Flip the Learning Switch for Every Child

Regions I and II of the Comprehensive System of Personnel Development (CSPD) will be offering a free virtual training for parents, general and special educators, paraprofessionals, agency personnel, and others who work with children and students. The training, entitled S'cool Moves, will be presented on March 5 by Dr. Debra Em Wilson. Interested individuals should register by March 3.

Dr. Wilson, the founder and creator of S'cool Moves, is a graduate from the University of Southern Queensland Professional Studies Research Program. Her dissertation uncovered attributes of successful collaboration between occupational therapists and general education teachers working together in the classroom environment. She is the author of numerous books and instructional materials that integrate therapy techniques with academic standards.

A reading specialist who possesses teaching credentials in the areas of biology, physical education, reading, and language, Wilson has taught at the college, high school, and elementary levels. She also consults with districts, focusing on collaboration between support staff and teachers. For twenty years, her workshops have provided evidence-based strategies to support all students in the classroom.

Being the mother of a child with special needs further enhances her understanding of children who learn differently and have a difficult time fitting in with their peers. Wilson's mantra is "reduce the struggle, lower the stress, and increase success."

Friday's workshop will combine live instruction with an online blended course during which Wilson will share targeted intervention that works in classrooms for busy teachers and support staff. She will provide instruction on how to use the Dynamic 5 Systems Neurodevelopmental Approach to support learners with a variety of focus and learning needs.

Furthermore, Wilson will teach those in attendance how to use neurodevelopmental evidence-based science to improve focus, academics, and social-emotional learning. This can be done simultaneously in virtually minutes a day by integrating a Ten-Minute Moves routine into daily schedules, learning twenty focus moves, and expanding interventions within a tiered framework. According to Wilson, "Cognitive capital can't be bought, but it can be developed. You only need minutes each day to change the brain and flip the learning switch."

Region II CSPD Coordinator, Aileen Couch invites interested persons to register for this training by going online to http://www.blueponyk12.com where they will click on the CSPD icon and then on the hyperlink that reads: Register Here For Upcoming CSPD Training Events! Registrations will be accepted through March 3, provided that the workshop doesn't reach its maximum.

Questions can be directed to Couch by calling (406) 395-8550 ext. 6714 or emailing cspd@blueponyk12.com. As a professional courtesy, Couch asks that anyone needing to cancel a registration to please contact her office.

Six OPI renewal units are available for this training, which will begin with sign-in at 8:45 a.m. and conclude at 11:30 a.m. Resources and materials will be sent to participants following the training and upon receiving evaluations.

Wilson's website, schoolmoves.com suggests that S'cool Moves can be integrated into any classroom, clinic, pediatric hospital program, or private reading tutoring session.

"Power up whatever you are teaching by integrating simple, yet effective strategies that help students learn more easily The body learns ten times more rapidly than the brain and forgets ten times more slowly, so to change the brain, you need to get the body involved," Wilson claims.