Category: Special Education

When the Earth Shakes and Spins! How to be prepared for Earthquakes and Tornadoes!

Published on by LouiseSattler1 Comment
source: Wikipedia
source: Wikkipedia

If a hurricane hit your home today would have an evacuation plan? If you awoke in the middle of the night to the earth trembling and your home shaking violently- would you know what to do? Green skies are often the first warning of a tornado coming – where should you go?  Dangerous chemicals were let in to the air following a train derailment near your home – would you know what to do and where to get credible information for either evacuation or sheltering in place?

It has been my privilege to work with disaster specialists throughout the United States. They work tirelessly on all of our behalf.

Therefore, in the interest of public safety I will be posting as series of articles about how to PREPARE for potential disasters AND also offer resources for you to learn more.

To start I would like to discuss two very REAL threats to our personal and property safety-  earthquakes  and tornadoes.

EARTHQUAKE PREPARATION

 You may think that earthquakes are only on the west coast of the United States or in remote mountain regions of Asia.  But, that simply is false. Earthquakes happen in almost every state in the US and throughout the world, from the islands of Japan to the mountains of China.  In fact, earthquakes can occur anytime, anywhere. Just ask the people of Washington DC who experienced a good size earthquake of a magnitude of 5.8  in 2011 (The epicenter was in Virginia).

Click here to find your area and see if you are in a location of where more than one million registered earthquakes occurred this year. (Approximately 13,000 were a 4.0 magnitude or higher).  States with the most earthquakes? Alaska and California  have the most (no surprise) but you may not have thought of Utah as a top earthquake location?

So how can you prepare for an earthquake?

 What to do during an earthquake?  We use to think that standing in a doorway was the best idea. NOPE.  What about running outside? Not the “A” answer, either. According to the United States Geological Service (USGS) the best idea is to DROP, ROLL UNDER something STURDY and HOLD ON! (View demo video here)

This new safety information is so important that an effort known as the SHAKE OUT will be conducted this coming Fall.  What is SHAKE OUT? Simply it is a designated date and time where as many US and Canadian citizens participate in a  mock “earthquake drill”.  The SHAKE OUT drill will be on October 17th at 10:17 in the morning. (Interesting piece of trivia – October 17th is the anniversary date of the Oakland earthquake of 1989)  To register your family or business for the drill or learn more click here. 

Also relevant and related to earthquake safety is to learn about tsunamis. A tsunami is a wall of water that is created following an earthquake, meteor or other disruption to the ocean.  A devastating tsunami hit Japan in 2011 and resulted in mass casualty and loss of property.  (Read about recovery efforts here )

What to do if there is a tsunami?

 Many coastal areas in the United States now have tsunami warning systems.

However, the most important thing to know about a tsunami is to prepare in advance as where you can that is safe, elevated and within fifteen minutes of your home. This packet of information was very helpful to understand tsunamis and be prepared:  Tsunami Preparedness by NOAA

TORNADO PREPARATION

Tornadoes are a real and present threat to life and property.  Like an earthquake, tornadoes can strike anywhere at any time. We only need to read the headlines of recent events to see how a tornado touching down for a few minutes can cause profound heartbreak.  Moore, Oklahoma now joins the ranks of other towns, such as Joplin, Missouri, Granbury, Texas,  as a place where  giant tornadoes have  pummeled through communities, schools and farmland.

How to prepare for a tornado?

What are considered the “best practices” if you know that you are in an area experiencing a tornado watch or warning?  First, recognize the “signs” that a tornado is coming.

  • GREEN SKIES
  • DARKENING SKIES
  • HAIL
  • LOUD NOISE, described by some like a “freight train”
  • WARNING SIRENS or ALERTS RECEIVED

What should you do if you know a tornado is a true threat?

Take shelter immediately! Go to a basement, storm cellar, interior room or closet. Stay away from windows. Try to shield yourself from potential flying debris by having something over you. Be sure to have a cell phone (if possible), flashlight and battery operated radio with you.  Here is more information about planning and safety from the CDC

http://www.rvspca.org/health-behavior/disaster-preparedness
http://www.rvspca.org/health-behavior/disaster-preparedness

DISASTER PREPAREDNESS FOR FAMILY PETS

Again, let planning be your friend. The Humane Society published these guidelines for pet owners.

You also can read more from the SPCA by clicking on the photo above or this link.

