IDT Newsletter
January 2015
New Year, New Semester, New Schedule!
Monday: Check-ins and Group Processing
Every Monday, we still set aside time for group processing where students have the opportunity to check in about their home, school, and other life experiences. This semester, we are also having clients use Mondays to review the objectives that will help them reach their individual goals for the week.
Tuesday: Team Building
We've moved team building to Tuesdays! Students will still engage in team building activities planned by staff, that will enhance their teamwork and communication skills.
Wednesday: Leadership
On Wednesdays, students will be divided into two leadership groups:
One group will work together to plan the incentive activity for Friday. This group will be given a budget, time limit, and guidelines to follow. They will learn how to manage time and money. They will even have to go out into the community with staff to find and purchase any supplies needed.
The other group will work together to plan the recreational activity for Friday. This group will learn various ways that groups make decisions. They will focus on good sportsmanship and commit to modeling it for the group. They will be required to organize the recreational activity themselves and present it to the entire group on Friday.
Thursday: Focus Groups
On Thursdays, students will have designated focus groups that they report to. One group will focus on learning and practicing coping skills. The other group will focus on strategies for implementing their coping skills outside of IDT, as well as career exploration.
Friday: Incentive
The only difference with Incentive Day is that the students will now be planning it! There will still be a special incentive activity on Fridays for those who have earned it. Students who have not earned it will still have required conferencing with staff instead.
Goals and Reflections
This semester, we are going to challenge our clients to work harder on their individual goals. So, we have tweaked our daily reflections to help them become even more self aware.
Here's what's new with Goals and Reflections:
Every Monday, students will identify one objective or "action step" that will help them reach their individual goal. Daily, students will reflect on how hard they worked on that action step, using a word chart. Students will simply clip a clothespin with their name on it, to the word that best describes their effort. Their options are: NOPE, ALMOST, and NAILED IT. Similarly to the A,B,C grades used last semester, these reflections will determine whether or not they earn the daily incentive.
Every Thursday, students will pull out their "Data Folder" and fill in a bar graph to measure their progress toward their goal that week. Students will also verbally reflect on their progress toward their goal with staff and peers. Rather than using the language in R.A.C.E., this semester students will have to prove they have S.W.A.G. (Skills, Willpower, Attitude, and Goals) in their reflection. Data folders will be referenced during Friday conferences with those who have not earned the weekly incentive.
2nd 9 Weeks Field Trip Incentive!
Students who have outstanding missing school work will not be able to participate in this special incentive. This should not be news to them, as we have been reminding them of this since the beginning of December. Please email us a list of IDT students who have outstanding missing work in your classes. We want to encourage them to get this work done so that they do not miss out!