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"Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass...
It's about learning to Dance in the Rain"

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Saturday, March 23, 2013

"Research that Benefits Children & Families"



“Research that Benefits Children & Families”
            There are so many research topics of interest.  I have a personal example of a positive result of research.  Several children in our school that have had difficulty sitting still, staying calm, and being able to focus have received some relief.  They are now wearing weighted vests.  They look like nice denim vests which helps them blend in with any outfit.  These vests give the children a sense of security and comfort.  These two children (one in kindergarten and one in second-grade) have done so much better functioning in their classrooms.  In addition, they did not have to use any medications.  One of the older students has been able to ease out of the vest as a result of gaining more self-control and self-confidence. 
I found an article that defined shyness, the possible causes, as well as, the good and bad aspects of being shy (Malouff, 2012).  It also listed strategies for teachers and families to help a child overcome being shy.  I feel this would be a wonderful resource for educators and families to review and use in the classroom or in the home.  I wish my teachers and family had this knowledge when I was a child.
Reference
Malouff, J. (2012).  Helping young children overcome shyness.  University of New England –
            Psychology.   Retrieved from www.une.edu.au/bcss/psychology/John-Malouff/
            shyness.php

4 comments:

  1. Cindy,

    You shared a great example of how research benefits for children. I actually have a student right now who is very impulsive and has difficulty controlling his movements. These behaviors have increasingly become worse over the past couple months. He receives occupational therapy, but I think he could also benefit from a weighted vest. I think I will bring this up to his therapist to see if she agrees. Thank you for your post!

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  2. Hi Briana,

    I hope it helps! It is so wonderful to be able to share ideas with each other. Together, we all have a wealth of information to share.

    Thanks! Good luck and please let me know what happens.

    Cindy

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  3. Hey Cindy,

    Shyness is very serious. I had a friend who suffered from this. He would actually turn in another direction to avoid people approaching him. I did a behavioral modification study on him. It helped! I pray you research will be beneficial to those students who suffered with this issue.

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  4. Hi Cindy,
    I really enjoyed your post and I am going to see if we can use this idea in our program. We have an Early Head Start program and some children do often have those attachment issues and the vest seems like a great idea.

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