1. Lots of Drama Applying Creative Solutions to Everyday Problems in the Classroom

3. What are the signs of disengagement in the classroom? Talking-the students want to share ideas: SO TALK! Shake & freeze/ run & stop/ exercises & opposites (do star jump in slow motion!) The students want to talk so let them: Tell a fact to a partner and report to the class Human Graph- get them to discuss a topic in groups then make decisions in groupings around the room. Most accurate and interesting facts found (Lap tops)- give a time limit and let the first ones to find tell the class.

4. What are the signs of disengagement in the classroom? Loss of focus- fatigue, distracted, bored, disinterested. Students stare and fiddle. SO MOVE… Allow a student to deliver the lesson- task Xtranormal (software)- deliver lesson by movie Time trials on IWB- with concepts, facts, equations, tasks.

5. What are the signs of disengagement in the classroom? Fiddling during a task/ off task- may not understand task, distracted. SO MOVE Use engaging sites to move kids- even with laptops. Eg: Teacher tube, Promethian, Copacobana Ask students to discuss/ consider different elements of a concept and add their own responses (based on previous information given or research done) by moving around the room adding their own responses to posters on the wall or laptops set up in different locations. Group work to design/ discuss/ research- you choose the groups and set specific activities for LD students.

6. What are the signs of disengagement in the classroom? Time of day or just after a busy activity/ break- Students are excited, social, tired, ‘crazy time’! SO MOVE THEM TO FOCUS SETTLE THEM! Do a simple Kinesthetic movement activity- Circle Freeze, Zip and Zap, Run Freeze Brain quiz to time- run to board and log answers and do a weekly tally of results Quiet activity- read, write a story, reflections.

8. Gets up to wander, shifts from activity to activity

9. Has difficulty playing quietly , slowing down and relaxing

11. Can’t wait for directions before proceeding

12. Can’t wait for their turn

13. Interrupts others, grabs materialsInattentive Can’t stay focused Doesn’t listen Disorganised Easily distracted forgetful

15. Do not communicate emotions through facial expressions

16. Don’t like physical contact

17. Does not interact well with peers or make friends

18. Prefers to be alone

20. Do not ask others questions

21. Repeat what they hear rather than responding appropriately (echolalic)

22. Repeats the same phrase over and over again

23. Limited make believe play skills

24. Engage in repetitive non functional activities

25. Repetitive motor mannerisms ie waves fingers in front of face

26. Very shy

27. Difficulty expressing their emotions

29. Manipulating small objects such as coins]

30. Screwing and unscrewing

31. Using scissors, making craft,

32. Turning things over or turning the pages of a book

33. Doing anything that requires small precise hand movements

34. Doing puzzles

36. Is a picky eater and resists trying new foods

37. Refuse to walk barefoot on grass or sand

39. Creative Strategies and Practical Ideas Meet the child at his or her functional emotional developmental level Enter the child’s world - be prepared to play Make it Fun Be creative Don’t be afraid or embarrased Model the behaviour/skill you want to see developed Use your voice and facial expressions to “energise” up or down always keep it simple and use lots of repetition to reinforce your point. Choose the stimulus for activities from what you are doing in class Think of kinasthetic learning as “practical literacy” for young people who find 'action' easier than the written word

40. The Prop Box Props can be used to stimulate a child’s imagination, creativity and ability to find interesting problems to explore and solve -- the very foundation that contributes to children's success in school. Props help to capture a childs attention and keep them engaged Props can be used to develop specific skills

41. The Prop Box 1. Large square s of fabric- white cloth can become a surrendering flag, or any manner of garment. A multicoloured cloth can repressenta flower garden or butterfly wings, green cloth for grass or a grasshopper, blue cloth for the sky or the ocean 2. A Slinky- This item could be inspiration for a movement, used as an instrument, worn as a bangle, or be a unique hand prop for a character. 4. A jar of bubbles- Besides creating great atmosphere, bubbles can be used in warm up and concentration exercises. For example, blow several and everyone follows one until it pops, with their eyes or their bodies. 5. A roll of Aluminum Foil- Apart form its mundane functions, which might come up in an improvisation, foil can be molded into pieces of jewelry, armor, or can turn someone into a robot.

