Psyc 391: Directed Field Experience in Psychology

was quite the lovely lady! I had a chat with her yesterday. And being one of the first family support faculty,Together with her husband, she has facilitated the Los Angeles Asperger Syndrome Parent Support Group for the last 16 years.

 I felt like her intellect could be put to good use for my research on the integration approach. 

This past week, Michelle strongly encouraged me to go on a visit to Room 12's experience with the Santee/Lanterman Extension and Inclusion Program. Much stir has been abrewing through LAUSD about this transition to a total inclusion classroom model among special education so I wanted to form my own opinions through my own observation.

I was actually surprised by how "normal" the classroom feel was. It simply felt like a normal Lanterman special ed class, just in a new and rennovated classroom. 

One thing I'd like to experience next is the Lanterman students' choice to choose their own electives. Room 12 students are given the choice between band, computer science, and drama (?) for their 4th period, which is after lunch. This means that Lanterman students are encouraged to integrate with Santee students at lunch and 4th period. I think it was a little unfair to pretty much throw Lanterman students "to the lions" and highly encouraged to socialize with Santee students without any preparation...but these Room 12 students were especially chosen because of their high potential to integrate sooner than other students. 

As for how the program started: Santee simply had a bunch of classrooms empty. LAUSD threatened Santee to start using the classrooms for a new charter school protocol...and apparently many are very opposed to charter. At the same time, LAUSD is pushing for all inclusive classrooms. Which is a switch with pros and cons as well.

PROS: highly encourage socialization to prep for integration to society after graduation

CONS: Its not for everyone. Moderate-severe students need the services that a closed special ed campus can provide (OT, Speech Therapy, etc.)

Many parents are quite mad about their children being in Room 12. Even one LAUSD board member wanted to pull their Lanterman child out of the integration plan (which I think shows a lack of communication across the board of LAUSD). But most parents are fearful of new changes and frantically fight for the old norms (or at least that's my opinion).

As for Michelle Deeb's impressions:

I don't agree it is the best thing for ALL students - there are so many plusses here at special ed centers, and in many ways WE are LESS restricitive - sports, prom, best buddies (LAUSD does not have bb, only college level), work programs at project angel food, mounts st mary's etc. -- unless they truly can have all these things at the gen ed sites - I'm ok with it now with kelly and theresa there but soon enough it won't be just them and the teachers will shun them again.  possibly.  And right now the staff are not equipped for changing, pureed diets, MOVE (mobility opportunities via education) program, OT, PT weekly etc for when they want to go full move integration.  But that is me.  And most teachers here.  Admin wants to please their bosses so they have mixed feelings.

Four special-education centers are scheduled to merge with nearby mainstream schools. According to Daily News Los Angeles, this affects about 300 disabled students who have to be integrated next month into traditional schools. Parents of these students yesterday protested against LAUSD's move.

Interesting controversy that's happening between Lanterman and Santee HS too...

Kate brought up an idea of writing my paper on more of a qualitative case study analysis on the students that I comprehensively view. I've found from my times at Lanterman that I'm most intrigued about hearing the students' whole story (their family life, their medical history, this social abilities, etc), rather than just a student's composition when they're at school. 

Michelle, Lanterman school psychologist

For this week's time at Lanterman, I arrived on campus with the invitation to eat with some of the teachers of Lanterman. In an impromptu decision, I agreed and found myself on my way to Mt. St. Mary's Alhamson's commons to eat my PBJ there, instead of with Henry at Lanterman.

But this decision was a blessing in disguise. Not only was I able to spend time with teachers I'm very familiar with (Michelle and Kathy), I was able to meet and get to know Tom and Gabriel.

Tom was a teacher I was able to sit in an IEP with. We were assessing Nohemy before. It was so interesting to hear Tom's opinions about USC expanding outward...maybe even threatening Lanterman's future. Which is a sad fact since Tom has been with Lanterman as substitute teacher in the 80s (when I learned Lanterman used to be an at-risk school..hmph!) to a special ed teacher!

