Lesson #1 - Special Education Now, - Part 1

The rules of the pandemic has thrown the world into turmoil. Younger children labelled special needs and their families have been affected in ways never before imagined. What to do when learning is interrupted for these learners will be discussed here.

Momsey is a former special needs teacher and mother of three former premature male babies. Our oldest was born over three months too soon and not expected to live. Today, decades later, he is a marvel to watch as he assembles the world around him.  

These special ed. children require concrete hands-on learning to understand the concepts of thinking and math. Adding conversation begins the practice of understanding language and its rules, spelling, thoughts and ideas to complete the cognitive landscape. Focus and language make for a happy child and life.

Lesson #1. -Part 1 and 2.. Yeast Dough, Engagement like no other

WASH YOUR HANDS. .... We did it before the pandemic arrived so doing it now makes more  sense. It's a must in this coronavirus planet. Keep washed hands away from your face, hair, nose and other objects. A must. Cleanliness is always a top priority when handling food. It's even more important now with the virus lurking around the corner. Children can be reminded to keep freshly washed hands up in the air as a surgeon would before performing surgery. (I have seen this happen when a lesson was interrupted when a dog entered the classroom for show and tell! Quite a remarkable feat for children so young) Hold them to a gold standard. They will not disappoint!

Have a clean area in the kitchen or in a room with floors that can be easily cleaned. Wet flour does get messy. Two Rubbermaid containers for very warm soapy water and warm water for rinsing. Paper towels preferred. Following the rules is a must. (So many musts!!) There is form and structure to it all. Questions are random and ongoing throughout this 'cognitive' exercise. Ask children to ask you questions about what 'we' are doing when the lesson is finished. This creates a change of pace and play.  Reverse role playing of sorts where the student becomes the teacher.  Life is full of random, sometimes horrific, events. Think pandemic!

On a clean table, make the yeast dough. Let it rise! Ask the questions involving sight, hearing, touch, smell. Taste is another matter in time. A yeasted dough is a tool for higher order thinking. It is a scientific experiment like no other.  Nothing reflects 'abstract' thinking better for a young special needs child. Nothing. It is safe, inexpensive and transferable in any place with a caring adult in charge. Techniques are learned that translate into sought after job skills later in life and in 'school'.

Yeast dough is about 5-sense brain stimulation. Higher order thinking, language acquisition and development and the art of questioning are the engines that drive the program. It is not about baking though the children will believe it so. That's the hook. 

Always wash hands after leaving area to return later. The importance of this step can never be underestimated. ... Follow any recipe for basic bread dough using yeast, water, salt and sugar. The 'teacher' makes a kneaded dough for her students to see, hear, feel, touch and smell. The dough is kneaded for 5 minutes then allowed to rise and grow- over 1 hour- in an oiled bowl . The kneading technique of pushing, turning and folding takes 5 minutes or so to complete. Then magic happens.

As the dough sits in the bowl, having risen to double its size, the children are asked a series of questions pertaining to what they see, smell, hear, touch and lastly, taste (when products are baked) in the dough in front of them. Focus and verbal engagement are critical to the building of higher order thinking. Yeast dough accomplishes this. Children are engaged fully while their thinking is engaged.

Before reading or writing can begin, conversation must be forthcoming throughout the child's learning day - everyday! ...Those critical life skills can wait till ready!  What are you doing? Why? Explain, please. What do you think? How did that happen? Why did it happen? Refrain from answering for the child. The child must be allowed to stumble when speaking and to question all in attendance. After all, life is about helping one another. Words must begin to 'flow' from the child. This is the beginning of thought! Colouring and copying serve no useful purpose other than to waste child's time and attention. Can be done in 'off hours'. Time is a precious commodity for all! Use it wisely in the first place.

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PUNCH DOWN THE DOUGH. Allow each child to punch down dough. Dough will not be used other than for demo purposes. The excitement is palpable as dough deflates. Again, what do you see, hear, smell, feel? What has happened here. Do you know why? Ask questions. Record all words from each child, sequentially, in a journal. Record date. When class begins tomorrow, all names must be recorded daily to monitor what steps were carried out by each child. Keeping records allows each child to know what he /she has accomplished and to introduce novel experiences, as required, thereby building upon previous learning - as in real life!