Texas School for the Blind & Visually Impaired Outreach Programs www.tsbvi.edu | 512-454-8631 | 1100 W. 45th St.| Austin, TX 78756

2018 Texas Focus Pre-conference: Ready, Set, Go! Orientation and Mobility Workshop Family on the Move Thursday, March 1, 2018 3:30-4:15 PM

Presented by

Heather Withrow, Mom, DeafBlogger, Artist, and Coach

Austin, TX

skytasio@gmail.com

Developed for

Texas School for the Blind & Visually Impaired

Outreach Programs

2018 Texas Focus Pre-Conference: Ready, Set, Go! – Family on the Move – Withrow, H. Page 1

Family on the Move Heather Withrow

Figure 1 Heather swinging with her son, Orion, while other family members look on.

Slide 2: The Withrow Kids

Figure 2 Photo of Anastasia, Orion, and Skyler Withrow.

Anastasia, Orion and Skyler

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Slide 3: Orion’s O&M Timeline • Infant to almost 2:

o Physical therapy from 3 different providers (Two EI teams and a private PT)

• 2 years old: o Started O&M services for the first time, in addition to PT. (I

remember “reaching”.) • 7 years old:

o Mom started taking graduate O&M classes at Texas Tech • Today:

o Orion is still at it with his rock star COMS!

Figure 3 Two pictures of Orion exploring objects with his hands.

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Slide 4: Fun and Meaningful Learning • Practice what he can do, not what he can’t. • Playing is effortless learning, connecting and communicating, too. • Whatever “label” your kid has, he/she is still a KID first. • “Action speaks louder than words…”-St. Anthony of Padua • Motivation= Movement

Figure 4 Orion is in his dad's lap; his father tickles his tummy and Orion places his hands over his dad's hand. Orion is smiling.

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Slide 5: Active Learning • Resonance Board • Little Room • HOPSA Dress

Active Learning information:

http://activelearningspace.org/

Figure 5 Three photographs of Orion using various Active Learning equipment including from left to right Resonance Board, HOPSA Dress, and Little Room.

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Slide 6: Whatever Works! • Rail on pegboard • Playing under the bed • On the bed • Hammock swing • Platform swing • Lycra swing • Lazy susan • Trampoline • You!

Figure 6 Four photos showing things that work for Orion including: platform swing, pegboard, vibrating pillow, hammock swing.

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Slide 6: Whatever Works! • Feeling different weights • Handling large objects

o Balls, boxes, foam shapes

Slide 7: Home and School Connection 1. Identify at least one O&M skill that is being

taught throughout the school day. 2. Learn it and try it at home. 3. Share with family members, interveners, &

friends a. Suggestion: Write a reminder on paper

and post it visibly 4. Ask follow-up questions if there’s any

confusion or barriers. Families can request their child’s school O&M specialist to come to the house.

Figure 8 Orion and his COMS at home.

Figure 7 Three pictures of Orion: exploring a pumpkin, exercise equipment, and cardboard.

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Slide 8: O&M at Home • Mapping of the home • Concept of home and its functional areas • Self-Determination • How? Here are some ideas:

o Landmarks (natural & artificial) o His own experiences (don’t carry him) o Hand-Under-Hand o Modeling trailing skills o Pausing (to call for attention) o Follow his lead o “Wait Time”

Figure 11 Orion down on the sidewalk.

Figure 10 Orion finds the doorknob with help from his brother.

Figure 9 Orion traveling with support from his COMS

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Slide 9: “Common Ground” Activities • Swimming • Hot tubbing • Swinging • Canoeing • Sandy beaches • Sitting in waves of warm water • Riding with windows down

Figure 12 A series of three photos showing Orion with his siblings: playing with a light toy, riding in the car, lazing on a hammock.)

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Slide 10: “Common Ground” Activities

• Hand Games • Bike and trailer rides • Rock Climbing • RV-ing • Bathtime • Eating meals together • Playing on the bed

Slide 11: Take Care of Your “Now” • “Take care of the minutes; for the

hours will take care of themselves.” -Lord Chesterfield

• “...then the months and years will take care of themselves.” –Unknown

Figure 14 The three Withrow children playing is a wading pool.

Figure 13 A group of photos with Orion and his family: bike and trailer rides, playing in the hammock swing, playing hand games.

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Slide 12: Trying New Things • Orion likes to balance precariously! • Support his physical experiments • Security/”Safe Harbor” • Don’t force him

Slide 13: Keep Trying!

Figure 16 (left) Orion in a stroller exploring a travel cane with hands and feet.

Figure 17 (right) Orion with his leg in a cast trying to climb up on a chest.

Figure 15 Three photographs of Orion: playing in the sand at the beach, exploring a climbing wall, doing a head-stand with help.

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Slide 14: Keep Trying! • Fun for the family (Set goals and plan for it)

o Struggles: Our hotel stays and botched camping o Fun: RVing at Mustang Island State Park, TX o Looking Forward: Cabin rental with air conditioning

Slide 15: Future Activity Goals

• More on-water activities • More rock-climbing • Horseback riding • Work on consistency • Don’t let him con us!

Figure 18 Two photos of Orion and his family RVing at Mustang Island.

Figure 19 Two pictures of Orion: rock-climbing with his dad and canoeing with his sister.

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Slide 16: Facebook A Mom's Musings: Orion the Kid

www.OrionTheKid.com

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Notes:

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Texas School for the Blind & Visually Impaired

Outreach Programs

Figure 20 TSBVI logo

Figure 21 IDEAs that Work logo and US Dept. of Education OSEP disclaimer