Multigenerational Education
in Spanish, English, & with some ASL... plus lots of music & movement
"No one educates anyone else, nor do we educate ourselves. We educate one another in communion, in the context of living in this world.” -Paulo Freire
Developmental Playgroups Inclusive, Intergenerational Social Learning
From 2013-2015, I had the pleasure of collaborating with Albany Park Community Center's Family Literacy/ESL program, grad students from the Erikson Institute, and more than 20 amazing families to facilitate free groups for children with and without disabilities. developing a relationship-based, popular education program that promotes school readiness, family engagement, stronger social networks, and more confident parents with better access to resources. 100% of parents surveyed felt that these bilingual Spanish/English groups helped prepare their children for school! The groups ended due to budget and space constraints, but we miss them very much, and look forward to the day that we have space and funding to do intergenerational, multilingual organizing again.
"I really liked meeting other families and talking about our concerns.
We shared ideas and advice that helped to improve my relationship with my son." - Deysi
"I wish the group happened more than once a week." - Mary
For more information, see the SCRIBD booklet below.
From 2013-2015, I had the pleasure of collaborating with Albany Park Community Center's Family Literacy/ESL program, grad students from the Erikson Institute, and more than 20 amazing families to facilitate free groups for children with and without disabilities. developing a relationship-based, popular education program that promotes school readiness, family engagement, stronger social networks, and more confident parents with better access to resources. 100% of parents surveyed felt that these bilingual Spanish/English groups helped prepare their children for school! The groups ended due to budget and space constraints, but we miss them very much, and look forward to the day that we have space and funding to do intergenerational, multilingual organizing again.
"I really liked meeting other families and talking about our concerns.
We shared ideas and advice that helped to improve my relationship with my son." - Deysi
"I wish the group happened more than once a week." - Mary
For more information, see the SCRIBD booklet below.
“Childhood means simplicity. Look at the world with the child's eye - it is very beautiful.” - Kailash Satyarthi
Special Education
Under construction: more info coming about writing and managing IEPs, collaborating with a team, "supervising" and mentoring assistants minus the hierarchal thinking, working with students with various disabilities, and the transition to virtual education which brought in more team self-determination and wonderful, family-centered practices that I never wanted to let go of... so I exiled myself from the system.
Under construction: more info coming about writing and managing IEPs, collaborating with a team, "supervising" and mentoring assistants minus the hierarchal thinking, working with students with various disabilities, and the transition to virtual education which brought in more team self-determination and wonderful, family-centered practices that I never wanted to let go of... so I exiled myself from the system.
Row, Row, Row Your Boat... music & movement boost language, motor & social skills, all at once! And rhyme and rhythm help lay the cognitive groundwork for success in reading & math.
Family-Powered
Developmental Therapy
You are the expert on your child, and the everyday interactions you have with your child help to wire your child's brain. As pioneering child psychiatrist Stanley Greenspan told parents, "You are not the problem. But you can be the solution." My developmental therapy process incorporates a lot of listening and coaching to help you reflect on your parenting, tune in to what lies underneath your child's behaviors, and figure out what you need to prioritize. This work is rooted in Sensory Integration Theory and DIR / Floortime principles - we can't work on cognitive development unless we address a child's physical, sensory, emotional and regulatory needs! Through humor and play, your child can grow in a natural, highly motivating context. Since every family is different, every plan is customized: from helping your child adapt to classroom and social situations, to helping you articulate your needs at IEP and other team meetings, to integrating technology like iPad communication apps, social stories, video modeling, and visual aids - the possibilities are endless!
Infant Massage
This simple, parent-powered practice has been proven to improve sleep, ease colic, improve weight gain for preterm babies, reduce mothers' anxiety and depression, and improve fathers' self-esteem. As Vimala McClure, founder of IAIM, says, "it's an ancient art that connects you deeply with your baby, and it helps you to understand your baby's nonverbal language and respond with love and respectful listening. It empowers you as a parent, for it gives you the means by which you can become an expert on your own child." Through individual coaching sessions in the home, or in small group classes, caregivers can learn to massage their infants in 3-6 sessions. Infant massage helped me beat my own postpartum depression, so I'm especially passionate about passing this skill on to new parents. Giving is receiving - it's remarkable how many parents say, "This relaxes me just as much as it relaxes my baby!" It's enormously helpful for parents who may need extra support forming secure attachments to their children, such as adolescent parents, adoptive and foster parents, and parents living with a disability or mental illness. For more information, see the SCRIBD booklet below.
Developmental Therapy
You are the expert on your child, and the everyday interactions you have with your child help to wire your child's brain. As pioneering child psychiatrist Stanley Greenspan told parents, "You are not the problem. But you can be the solution." My developmental therapy process incorporates a lot of listening and coaching to help you reflect on your parenting, tune in to what lies underneath your child's behaviors, and figure out what you need to prioritize. This work is rooted in Sensory Integration Theory and DIR / Floortime principles - we can't work on cognitive development unless we address a child's physical, sensory, emotional and regulatory needs! Through humor and play, your child can grow in a natural, highly motivating context. Since every family is different, every plan is customized: from helping your child adapt to classroom and social situations, to helping you articulate your needs at IEP and other team meetings, to integrating technology like iPad communication apps, social stories, video modeling, and visual aids - the possibilities are endless!
Infant Massage
This simple, parent-powered practice has been proven to improve sleep, ease colic, improve weight gain for preterm babies, reduce mothers' anxiety and depression, and improve fathers' self-esteem. As Vimala McClure, founder of IAIM, says, "it's an ancient art that connects you deeply with your baby, and it helps you to understand your baby's nonverbal language and respond with love and respectful listening. It empowers you as a parent, for it gives you the means by which you can become an expert on your own child." Through individual coaching sessions in the home, or in small group classes, caregivers can learn to massage their infants in 3-6 sessions. Infant massage helped me beat my own postpartum depression, so I'm especially passionate about passing this skill on to new parents. Giving is receiving - it's remarkable how many parents say, "This relaxes me just as much as it relaxes my baby!" It's enormously helpful for parents who may need extra support forming secure attachments to their children, such as adolescent parents, adoptive and foster parents, and parents living with a disability or mental illness. For more information, see the SCRIBD booklet below.
Kate Duva (aka O'Rourke), M.Ed, DT, CEIM
kate@prosocialpower.org
Phone: 1-773-306-3627