This week we have Marcy Rosenbaum on the show who is a supervisor from the Jewish Community Center Preschool Program, in Orlando, FL. She is here to share her experiences on children that have varying sensory needs, and how these children can be supported. I have had the pleasure of working with her for the past 8 years now, and I can tell you first hand she’s like a quiet little angel that comes in to help so many parents, teachers and children with tough scenarios, and she makes it all look so easy!

Marcy has a background in Childhood Development, has been a teacher for 20 years, and a team supervisor for the past 9 years. She supervises all the four-year-old and pre-k classrooms; she has taken many seminars related to sensory; and she has many years of experience with children who have sensory challenges.

She started off by telling us about the Orlando JCC Preschool program which includes infants through pre-kindergarten. The administration is really big into receiving outside sensory training and setting up an environment where every child can learn and feel successful. They are very willing to make any simple accommodations, based on each child’s individual needs, which often includes: getting these children on their tummies to support their posture; providing deep pressure hugs for calming when upset or over-stimulated; allowing a child to sit in a rocking chair vs. sitting on the carpet for circle time; adding a large cardboard box to the classroom for the children to have a calming place; providing predictable transitions with verbal reminders and visual picture sequences; allowing and encouraging the children to bear walk around the room or down the hall; providing seating cushions to satisfy the constant need for movement and motion; and matching teacher personalities with the child’s demeanor in order to provide a firm but forgiving atmosphere in which these children can feel safe and supported.

Marcy first became aware of sensory issues 12 years ago when she was a teacher and she had a boy in her class that cried over everything! He could not transition successfully at first and he had a shadow to help guide him through each activity. She was successful in helping this child throughout the course of the year, due to her innate nature to observe the child’s behaviors, to stop and think, and to have an open mind to trying all recommendations from his therapist- who worked with him and the teacher in the classroom on a weekly basis.

She is most thankful for the Shadow Program they instilled years back that allows a child with sensory difficulties to work 1:1 with a lay staff member that can help the child be and feel successful in a regular mainstreamed program. This is a tremendous program that supports the success of the child and eliminates many “behavioral” problems from the classroom. The challenge that comes with offering this service, is that the parents have to pay the Shadow to be there with their child during school hours, based on a reasonable hourly rate. The best part of this program is that the Shadow can take the child in or out of the classroom as needed, for calming and muscle work breaks to help regulate the child’s nervous system.

Marcy claims she is not a diagnostician, yet she and her team of teachers are excellent “kid watchers”. They refer out to professionals in the community to figure out complex childhood symptoms, which provides them with results and a plan on how to help support the child in their environment. They often refer to primary care physicians, occupational therapists, school-based speech and language therapists, and developmental pediatricians. Her favorite book to recommend is the most popular book called, The Out-Of-Sync Child, by Carol Stock-Kranowitz, though there are many more.

Her tips for other teachers are:

-If you have any feelings toward working with special needs kids, go for it, as you will see both the teacher and the child will be rewarded. Reach out to professionals in the community for inservices to train you and your staff on how to help these children get better. Give your staff information to read such as recent articles, books, and resources from the newspaper. Also, be aware that children who have the labels of ADD, AD/HD, and ODD (oppositional defiant disorder) are children who are uncomfortable in their own bodies, so try to have some compassion! Smaller class sizes can be more beneficial for these children too (with a total of 6-7 children maximum in one room).

Advice for struggling parents who are trying to find resources to help their children:

-You have to be willing, and you will need to work together as a team with your child’s teachers and any therapists or alternative healthcare providers. Early intervention should not be a chore, make it fun! Try not to be on the defensive if a teacher tells you she has concerns about your child, as the teachers are there to help you understand how your child will do best in their program. Lastly, Marcy recommends to all parents, do your research! The internet, books, word-of-mouth, articles, etc. are available for parents to educate themselves, and to find a good practitioner in your area.

Please tune in to this podcast for more detailed info. If you would like to contact the JCC in Orlando, you can email Marcy at: MarcyR@orlandojcc.org or contact Carol McNally- Preschool Director, or Jodi Alter- Assistant Director at 407-645-0923. You can also find them on-line at www.orlandojcc.org. Thanks for listening, and thanks Marcy for all the wonderful work you do!

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