Belinda Jankowiak’s Post

Some strong reasons why children need to MOVE!!

Always love to hear about sensory accomodations being made available to everyone💪. We all learn differently and approaches like this supports this message. So much to love about what this school is achieving. 🐶understanding why sensory tools are helpful 🐭explicitly teaching how to use 🐱completing whole of school to enable consistency from year to year/ class to class Congratulations to Emilia Zygocki and Luke Rinaldi!

I see move and sit and disc o sit cushions very commonly in schools and classrooms. Yay!! I freaking love how we are understanding that all of us have different conditions which help our bodies learn and engage. One challenge with these cushions is that when we use them, they make our core work HARD. While for some, this is not a biggie, for lots of kids who have difficulties with their postural control, it's not a great fit. A simple alternative to try is seating a child on the chair and popping the cushion under their feet. The get a wiggle in their legs, but the postural demands aren't as high. Have you used these cushions in this way? #projectclassroom #students #alternativeseating #occupationaltherapist #inclusion

We know that school can be a stressful experience for many autistic children. This post gives us a succinct, easy to read description of some of the stressors and anxiety triggers.

I love that alternative seating options are becoming increasingly available for students at school! One challenge that as this use increases, not all equipment is being used as intended. If you have one of these cushions in your classroom, please check that they are not over-inflated with air and preventing a child to have a wiggle. #projectclassroom #occupationaltherapist #alternativeseating #teachers #schools

We know that for children who are sensitive to sensory input, classrooms can feel overwhelming. There are times when they may dash from the classroom, unsure what made their bodies respond in that way. Simply in that moment, they were experiencing something they didn't like. It can even be an accumulation of many elements. The bumps, the smells, sitting still, the noise and the list goes on. Overwhelmingly I see the value in creating classrooms which soothe from a sensory perspective. The less sensory stressors, the more regulated the students. 💛 Can you think of environments which have a calming impact for your nervous system? #sensoryprocessing #occupationaltherapy #schools #classrooms #sensorysensitivity #occupationaltherapist

Wobble stools are a common seating option available in classrooms today. They are a GREAT choice for children who learn best when they can move. Please remember though, wobble stools need our core to work hard, which can lead to fatigue over the day. Think of the last time you sat on a stool and how long you lasted. I bet that wasn't wobbling either! If you are a teacher who uses them, please consider: 🐷Can the child sit on the stool with their feet flat on the ground? 🐷Are there alternative seating choices available to swap to? What are your experiences of using wobble stools in your classroom or practice? #projectclassroom #sensoryprocessing #inclusiveeducation #wobblestools #occupationaltherapy #occupationaltherapist #alternativeseating #teachers

I have so many conversations with educators about strategies which will support a student's sensory preferences. Recently a colleague and friend Nathan Bailey shared this tip of encouraging his students to touch their shoelaces as a way of supporting their sensory preferences during group time. Loved. It. Meeting a child's sensory needs does not always mean complex or new equipment. What other things do you do as therapists or teachers to support your student's sensory preferences? #sensoryprocessing #occupationaltherapist #sensorytools #projectclassroom #schools #teachers #inclusiveducation

Sneak peek of me modelling in our toilet training social story 🤣🤩