Our Outreach

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Posted By ---> A Son-Rise Message Board Participant on August 27, 1999 at 20:12:00:

Hi everybody!

I just wanted to let you know about a 2-day Outreach we just did with Gerd. I'm finding this board SO inspiring - hoping that I might have the same effect on you.

We had previous Outreaches with Gerd in April and October of last year - started our program in January of last year. So it was very nice to have him so familiar with our program and some of our people already. It was wonderful to see how thrilled he was to see Ben's progress, but he didn't spend too much time revelling in that - he got right down to business and challenged us to get going into the next gear!

We have worked very hard with our folks on really getting into Ben's isms with as much gusto and happiness as possible. We have joined and accepted him to the nth degree, and let him be our teacher and leader. We request eye contact and flexibility, but I wouldn't say that we ever confidently played the leader role. When Gerd started asking us to request more from him, I was like "Huh?"

But he was so right! The Son-Rise program is a marriage of loving/accepting and going for what we want. We were a little heavy on the first part, and weak on the second. So we are turning up the volume on that, trying at the same time to avoid the temptation to become requesting machines. It has been an awesome week!

At our team meeting, we made a list of the things WE wanted from our relationship with Ben. Some of us want him to do a better job of answering questions, some want him to tell us more about himself, some want him to learn to write his name. We're watching everyone and coming up with very exciting and compelling ways to get what we want, using a very loving and respectful attitude. Of course, we are watching our timing very closely to make sure that he is available when we try these things, as we want to make sure we remember to do the joining thing when he is isming.

Ben started Kindergarten this year - a developmentally delayed class taught by a speech pathologist. Gerd observed a day there and gave us great suggestions for encouraging Ben to participate more and show more interest in interacting with others. We went to the class 3x this week to do this - the teacher is being very good about this. We're hoping to be pretty intensive about this for the first couple of months and then to fade out. What a rewarding experience it is to spend an hour practicing Option with a bunch of kids during center time - wow!

Gerd worked with Ben for an hour and a half one day, and spent time watching Dave and I and 5 of our folks working with him and then giving us feedback. It was a busy 2 days, but so worth it. Definitely a shot in the arm just like the last two. We're thinking to do it again before our next POWER SUMMER in May.

I wish folks like Gerd were easier to come by and that more folks would get involved in the Son-Rise training. Dave and I are considering doing it when we're done with Ben. I just don't want to move from sunny Arizona back to New England. I left CT so many years ago, hoping never to weather another snowy winter...

We'll see. Anyway, the Outreach was great - hope you all can experience one at one time or another. Enjoy your beautiful little dollies!!!

Love - Kelly.

Follow Ups

• Re: Our Outreach Jenifer Westphal 22:05:24 9/03/99 (0)

---> Name:
Subject:

Comments:: Hi everybody! : I just wanted to let you know about a 2-day Outreach we just did with Gerd. I'm finding this board SO inspiring - hoping that I might have the same effect on you. : We had previous Outreaches with Gerd in April and October of last year - started our program in January of last year. So it was very nice to have him so familiar with our program and some of our people already. It was wonderful to see how thrilled he was to see Ben's progress, but he didn't spend too much time revelling in that - he got right down to business and challenged us to get going into the next gear! : We have worked very hard with our folks on really getting into Ben's isms with as much gusto and happiness as possible. We have joined and accepted him to the nth degree, and let him be our teacher and leader. We request eye contact and flexibility, but I wouldn't say that we ever confidently played the leader role. When Gerd started asking us to request more from him, I was like "Huh?" : But he was so right! The Son-Rise program is a marriage of loving/accepting and going for what we want. We were a little heavy on the first part, and weak on the second. So we are turning up the volume on that, trying at the same time to avoid the temptation to become requesting machines. It has been an awesome week! : At our team meeting, we made a list of the things WE wanted from our relationship with Ben. Some of us want him to do a better job of answering questions, some want him to tell us more about himself, some want him to learn to write his name. We're watching everyone and coming up with very exciting and compelling ways to get what we want, using a very loving and respectful attitude. Of course, we are watching our timing very closely to make sure that he is available when we try these things, as we want to make sure we remember to do the joining thing when he is isming. : Ben started Kindergarten this year - a developmentally delayed class taught by a speech pathologist. Gerd observed a day there and gave us great suggestions for encouraging Ben to participate more and show more interest in interacting with others. We went to the class 3x this week to do this - the teacher is being very good about this. We're hoping to be pretty intensive about this for the first couple of months and then to fade out. What a rewarding experience it is to spend an hour practicing Option with a bunch of kids during center time - wow! : Gerd worked with Ben for an hour and a half one day, and spent time watching Dave and I and 5 of our folks working with him and then giving us feedback. It was a busy 2 days, but so worth it. Definitely a shot in the arm just like the last two. We're thinking to do it again before our next POWER SUMMER in May. : I wish folks like Gerd were easier to come by and that more folks would get involved in the Son-Rise training. Dave and I are considering doing it when we're done with Ben. I just don't want to move from sunny Arizona back to New England. I left CT so many years ago, hoping never to weather another snowy winter... : We'll see. Anyway, the Outreach was great - hope you all can experience one at one time or another. Enjoy your beautiful little dollies!!! : Love - Kelly.