What if your family member has special considerations, such as uses a wheelchair, has Autism or lives with Alzheimer’s? 

There are many websites and videos (open and/or closed captioned for those with hearing loss) that can be of great assistance and a wealth of information . There are many sites to review, but these are some of my favorites.

RED CROSS 

READY.GOV

EMSC NATIONAL RESOURCE CENTER

DEAFInc.com

SAVE THE CHILDREN

LASTLY… 

What information can I share with my family that is “child friendly”

I really liked this website (in addition to the child resources from the sites mentioned above)

USGS KID INFO (including science fair project ideas)

In the next post we will discuss safety and preparation for Hurricane Season.   Please feel free to share YOUR disaster preparation safety information below. Thank you

 Stay safe everyone!

~Louise

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Louise Satter is a Psychologist who  created the SIGN LANGUAGE FOR EMERGENCY SITUATIONS Series – ASL, ENGLISH and SPANISH.  Read more about how to connect with Louise for speaking engagements, including the DISASTER PREPAREDNESS FOR SPECIAL POPULATIONS PROGRAM (including sign language) and other programs related to safety and the well-being of children and adults with exceptional needs.

CLICK HERE for more information.

Thank you, Miss Huntley

Published on by LouiseSattler3 Comments

                  

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 Me when I was little!

 

I loved the first day of school.  Especially when I was in elementary school as that meant a new outfit (Only dresses permitted in 1967) and Mary Jane shoes.  I would walk to the bus stop in my little suburban Long Island, New York neighborhood with all the other kids.  All of us  looking so polished and clean! We weren’t a rich area and many were first generation Americans from European countries, but on the first day of school – it simply didn’t matter.

Back then you didn’t know your teacher until literally you entered the classroom doors. So, imagine my surprise when I walked in to my suburban Long Island third grade classroom and found out that my teacher was a beautiful African American woman, Miss Huntley. She also was an amazing teacher despite being under scrutiny from people in our area who felt “uncomfortable” with a woman teacher of color in their midst.  Even then I felt deep empathy for Miss Huntley and admired how she seemed to be “observed” far more than any other teacher on staff!

What I loved the most about my favorite teacher was that she “got me” in ways that no other teacher could.  She understood my ADHD before anyone even knew what Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder meant! She knew that when I was “antsy” it was time to give me a task that required getting up and moving about.   She made me a better student that year and later helped transform me in to a what I am today – an educator in special education.

I have been privileged to use the lessons from Miss Huntley’s third grade class in my work with many students from middle school  through adult education.  However, Miss Huntley gave to me tools that I never learned in my formal training as an educator, specifically a School Psychologist and teacher.  She taught me that a child with learning differences is not bad or wrong … just different and challenging.  And, that the “job” of the teacher was to accept all the challenges that came through the classroom door.

Thus, when a student would enter my door with learning differences I knew that I had to figure out a way to reach him/her – it was my duty.

I have had many “Aha-Moments” during my career.  Yet, one that sticks most in my mind is a student who I will name “Sean”.  This young man was very gifted and an old soul. He came to me as a student in my American Sign Language 101 course at a local community college. I knew right away from roll call that “Sean” would be different than any other student I had ever taught. He had Asperger’s Syndrome.  No, I didn’t glean that from his records, but as a School Psychologist I knew it right away based on his stereotypical Autism – like behaviors, such as compulsively aligning the chairs in the classroom, being upset when lights flickered or someone laughed too loudly, and difficulty with social cues which made him stick out like the proverbial sore thumb. While other teachers may have been upset that Sean was now part of the fabric of their classroom, I embraced it! I loved teaching Sean as he challenged me to be a better teacher and offered me a continual flow of  “Aha-moments”.    I had to think of creative and “out of the box” strategies in order to reach him.

Sean went on to be very successful in my class. The other students also were educated in more than ASL, as many went on to pursue a career in special education, partly from their experience of working with Sean.  Miss Huntley had taught me that every person who wanted to learn deserved an education and every person who wanted to and was qualified to teach deserved a classroom!  I couldn’t agree more, especially after Sean entered my life.

Thank you, Miss Huntley for being an exceptional teacher in times when it couldn’t have been easy for you. I owe you my career.

 

2012 Holiday Newsletter from Signing Families

Published on by LouiseSattler1 Comment
 Just in case you missed our annual holiday newsletter here it is.. 
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Happy 2013!

