October 3, 2021 ASCF e-newsletter
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Hi All,
Take a few minutes to review this e-newsletter to learn what we have to share. See info on our Fundraiser, Mom Squad sessions, Science Club, articles and webinars.
Take care and be well,
Your ASCF team
PS Call 973-728-8744 if you need support
SCIENCE CLUB FOR ALL KIDS
Join our next session with Andy and Lori on Saturday, October 23 at 10 AM at Highlands Family Success Center 's Annual Harvest Day. Andy Abdul, scientist, and Lori, a special education science teacher, will have some interesting activities and a fossil hunt. Location: 1801 Greenwood Lake Turnpike in Hewitt. This is free but registration is required.  Call 973-506-6575 to register. Harvest Day (9-12 pm) will also have other great activities for the kids.
How to Teach Kids Science and Why It’s Important   by Learning Liftoff  
Science has led to the discovery of everything from gravity to medicine. Science is based on curiosity—and when children aim to learn more about the world around them, it is science that often holds the clues they need for a better understanding.
Why Science Matters in Daily Life
Science, directly and indirectly, influences all aspects of everyday life. From the food we eat to the way we get around, science is everywhere. Once you begin to see all the opportunities to learn, the relationship between science and critical-thinking skills become apparent.
Beginning when children are very young, science helps shape their development. As they learn to ask questions, make predictions, observe, test, and then communicate their findings, they are developing critical science skills.
Kids should learn science because:
Science helps children develop key life skills, including an ability to communicate, remain organized and focused, and even form their own opinions based on observation. Science also helps children develop their senses and overall awareness.
Children are hands-on learners, and the world around them provides so many natural opportunities. That is why you should never underestimate the power of learning through play. Interacting with their environment will support their intellectual development.
Children are primed for learning, and what they learn while they’re young can impact their interests later in life. Studies have shown that students begin to develop an interest in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) during the elementary years. Having an interest and knowledge in these subject areas provides future career opportunities.
Parents Want to Help Their Children Learn Science
A recent study, conducted by the Education Development Center and SRI International, found that while 9 out of 10 parents help their young children complete learning activities daily, only around half say that these activities are science-based.
Although parents are eager to teach their children science-related topics, many admit that they lack the tools and confidence to do so. Unfortunately, this is a missed opportunity—and for the most part, the concept of “science” is being overthought.
Science can be simple, and it can be fun. Whether you head out into the backyard to observe a colony of ants or watch a storm roll in, these everyday scenarios are learning opportunities parents can take advantage of.
Tips to Help Children Learn Science
Explore, explore, explore! Science is everywhere, which is why a visit to the park or an afternoon in the yard provide so many opportunities to learn. Always encourage your child to question their surroundings, and then discuss. If there is something you’re unsure of, research and learn the answer together. You don’t need to know all the answers—in fact, as a parent, it is beneficial when YOU ask questions and model curiosity as well.
Remember, science is cumulative. This means that children will build knowledge from what they already know. Start celebrating science in your home as early as possible, discuss science-based topics daily, and make it fun! Whether that means you head out for a special family constellation night or bake a cake, these are everyday opportunities that allow you to discuss science.
Always consider your child’s individual personality, interests, and social habits. This will allow you to come up with engaging activities that make them feel excited yet comfortable. Also, be mindful of what your child wants to do, as this will heighten their ability to learn.
Invest in a few pieces of equipment if your child is interested in learning more. An inexpensive microscope, for instance, could turn a trip to your local pond into an afternoon of wonder and learning. There are so many fun toys that will also get kids involved, including ant farms, astronomy kits, and kitchen science experiments, so have fun with science!
In addition to exploring and communicating as a family, it is important to invest in your child’s willingness to learn. There are many programs available that are fun and interactive, helping them build a solid foundation in science.
From life sciences to environmental science, physical science to earth science, when children express interests in these subjects, encourage them and learn with them. After all, author, Mahtab Narsimhan, said it best, “A good education is the greatest gift you can give yourself or anyone else.”
https://www.learningliftoff.com/how-to-teach-kids-science-and-why-its-important/
Exciting New Fundraiser for ASCF
We are accepting Stamp collections and stamp accumulations which will be organized and sold to fund our children's programs. So check out your attic for stamp albums you may have or inherited. For more information email Angela at [email protected] or call Julie at 973-728-8744 and Andy Abdul will return your call.
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Treat Students Like Human Beings By :Andrew Bauld   
As we head back to class, it's time to reconsider the dehumanizing parts of school
Now, as educators prepare for a new school year, understanding the experiences of students and teachers during the pandemic can provide insight into how to rebuild schools more humanely.  
In a new report published with Justin Reich, director of MIT’s Teaching Systems Lab and doctoral graduate of HGSE, Mehta interviewed students and teachers to learn how they would reinvent school post COVID. What became clear is that they do not want a return to normal, nor a blitz to make up for narrowly conceived “learning loss.” Instead, the interviews revealed a window into the longstanding problems plaguing schools and a desire for a system that treats students like people. 
