Cotinga Accomplishments for 2024 Trip

June 15, 2024 /   /  Uncategorized

“There Is A Purpose for Everything”

(This year I decided to give a detailed description of our week. I thought if you opened this document, you might want some specifics.)

This was the first year that our trip occurred in March, during our spring break time. We took a very small team of 4 teachers that had all been to Ecuador with Cotinga before. We tried a different schedule, since it was March and since there were only 4 teachers.

Bob Lancaster went with us to help with logistics. He spent the week doing wiring at some friends house, along with anything else that was needed. Luke Meyer was his translator.

Flor, the director of Giovanni Calles, was on vacation this week (assigned by Ministry of Education). She attended in the afternoons, in spite of her vacation. She sent us a list of all students, their disabilities, a list of teachers and the students assigned to them ahead of time. Elba (speech pathologist was put in charge of the school for the week).

Vanessa (our contact with UDAI) was on maternity leave. Kelly was in charge with Angie helping her. Kelly was a great organizer and caught on to everything we were doing/wanted to do really quickly.

First thing on Monday morning, we had a meeting with everyone in Flor’s office. There were welcomes, plus Galo did a shortened version of Safeschools. (later, we had to all sign documents stating that we went through the training). Included the team/translators, Elba, Galo. Elba was in charge. She took the lists that Flor made and wrote the overall disabilities/concerns for each class, plus the room number. She then helped us decide what classes the teachers should start visiting. This helped us A LOT to be able to start right away.

EVERY MORNING:

    Each team member was assigned a translator for the week. We divided up and went to the classrooms with prepared presentations, but spent time answering teacher questions and working with students.

  • Kathi – Kindness Makes Me Stronger book (how kindness improves everyone’s behavior and social skills). By the end of the week, every one of the 25 adults at GC got a book in Spanish.
  • Ellen – Visited the classrooms with vision concerns and multiple disabilities. Many of those students have vision concerns without being acknowledged by the teachers.
  • Lauren – A la tienda book – Visited the ID classrooms (lower functioning) to show the teachers how to use a book to teach them using visuals.
  • Terry (me) – High school – Visited with Daniella (deaf class), and the high school teachers. Tried to help with their accommodations to help with high school graduation.

Monday PM

  • We treated them to a teacher lunch at a restaurant to show that they are appreciated. Gave them pens, business cards, postits, cards to take notes. This was an extreme gesture to them and they really appreciated it.
  • There Is A Purpose for Everything was our theme this year. This theme emphasized that EVERYTHING that they do at school, should have a purpose and reason. We are always moving them toward true instruction, rather than just playing. I made sure that I told them that they have the hardest job in the world: to move the students toward their potential. Showed the Apple seed pictures: from seed to apple. Without each step, there will never be an apple. Each teacher/grade/lesson is important and necessary.
  • Tree Chart – we have to ALL be setting goals for the kids, working toward those every year, sharing these with the next teacher and the parents. We cannot skip parts: we don’t know what God has in store for them, or what they will be able to do. Each student’s potential is unknown.
  • We created a QR code for access to the Google Drive (if they accessed requested access, it emailed me, then they got a prize)

TUESDAY PM:

  • While I was meeting with the High School team, the other teachers presented: Curious George: Pinata Party. They presented the reading/writing handouts, senses activities handout and strategies for inclusion of students with these sensory deprivation.
  • We gave out prizes for access to Google Drive (Cotinga red notebooks), candy, post its, pencils, pens, highlighters and names were drawn for prizes.

On Wednesday morning, I taught a Preschool Seminar that Dave translated. It took place at UDAI. There were about 35 preschool teachers, counselors, UDAI staff in attendance.

The whole presentation is shared on the drive. The Spanish version was printed two on a page, so that they could take notes. I gave out candy, business cards, red bags, pencils, skinny and fat marker sets, post its, and some random prizes, like preschool scissors.

