School Psychology Blog with Dr. Gaston Weisz

noreply@blogger.com (Dr. Gaston Weisz) — Thu, 26 Jun 2014 02:20:00 +0000

Tips from NASP (National Association of School Psychologists)

Tips From Your School Psychologist

Helping Children
Transition Into Kindergarten

Entering kindergarten is a big step for any child. Parents
can help children adjust by anticipating their needs and preparing them for
their new school environment. Ideally transition efforts should start the
spring prior to your child’s entrance into kindergarten. Most schools have a
day where parents can bring their children in for a visit and for the parents
to learn more about the school. The goal is to familiarize your child and
yourself with the teacher, classroom, and school; provide the teacher
opportunities to “get to know” your child and plan more effectively before he
becomes a member of the class; and provide opportunities to become acquainted
with the new teacher, class and school policies and procedures, as well as
future classmates and their parents. This will, in turn, help the classroom
teacher be ready for your child.

What to
do before your child begins Kindergarten:

Set up an initial meeting with the teacher. Although
this can take place at school, home visits give your child the chance to meet
the new teacher in his own environment. This can reduce anxiety later and
strengthen the sense of home-school connection, and allow the teacher the
opportunity to get a firsthand sense of your child’s home environment.

If possible, plan a visit to the new school that
includes spending time with the teacher, exploring the classroom, and playing
on the playground.

Let the teacher know about your child’s interests
and strengths. Be specific. It will help the teachers know how to engage your
child in the early weeks.

Share any concerns or special considerations
regarding your child, such as certain fears or food allergies.

Use pictures and/or stories to familiarize your
child with their new classroom, school and teacher.

Be sure your child is in good physical and mental
health. Schedule doctor and dental
checkups early. Discuss with the pediatrician any concerns you have over your
child’s emotional or psychological development. The doctor can help determine
if concerns are normal, age appropriate issues or that require further
assessment. Children benefit if potential issues are identified and addressed
early. (See “Considerations Regarding Children With Special Needs below)

If your child has attended preschool, encourage
communication between Kindergarten and preschool teachers, particularly if the
child has special needs or particular issues coping in the classroom.

How to collaborate
with the school once your child begins Kindergarten:

Don’t over-react if the first few days are a little
rough. Young children in particular may experience separation anxiety or
shyness initially but teachers should be trained to help them adjust. If your child cries at drop off, remain calm
and positive. Do not linger but rather reassure your child that he will be okay
and that you will be back soon. If your child has a negative reaction for a
long period of time, meet with the teacher and school psychologist to develop a
plan for transition time.

During the first few weeks of school, teachers and
parents should share information about how they think the child is adjusting to
school. Email is often an effective way to communicate.

If possible, volunteer in the classroom at least
periodically throughout the year. Doing so helps children feel that their
school and family life are linked. Being in the classroom is also a good way to
develop a relationship with your child’s teacher and classmates, and to get
firsthand exposure to their classroom environment and routine. Most
kindergarten teachers welcome even occasional parent help.

Check your child’s backpack daily for notes and
fliers. These include important information and communication from the school.

Supporting learning before and after your
child begins Kindergarten:

Establish a schedule at home and stick to it.
Children benefit from structure and this can help them better adjust to
Kindergarten schedule.

Work with your child on content related to colors,
numbers, letters, etc. It is important to make the experience fun and playful.
Preschool and Kindergarten teachers are excellent resources for ideas.
Additional resources are listed below.

Provide experiences with books, rhyming, singing,
coloring, cutting, paying attention, sharing and sitting. Again, preschool and
Kindergarten teachers can provide suggestions for fun and interesting ways to
provide these experiences. The resources list below can also help with ideas.

Find out what the Kindergarten classroom routines
are and regularly discuss them with your child. When appropriate, practice the
routines by acting them out at home. For example, you can help your child
practice waiting his turn, raising his hand, asking to go the bathroom, and
asking a classmate to play.

Plan to spend extra quiet one-on-one time with your
child during the first weeks. Keep the family schedule as simple as possible to
allow for your child’s adjustment needs.

Arrange play dates with a new friend (or friends)
from school. Strengthening social bonds with classmates helps your child build
a sense of familiarity and comfort level in school.

Limit television and videogame time and increase
book experiences.

Be aware of differences in children’s development
and avoid making comparisons to siblings and other children.

