Unique Volunteer OR Independent Study Opportunity - EDSPE 499 (5-9 Credits) ● Summer 2018
Description
This volunteer experience OR independent study provides a rich, experiential learning opportunity for people interested in working with young children with and without disabilities. Students will serve as interns for an inclusive summer camp program, facilitating social skills through field trips and science experiments. In addition to supporting campers in day-to-day activities, students will participate in a professional learning community led by experts in the field. This independent study is open to all UW undergraduate and graduate students, with priority granted to students in the College of Education.
Learning Objectives
- Review strategies for supporting learners with and without disabilities
- Learn and practice effective classroom management techniques
- Identify strategies for facilitating social skills, through positive behavior support
- Learn and practice prevention and de-escalation techniques for challenging behaviors
Additional Details
This course requires participation in up to seven weeks of summer camp, in addition to three-days of staff training, tentatively scheduled for June 27-29th, 2018 and some online work, which can be completed at your own pace.
Participants will receive a Right Response certification for participating in this part of the course. In addition to these training components, participants must be available to work in an inclusive STEM program serving preschooler age children with and without disabilities.
This program is scheduled to take place Monday-Friday, July 2-August 17th, 8am to 4pmdaily. During this time, students will serve as an intern. As an intern, your primary role is to engage with kids during play, supporting kids during circle time and seated tasks, and supporting the group during field trips. Participants will receive ongoing professional development and training during this time.
You may also participate in this experience as a volunteer if you are unable to take it for credit. Sign up for class via this Google Form!
FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT:
Tara Coffin - jumphc@uw.edu or 206.612.8697
Expectations for interns:
- Ideally, interns will be able to commit to the full camp session, and will be able to work half/full days consistently. This means a weekday commitment, starting July 2 (no camp July 4th), and going until August 17th.
- Camp runs from 9-3:30pm
- Full day would be from 8:30-4:30 (with a break for lunch)
- Half day would be from 8:30-1pm or 12pm-4:30pm
- Interns will be asked to commit until 5pm on Fridays, to allow for PLC work (detailed below)
Training Opportunities:
Three-day Training (estimated dates: June 27-29th):
- Camp logistics
- Teaching science to young learners with and without disabilities
- Building Blocks of Inclusion
- Classroom management
- Pivotal response treatment
- Social skills support
- Right Response Training
- … (still being developed)
Ongoing Professional Learning Community (on going over the course of camp, with focused sessions on Fridays; July 2-August 17
- Program fosters PLCs within individual camp classrooms. PLCs led by a Masters Level special educator or equivalent professions, and draw on experts from the community
- Working alongside specialists, including drama therapists, OT, SLPs, etc.
- Prep and Debrief time:
- Before and after camp, camp staff will participate in structures prep and debrief discussions. These discussions focus on highlighting moments of success and moments of learning throughout camp, encouraging ongoing reflection.
- Friday Breakout Sessions
- Guided readings over the course of camp; review readings on Fridays
- Experts in the field will be invited to visit Fridays to facilitate focused discussions
- All camp staff and interns will be invited to present on an area of interest to them, sharing this knowledge/passion with their team
- Friday sessions will be flexible and invite discussion about issues of emerging importance.
- Students earn one credit for every 30 hours of service
- Estimate of 5-7 hours/day for 5 days/week
- 7 weeks of camp and 3 days of volunteer training