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Category Archives: play

Start your fall to-do list: Register now for Paradigm play webinar this Monday (and more)!

06 Friday Sep 2019

Posted by kolubcbad in BACB CEU, Behavior Analysis, CASA, CEU, children, Community, continuing education, Court Appointed Special Advocate, Early Intervention, Education, learning, play, resources, Uncategorized

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paradigm behavior, play, webinar, workshop

This summer has been a busy one for Cusp Emergence. Dr. Kolu taught Ethics to University of Colorado Denver students, jumped back into work doing consultation to support businesses and BCBA’s to reach their behavior analytic goals, trained CASA volunteers and more. Next month we will be training Friends of Broomfield and (finally!) putting the finishing touches on the Education and Trauma Informed Behavior Analysis course by Cusp Emergence University.

In the meantime, we just learned about a great low-cost resource for parents! Paradigm Behavior has all kinds of great parent-oriented supports that also help behavior analysts and caregivers. This Monday they are having a sale on an informative webinar!  REGISTER HERE:

https://paradigmbehavior.com/play-registration

You know who would also benefit from this? Foster and adoptive parents, preschool teachers, and church nursery staff would find this super helpful. Our trauma informed teams also love learning how to enrich “time in” with kids who are just learning to have fun with adults in carefree ways after a difficult early life.

And coming up, this fall we’ll register for the APBA (Association for Professional Behavior Analysts) convention coming to Denver 2020, attend COABA (Colorado Association for Behavior Analysts) on November 2,  sign up for 4CABA (Four Corners Association for Behavior Analysis) that meets in Colorado Springs April 2020, and submit proposals for the May 2020 workshops at ABAI (Association for Behavior Analysis International) in DC. We’ll be back shortly to tell you all about the new courses we’re offering this fall. Contact us today if you’d like Cusp Emergence to tailor an online workshop or training for your team. Hope to see you soon at a local event or meet you at one of our webinars (CEU’s offered at all of our events)!

 

Resource Wednesday: Paradigm Behavior, for family-supportive resources beautifully designed by a friendly BCBA

09 Wednesday Aug 2017

Posted by kolubcbad in Autism, Behavior Analysis, children, Early Intervention, Education, enriched environment, play, resources, Social Interaction, teaching behavior analysis, Uncategorized

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behavior analysis, children, community, paradigm behavior, parents, play, resources, teaching behavior analysis

At CuspEmergence, we love finding resources or information we can share with our families and community. Imagine our excitement when we discovered this close-to-home resource, an entire website devoted to helping parents become even more amazing at playing, communicating, and connecting with their children! Paradigm Behavior maintains a website and resource library where families can learn, with the support of a Board Certified Behavior Analyst who is a parent herself. Christina posts blogs, resources for supporting play, and online coaching for families interested in developing play skills, language, and more. Paradigm Behavior maintains a well-stocked Playroom, which could teach students and supervisees cutting their teeth in behavior analysts a thing or about connecting with families and using materials in effective ways.

The resources we found were helpful even to seasoned behavior analysts, taking much of the work out of connecting parents with individualized resources that were at once friendly and helpful. We think you’ll love them as much as we do

Check out ParadigmBehavior.com.

Job Aids: On Compassion, Visual Aids, and Individualizing support

06 Wednesday Mar 2013

Posted by kolubcbad in Community, job aids, play, Social Interaction

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

individualized support, job aids, neurotypical, visual support

A family member leaves a job aid easily followed to use technology while the "savvy" person is away

A family member leaves a job aid easily followed to use technology while the “tech-savvy” person is away

A separate job aid for turning off the system

A separate job aid for turning off the system

To begin, it is helpful to understand that although behavioral support can often be widely useful, some strategies are perceived as “for autism”, “for children”, or even “for parents only”.

At Cusp Emergence, it’s about relationships– whether with our peers, employees, employers, family members or significant others (or even ourselves).

While today’s idea (the “job aid”) is often linked with the workplace environment, this article is  about compassion and individualized support. Perhaps you’d like to experience this article as a challenge you to find yourself in one of the stories even if this week’s idea doesn’t seem immediately related to your life’s work.

Bonnie and technology: Bonnie used to avoid technology while her housemate was away. She described herself as resentful that she was often bored, never played a game by herself, or turned on the complicated computer-controlled television while alone, and claimed she never had the opportunity to learn how. Her roommate dominated the remotes when they played together and she always felt it was useless to figure out herself. It sounded strange to her friends, she knew, that she couldn’t work it. But she never had the opportunity or need or desire to do it anyway.

Joey and laundry: Joey never did laundry. Why should he; his partner (or even their son, who enjoyed that particular chore) usually did it. Sometimes he resented his slowly shrinking jeans, and often his wife tried not to resent the fact that Joey never helped. But it was honestly quite complicated, and past attempts had not gone well, producing pink underwear for everyone in the family, or shrunken, discolored sweaters.