Considerations Regarding Children With Special Needs

Transitioning to a Kindergarten that is governed by IDEA
guidelines for eligibility and an Individual Education Plan (IEP) may require
some adjustment. You will need to familiarize yourself with the law, the rights
of your child, and the school’s particular procedures. Schools can help by
providing clear information (in multiple languages) online and in print and
making it easy for parents to contact the relevant staff (i.e., school psychologist).
This information is often on the school’s website but, if not, call the main
office and ask for office of special education or pupil services. Beginning
this process prior to the start of school and with the goal of ongoing
home-school collaboration is important.

Considerations Regarding Children who are English Language Learners

Children who are English Language Learners may need more
time acclimating to the school setting. It is important for the school to
provide parents with materials in their native language and to arrange for
interpreters when they visit. If these are not yet available, parents should
request them. Parents who do not speak English should also feel comfortable
bringing a family member or friend to meetings to help interpret. Parents can
also provide teachers with information about their culture and how the child
will respond to the classroom. Parents are encouraged to continue speaking the
family’s native language in the home.

Considerations Regarding Children Who Did Not Attend Preschool

Children
who did not attend preschool may need additional time practicing a schedule and
interacting with peers. More than one visit to the classroom may also be
appropriate for these children.

Resources:

Books

Mrs.
Bindergarten Gets Ready for Kindergarten, Joseph Slate & Ashley Wolff.

The Night Before Kindergarten,
Natasha Wing & Julie Durrell.

Look
Out Kindergarten,
Here I Come! Nancy Carlson.

What
Do We Say? What Do We Do? Vital Solutions for Children's Educational Success
and Creating Positive Home School Connections, Dorothy Rich.

Online Resources
Top 10 Signs of a Good Kindergarten: www.naeyc.org

Tools You Can Use: www.nea.org/parents/tools/index.html

http://www.education.com/grade/kindergarten/

Helping children with anxiety using cognitive behavior therapy

noreply@blogger.com (Dr. Gaston Weisz) — Sun, 09 Mar 2014 16:17:00 +0000

An evidence-based approach to helping children with anxiety is CBT (Cognitive Behavior Therapy). Here is a video that outlines how it works.
CBT for child anxiety video

Counseling demonstration video 1

noreply@blogger.com (Dr. Gaston Weisz) — Fri, 10 Aug 2012 13:22:00 +0000

drweisz's Animation by drweisz on GoAnimate

Animation Software - Powered by GoAnimate.

Being both evidence-based and culturally responsive.

noreply@blogger.com (Dr. Gaston Weisz) — Mon, 06 Aug 2012 15:15:00 +0000

This video presents multicultural concepts and information relevant to people in the helping professions.

NIMH · National Survey Dispels Notion that Social Phobia is the Same as Shyness

noreply@blogger.com (Dr. Gaston Weisz) — Wed, 25 Jul 2012 13:41:00 +0000

NIMH · National Survey Dispels Notion that Social Phobia is the Same as Shyness

In this important study, the distinction was found between shyness and a diagnosable disorder. Children suffering from social anxiety benefit from proper diagnosis and treatment.

Temple Grandin, a successful adult with autism, provides unique insight into the condition.

noreply@blogger.com (Dr. Gaston Weisz) — Wed, 18 Jul 2012 15:54:00 +0000

noreply@blogger.com (Dr. Gaston Weisz) — Thu, 12 Jul 2012 17:24:00 +0000

TED-ED: A resource for teachers and life-long learners both.

noreply@blogger.com (Dr. Gaston Weisz) — Sun, 08 Jul 2012 19:36:00 +0000

Munchhausen by Proxy Video

This video presents disturbing depictions of this disorder. In this disorder, parents may induce suffering on children in order to obtain attention.

noreply@blogger.com (Dr. Gaston Weisz) — Wed, 04 Jul 2012 19:24:00 +0000

Helping parents of LBGTQ youth (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or questioning children.

noreply@blogger.com (Dr. Gaston Weisz) — Sat, 19 May 2012 16:07:00 +0000

68 Interesting Ways to use an iPad in the Classroom

Relaxation Practice and Stress Management

noreply@blogger.com (Dr. Gaston Weisz) — Fri, 22 Apr 2011 17:48:00 +0000

Reward systems exist in our brain and help explain drug abuse

noreply@blogger.com (Dr. Gaston Weisz) — Sat, 05 Mar 2011 18:54:00 +0000

Pot smoking and later development of psychosis

noreply@blogger.com (Dr. Gaston Weisz) — Fri, 25 Feb 2011 18:24:00 +0000

In a large meta-analysis, the connection between pot smoking and later development of psychotic disorders, including schizophrenia, was explored. The finding of an association does not mean that pot-smoking has a causative effect, since a correlational finding does not prove causation. For further details about the finding, see the article by Nestor Lopez-Duran (2011) at the Child Psychology Research Blog at the following website.