42. 6. Several pairs of Sunglasses and Eyeglasses- A pair of glasses will help an child take on a character more easily, 7. A Mirror- It could be used for practicing facial expressions, and concentration exercises. 8. A Flashlight- Used for instant special effects, such as a spotlight. It is also good as a starting point for an improvisation. 9. A Towel- Like the white fabric, it can be used for many different situations, but its thickness will change the ways in which it is used. 10. Puppets- The puppets' mouths should be moveable, because then it can imitate facial expressions more easily. It can be used as a teaching companion, an extra character in a scene, or a way to get someone shy to talk or teach socialisation skills

43. 11. Hats- Ideally, I would have a helmet, a beret/cap, a clown hat, a big floppy lady's hat, and an international hat. The urge to dress up and become someone else stay throughout a person's life, and a hat is the simplest way to signal a change of character. 12. theraputty/plasterseen – great for making instant props, or using for fine motor activities 13. A stop sign – laminated and on red card. Use initiallly in conjunction with the word “freeze” can be a great visual cue the behaviour needs to stop 14. A musical Instrument (a tambarine is perfect) – great to signal the start and end of an activity or for associating movement with emotion / tempo / loud / soft

44. Drama based Group Activities Will help to develop both individual and group skills Enhance the childs' abilities to communicate their ideas, images, and feelings in concert with others through dramatic action Can often highlight strengths and weaknesses that may not have been obvious before Guidelines Agree to some rules before you start the activity Always make positive reinforcement when anyone contributes Those disrupting will be excluded if they continue to interrupt the class Keep activities moving- no chance for loss of focus. When working in groups- keep the time short and count down. Move around and check The Teacher is the facilitator- not the controller Always end with a discussion about the activity

45. Body Moves Objective; Warm up activity great for developing motor skills, helps students to express their ideas, and focus . It is also great for kids who need to move Procedure: Define the “acting space” in the room. Tell students they must remain in this space at all times Ask students to find their own space within the “acting space” Explain and practice the rule – if you call “Freeze” (and hold up the Stop sign) they must stop and freeze position. Explore different ways to move your body through space First our heads , then our arms / then our hands / then our legs / feet Walking / tiptoeing / skipping / jumping / spinning / twisting / Tumbling/crab walk /bear walk (you can do all these on the spot if space is limited) At the end of the activity on the board list all the ways we discovered how to move our bodies through space Evaluation: what was your favourite movement Were some movements harder than others

47. Shark Says Objective: To practice focus and using the body. Procedure: Students must do exactly as "Shark Says." In this variation on "Simon Says," no student has to be "out." Teacher uses motions inspired by sharks or other animals in the food chain. Students sit or stand in circle (pre-schoolers focus better on activity when sitting) Teacher becomes the "Shark" and stands in center of circle "Shark" gives instructions (i.e. "Shark says: Show me your shark teeth", "Shark says: Bite like a shark", "Shark says: Make claws like a crab") Encourage students to use their imagination Reinforce the individuality of each students' motion Note: This activity is designed to warm up the body and imagination. It is low-risk to ensure the success of every student. To build on this activity, add emotions to the animal movements. For example: Shark says, "Snap your claws like an angry lobster." Evaluation: What was your favorite movement? What does a shark/crab/octopus/etc. like to do? What ocean animal would you like to be and why?

48. The Rainforest Objective: reinforce learning, Preperation: Using masking tape (or chalk) draw a large outline of a rainforest tree on the floor. Be sure to give the trees roots, a trunk with wide branches and a leaf canopy Disscussion: Discuss with the children what type of animals can be found in the rainforest and where would you find them, why do animals live in the rainforest rather than the dessert eg a monkey in the branches, a worm in the earth Proceedure: Ask the children to pick an animal they would like to be that lives in the rainforest One at a time ask the children to stand up and tell you what animal they have chosen . Then ask them to move like that animal to the part of the tree where they live Variations: Construct a whole rainforest with students as the trees. Populate the rainforest with different animals Now pretend to enter the scene as a logger who is coming with his chainsaw to chop down the trees The logger now moves slowly from tree to tree cutting them down The trees is allowed to die in dramatic “slow motion” Say to the children “now look around animals, can you live without the trees?” Point out to each animal why they cannot survive and allow them to “die in slow motion” Once the animals are gone I might say ‘Oh no without trees I will have no oxygen to breath and I might die , But wait what happens if we replant some trees or recycle our papper “ Allow some of the trees to regrow and then encourage the animals to come back erfly,