**Happy Holidays to ALL!

As we enter in to 2013 SIGNING FAMILIES will be offering ONLINE SIGN LANGUAGE interactive lessons via USTREAM

Watch for our special announcement early January and learn how you can participate- FREE!**

Happy Holidays from all of us here at Signing Families! May your year be full of the best of health, prosperity, love and joy!__
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Our heartfelt sympathies to all who lost a loved one or was impacted by the tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary School this month. Also, our deepest thank you to all who responded to assist those during this disaster and many more during 2012.
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Disaster Preparedness for Special Populations

Published on by LouiseSattler2 Comments

Hurricane Sandy is about to make landfall in the eastern portion of the United States. That means that millions could be effected by flooding, lack of power and stoppage of services, such as public education. For some, this may be an inconvenience, yet for a parent with a child withe special needs, this could be a significant hardship.

Children with special needs often have extreme difficulties during unexpected events.  Being moved to a shelter could result in a serious set problems for some families as children with a disorder, such as Autism,  may not handle transitions, the overstimulating environmental noises of a shelter or new people. In fact, many parents of children with Autism may state that  a change in the home environment or need to relocate elsewhere could result in   a “worst case scenario”. The best way to help make this situation easier is through pre-planning, remaining calm (parents) and  using others to support, such as family members or friends.

To help with DISASTER PREPAREDNESS the CDC issued a new feature to help people prepare for a HURRICANE, such as the one expected this weekend.  Videos are available in American Sign Language (ASL)  Here is the link: http://www.cdc.gov/Features/HurricanePreparedness/

Maryland, a state expected to take the brunt of  Hurricane Sandy, has prepared a lengthy list of disaster preparedness information, including this guide to help those in their region and others who may live in another state: http://mema.maryland.gov/prepared/Pages/home.aspx

Preparedness information is available here from US GOVERNMENT PREPAREDNESS OFFICE in ENGLISH (  http://www.ready.gov/hurricanes  ) and in SPANISH:  (http://www.ready.gov/translations/spanish/ )

General disaster links for special populations can be found here: http://www.autism-society.org/living-with-autism/how-we-can-help/safe-and-sound/emergency-preparedness.html

and  for Autism Spectrum disorders specifically here>> http://www.autism-society.org/living-with-autism/how-we-can-help/safe-and-sound/preparedness-tips.html

 

FLORIDA DISASTER PREPAREDNESS FOR THE DEAF (based on Hurricane Issac)

The video below is provided by the READY HOUSTON in ASL for disaster preparedness

Could you be your child’s teacher? (Dedicated to Underpaid Teachers Everywhere!)

Published on by LouiseSattler5 Comments

Teaching creates all other professions.  ~Author Unknown

Who dares to teach must never cease to learn.  ~John Cotton Dana

We expect teachers to handle teenage pregnancy, substance abuse, and the failings of the family.  Then we expect them to educate our children.  ~John Sculley

I have had the privilege of working with many excellent and dedicated teachers. Of course, there are some teachers who should have retired long ago, yet I would like this article to be in praise of the motivated, hard working, steadfast teacher. Oh, and for the majority of teachers they also are “the underpaid”.  Yes, I said UNDERPAID.

I have had an opportunity recently to observe up close teachers  functioning in suburban and urban area schools.  Some taught preschoolers while others were in public schools instructing students from the elementary to high school grades. Many were special educators.

Their day all starts pretty much the same. Often well before the clock turns 6a.m. they are in their car for commutes to schools quite a distance from their homes. These days teachers will endure long hours commuting as jobs are scarce. Many times this means sacrificing precious moments with their own families.

Upon arriving at school educators are hoping to get through the day without any “incident”.  Many teachers hope that the school day will be full of promise and “aha” learning moments. This is when light bulbs go off,  synapses are connected at great rates, motivation to be creative is demonstrated and learning flows like the Mississippi River. However, for many their day will start or  be interrupted by behavioral challenges, emotional drama and endless amounts of paperwork delivered under the guise of “needed asap”. Not to mention we are all “racing to the top” in the great national education marathon!

Why do I say that teachers are UNDERPAID? First, how many careers do you know where the employee are expected to do their job and also play the roles of parent, counselor, media specialist, nurse, entertainer (this is the  MTV – i”something”  age) and advocate? I can’t think of too many jobs where disrespect is often delivered on a daily basis by “clients” (or in this case students) and their parents!  I don’t know of too many people that are willing to work an eight hour day for pay and then another five hours for “free”.  In some settings, one would get overtime. Not teachers. They get mugs at holiday time and lunches by the PTO during teacher appreciation week- granted both are appreciated, but neither feed their family.

