About Debbie Rice
10 things I believe & know about Children with Autism
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I am passionate, a little bit quirky ( some may say a little bit more) and dedicated to serving children with Autism. These young people have touched me deeply and made me a better teacher & hopefully person. I want to share what I have learned that allows these beautiful children to grow & sometimes thrive in my class.
I teach in the Bay Area and live in the beautiful redwoods of the Santa Cruz Mountains. My sanctuary, place of reflection and daily sitting practice. This rejuvenates and inspires me to continue to serve & grow as a teacher and person. My hope is that this website/blog hybrid will help others understand and see children with Autism as talented unique thinkers who can and will contribute to our world in positive ways. Training and Credentials I have taught children with special needs for 28 years. 15 have been teaching children with Autism I hold a BA in Linguistics with a Minor in Psychology AS in Computer Information Systems K-12 Educational Specialist Credential Autism Specialist Credential K-12 General Ed Credential I have completed the Mindful Schools curriculum training and year-long certification program and implemented the curriculum in my public school classroom. This research-based program has been shared with over 300,000 children and adolescents in 48 U.S. states and 43 countries. It is designed to help children cultivate self-awareness, build empathy, reduce stress, and increase executive function. Guidelines for my teaching practice1) Academic & social emotional balance
2) Create a learning environment to support learners 3) Create a safe & friendly community of learners 4) Mindful of learning differences & rates 5) Informed instruction based on what the child can do independently. Build on prior knowledge. Scaffold. 6) Authentic & formative assessment of learning 7) Encourage effort & provide challenge that allows guided struggle to provoke thinking & Independence 8) Visuals, demonstrate, direct instruction and more visuals 9) Positive attention, language and modeling 10) Humor, fun and giggles |
Technology News
Emwaves
These are a handheld personal device we use in the classroom Learn more here :
Classroom Article
EMWAVEs in the classroom.
These are a handheld personal device we use in the classroom Learn more here :
Classroom Article
EMWAVEs in the classroom.
We are a 1:1 iPad Classroom!