49. Being a Water Molecule Purpose: teach a concept - develope an understanding of how water molecules move from a liquid to a gas state – topic specific Proceedure: Define a specific drama space on the floor that is much bigger than the group can fill when closely packed Liquid state - Ask all students to move into the middle of the space and start to move freely amongst each other (no Pushing or shoving allowed) Talk about the fluidity of the group and moving within the space how it is changing shape but maintaining its size Solid State - after they are moving comfortably, I tell the group that I am going to begin to take away energy from the group (demostrate sucking action) and that as their energy decreases they will begin to feel tired and not move as much or as fast As the children begin to slow down I remove even more “energy”. Finally I tell them to grab hold of one another and stop moving at all. The group congeals into a solid mass . Move around the group gently prodding and commenting on how solid it is and how it holds its shape Gaseous state – now I tell the students that I will begin to add energy. They can let go of each other and begin to move freely again. I comment that the group is once again changing shape. The I tell them I am adding even more energy, so they can move faster and noe there is so much energy added that they cannot stay together but can move anywhere in the space. Comment that they have now expanded to fill all the available space End by bringing the group back to where you started Discussion : ask students if this activity reminds them about anything that they have been learning in class, talk about how they changed throughout the activity

50. camouflage Preparation : have pieces of cloth to represent an area where an animal or bird would stay camouflaged eg brown cloth for a tree trunk, multicoloured for a flower garden, green for leaves and grass. Then have a duplicate piece of cloth for animals eg brown for a caterpillar, multicoloured for a butterfly, green for a grasshoper

51. Zip and Zap Purpose : A warm up exercise that helps to focus attention. It is also a great way to get children to experiement with their voices Proceedure: Sit in a circle or shape so you can see everyones face. One person starts by saying Zip and a clapping acting passing the zip to the person next to them. Continue passing the Zip all the way around. ask the students to use a different voice to say the word Zip – encourage the kids to be as creative as possible If this is going realy well (this will take time to master!) tell the kids that they can change the direction of the word flow by Saying Zap and thus sending the zip in the opposite direction

52. What’s in the Box

53. Zombie Walk Purpose :develop memory and concentration through a movement game Procedure Have all students stand in a circle The first person identified to start the game names someone across the room and at a slow pace with arms outstretched in front of them, they start moving toward that person. Before they reach the person who’s name they have called out, that person must call out another persons name and start moving towards them. Emphasis to the person who’s name has been called out that they are NOT allowed to move or try to escape until they have called out someone else's name. ( The first person stops when they reach the space where the person who’s name they called out had been vacated or they have caught their victom If the person who’s name has been called out does not move and is caught by the Zombie they have to sit down Go over the idea of "focus" or "paying attention."

54. Who’s on the bus Purpose: to encourage communication skills, and imagination and expand unit of enquiry about the people we meet Activity: talk to children about different people that they might meet when out and about eg a fireman , a police man, a teacher, a dentist Talk about why it is important to have these people in our society Tell the students that you are going to pretend to be a bus driver and pick up passengers but the passenger must STOP the Bus and convince you as to why you should let them on the bus Ask students to pick a person that they might like to be – reminding them of all the people you have just talked about. MODEL roles for them As the driver of the bus you now sit in the drivers seat and begin to drive the bus Students then are encouraged to come up one at a time and yell Stop the bus. You pretend to slam on the brakes, wind down the window and ask who are you? (you may have to promt them ...Are you a teacher ....) Then ask why do you want to get on my bus = encourage the students to give answers that relate directly to their chosen person. If stuck get the rest of the class to suggest reasons When they have answered (or they have chosen an answer from the group) let them sit beside you on the bus! You may want to limit this to 4 or 5 students each time you play it !! Otherwise it gets VERY crowded on the bus!

55. Individual based activities and stratergies Looking Glass Purpose: individual development of facial expressions and body language Proceedure: Sit close enough to a student that you can both see each others face in the mirror Demonstrate an emotion and ask the student if they know how you are feeling Name an emotion and ask them to show you what it looks like. Improvise a simple scene and encourage the student to respond ie my dads very sick / I’d going to a party do you want to come to?