Gabriel is another teacher in Room 27. He is enthusiastically taking my Friends and Neighbors Day project by the bull's horns. He has acquired $400 from Christina, the school principal, with plans of getting 12x12 gravel stepping stones into Lanterman's outdated garden. The garden is important for students to gather a sense of accomplishment and space to reflect on their hard work.

One topic that came up today though was Andy's trip to watch Dancing with the Stars Monday night (how awesome, right?!)

(story behind this...Michelle received a call from Jessica Foults, the Program Manager, saying she got tickets for a Best Buddies member to see a taping of DWTS that night! Michelle is pretty close to Andy so she brought them along!)

Anywho, Andy is without a job now. He's just been hanging around home, which is definitely a problem. When thinking in terms of occupation, one needs to occupy their time with something fulfilling. Without this opportunity, one's sense of meaning is loss and purposeful time is not taken. In an individual experiencing IDD (Intellectual and Developmental Disabiltiies), this can cause a regression of the lessons learned from school.

Thus, Michelle thought to reach out to Best Buddies of Southern California. When I was supplying Michelle with some info about who to contact from Best Buddies, I came across the following article. How interesting that the supervisor of Best Buddies of Southern California echoed the very words from my conversation of teachers at Lanterman today at lunch? Check out the following article here: http://bestbuddiesblog.wordpress.com/2012/07/27/best-buddies-jobs-la-its-not-just-a-job-its-a-future/

This weekend, I got a great opportunity to interact with some of the families at Lanterman. USC Kicks for Kids is an organization that branches off of Spirits in Action in giving families who have a special needs child the opportunity to branch out their abilities in a weekend sport. 

I had the pleasure of interacting with my USC Best Buddy, Henry, with Kicks for Kids. Additionally, I got to speak to Henry's parents about their weekend plans. From this, I was able to paint a clearer picture as to how the Castillo family ran and how all siblings were equally juggled. Luckily, Henry's siblings were able to support and participate with Kicks for Kids, making this event a family outing for all!

For 22 year old Female about to graduate at the end of the semester

Mother forgot--had missed her bus to get to Lanterman by 9am. 

only about 80% of parents show up to IEP. 

Second IEP (Nohemy)

translator needed for this IEP (mother was in, spoke Spanish)

only spoke ~100 words per day

want to work on Nohemy's socialization and communication skills (know when she wants something other than aggressively acting out)

huge attraction to Barney and Barbie Dolls (mother used as reward)

vocational (job) goals, writing goals, reading goals, communication goals, (ALL ENCOMPASSING), math progress

HOME LIFE--isolated. Doesn't communicate much (red flag? Family should try to be more supportive?)

have a behavioral therapist at home to accomodate her living situation

Will encourage the mother to know what reinforces her

IMPORTANT: Nohemy is 17. Need to figure out plans for when Nohemy turns 18 (when she's legal). Need to attain custodianship->turns into a safety problem if not.

Lanterman is one of eight of the last all-special education schools within the large Los Angeles Unified School District. 

Specifically at Lanterman, there are 240 students, who range in ages from 12-22 years of age. Given this age range, Lanterman includes 7th grade-postgrad. 

Here's the trickier part. Lanterman holds 4 different special education programs. These include MRS (mental retardation severity), MD (Multiple Disorders), CBI (Community Based Instruction), and MRM (Mental Retardation Moderate).

These terminologies are a bit confusing. But Kate reassured me, by the end of this semester, hopefully this lingo will get easier with time. Hopefully I can just juggle it in into my daily language--then I'll get the hang of it!

With this, Michelle was quick to add that disabilities range on a spectrum. A student isn't automatically classified cookie-cutter perfectly into any one classification. 

Most students originated from Salvin Elementary Special Education School.

In addition to these 4 programs, Lanterman holds specialized programs to further enhance a student's growth. One is MOVE, Mobility Opportunities Via Education. Through this, PTs and OTs are able to provide sessions to students who need it.

Next is the LRE Initiative. This just means that Lanterman is less restrictive than other schools.

Lanterman has the opportunity to gain partnerships through USC Best Buddies, in addition to Vista Charter School. These after-school partnerships promote socialization not just within their peers within the gates of Lanterman, but with average functioning individuals of the same age group. 

