Talk only in positives when referring to yourself. Sign up to get your weekly 5-minute video tip! Many of the families that I coach are supporting their loved one to increase their independence, even during the pandemic! But even then, you’ll only offer enough help to get them moving. Telling you what you need to do. Help them to develop their own interests by giving them opportunities to try different activities; 3. There was a time when my family held my sister ‘incapable’ because of her disability. Strengthen Communication If your child struggles with spoken language, a critical step for increasing independence is strengthening his or her ability to communicate by building skills and providing tools to help express preferences, desires and feelings. Setting table or cleaning up the table after a meal. At the start of the 2016-2017 school year I found myself headed back to the classroom to work as special education teacher. We do so much for our kids, and we mean well. Don't assume that just because your teen made it through school that they'll be able to hold down a job. Today’s guest blogger, Dana Howell, is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst who taught regular education, and special education. I noticed my students becoming more responsible, more motivated, and better able to work through emotional situations. Increase Your Self-Esteem. Stand up and loudly declare independence. An increase in self-confidence means that you trust yourself to be competent in the situations you confront, and a boost in self-esteem gives a positive outlook on yourself. If you want to claim your FREE spot in the Online Life Plan Workshop CLICK HERE. The truth is, as a classroom teacher, there is a lot you can do to instill greater independence and maturity. Learning independence instills confidence because you believe in the knowledge and capacities you possess to deal with any challenge. Learning, motivation, and independence will increase tenfold. Click the video below. We started by having Owen simply bring his plate over to the counter near to the sink. Independence and confidence go hand in hand. Declare Independence from people who whine and bring down your day. How to Encourage Independence and Confidence in Children. But time marches on whether we want it to or not. Visual supports can be used to break down the steps of any task. A better way to foster student independence is to routinely use the workshop model of gradual release from teacher instruction in three steps. This doesn’t mean that you’ll never help individual students. Thank you for offering this training—well needed. One simple step to boost your confidence is to change the way you talk about yourself. Website Design By Jumping Jax Designs. Please log in again. Patrick Mulick January 18, 2017 - 2:48 am January 18, 2017 Behavioral Interventions & Resources, Resources . As both you and they grow accustomed to true independent work, you’ll be able to recognize when a student really does need assistance. There is one other aspect of independence: emotional independence. Home Care – a way to increase independence. I have written about the effective use of visual supports in a past blog. People with a disability must have access to the right learning opportunities – tailored to their interests and abilities – and support from a network of friends, family and mentors.Encourage your loved one to build a learning and career plan. Encourage children to take resp… Or you could be wanting to help your high-schooler learn some adult skills. Original Task Box Bundle by Especially Education, Planning for the First 2 Weeks of School in Your Special Education Classroom, 5 Tips for Successful Schedules in the SPED Room. There are small, gradual ways to build independence. Ask her which duties she feels she’s big enough to take on—it’s likely to increase her willingness to try. A Word From Verywell By showing your child that independence is a positive thing for both you and for her, and by supporting her when she feels clingy or feels like she needs more space to do things on her own, you are setting the stage for your child to move toward independence at her own pace, with confidence and self-assurance. Consider introducing Alternative/Augmentative Communication (AAC) and visual supports. Encouraging independence should include giving people the ability to do a wide variety of activities for fun. Maybe you're trying to help your toddler learn to tie their shoes. Target priorities . You can create a class that is unrecognizable in their level of competence, autonomy, and motivation from those of … Home Care – a way to increase independence. Being independent therefore means that you will be more likely to try out new things that you want, rather than what or how you are expected to. By Kara Douma. Giving the kids a role in the family meal is not only great for building independence, but it also models the value of everyone pitching in with chores. We have to prepare our kids for independence and life on their own. Dana has also been a paraprofessional and … Providing a wide variety of activities, such as gardening, taking walks, and dancing, will potentially give a resident physical and mental stimulation and will encourage independence. “Let Grow” is creating a new path for parents, schools, and America itself — a path back to letting kids have some adventures, develop more independence, and grow resilience. Developing independence and self-management skills during math class helped them achieve their math goals—and doing so also helped them learn key skills that were transferrable to any kind of learning. 5. Rob Webster 26th March 2017 at 3:04pm. {"email":"Email address invalid","url":"Website address invalid","required":"Required field missing"}, Small investments (with your loved one) that get big returns, A Bigger and Brighter Future, with Joshua & Karen.