Proprioception is the concept of knowing where your body is in space (body awareness) and the ability to safely maneuver around your environment. It also includes the use of heavy work activities and the ability to stimulate the joint receptors. This helps with a sense of self, aides in self-regulation and promotes success in both fine motor and gross motor activities. It is also important as it helps a child to be aware of their “personal space” and how to appropriately engage with their peers without overstepping their boundaries (e.g. hugging without asking) or not engaging enough (e.g. decreased eye contact).
It is all about the REGULATION!!
The What?? Self Regulation is a cognitive process. It is in charge of executive functioning and it is intertwined with emotional development and social development. So...when we are dysregulated it interrupts the ability to function in a meaningful way. It impacts learning new information, making and keeping relationships and building social skills. It is the very necessary ingredient to making learning purposeful and meaningful. This is why Occupational Therapy is such an important part of our program. The necessary tools are in each classroom. No waiting for the OT to come once a week. We work on these goals every day. This is why you will see every classroom with swings, crash pads, balance boards, trampolines, and a host of other equipment to help the students function at their best!
Dyspraxia difficulty in planning, sequencing, and carrying out unfamiliar actions in a skillful manner. At MSA we have planned activities, goals and objectives that address this need. Students LOVE to engage in this way because it is both challenging and playful.
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WHAT DOES A DAY AT MOUNTAINEER'S LOOK LIKE?Staff greet each other and children warmly! We are very happy working here! We welcome students with bright smiles and excitement that they are here. The classrooms have modified lighting and relaxing music is playing. They start their day with sensory activities and morning social skill building conversations. Throughout the day academics are interwoven with outside playground time and sports as well as social skill building. Also, throughout the day Occupational Therapy and Speech Therapy are carried out. Independent living skills are worked on daily. These include but are not limited to tying shoes, brushing teeth after meals, cleaning up as a team and this sense of community and teamwork builds their self-confidence and trust in others. At Mountaineer's we are a FAMILY and a family works together for the success of everyone. We listen and guide conversations so that respect and character building takes place. This is the place where a multitude of your child's growth takes place and it is so much more than simply academics!
THEY THINK THEY ARE PLAYING BUT WE KNOW THEY ARE GETTING THE SENSORY INPUT NEEDED TO BE REGULATED + HAPPY!
We know that proprioception is the unconscious awareness of sensations coming from one's joints, muscles, tendons, and ligaments. Why does the student perform better with academics, focus, and attention when wearing a weighted vest or after "playing" on a crash pad, carrying a weighted ball, pulling on a rope, or crawling through fabric tunnels? All of these activities are fun, engaging and provide the necessary input to help the student become more regulated.
Every student’s educational portfolio will be individually tailored and executed utilizing a continuous multidisciplinary approach implemented by highly trained staff and therapists. At Mountaineer's School of Autism, we will provide a comprehensive program based on each student’s unique individual needs and determine the educational format, daily routine and interventions implemented so as to maximize educational goals. We believe that recognizing and promoting each child’s strengths will build self confidence and allow our students to flourish academically and socially. The various principles applied in the classroom will provide each family with a wide array of choices to meet the individual needs which will be beneficial to each student.
fOCUS AND pURPOSE
The primary purpose and focus of MSA is to recognize the unique characteristics of our students and apply a curriculum specifically designed to meet their individual needs in order to effectuate standards of academic excellence. The small teacher to student ratio, together with educators and support staff having expertise in Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) who will serve to best address each student’s strengths and weaknesses. Instruction will be delivered through one-to-one instruction, small groups, and within the community.
Vestibular Dysfunction addresses a problem with the Vestibular System, which is in charge of coordinating movement and balance based on the position of our heads in space. We "play" every day activities such as wheelbarrow walk, log rolling, piggy-back rides, and jumping on the trampoline.
OUR CURRICULUM
MSA utilizes a wide variety of resources throughout the course of a day. Depending on the developmental level of the student any number of tools may be utilized. This may include but is not limited to manipulatives, kinetic sand/theraputty, I-Pads/ computers, textbooks, workbooks and so much more! We utilize a minimum of the following curriculums based on ability: A Beka, Attainment and a host of hands on manipulatives..
Mountaineer's School
of Autism, Inc.
1340 Kenwood Road
West Palm Beach, FL 33401
Maryjo@MSAINC.org
561-962-5075
CONTACT US:
561-962-5075