Benny and the restroom: Benny was 15 years old and growing, and unlike most of his family and friends, he had never mastered the final steps in his toilet routine. He attended the special education program at his local school, and his paraprofessional often needed to stand at the door asking if he needed help. He usually came out with his pants down around his ankles and was instructed and guided back to the bathroom, where he was instructed to pull up his pants and turn off the light before once again entering the classroom. Often he yelled “Go away!” and slammed the door when his paraprofessional entered to assist him.

How are these stories related?

  • First, they represent situations in the client has no physical limitations preventing him or her from accomplishing the task. In addition,

  • The stories all involve communication partners, life partners, or an activity partner completing some or all of the task involved, instead of the client completing it himself or herself.
  • In each of these situations, there was a “learning history” in which the partner had TRIED to communicate how, why, and when to do these tasks. But the communication had not been effective! Parents and partners often try repeating instructions, yelling, or standing beside their partner naming every next step.
  • Finally, these situations all hold hidden potential payoffs if clients learned to do these things themselves.

Consider:

  • If Bonnie used technology by herself, she could have a greater variety of enjoyable things to do while her partner was away. She might be able to develop individual interests. She might have time to practice alone and therefore enjoy the activity even more when they did it together later. She could feel good about being an active participant in the household.
  • If Joey did the laundry by himself, he could enjoy wearing what he wanted or needed to wear without someone else needing to do it, having to stop something they needed to do in order to fulfill his request. If he did it himself, he could have access to clean clothing that he had picked out. He could feel good about contributing to the household.
  • If Joshua finished his routine in the bathroom and came out to rejoin the group, he could enjoy doing it by himself. He could feel good about doing it himself and joining the social expectations of his group. He could immediately transition to a new activity with his friends, instead of feeling embarrassment as others laughed or pointed to his pants around his ankles.

In every case above, job aids provided compassionate, individualized assistance to bridge the gap between the need to complete a task, and the actual execution of that task.

Toward solutions

Bonnie’s partner whipped up a set of easy-to-follow job aids that helped her navigate quickly through technology that previously had seemed mystifying. When her partner was out of town, Bonnie now used it herself and enjoyed the freedom.

Joey’s partner posted easy job aids (post-it notes) above the laundry machines. When his partner was out of town it was easy to see what to wash together or separate, which buttons to push, and how hot or cold the water needed to be.

Joshua’s paraprofessional and teacher posted reminders near the bathroom door that visually reminded him to check his pants and zipper and turn out the light.

Here are some of the potential benefits Bonnie, Joey, and Joshua may begin to enjoy:

  • Ability to meet a need or want alone
  • Gain more control over their life
  • The chance to gain mastery over something they will likely need to do in the future
  • The ability to rely on themselves instead on someone else
  • Increased range of options at any one time
  • Decreased dependence on others
  • Dignity, autonomy, confidence, etc

A final note: After we begin to do more for ourselves, it is compassionate for our life partners, parenting partners, communication partners, peers, or providers to consider the importance of whether, how, when, and why they will fade out their assistance. More to come on this topic in a future post!

HELP- There’s a monster in my toybox!

06 Wednesday Feb 2013

Posted by kolubcbad in Autism, Behavior Analysis, Community, Early Intervention, Education, play, Rett's, Social Interaction

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autism, behavior support, early intervention, individualized, play, social emotional support

Part 1 of Series: Helping caregivers and teachers support children to meet fearful challenges

Shannon’s Story

Shannon and Gina sat in a free play area near their preschool teacher. “SQUAWK!” came the loud animal sound when Gina pushed the button on a new toy. As the toy noise grew louder, Shannon’s eyes opened wider and wider until she froze, a look of sheer terror on her face. She started to back away and wailed, sinking onto the floor and crying.”Oh no,” gasped her teacher. “Put that toy away!” While Shannon cried, their teacher pulled Gina aside and said “I’m sorry, but Shannon is afraid of that toy. Next time we will remember to play with it when she’s in another room.”

Devon’s Mom’s Dilemma

Devon and his mom Jenny walked down the sidewalk with their next door neighbors. As they neared the playground, Devon suddenly grabbed his mother’s skirt tightly and shrieked. “NO BIRDIES! NO DOGGIES!” At this, Jenny’s face grew red as she picked up Devon and held him tightly. She looked at her neighbor helplessly and apologized: “I’m just so sorry… We can’t go any further with you. He’s been doing this every time. He has this issue with ducks and dogs and birds now. I think even if we don’t see one he’ll be afraid one might get him.”

Toward more supportive, long term strategies

At first, it may seem supportive to shield a child from their fears.