56. Puppet play Objective: enhance make believe play Chose a favourite event in the child’s life and act it out using the puppets eg pretend you are at a birthday party and blowing out the candles Use puppets to put motions to familiar songs or rhyms Language development Hold a conversation – you may initially have to talk for both puppts (yours and the students) Practice a familiar song or rhymes Have your puppet ask the students puppet simple questions that require simple answers . As the student becomes more comfortable, ask increasingly more complex questions Socialisation After teaching a social skill to the class use the puppets to reinforce the skill eg choose a skill, model the skill using your puppet, promt the child to respond, then have the student model the skill using their puppet Role play a situation that is unfamiliar to the child ie going to a party

57. Calm me Down Calming Activities For An Overly Active Child Sound: Allow the child to listen to calming music with headphones 3. Use a soft voice and slow down your speech and movements while talking Pressure - 4. Allow the child to lay on the floor in a secluded area with weighted blankets, heavy pillows or bean bag chairs on top of them during written work or reading 5. Push down heavily on the child's shoulders, with equal and constant pressure At rest time apply firm even pressure down the back Heavey Jobs: Have the child be responsible for the heaviest work at clean up time; putting heavy books or objects away, moving/pushing chairs in, wiping down tables etc. 9. Make the child the "teacher's assistant"; carrying books to the library, allow them extra movement breaks with in-school errands (taking notes to the office or another teacher, passing out papers etc.), or giving them "heavy work" chores such as sharpening pencils, erasing and cleaning blackboards and erasers, etc. Physical movement: Provide opportunities for the child to jump on a mini trampoline, bounce on a therapy ball or sit on one instead of their chair to give them extra input. Incorporate a drama movement game into the dayly schedule Have child do "chair push ups" (raising their body off the chair with hands next to them on their seat) and/or . Encourage twirling, spinning, rolling and swinging during physical education or recess Allow the child to have quiet fidget toys, chew toys/tubing, or squish/stress balls to squeeze while sitting and listening or during desk work 12 13. tie Thera-Band around their chair and have them stretch it using their legs while doing desk work

58. Focus me Objective : to help children remain calm, focused and organized: Use a soft plush carpet square for each child when sitting on the floor to keep them in their own space. If a child is easily distracted, make sure his seat is away from doorways or windows. use alternative seating equipment; sit on therapy balls, t-stools, disco-sit, bean bag chairs, Allow children to work in a variety of positions; laying flat on the floor propped on elbows, standing at a table or easel, or lying on side and using a clipboard to write on Use a soft, plush rug in play areas to help muffle noise. If possible, have a rocking chair or glider rocker inside the classroom, and/or a hammock or swing chair outside the classroom where a child can go to relax. Allow children to use sleeping bags in a quiet reading corner. Use a small tent or play hut with soft pillows and/or bean bag chair for a child to go to if over aroused.

59. Modify movements For the student who is constantly tapping give them a mouse pad to tap on If a child is constantly touching something give them a soft ball or squashy toy to squeeze If always jiggling their feet and legs take 2 bungy cords and criss cross them from the front left table leg to the back right table leg and back left to front right. The student can bounce their leg on the bungy cord not the floor

60. Sensitize me Water Play: at the sink or water table, while the child is playing stand across from them and start lightly rippling the water and gently splashing. Combine this with the imaginary play idea that a storm is coming. Introduce boats and undersea creatures, brushing occasionally against the child’s hands Play in Sand or with clay or with shaving cream Provide modeling clay, sand or shaving cream until you find a texture that the student prefers. While the student plays put your hands in the sand, clay or cream wriggling your fingers, sifting the sand or helping the child make an object. Gently touch the child’s hands as you do this gradually increasing the time as they grow more confident with your touch Everyday gestures Use lots of “high fives, handshakes, hugs and pats on the back to communicate encouragement and approval

61. Enhancing fine Motor Skills Stretch the Theraputty out and hide coins or any tiny objects in it. Then mush it up into a ball. It is now the child's job to pull the putty apart and find all the objects you put in there (oh, make sure you count how many you put in there, because the child WILL keep asking if they found them all). Lots of different size clips and pegs that you clip on a line ree Cutting PracticeHave children cut play dough with scissors.Have children cut magazines and advertisements.Have children cut straws, yarn, or shredded paper.Have children make fringe on the edge of a piece of paper.

62. And finally …Remember for Creative Strategies and Practical Ideas Meet the child at his or her functional emotional developmental level Enter the child’s world - be prepared to play Make it Fun Be creative Don’t be afraid or embarrased Model the behaviour/skill you want to see developed Use your voice and facial expressions to “energise” up or down always keep it simple and use lots of repetition to reinforce your point. Choose the stimulus for activities from what you are doing in class Think of kinasthetic learning as “practical literacy” for young people who find 'action' easier than the written word