These are provided as homework assignments for the students, and as a quick guide for parents, teachers, and support people. They are repeated (practiced) numerous times over the years.
This is used to get everyone ready for the day. We prefer that students bring their own watches, money, pouches, and calculators. Hygiene is a term we introduce and discuss, but the preparation has to be done at home before the day begins.
A. Hygiene check: Did you: brush teeth, take a bath, put on clean clothes, brush hair?
B. Did you bring a watch? (if not, we will loan one). Put the watch on your wrist.
C. Did you bring a pouch (fanny pack) to carry your things in? (if not, we will provide). Put the pouch around your waist.
D. Did you bring a calculator? (if not, we will loan one) Put the calculator in your pouch.
E. Put your money in your pouch
F. Students leave therapy, go to the office, and get the funds to pay the lift bus
G. Everyone must go to the bathroom (unless they wear diapers or cath)
H. Students are told what the lesson is about for the day
I. Students tell the staff of problems they have with equipment (we fix these before lessons)
J. Students travel to the designated exit door and begin the bus routine (review bus rules).
01. Use morning checklist; get ready to go out on the lesson
02. Ride the bus to the mall
03. Meet to talk about the mall lesson by the front doors
04. Put coats away in the mall lockers
05. Problem solve as a group
06. Do the day's lesson
07. Eat lunch
08. Have free time after lunch
09. Get coats out of the lockers
10. Ride the bus back to Millet
11. Review the day's activities using the journal
A. Do not approach the bus until it comes to a complete stop and doors open
B. Turn your chair off on the lift, brakes on, hold on to the side rails
C. Kids in 3 wheel carts transfer to seats; kids in four wheeled vehicles do not transfer
D. Seat belts on; chairs must be fastened to the floor of the bus
E. Power off on the bus
F. Students are responsible for paying the bus driver and getting a receipt
G. Once the bus is moving, no talking to the driver unless it is an emergency
H. Good behaviors on the bus; do not undo your seat belt, do not move around a moving bus, do not throw things, do not argue
I. Wait for the bus to stop and for the doors to open before moving to get off
A. Select an appropriate locker (low down so kids in wheelchairs can access it; not near the bathrooms and water fountain, near a landmark)
B. All students share the same locker, and the expense of the locker
C. Open the locker door and prop it (one student can be the door holder)
D. Using the locker requires teamwork. Help your teammates get coats off
E. A leader is selected to handle the money and to remove (and safeguard) the key (kids take turns being leader)
F. Followers cannot interfere with the leader
G. Put everyone's coat in the locker
H. Put the two quarters in the slot
I. Close the door and put pressure on it
J. Turn the key and remove it. If students mess with the key before this level of the sequence the door will lock in the open position
K. Put the key in the pouch (the leader) and keep it safe until the end of the day
L. If a problem arises, go to customer service and ask for assistance
A. What is the name of the program?
B. Why are you taking these lessons?
C. What are the names of your teammates?
D. What does the staff do? What are their names?
E. What day of the month do you go on lessons?
F. Discuss advantages of malls (accessibility, climate, variety, help)
G. Where will we eat lunch this year?
H. What time do we eat lunch?
I. What do we do after lunch?
J. When can you go to the bathroom?
K. What does it mean "to bond" with a teacher (how do we manage your behavior if you are inappropriate)
A. Students park or sit so that they are in a circle, facing each other
B. One student is selected to be the "teacher/leader"
C. The staff tells the students what the problem of the day is and instructs them how to problem solve
D. The teaching staff then moves away from the group so that the students can be independent
E. The student "teacher" makes eye contact with each student and repeats the problem to be solved
F. Every student is given the opportunity to give an opinion
G. When everyone has spoken, the student teacher calls the staff back to the circle and reports what the team feels is the answer to the problem.