Most students gain jobs from the Orthopedic Medical Center or through Project Angel.

In order to gain acceptance into Lanterman, inidividuals need to have a referral. Lanterman houses moderate to severely disabled students who range in intellectual disabilities, learning disabilities, and physical impairments. 

Alright. I will prepare you: there is a lot of background info coming your way in the coming passages (as if the first one wasn't enough!). So approach this next passage with caution!

I start my Directed Field Experience on 8/22. I confidently strode into Lanterman (thank goodness I've done this already with USC Best Buddies!). I checked in, and took a seat at Michelle Deeb's, my on-site supervisor, desk. Turns out that I was an hour early to our hourly appointment. But it was definitely a savior in disguise, her previous appointment at the time I arrived cancelled (it was with the President of USC Best Buddies) which then allowed us the full amount of time I most crucially needed.

Once I sat down, Michelle wanted to know all that I wanted out of this experience. I pretty much went into as much detail as the first post did. When I was explaining my interests, it was a little disappointing to hear that Michelle was a bit lost as much as I was. But its okay--we're all figuring it out together. And it's the process from beginning to end that counts the most.

While explaining, I noticed that Michelle would go on a bit of tangents. Maybe this was just the way her brain works at Lanterman--in small intermittently thoughts. I guess that's the kind of fashion you need when juggling so many students. 

Michelle started off my introducing the IEP (Individualized Educational Plan) that I would be observing that afternoon. It was for a student who had already graduated, but was turning 22 years old in November. From this bit of a story, I learned so much of the composition of Lanterman. Lanterman tends to keep students as long as they can (with 22 years of age being the maximum amount of years a student can be to attend this high school. Final IEPs are conducted months leading up to the student's departure to ensure that the family of the student is prepared with the next steps after a graduated student receives their GED. In these final IEPs, the teacher, school psychologist, and any other allied services demonstrate the transfer of a family's child to be referenced to the Frank Lanterman (ironic?) Regional Center. (I guess it also stems of Frank D Lanterman's propsed Lanterman Developmental Disabilities Act found here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lanterman_Developmental_Disabilities_Act).  It is highly encouraged for a student to have a family member physically present for the teachers and allied forces to be active participants in the student's discussion towards progress. I really admired this cohesive desire to push each and every special needs student to the maximum potential they each deserve. 

Next, Michelle referenced me to check out How Does Your Engine Run. Michelle said that even though this spiralled textbook-like manual is typically for school-based OT technique, psychologists, PTs, and teachers use this helpful book to help cope for special needs students in a classroom.

The main principle in this tutorial is the idea of self-regulation. It teaches students how to conserve their needs for checking up on themselves for reassurance and calmness. When I brought this idea to Kate, she also explained that How Does Your Engine Run has a huge emphasis in the Vagal Nerve and the HPA Axis. 

Principles of behavioral and sensitivity regulation through sensory integration are also crucial principles behind How Does Your Engine Run. From your senses, sometimes sweet or sour tools are used as a reward to orally regulate one's behavior. Kate mentioned that those with special needs (80% with developmental challenges and 90% with Autism) are highly prone to hypersensitive to food (or their environment). 

Quite intriguing, no? I wonder how a dentist would feel about that if sweets were always being handed out. 

At that moment, a voice chimed in from behind me. The PT then wanted to add her thoughts about How Does Your Engine Run. Vicki, the LAUSD teacher, went into her side of PT. She explained the idea of proprioceptors. These are sensors, most commonly found in joints, that aid in gross motor skills. Proprioceptive input is then found in deep muscles, innervating dopamine, a neurotransmitter needed to calm the brain, which then calms the nervous system. 

One way that Vicki tried implementing a new tool for students was to start Yoga in the classrooms. Me, having my background with the Little Gym, am a HUGE advocate of this!!! I think it's so important to emphasize physical activity at an early age. Beside this point for an active, healthy lifestyle, Yoga is hugely successful for students who just need a moment to themselves. If a student, for example, gets a bit heated or frustrated in something, the teacher would then ask the student to go to the side of the classroom to the colorful Yoga mat already laid out. On this visually pleasing mat, a child is then able to any few poses they chose. This brilliant technique then allows the student to choose their mode of solidarity isolated from their current frustrations. Brilliant idea.

