Save the Date: SFF 2012 Access to Adventure, May 5

Hi all,

Please SAVE THE DATE for Support for Families spring event in Golden Gate park's Music Concourse Bandshell

May 5, 2012 from Noon to 3:00 pm

Access to Adventure

Explore fitness and fun for kids and youth with special health care needs or disabilities

Live bluegrass music: "Windy Hill" & "Jeanie and Chuck's Country Roundup"

Community organizations, Camps, Sports and Dance programs and more bring Fun Kid's Activities to try

FREE lunch and more!

Call for Action: Californians, call your legislators to help end the R-Word

Californians: Please call your State legislators to support SB 1381 Eliminating the R-word; Respecting people with intellectual disabilities

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/california-politics/2012/03/california-lawmaker-excise-r-word.html

Teaching math without words and blaming students if they under-perform in school

These are the two blogs that I have caught my attention:

Teaching math without words:

Words are not needed to learn math.  For many students, they probably get in the way!  http://sanfranciscoeducation.blogspot.com/2011/12/mind-blowing-research-teaching-math.html 

Blame game:

Schools almost always blame the students when they under perform, occasionally the student's parents, but never the educational methods they employ: http://www.wrightslaw.com/blog/?p=6311 

My takeaway:

Children learn in different ways but most schools are set up to teach in a particular way and only those students who are either hard wired to learn that way or can adapt will succeed.  The challenge is to have a flexible educational system that can adapt the teaching methods to take into account the strengths and weakness of each student.  Also, the educational system must learn to draw students into learning by exploring their own unique interests at an early age. 

Able Act of 2011

From the Blogosphere:

Achieving a Better Life Experience Act (ABLE) of 2011

The Arc Supports Members of Congress in Unveiling Legislation to Give Families Greater Financial Flexibility for Loved Ones with a Disability

http://blog.thearc.org/2011/11/15/the-arc-supports-able-act-2011/

From the Blogosphere "6 Things You Don't Know About A Special Needs Parent"

From the Huffington Post. an article from a mother about the challenges she and other parents of special needs children face:

6 Things You Don't Know About A Special Needs Parent

SFF Presentation:Occupational Therapy & Sensory Integration (& Beyond!)

Behavior Group Please come join us for a Special Presentation: Occupational Therapy & Sensory Integration (& Beyond!)   Childcare and Translation services (Spanish and Cantonese) are available free-of-charge with advance registration only. To reserve, please call 415/920-5040 Support for Families of Children with Disabilities  1663 Mission Street, 7th Fl. San Francisco, CA 94103 www.supportforfamilies.org For more information, contact Kathy Winship at 415-920-5040  kwinship@supportforfamilies.org      Thursday, March 15, 2012  6:30 pm - 8:00 pm at Support for Families    Lani Hesson, Occupational Therapist and Founder of Kidspace (http://www.kidspacetherapy.com) will be here to do a brief presentation on Occupational Therapy and then will answer parent's specific questions about their child's sensory needs.       Presenter Bio: Lani Hessen, OTR/L -- Pediatric Occupational Therapist, Clinic Director  Before founding Kidspace in 2005, Lani spent 5 years at California Pacific Medical Center's Child Development Center. She has post-graduate training in Advanced Therapeutic Listening and the Perceptual Enrichment Program, and works with children of all ages and ability levels. Lani received her master's degree in occupational therapy from Samuel Merritt College in 1999.    Info about Kidspace: Kidspace is a multi-disciplinary pediatric therapy clinic with two convenient locations in San Francisco and Mountain View. Serving Children from newborn to adolescent, the experienced private practitioners at Kidspace are committed to helping kids develop and families thrive.    BEHAVIOR GROUP Schedule of Meetings - 2012 April 5th - Family Links meeting-Parent meeting, no presentation April 19th - Meeting Cancelled Due to Special Event May 3rd - Family Links meeting-Parent meeting, no presentation May 17th - Presenter TBD

Special Events from Support for Families! Movies, Aquarium, Access To Adventure

March Movie Night:  Happy Feet 2 3-23-2012  Event Flyer (English Spanish & Chinese)  ____________________  Event Flyer Spanish /Chinese  _____________________ Event Flyer  Spanish /Chinese  _____________________ Join us for a free family-friendly movie while munching on fresh-popped popcorn, pizza, and healthy snacks in our offices. Refreshments for kids and adults will be provided. Our playroom will open too! Doors open at 5:30, Movie starts promptly at 6:00pm                   Friday Night Movie Nights: 5:30-7:30 1663 Mission Street, 7th floor, SF, CA  94103 March 23, 2012 - "Happy Feet 2" April 27, 2012 - "Dolphin Tale"  (teen & young adult Movie Night) May 18, 2012 - "Puss n' Boots" "Come Early and Get In FREE!" Aquarium of the Bay at Pier 39  Free entry between 9:00-10:00 am  for families of children with disabilities Saturday, March 17, 2012  9:00 am -10:00 am Aquarium of the Bay, at Pier 39 See the exhibits, special activities for children,   Film - Animated Oceans to be shown at 11:00 a.m. Coffee & refreshments in the Farallon party room. Get in free and stay for as long as you like! SAVE THE DATE! Saturday, May 5, 2012, 12:00pm - 3:00pm Access to Adventure Music Concourse Bandshell in Golden Gate Park Live entertainment, FUN Kids' Activities, Exhibitors, Food  and more!  Presented by SFCD and SF Recreation and Parks Dept.  To register for all of our family events, call our resource center: 415-920-5040. Call early space is limited! www.supportforfamilies.org