with cognitive disabilities?
Not always an easy task. We often write
these goals into a student’s IEP
and make a concerted effort to work
on their “activities of daily
living” and independence. As a
parent of two young men with Down
Syndrome (David, 25, and Matthew,
22), I am finding that these social
graces that I have been attempting to
teach for years are proving to be the
difference in receiving a job, having
a wide body of friends, and getting
along in the world.
Academics are very important; however,
equally important are these individuals’
independence and ability to perform
daily activities that will help them
in “the real world.” So
how do we teach these good health habits?
It requires a lot of repetition and
positive modeling. Setting up the environment
for success helps as well. For example,
post a simple list for brushing teeth
in the bathroom, washing hands, etc.
A common challenge is recognizing the
length required for washing hands…
sing “Happy Birthday!” It
works, and why not celebrate your birthday
everyday? Lastly, having lots of Kleenex
and hand sanitizer out and visible for
everyone is a good environmental reminder.
Okay, call me old fashioned…coughing
into your elbow? My younger students
get this, and have obviously practiced
and have seen it modeled. My older students,
not so much. Thoughts on helping this
habit…I have one so far. In an
isometric pushup position (the stationary
“up” position of a pushup),
rock back and forth lifting one arm
off the ground and saying “cough”
while putting your elbow of your free
arm by your face. My students who still
get goose eggs or zeros on the fitnessgram
pushup test can do this, and they are
building their arm strength as well
- a 2 for 1! Watching a whole class
of students and peers perform Robitussin
pushups is pretty hysterical. Want
to teach the use of getting a Kleenex
quickly? Do the same exercise, only
put a tissue on the floor between a
pair of students in an isometric pushup
position. First one to get the tissue
on the teachers “ready and …sneeze”
wins. Follow the link for more information
about preventing/controlling H1N1 spread
http://www.cdc.gov/H1N1FLU/.
Teaching students care and use of equipment
is important as well. Wiping down weight
equipment or heart rate monitors after
use is an important skill. See the polar
link for suggested ways to clean transmitters
during multiple classes http://education.polarusa.com/service_repair/showfaq_edu.asp?ID=1.
What do we do in the gym? Wipe down
the benches when we get up. These little
health-related skills need to be taught
to our students so that they will generalize
them to the Y’s and health clubs
when they are older.
For me, as an itinerant adapted physical
educator in several buildings a day,
well, I feel doomed to the germs. So
far no illness this fall! I will keep
washing my hands, trying to get the
rest I need, eating fruits and veggies,
and hoping for the best. Here is to
wishing you all Merry Fitness and a
Happy New You!
Holiday Celebrations
Scooter activities
Everyone loves scooters, even high schoolers.
My peer tutors at the high school are
the first ones on. Here are a few of
my favorite holiday scooter celebrations
for students at the elementary level.
Have peer tutors working with adapted
classes at the middle school or high
school get larger scooters to lead students
“riding the sleigh together and
other reindeer games!”
Santa’s Workshop:
Roll around sitting on your sleigh (scooter)
to visit all of Santa’s workshops
(8 different stations) in no particular
order. The only rule is that you must
stay seated on the scooter between stations,
and you may not have more than_______
number of people at a station at any
one time. You can turn this into a relay
if you don’t have enough scooters.
Station
1: Gift Wrap
Directions: Use mats with butcher block
paper (works great). Lay on paper and
hold on with one hand, log roll down
the mat wrapping yourself up, and then
unroll… weeeeeeeeeee!
Station
2: The Green Grinch
Directions: Take a piece of equipment
needed for another station. Put it on
the mat at the Green Grinch station.
Go find the teacher while on your sleigh.
Tell them you are sorry and go return
the equipment.
Station
3: Dominoe Knock-Down
Directions: Using 20-30 dominoes, build
the best dominoe trail you can –
and then have a friend start it!
Station
4: Santa’s Workshop
Directions: Cut out paper doll pictures
of Santa (http://www.makingfriends.com/winter/printable_winter.htm),
and put Santa together in the correct
order before moving on to the next station.
Station
5: Snowball Express
Directions: Underhand roll a yarn ball
from____ feet away, knocking over a
pyramid of stacked cups.
Station
6: Santa’s Sack
Directions (for teacher): In a pillowcase
tied at the end, put in 6-8 common items.
Have the students feel the items and
circle the correct items from a list
of 15 common items. Have an answer key
covered on the wall that they can peek
at to check their accuracy. Need pictures
of common items? Use the Boardmaker
program (check with your speech
therapist in your building). It’s
a great program for everyone, especially
students with disabilities and English
as a Second Language Learners. Link:
http://store.mayer-johnson.com/.
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| Matt
telling me how much fun he had hiking
in the woods and cutting down a
tree this weekend using his new
iPod and apps! |
Station
7: Jingle Bells
Directions: Go down and get a set of
jingle bells from a hoop. Scoot around
the hoop 4 times jingling all the way!
Station
8: “And to all a good night…"
Directions: On a mat students must perform
10 situps with their best snoar in between
each one.
Christmas Presents
Okay, want know what some of my students
are getting this year under the tree?
ssshh... don’t tell them! Actually,
my son Matthew got his early on purpose.
It is new assistive technology for individuals
with disabilities, all wrapped up in
an iTouch.
Yes, an app for the iPod. At http://www.proloquo2go.com/
for less than $200, this app replaces
$8,000 assistive teaching devices, and
with less programming!
The iPod can be typed into and can
speak full sentences. Have students
with autism or cognitive disabilities?
Not a problem. Many picture symbols
are included. Because it’s an
iPod, you can add pictures from Google
images or download pictures from your
camera. Now your students don’t
have to have large binders of boardmaker
pictures. Their voice in a teeny iPod!
It’s like communication on steroids.
The best part about this is that they
are small and portable. All bets are
off. These little devices are coming
to my gym. Add an iMainGo2
and speakers, and you have a protected
iPod with speakers all in one neat package.
The main reasons that the prior assistive
devices often did not make it to the
gym was that they are cumbersome and
expensive, but not anymore!! Keep the
assistive technology coming.
Blessings for a healthy new year!
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