Parent Letter

11/26/18 To the Parents of TM. Throughout the twelve-week program held on Monday nights the student showed adequate improvement within the skills that we covered. It was tough having the student start the program in a wheelchair which set me back a little bit, but I had no problem adjusting to his needs. For the most part, during the program the student would show great enthusiasm and happiness when arriving to the school. It was difficult to keep his attention on task but when he participated in activities he would always be laughing and enjoying himself. I loved the energy that the student brought to lab, he was friendly to others and loved greeting people who walked by in the hallway, which always made me smile. Now looking at the long-term goals and short-term objectives, the student did very well to progress toward these goals when looking at the psychomotor, cognitive, and affective domains. Having the student in the wheelchair for the first couple of weeks only allowed me to assess a select few motor skills compared to the end of the program where he was fully capable of performing a greater variety of motor skills. I believe he showed the greatest improvement within the psychomotor and affective domain. The reason being because the first couple of weeks it was hard to keep him motivated and attentive to the activities, but once he was out of the wheelchair, I noticed he had more of a positive attitude and willingness to participate. I was also able to keep his attention on the task for a longer period. I have seen great improvements within the student’s ability to throw a ball to a partner or a target, pass a soccer ball to a partner, dribble a soccer ball between cones, and underhand roll a ball to a target. Cognitively he’s on track to reach his long-term goal it just might take a little longer to reach compared to his psychomotor and affective goals. I believe with the repetition of hearing and seeing these different motor skill movements will help him remember the names associated with the specific motor skills. Due to the student’s limitations of being in a wheelchair I decided to do sport related activities that primarily involved throwing, striking or rolling. These included passing with a football, knocking down as many cups as possible by throwing or rolling a ball, and striking a balloon with a paddle. Once he was able to walk again, I incorporated activities such as dribbling, passing, and shooting in soccer, dancing, and dribbling in basketball. To insure the student’s success for each activity I would make slight modifications consisting of using smaller and softer balls making it easier to grasp and catch, I’d incorporate objects that are orange helping him keep his attention on task, and I’d also use a weighted soccer ball which allowed the student to have greater control over the ball. The student’s favorite activities were dancing and knocking down cups by throwing or rolling a ball, so I suggest continuing to incorporate these types of activities at home. I would just like to thank you for giving me this opportunity to teach your child and improve his motor skills. It was a pleasure working with the student, he had such a friendly and outgoing attitude which made it that much easier and enjoyable to work with him. I wish him the best of luck as he continues to develop into a charming boy. Sincerely, Ralph Strobel