Ready Bodies, Learning Minds
Easter Seals charter school is off to a great start this year and we are excited to have our new teachers (Cynthia and Kim) joining us this year.
Our school occupational therapist, Chrissy Kimble, is off and running planning some new and exciting things. Ms. Kimble is in the midst of preparing for the first year launch of a formal motor lab for the charter school. Dorothy Lefford, ES clinical director, and Ms. Kimble have completed training with the charter school teachers on “Understanding Motor Development as a Foundation for Academic Success” on Sept 30, 2015. The ES charter school will pilot a program beginning with one classroom utilizing specific exercises following a sequential flow as outlined in a well endorsed program called Ready Bodies Learning Minds. This program was created by Athena Ogden, a physical therapist, in 2006 and has picked up momentum by our therapy staff due to notable gaps in motor skills with both special needs and typically developing children.
Change is reportedly not always good if you talk to any of our OT’s and PT’s lately. We have learned that children are surviving more difficult births than ever before and having more developmental complications along the way. Additionally, our children are living more sedentary lifestyles and children obesity is at an all-time high. What we once understood as playtime/recess (free, creative play) has turned into managed playtime due to parents busy work and family schedules. In addition, Technology has now become their go to form of recreation! On top of all that, the academic expectations have increased tremendously for our young children.
The Ready Bodies Learning Minds program is based on early motor and sensory development. Mastery of foundation exercises is needed for integration of primitive reflexes to serve as a solid base for higher level motor skill development. You may forget, but even sitting with good posture takes a lot of motor control not to mention self -help, handwriting and even reading skills. Ms. Kimble has prepared a pre and post- test measure for data collection and will be keying in on the following areas: postural control, fine motor skills, bilateral hand skills and coordination as well as self- regulation skills. The class in collaboration with occupational therapy has committed to a 10-12 week series using the motor lab 2-3 days a week. We are excited to get started. Stand back and watch Pre-K grow!
