Rainbows & Rain: early intervention stories, reflection, coaching

Am I Coaching? [Part II: Observation, Discussion & Problem Solving]

As promised here is the handout "Delayed Response" I reference in my story when I was observing an incidental caregiver/child interaction.  In this episode I go through these these reflective statements regarding Observation, Discussion and Problem Solving:
*I initiate a discussion about the family's priorities, needs and plans for the visit.
*I have reflective conversations to help the caregivers think through what they know, have already tried or want to change. 
*I observe caregiver-child interactions and family routines and activities whenever I can.
*I begin by specifically defining the problem. 
*I collaborate with the caregiver to solve the problem by bouncing ideas back and forth. 
*I problem-solve with the caregiver in the moment while observing a routine, activity or interaction.  
*After problem solving, I let the caregiver decide which strategy to try with the child. 

Am I Coaching? [Part I: Practice]

Self Reflection: "Am I coaching," when it comes to the coaching characteristic of practice?
Listen as I take on the following self reflective questions that may get you thinking on your own interactions with families and how to continue to grow.
I convey the idea to the caregiver that each intervention visit is a practice session for the child and caregiver.
I use modeling as a teaching tool to help the caregiver learn to use the strategy. 
When I model with their child I shift the interaction back to the caregiver so the caregiver can practice and feel successful. 
I help the caregiver practice during routines and activities that re natural to them and in real time. 
I coach the caregiver from the sidelines and fade my support over time so they feel joy in their accomplishments that they can do this without me. 
I do my best to be patient and celebrate practice whenever it happens. 
All Things Early Intervention TPT store resources for anyone working in EI!
Pause & Reflect by Dana Childress

Our Words Matter

An IFSP meeting like I've never had before and will never forget.  Do you know what's been said to families before you enter their lives?  Hear what this mother was told after the diagnosis of Pader Willi Syndrome was confirmed after her son's birth.  It finally came out while discussing the goal for the IFSP.  It became very apparent that this mother did not know she could even want things for her son because of what "the doctor said."
All Things Early Intervention

Building Engagement: ”The Layer Cake”

I've been thinking a lot about families.  How to connect intervention with everyday opportunities and it all comes down to parent/child engagement.  This episode I reflect on what I am learning through Autism Navigator and what they call "the layer cake."  Building support from the bottom up.  Let's face it; if our cake isn't baked, it's going to fall - or at the very least be uneven!
Autism Navigator
All Things Early Intervention - parent handouts
"The Layer Cake"
  

Preverbal Strategies

A listener recently reached out asking me to podcast on specific strategies I use with families and on visits.  Great idea and great topic!  Hear what has worked best during visits - I share 3 very different stories of kids at the same level doing very different things.  If you are new to EI this is a must hear episode!
Find Coaching Resources at:  All Things Early Intervention

Using Feedback to Empower Caregivers

Feedback can get pretty muddy.  Listen as I reference Rush and Sheldon and put into real life context how this looks.  
 
Handouts for Parents and EI providers

All Things Early Intervention

It’s a follow-up on today’s episode to last week’s, “He’s not making progress.”  Hear what one listener wrote to me and about how she relates. This is a common theme among all of us in EI.  I finished and created an entire series for parents and EI providers who are coaching to help parents understand communication, the skills involved and how it ties to their ultimate goal of, “I want my child to talk.”  Without losing focus on Coaching during visits!  Today I share a story of success when I didn’t tell a parent what to do but gave her the AT her daughter needed.  With the right tool she was able to put it into practice in a way you would not expect but worked for them! Check out the entire series on my “All Things Early Intervention” storefront on Teachers Pay Teachers.
 
Get the, "I want my child to talk." series to help support your visits coaching families.

He’s not making progress.

I get a call from my supervisor that the family is requesting another service provider because he’s not making progress.  We know the “what” and the “why” kids need to work on the skills they do BUT do parents understand the “what” and the “why”???  How can we help parents to understand? When parents do understand, let them figure out how they're going to do it.  Sometimes we focus so much on the “how” first without pausing (to explain, model, discuss, give feedback on) “what” and “why” and then our message gets lost on them.  Listen as I try to make sense of all of this.
 
Check out the resources below for parents.  Teach them the "what" and the "why" let them figure out the "how."  Stay tuned for more resources in the series "I want my child to talk."
I want my child to talk.
Move to Communicate

New Year, New Episode - Let’s Reflect!

Did you hear that bomb!  Ever felt one during a visit?  I did!  I dive into reflection during this episode.  The first thing you need to do in order to reflect is STOP.  Reflection requires you to be present, to be open and to be ok with pausing during a visit to reflect with the caregiver.  Stop thinking about what you are going to say or do and reflect.  I'll go through the 4 types of reflective questions; when and how I like to use them and what my favorite "go-to" questions are.  Hear what I say when I don't know what to say next.
R-E-F-L-E-C-T find out what it means to me!  Check out this awesome video from Rush and Sheldon too!

Navigating the Jargon Jungle

What we say matters!  Is what you're saying meaning the same to the family you are saying it too?  If we want parents to do the work and feel confident doing the work we need to use words they understand and are in simple basic terms.  This includes how we write our IFSP outcomes.  Check out these tips and techniques on writing "family participation based outcomes."