Please do not tell me that the salary of the teacher is commensurate with their work load and summers off. That is a HUGE fallacy. Summers are NEVER OFF for teachers.  ALL of the teachers I know spend a great portion of their summers catching up on CEU credits and their income on purchasing supplies for the students. Schools are now on austerity budgets and can hardly afford books that are not outdated let alone the simple touches which turn the school classroom from sterile to a warm environment.  Many decorate the classrooms from their own wallets. I know of dozens of teachers who supply their students with clothing and food because kids are often from homes that are poor, thus they arrive in dirty clothes and without any lunch money. Many are too proud to ask for free and reduced lunches or the parents don’t complete the required forms.  Yet, when a teacher sees a student being bullied due to lack of hygiene or go without lunch- they often pitch in both financially and emotionally.

I worked with a teacher who had a classroom of young second graders. They were given the last lunch shift- well after 1p.m. EVERYDAY she fed them granola bars or another healthy snack to keep them concentrating on their school work instead of their growling stomachs! It is no doubt that years later students still name her as one of their favorites. She was an excellent teacher, but even more – she was an exceptional role model and example of how one could display unconditional kindness to another human being.

ALL of the teachers I know have sought  extra coursework to enhance their skills. Some are not given a choice as per school district policy. However, the vast majority of my teacher friends are often students themselves. Many are seeking ways to enhance learning in their class for the child with special needs. Some are taking a foreign language (including sign language) in order to communicate with the growing bilingual population. Others are taking degrees in counseling, not with a goal to leave the classroom, but to understand and perhaps help the ever complicated children that are walking through their doors.

So,  if you think teachers are overpaid then reconsider. If I had my druthers I would double each ones’ salaries and give them a healthy budget to dedicate to classroom materials. Feel free to disagree with me. But, as you are typing the words of your comment remember to take a moment and thank the teacher who taught you language arts.

TEACHER SALARIES:  http://www.teacherportal.com/teacher-salaries-by-state

The Gifted Child

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Most people think of special education as children who are performing well below their age and grade peers. However, it may come to surprise many that children with gifted talents can be complicated and in need of special services, as well. Children with giftedness and their parents are often considered low on the special education “food chain”. I have heard people say unkind things about parents of gifted children, questioning whether or not the child really has “issues”.

This is what I do know. Children with exceptional talents (we are talking clinically gifted and not just the really smart kid in the class), often are complex and have interpersonal issues. Why? Because when they are seven and their friends are playing simple board games or involved in basic sports they are calculating baseball averages or reading material well beyond their years. Thus, using concepts that the average second grader wouldn’t have a clue about!  Many times schools will decide that the best “course of action” is to skip them  in school, which presents challenges on so many levels.

Conflict can also arise because the child with “talent” can outplay, outsmart or outwit his age peers just based on his own “being”.  Often he or she isn’t trying to win at a board game – but just does because of the ability to process information or strategize at a level well beyond the opponent.

Long ago I worked in the back hills of western Pennsylvania.  I had a referral from a teacher who was concerned about the well being of a new kindergarten student. We will call her Julie.  The referral said she was “odd” and “very different” from her peers. In addition, she couldn’t relate, seemed bored and was a bit of a “snob”. Julie walked in to my office and presented herself as a petite and cute almost 5 year old (she started school early).  Over the course of time I gave her an IQ test.  She scored in vocabulary to the college level. She finished every question. She knew words that I didn’t know until I learned to give the test.  Her reasoning skills were exceptional and rivaled any teen.

I asked Julie to draw a picture and she opted to make a rainbow. She asked me to hand her crayons one at a time. First red, then orange, followed by yellow, green, and blue. After the blue crayon was handed she looked at me and said, “Next I would like INDIGO.”  I replied, “INDIGO?“.  Julie didn’t bat a lash as she explained that there was an acronym known as ROY-G-BIV, for all the colors in a spectrum and that I was for INDIGO.  Now imagine if she casually explained this to her classmate as calmly as she relayed the information to me?  Julie wasn’t showing off. She wasn’t bragging. She had learned this and much more during talks with her grandfather who was raising her in a small home that still had outdoor plumbing in 1985! She didn’t have television and read everyday since she was two.  She truly registered as gifted with an IQ score well above 150. (85-115 is average)  I have  kept the picture of the rainbow in a frame for more than twenty years as a reminder not to overlook the gifted child in the grand scheme of special education.