“What the students and teachers were telling us is that a lot of aspects of school weren’t working well even before COVID,” Mehta says. “We were surprised that so many of the responses were about inequity and the dehumanizing qualities that existed in schools before COVID.” 
By listening to students and teachers, Mehta says there are clear lessons for schools to learn so they don’t just slip back into old habits but instead steer in a more humane direction.3
See the 3 lessons that help:
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1. Allow for more independence
While many students interviewed clearly have no desire to return to remote learning and detailed the negative aspects of last year — in particular a profound loss of social connections with peers — they also recognized the things that worked when schools were forced to change, and the biggest positive students experienced during the pandemic was a new sense of autonomy.
"The fact that making schools more human could be considered a revolutionary thought just shows how far we are from any decent mooring." – Professor Jal Mehta
“Listening to the students, a lot of the things they wanted weren’t radical redesigns,” Mehta says. “What really came out of the interviews was that what the students wanted were so basic, so human.”
Remote learning allowed for the removal of restrictive practices like dress codes and early start times as well as the freedom of basic acts like eating when they were hungry or taking breaks when they were restless, and students said the newfound sense of independence they discovered was a big improvement over their traditional classroom experience. Schools, Mehta says, will need to seriously consider how to bring students back into learning environments that were designed to curtail these basic freedoms.  
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2. Keep what works and drop what doesn’t 
Mehta says a pragmatic strategy to implement changes to treat students more humanely is to start by looking backwards. For their research, Mehta and his team ran an exercise called “Amplify, Hospice, and Create,” where students, teachers, school leaders, and families reflected on the past school year to figure out changes worth growing, old practices that needed to be retired, and new ideas that could be developed.  
“Basically, just ask yourself three questions,” Mehta says: What did you do that worked well? How could you keep it? and How do you create space to do the new things? Following this framework can be an easy way to start a dialogue for rethinking school. For example, to treat students more like humans when it comes to lunch and bathrooms, educators could:
Amplify: Let students eat when they are hungry or go to the bathroom when they need to — personal choices they were able to enjoy at home during the pandemic.
Hospice: Let go of past practices like bathroom and hall passes.
Create: Develop more ways for students to give input in designing food menus and around personal matters.
3. Make the whole system more human 
It’s not just students who benefitted from a more humane approach to learning during the pandemic. Teachers interviewed also reported an appreciation for changes implemented, like reduced schedules (from six or seven classes a day to three or four) that afforded them more time to slow down and build deeper connections with their students. Meanwhile, many families found the benefits of being able to be more engaged thanks to the flexibility of attending teacher conferences or classroom events virtually. 
Mehta says that these examples show that it’s not just students who need to be treated more humanely, but an entire system that needs to start treating every relationship with more compassion. 
“Ideally, it’s all symmetrical. We’d treat teachers more like human beings, and we’d treat the relationships between districts and states more humanely. It’s hard to go wrong by being more human,” he says. 
Bauld is a freelance writer and podcast producer. A former classroom teacher, he holds a masters degree from the Harvard Graduate School of Education. For article and more information copy and paste below:
https://www.gse.harvard.edu/news/uk/21/08/treat-students-human-beings
Join Mom Squad Support Group every Thursday
October 7, 14,21,and 28 from 6 - 7 PM. Share the joys and challenges of raising a child or children with special needs in a positive, supportive environment focused around your concerns. Julie from ASCF and Diana Varga from Family Partners co-facilitate. Registration: Contact Diane Varga at [email protected]  
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WEBINARS
Pros and Cons of the Apps Your Kids Use
This webinar for parents will focus on apps that youth are using for school, fun, and to socialize; educate parents on the pros and cons of these applications; and discuss how to encourage their children to use them in a safe manner.
Speaker: Bryan Cardenas Jara, LSW , 30 minutes
Please register:
https://events.r20.constantcontact.com/register/eventReg?oeidk=a07eigjw16461de539f&oseq=&c=&ch=
 https://events.r20.constantcontact.com/register/eventReg?oeidk=a07eigjw1dbbf066f4c&oseq=&c=&ch=
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Recognizing Anxiety in Kids and Teens
These webinars will explore different signs of anxiety and stress in elementary, middle school, and high school- age youth. Parents will learn how to support their children in managing their anxiety
Speaker: Anita Crowley, Certified School Counselor, National Anger Management Specialist
2-part series; 30 minutes each
Please register
Dates:
 https://events.r20.constantcontact.com/register/eventReg?oeidk=a07eigkbplya830f018&oseq=&c=&ch=
THOUGHTS TO PONDER
Set clear, fair and firm limits so children learn what to expect of them. Be consistent with your words and actions so children don't get confused. Remember, having a disability is no excuse for bad behavior. It is our job as parents to help them learn what is appropriate to the best of their ability. They are depending on us to do that.
DISCLAIMER: The Association for Special Children and Families does not provide or give Legal or Medical advice.
DESCARGO DE RESPONSABILIDAD: La Asociación para Niños y Familias Especiales no proporciona ni brinda asesoramiento legal o médico.