Woah nelly! I've already dove into my second week of my experience and I've already learned so much about my experience!

Because I came to my advisor, Dr. Kate Crowley, with so many facts to spill, she highly recommended somehow writing about what I learn and the feelings I have throughout my progress. After blogging some of my artist dates for OT 310: Creativity Workshop, I knew how easy blogging on Tumblr could be for this opportunity :) Blogging on here could just take a few minutes, or a couple of minutes--depending if I'm on the go or not. Thank goodness for mobile apps so I can jot my thoughts on the go!

Well let's just start off by saying: I'm a bit nervous. I always knew Psyc 391 was an option to get a direct exposure into a professional field that might trigger interest into a future profession. When I finally had room (and time!) in my schedule, I inquired and here I am enrolled.

With this fast transition, I feel a bit at a rush. I know I might have an interest in school-based occupational therapy. But this subject has so many paths that it can take! And I know I'm not supposed to have all the answers now. It'll come in due time. I guess what I am trying to say is that I am overwhelmed, not knowing where I want my paper to investigate specifically.

Before any exposure into Lanterman High School, I have had a long time interest in Occupational Therapy. My mother herself is a physical therapist and works with Glendale Adventist Medical Center in Glendale, CA. Since my mom knew of the benefits of having younger adults working with those of mental disabilities, she pushed me to work on the pediatric side of her outpatient clinic. After one successful summer in working with GAMC's Play to Learn camps, it looks as if I'm into OT for the long-haul!

It wasn't until I dove into the OS minor within the USC Division of Occupational Therapy and Occupational Sciences did I realize how broad of a spectrum that occupational therapy holds. OT can range from all developmental stages of life: from infancy to geriatrics and everything in between.

This fact astounded me even more! This past semester, I then wanted to learn more about the different cohorts of OT. I then got myself involved with COPE Health Solution's Clinical Care Extender Internship opportunity with Glendale Adventist Medical Center. I had rotated through two floors (Cardiac Telemetry Unit and Acute Rehabilitation Unit), each having a duration of three month long experiences. Although CTU expanded my horizons quite a bit, I learned the most from ARU. Here, I got direct involvements with OT's on hand. The nurses and rehab team were so helpful, I saw myself working in a hospital floor. This is quite groundbreaking seeing that I always had a dedication to pediatrics.

With this new itch to explore other factors of OT, I am now approaching Psyc 391 with open arms. I don't have much experience in working with adolescents, and even so with adolescents diagnosed with a mental or physical disability.

Which then brings me to Lanterman. Lanterman Special Education High School was brought to my attention from USC Best Buddies, a USC student organization that I am a part of. In this organization, college buddies are partnered one-to-one with a buddy from Lanterman (typically students who range from 17-22 years of age and are of high-functioning abilities). I then met Henry, who is indeed pictured above in the blog's header. Henry has most definitely been a strong part of my USC experience, in addition to the many friends, faculty, and teachers that I have met in my spent time with Henry. Henry is most definitely my inspiration for this project, in addition to my future pursuits in Teach for America and/or Occupational Therapy.

Which then brings me to Teach for America. This domestic non-profit organization was brought to my attention after I had attended an Alternative Spring Break trip to Baton Rouge. This trip was associated with Teach for America in that we would learn more about the program: its 2-year commitment to teach in a high-needs, at-risk youth classroom in efforts to bridge the education inequity in the US. After the trip, I saw myself more than ever being a part of this movement, specifically within special education. I am still currently applying to Teach for America, so I am hoping that this experience will give me more insight if I do commit to this dedicated servitude.

Which then leads me to my project idea! I wanted to investigate the tools used to implement special education to students. What made Lanterman so exclusive to be an only all-special education school? What are the debates that some have about this exclusivity? Moreover, did family life hugely shape the students' perceptions of their growth?