A Transition Unit: “How can I become involved in my community?”, teaching students to make a goal and to achieve it. By: Dimling and Kauffman

Spring 2002Transition Services Preparation & Training The Students Northeastern Ohio Middle School, Grades 6-8. Self-Contained Social Studies Class 5 Deaf and Hard of Hearing Students (included female and male) Reading Levels: First Grade through Fourth Grade KCPS P-Level: P - P Students are included in regular education classes, but receive services from HH Intervention Specialist.

Spring 2002Transition Services Preparation & Training Why do we make Why is it important goals? to have goals? Why do we make Why is it important goals? to have goals? Something we are trying to achieve mentally. - EDUCATION Something we are trying to achieve physically. - EMPLOYMENT Something we are trying to achieve emotionally. - PERSONAL - DAILY LIVING To promote our self- confidence. To promote our self- awareness. To promote our independence.

Spring 2002Transition Services Preparation & Training How to teach the students to make goals? In our unit, “Making Goals”, we wanted the students to be able to make their goals and be able to achieve them. Most students did not have knowledge of goals and how to use them. Introduction of Goals: Students were provided with an activity; How can I become involve in my community? There are 2 categories of community 1. Family 2. Town (or Community Service) Materials / Activity used in the unit: - Logbook - Computer (Internet; websites) - Role Playing Game - Field Trip - Worksheet - Class Discussion

Spring 2002Transition Services Preparation & Training How can I become involve in my community? Family Introduction of Family unit, we ask the students to list what they do with their family at home. It can be helping out or watching T.V. with them. Along with their list, we will discussed in the class about their involvement then introduced the “making goals” as “how can I become more involved with my family.” Along a with few examples before starting to make goals; “I need to help my mom cleaning after the dinner more often.” As the students made a few goals, they tried to achieve the goals. Students were given a logbook to record the time, place, an activity and if they succeed their goals.

Spring 2002Transition Services Preparation & Training Examples of Family Worksheet: How am I with family? & How much do I help my family?

Spring 2002Transition Services Preparation & Training Family continued… Class discussion about the student’s reflections from their logbook; - How did student feel about their family involvement now? - Did they achieve their goals? - What were the positive and negative effects of their involvement? This is example of logbook (on the right) we made for the students to record the data at home for each day.

Spring 2002Transition Services Preparation & Training How can I become involve in my Family? The Outcomes of the Students from the Questionnaires of “How am I with my family?” : 40%: The Students did not help their family without being asked to do the chores, did not volunteer to help their family or were not responsible for the chores at their home. 60%: The students did get along with their family, helped out with the chores at their home and enjoyed helping their family.

Spring 2002Transition Services Preparation & Training How can I become involve in my Family? The Outcomes of the Students after the Questionarries and Unit on Family: 80%: Now the students improved on the involvement with their family and chores, each of the students started to help their family more than before. The students started to do the chores without being asked around the house.

Spring 2002Transition Services Preparation & Training How can I become involve in my community Town (or Community Service) Introduction of Community Service and Volunteer with examples such as modeling of community service/ volunteer; why, what and how person do it? (Role-Playing Game) We provided the students with an activity, “Keep Akron Clean.” The students found an area that they think, needed to be cleaned. They chose a creek beside the school and went for 3 days picking up litter and cleaning. Student learned what volunteer was by experiencing this activity. After the activity, the class discussed the positive and negative aspects of Community Service and their feelings about the activity. Students had the opportunity to research community service by internet, phonebook and newspapers. Some volunteer opportunities included child care, hospital work and animal-shelter work.

Spring 2002Transition Services Preparation & Training Town (or Community Service) continued… An example of a worksheet (on the right) for the students to fill out their community service goals. The students made goals and will continue do their own community service at their home such as cleaning the back yard. As they made goals, students recorded the date, place and volunteer job. They will continue for their summer at their town or home.

Spring 2002Transition Services Preparation & Training How can I become involve in my community? The Outcomes of the Students from Before & After the Unit on Community Service: 70%: Before the Unit, the students’ opinions of the volunteering were negative and stated that they would not like to do community service for their community. 80%: After the Unit, the students changed their statements/opinions that volunteering is a positive way to become involved in their community and that it affect them positively.