Believe me the Julie’s of the world may struggle with making friends and finding their way in life, too.  Fortunately, in the past years we have come to give resources, help and programming to assist the gifted child.  Some may need therapy to help with feelings for not being able to relate to peers or having conflict within the home. Others may need to find guidance for proper programs post high-school. Social skills may need to be taught and practiced much more than for the peers.

I stumbled upon a book by Free Spirit Publishing which was written for the gifted teen versus about the them. I believe it is a great guide to help kids who are book smart but street smart challenged. The GIFTED TEEN SURVIVAL GUIDE, by Galbraith and Delisle,  is a start for tweens and teens to understand what makes them special and how they can learn to feel more comfortable in their “skin”. You can read more about it on the publisher’s website.  FREE SPIRIT PUBLISHING

Post 9/11 – Lessons Learned by First Responders and Myself in Helping Special Populations

Published on by LouiseSattler1 Comment

It is almost the anniversary of one of the saddest days in American history. A day when time seemed to have stood still. When the morning started as a day so crisp and clear it was almost too good to be true, yet ended full of darkness. And, the day which I asked myself over and over again…How are First Responders helping people who can’t hear, speak English, or are non-verbal -such as in the case of Autism?

Much has been written about 9/11 except for stories of what happened to those who couldn’t easily communicate with First Responders.  A few films were made. Some tangential interviews. Yet, not much was made public about how First Responders communicated ten years ago and how they would, if need be, interact, react and communicate today.  A recent publication  by  SAVEtheCHILDREN.org indicated that many states continue to be without viable plans in place to help special populations, especially children during disasters. I was astonished as from my own personal experience I would have suspected the opposite findings!

Since 2001, I have had the privilege of talking to thousands of First Responder.  Most who were intrigued and accepting of the idea that learning sign language (the fourth most common language in the United States) should be a priority for all EMS, Firefighters and Law Enforcement staff.  Thousands have  now sat in my SIGN LANGUAGE FOR EMERGENCY SITUATIONS workshops to hear about techniques to use during a disaster or medical incident to help a child with Autism, Down Syndrome, or Deafness. The participants have taught me as much as I have shared with them.  So while I believe that there is room for improvement, I am certain that progress has been made throughout many regions in the United States including making September Disaster Preparedness Month.

Perhaps many, including myself, have learned these lessons…

1. Communication is key during a disaster or medical emergency.  The first ten minutes are crucial. No one is asking to replace an interpreter or translator, but during exceptional circumstances, such as those of 9/11 or recent hurricanes, tornadoes and earthquakes – safety and help is tantamount.  

2.  To facilitate communication and help a child who has learning and/or  developmental challenges, use people in their surrounding area who many be of assistance to help with interaction between the non-verbal / English speaker and yourself.

3. Gestures can come in handy, although be careful, some gestures may be considered obscene by some cultures.

4. Helping children is not the same as helping adults. They will react differently. Children with Autism may drop and rock, scream, lash out (in fear) and/or flee. The latter is the most dangerous as some new information shows that children who flee often will go to water, thus a child may seek out a pool or pond during a disaster.

5. The first ten minutes of any disaster or medical incident is key. Knowing ten  signs (ASL), words in Spanish/ Chinese/ French/ Vietnamese (among others)  can save help to evacuate people to safety, find a child, or save a life.

In order to make safety an inclusive priority I have added some resource links below.  My biggest wish – we never need to use them as that would mean another disaster or medical crisis has occurred.

RESOURCES

FIRST RESPONDERS TV – Deaf and Special Populations Video

EMS Educast-  Helping deaf populations

Inclusion – Help for Disaster Preparedness

Autism Society

FEMA

DEAF Inc. Disaster Videos

Spirit of Autism by Debi Taylor.  Paramedic, mother of a child with Autism

SLINKY- yes, you read it right.  One SLINKY can help to transition a child who is fearful or non-verbal from place to place. Children with significant Autism may become engrossed in the shiny and round aspects of this non-personal object and be more willing to go with a First Responder/

Sign Language for Emergencies Mini-Chart