A. Don't back up unless you ask permission to do so (if you get permission, look behind you before moving)
B. To turn around, go forward unless you must back up
C. Travel as fast as people walk; if you are passing pedestrians, you are going too fast
D. Keep a safe distance from the person/chair in front of you
E. Drive on the right side of the hallway
F. Turn your power off when you stop
G. If you leave your wheelchair, take you key with you
H. When you are entering a hallway (leaving a store, for example), stop and look both ways
I. Travel in a line, be a good leader (don't leave teammates behind) and be a good follower (stay up with the leader)
J. Don't "buzz" around. No unnecessary or reckless movements (zig zagging, spinning, etc.)
A. Use your restaurant voice
B. Don't play with the utensils, salt and pepper, etc. (color the restaurant menus)
C. Make eye contact with the waitress
D. Put your napkin on your lap, wipe your face/mouth from time to time
E. Order something easy to eat, don't order too much
F. You can use the restaurant bathrooms if you need to
G. Pay your own bill, leave a tip
A. A student is selected to enter the restaurant first and request a table for the correct number of people
B. Teachers eat with students this year except for the last lesson at which students demonstrate their ability to eat as a team with no adults directly supervising (teachers eat at a near by table but do not interact with students unless necessary)
C. Students who need to go to the bathroom do so before ordering
D. Students get out their calculators and determine what they will order, how much it will cost, and how much they will have left for free time after paying the bill, tax, and leaving a tip (25 cents)
E. When the waitress comes, students make eye contact and order in a clear voice
F. If the student needs special attention like their food cut up in the kitchen, they request it at this time
G. Students are encouraged to talk to each other throughout the meal
A. We have to know where you are at all times. Check in and check out
B. We will not tell you how to find places. Ask a teammate or at customer service
C. If you get lost in the mall, we will follow you, but we will not help. You must use your eyes and ears, and ask for help from appropriate mall personnel
D. We will not loan you money and you may not ask teammates or others for money. You are learning money management (you might have spent too much at lunch or didn't eat or drink what you ordered; ie. you wasted your money instead of budgeting it)
E. You must never leave the mall. Stay inside at all times, unless teachers tell you otherwise
F. You must follow all driving rules. If you violate driving laws, we will take your key and park you
G. We will confiscate keys, money, and purchases that are left unattended. Keep track of your things
H. You must be courteous to all store personnel
I. You cannot spend all your time and all your money in the arcade. Talk to us about time and money limits
J. Do not hassle clerks by bringing items to the counter that you do not have the money to pay for. Learn to read price tags and know how much you have to spend
K. If you need or want help at free time, the teachers will be happy to assist you, but you must carry your own selections, and manage your own money
A. Take receipts to Sally
B. Return everything borrowed
C. Get your notes to take home
D. Go to the bathroom, cath, change as needed
E. Play in the gross motor room or gym if available
F. Make purchases if you have money left (pop, candy); learn to use a vending machine
G. Learn to tie your shoes, zip and unzip, use snaps, etc (OT issues)
H. Read, color, listen to music, play with the marble machine
I. Get on the internet and surf
J. Center; relax
K. Practice the route to and from the bus
A. Cruise around the school without a teacher
B. Play in the gym or gross motor room when there is a class in the room
A. Know what you are going to say and ask for before dialing the number
B. Say hello
C. Say who you are
D. Tell them you are part of the community travel program
E. Tell them how many people are going total, and how many in wheelchairs
F. Tell them where you are going and what time you need to leave
G. Tell them when you need to return to Millet
H. Ask how much it will cost
I. Say thank you and goodbye
A. These are friends who will help you, just like you will help them; for example at the lockers
B. These are people you like to talk with (want to know more about)
C. These are people you travel with, that you don't leave behind
D. These are friends who will help you solve problems (just like you will help them) like how to find places in the mall
A. How to use the handicap stall and to be as independent as possible (boys are instructed not to pull their pants down at the urinals in a public facility)
B. How to activate the automatic faucets
C. How to get soap from a dispenser and how to wash their hands
D. How to use the automatic dryers
E. Special problems arise depending on the child's impairments. Often there is a behavior or training program already in place in the IEP. We provide special attention as needed. How to plan for a bathroom accident (bring extra clothes)
A. Order your food "to go." Why?
B. Order yourself
C. Pay for your own food
D. Do not eat all your food until your teammates have arrived
A. Be polite; say excuse me and thank you
B. Remember to listen carefully after you ask the question so that you remember the answer
C. Repeat the instructions back to show that you remember
D. When asking for directions, find out which hall (N,S,E,W), the side of the hall (right or left), and about how far (near the end, half way, etc.)
A. How to center yourself (stop thinking, stop moving the body, don't talk)
B. How to selectively attend, how to tune into one sense and block outthe others
C. How to concentrate (pay attention)
D. How to relax (do a relaxation exercise)
E. Show us your personal space
A. Learn how to turn on the radio (walkie talkie)
B. Talk with the radio about a foot from the face. Students should be able to see the "on" light when they talk
C. Do not talk when others are using the radios; wait your turn
D. When not in use, keep the radios in your pouch or in a safe location. Never put the radio down and leave it (like on a game in the arcade)
E. Use radio etiquette: identity yourself first; when done talking for a moment say "over;" when the conversation is over say "over and out"
F. Keep the radio on at all times; be alert in case the teachers call you
G. Call when you arrive at a location and when you leave a location. We must know where you are at all times.