http://www.child-psych.org/category/academic-achivement/

Lopez-Duran, N. (2011) Pot use and early psychosis: Does smoking marijuana increase the risk for schizophrenia? Child Psychology Research Blog.

classic research in infant attachment

noreply@blogger.com (Dr. Gaston Weisz) — Mon, 07 Feb 2011 02:44:00 +0000

Misconceptions about dyslexia

noreply@blogger.com (Dr. Gaston Weisz) — Sat, 22 Jan 2011 02:04:00 +0000

Six Coping Strategies for Living Well with a Bipolar Diagnosis - Swagbucks TV

noreply@blogger.com (Dr. Gaston Weisz) — Sat, 15 Jan 2011 17:27:00 +0000

These coping strategies can be helpful for many people, even those who do not have Bipolar Disorder.

Six Coping Strategies for Living Well with a Bipolar Diagnosis - Swagbucks TV

How can cognitive behavior therapy help people with anxiety?

noreply@blogger.com (Dr. Gaston Weisz) — Tue, 11 Jan 2011 23:17:00 +0000

Part of "The Answered Patient" video series on Youtube

Response to Intervention Video

noreply@blogger.com (Dr. Gaston Weisz) — Sun, 09 Jan 2011 20:15:00 +0000

ADHD video

noreply@blogger.com (Dr. Gaston Weisz) — Sat, 11 Dec 2010 00:24:00 +0000

Spare the Rod: Spoil the Myth about Punishment's Effects

noreply@blogger.com (Dr. Gaston Weisz) — Sat, 11 Dec 2010 00:03:00 +0000

Many people still believe that tough discipline or punishments are the most effective measure to change a child's behavior. However, the research does not support this contention.

According to many studies, there is very little reason to believe that punishments are the best way to improve behavior in children. There are other means of improving behavior and teaching values that are more effective and have less harmful consequences. That is the short answer, when you ask many psychologists this question.

In an article on the topic entitled "Spanking Leads To Child Aggression And Anxiety, Regardless Of Cultural Norm" in ScienceDaily, there is a summary of the research about the effects of spanking on childhood aggression (ScienceDaily, 2005).

According to this article, regardless of the cultural norms, when children are physically disciplined they are more likely to be anxious and aggressive than children who received other forms of discipline. The article cited this finding from the Journal of Child Development.

The article can be found at the following web address:

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2005/11/051114110820.htm

Study results on spanking and IQ are reviewed at the following website, as well.

http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1926222,00.html?xid=rss-health

In the article, Cloud (2009) reviews findings and writes, "Straus, who is 83 and has been studying corporal punishment since 1969, found that kids who were physically punished had up to a five-point lower IQ score than kids who weren't — the more children were spanked, the lower their IQs — and that the effect could be seen not only in individual children but across entire nations as well" (Cloud, 2009, paragraph 2). This article can be found at the above website of Time online.

I came across an interesting article by Eliza Ferree (2009) at the Blisstree.com website, entitled Does Spanking Cause Lower IQs? In this article, the author discusses a study showing an association between spanking and IQ were explored. According to a study involving hundreds of US children, spanking was associated with lower IQ. The more children were spanked, the lower was their IQ. Of course, a correlation of two variables does not mean that one variable caused the other. It is possible that both variables are caused by a third one. The comments thread is interesting to read as many readers cite the experience of having been spanked and being OK as if it were evidence that over-turns the evidence of actual research on hundreds of children with controls. The view that anecdotes are stronger evidence than well controlled studies is remarkable.

This article can be found at the following website.

http://www.blisstree.com/articles/does-spanking-cause-lower-iqs/#respond

family therapy video

noreply@blogger.com (Dr. Gaston Weisz) — Sat, 13 Nov 2010 14:19:00 +0000

sand play therapy

noreply@blogger.com (Dr. Gaston Weisz) — Sat, 09 Oct 2010 18:48:00 +0000

Video about Cognitive Therapy

noreply@blogger.com (Dr. Gaston Weisz) — Sat, 25 Sep 2010 16:21:00 +0000

family therapy

noreply@blogger.com (Dr. Gaston Weisz) — Sat, 24 Jul 2010 16:01:00 +0000

Play therapy

noreply@blogger.com (Dr. Gaston Weisz) — Sat, 24 Jul 2010 15:58:00 +0000