But both teachers and parents want and need solutions that will ultimately help children face and overcome challenges. So when there is a question, especially when a particular strategy feels good or soothing or produces relief in the short term, it’s a good idea to ask ourselves, “is this procedure also supportive in the long term?”

If not, how can Shannon’s teacher and Devon’s mom learn a more therapeutic approach? And why is that important? Let’s review these scenarios again, to better understand why and how to take a supportive long term approach. What might Shannon’s interaction with the toy, and Devon’s interaction with park creatures, have in common?

First, these scenarios are similar in how they are resolved.

In both interactions, a pattern is being established: the child first encounters a fear, or “fear inducing stimulus”, and then others respond by helping the child to escape or avoid it.

Second, these scenarios are similar in how they affect other people.

From the perspective of Shannon’s peers, her inability to play with that toy meant that they couldn’t either, at least not when she was around. From the perspective of Devon’s neighbor, the neighborhood kids couldn’t play with Devon in a park. This concept, the idea that Devon can’t play in the park, and that Shannon can’t play with toys that make animal sounds, limits interaction opportunities. It also risks changing the way peers think about approaching Shannon and Devon.

Third, these scenarios have similar “reductive” effects on the children’s “repertoire” or world. Have you ever met a family member or caregiver who says, “we used to love to do ___” but we can’t anymore”? Perhaps a family used to go to the movies, or out to dinner, or have friends over, or go to museums, or go hiking. During the initial conversation with families, that blank is filled in by all the things they need to avoid now because of fears of how people will react, fears that it won’t go well, fears that it will be too difficult, embarrassing, or noisy. Often those fears are REAL at the time! Perhaps people DID stare and talk at church when a family’s child loudly refused to stop standing on the pew. Perhaps all the teachers and mothers DID stare and talk in the parking lot as a child disrobed in public and threw a tantrum before leaving the store. Perhaps it WILL be difficult, embarrassing, or noisy. But keep reading. We can do this together.

Fourth, understand it’s a cycle: handling scenarios by allowing “fear habits” to persist, allows learners to skip learning opportunities and continue to repeat old harmful habits instead.

If Shannon and Devon can’t play with certain toys or in certain places, they have reduced opportunities to learn about those things and places, and no opportunity to learn that they are NOT scary.

Fifth, if these scenarios become habits, they make it more difficult for the child to handle or face similar or other fears in the future. These situations do not teach the child how to be more successful in coping with scary, new or different events.

Bottom Line: Instead of stopping or thwarting learning opportunities, we can expand them.

Come back Friday to learn how!

School of Play

04 Tuesday Dec 2012

Posted by kolubcbad in Autism, Behavior Analysis, Early Intervention, Education, play, Social Interaction, Uncategorized

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autism, behavior management, language, leisure skills, play, school of play, social emotional support

School of Play ©
Our school of play division provides one-time, brief, or long-term play or leisure skill-based individualized client supports, training, and education.

WHO can benefit?
Groups: Schools, classes, churches, businesses (gyms, pediatric doctors or dentist groups, therapists)
Families: Families affected by behavioral, developmental, social, emotional, or other challenges
Individuals: Children, staff, teachers, administrators

WHEN?
Our clients can benefit from School of Play © services whenever:

-A child gym owner sees staff struggling to help young mothers engage their children in play, interaction, or language, and enjoy the gym activities at the same time
-A community or church member runs a play group in a church or gym, and is not sure what to do differently to support new students with autism
-A community or church play group is not sure how to support children with language delays
-A parent needs the babysitter to manage behavior more effectively when supporting the family’s children
-A parent’s child with autism doesn’t know how to play with his siblings
-A family’s two year old with autism doesn’t like to play with his parents
-A family’s or organization’s group of therapists is great at 1:1 instruction, but they need help getting children to interact with each other
-An organization’s therapists are highly skilled at discrete teaching, but provide less effective naturalistic teaching

WHY does it work?
Cusp Emergence provides play and leisure skill support that is:
-Compatible with IFSP or IEP goals
-In some cases, able to be funded by a state’s early intervention services if the client qualifies
able to improve family or team interaction
-supportive of social, emotional, or behavioral wellness
-provided in the community or home setting
-consistent with research proven methods with demonstrated effectiveness
-administered by qualified, educated, trainers with extensive experience collaborating with parents, educators, therapists and community members

HOW can clients benefit?
-Learn to arrange environments to make appropriate effective language and communication more likely
-Learn to arrange environments to support play
-Learn to teach staff, babysitters, community, or family members to provide supportive environments
-Learn to arrange environments that prevent behavior challenges
-Receive support from our School of Play division in your group or home

HOW does it work?
-An initial consultation takes place to discuss the family’s or group’s needs
-Next, a workshop or future education is planned based on individual needs
-Follow up support is available for families or groups on a schedule determined together with the client

(click here to check out Building Your Workshop)

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