Teachers have the nearly impossible task of imparting knowledge and teaching skills to  human beings whose little bodies still crave movement.  In this Sensory Motor phase of development (0-8 years old) the primary way a chid engages and learns in the world is through motor and touch experiences.  Asking them to sit still for five minutes to explain a concept or learn a task can be a real challenge.  Now multiply this challenge by 10, 20, 30 children!  Wow.  When considering the odds and the fact that most children complete each year ready for a whole new curriculum is mind boggling.  Really. Teachers are almost miracle workers.  At the very least, they have some magical powers to harness that wonderful raw energy and turn each wriggling body into a productive student by year’s end!

The Teacher’s Corner provides information, strategies and activities to put in that Teacher’s Tool Box to augment the teaching process.  Understanding how movement can support learning and having strategies to develop specific motor skills are reviewed.

Keeping Control in the Classroom:  Learn sensory motor strategies that “wake up” a sluggish class for better attention along with calming  students down. Understand how some materials will sharpen focus and others will help the fidgety student stay still during a lecture. The rationale for these activities are reviewed.  How to integrate these activities without disrupting the class is also discussed.

Fixing That Pencil Grip:  Call it “Old School,”  but grasping the pencil the “correct way” makes a big difference in a child’s ability to learn to write, build endurance for longer writing assignments and legibility.  This section demonstrates good writing mechanics and reviews how to get there.

Nurturing Visual Perception Skills:  This section reviews the components that make up visual perception.  Why visual perception is important and how it influences academic readiness skills and learning are outlined.  Specific activities to help build proficiency in this area are provided.

Supports for the Dysgraphic Child:  Every teacher identifies a child who struggles with holding the pencil, drawing and writing.  This section gives practical guidelines and suggestions to help the child acquire confidence in writing and drawing.

Best Practices in Approaching the Sensory Challenged Child:  This section looks at why a child may refuse to touch the glue or screams on the playground, falls out of a stationary chair (aren’t most chairs stationary?) or can’t sit still during circle time.  Understanding the sensory motor elements that contribute to a child’s ability to organize for play, learning, attention, self help tasks and everything else are reviewed.  Identification of specific issues  and how to address these are outlined.

Why, exactly did Johnny fall out of that chair?:  Ever wonder why a child seems to be a bundle of a mess?  Crashing into the carefully constructed block structure or a group of children ... frequently visiting the nurse for yet another accident ... a look in the desk unveils a jumble of crushed papers dating back to September ...  This section takes a look at the motor planning challenged child.  Learning how to identify and work with motor planning issues are reviewed.  Strategies to implement in the classroom to help the child succeed and build confidence are highlighted.

Negotiating the Playground ... It’s a Jungle Out There:  This section provides some thoughts about healthy outdoor play environments for children.  Activities and games are suggested.  Discussion of the benefits of various play structures and equipment are  reviewed.  Resources are provided for safety considerations and additional information.

Help is on the Way ...Determining when an outside referral should be made:  No matter how talented and dedicated a teacher, some children need added supports.  This section provides guidelines  and resources in the determination of when to refer a child for additional assessment and intervention in the sensory motor areas.

Don’t forget to refer to the Parent Corner as many strategies reviewed there can be applied to the  classroom setting.