WEDNESDAY PM:

  • We did a Safe Place Presentation with trauma note pages for the teachers to take notes. We are encouraging teachers to keep these resources in order to read them again throughout the year.
  • Lauren: Taught them to create a safe place in their classroom by giving good descriptions of how to make a corner in your room and how/when to use it. She showed how to make a happy box with items they already have. We gave timers and examples of how to use them for behavior concerns.
  • This seemed to be an overwhelming idea to them, so we will re-teach it.
  • Kathi brought Happy Boxes with great things inside. It was too much to give to one person, so we split them into 5-6 ziploc bags and drew names for them.
  • Ellen taught why kids with sensory needs require a safe place. We drew names for the sensory gifts that we have.
  • I did a wrap up with 5 things to Remember page. These are the things that remind a teacher that a student’s behavior is not about them BUT they can affect change in that behavior.
  • We gave prizes for access to Google Drive. We gave each GC teacher pencils, fat markers for their class, skinny markers to everyone there (GC and UDAI). We also gave toothbrushes to each teacher for their classroom and themselves.
  • We created pouches with individual activities that can be done with a dry erase marker: hundred number charts, match the colors (a shape with the name word on it), ten frames, youcubed for HS ideas. I explained how to use them and gave a lot of ideas.

Thursday AM (National Down Syndrome Day)

  • Dave and I sat at the head table with the Minister of the entire school district (sped and gen ed) next to me. (UDAI bosses’ bosses’ boss) Lots of speeches. Every speaker mentioned Cotinga and thanked us for everything that we’ve done.
  • Kathi, Ellen, Lauren – went with the Down Syndrome groups to play and have a snack
  • Terry – went to the seminar by the Minister of Health of the region (a doctor). Presented reasons for differences of Down Syndrome physically and their nutrition needs for a healthier/longer life. I took notes. It was really good, accurate info on the differences between Down Syndrome and typically functioning: in their physicality, therefore eating abilities, nutrition and exercise needs. Much of it should have been presented when the children were born. Much of it will not happen due to the eating patterns of the family. Their food pyramid is different than ours. It was a good presentation. UDAI was very excited that Dave and I attended.

Thursday PM

  • Ellen presented Multiple Disabilities sheets – how to create a better classroom for those students. Then she went out to meet with a student/parent that UDAI connected to us. She had a cane and taught the student how to use it. The girl was very excited and caught on quickly.
  • She has never had anything to allow her to move around on her own.
  • We gave out two pieces of jewelry to everyone as they came in
  • We gave out the 100 books that we brought. Everyone got a choice of one book, then one more. GC teachers got one more after that. We took a lot of chapter books and older books this year, so I talked to them about what a read aloud should be like.
  • We drew names for random prizes, like the happy boxes contents, dry erase markers and dry erasers

I reminded them about a lot of things that are on the Google Drive that would be a great help to them:

  • some books that would be interesting to them
  • A cute Rules sheet with pictures for the new teachers to use in the classroom.
  • The ‘Ten Things Every Child Wishes You Knew About Autism’ – a reminder that the book is in several places in the school, but that the list is in spanish and should be used with all teachers and parents to explain a lot of behaviors. It helps people/families empathize with the students.
  • The book IT ALL ADDS UP about a student that doesn’t think that they are good at anything. A good read aloud for classrooms, to point out that being kind and helpful are great
  • The Coping with Shared Trauma book – we did not present it, but is has great information for teachers and to share with parents.

I reminded them of our theme this year: There is a purpose in everything. I shared the Tree diagram again. I taalked about the conversation that I had with Daniella – she said that the tree diagram made so much sense, because it put things into categories and explained why/how we should be teaching ideas. She said that it is really important that we set goals for the kids. I used her as an example to the other teachers. It also gives us ideas of things to share with parents and how they can help. I showed the apple seed to apple pictures again, to show how everything is connected and stacks on each other.

THEN we wrote 1-12 on the board, plus Admin and UDAI. They were supposed to write a note with what they want the teacher in the grade BEFORE them to know to get students ready. If they don’t have a teacher before them (therapists/Daniella) they write what they want admin to know. ADMIN wrote what they want UDAI to know.

We presented Flor with a tshirt/Cotinga items, since she wasn’t there in the mornings. We presented Kelly/Angie (UDAI) with tshirts/Cotinga items.

Friday AM: Students did a presentation for us

  • Cultural dances by the older students in full dress
  • Older students dressed like professions: professor, President, Soldier, Chef, Cook. The littles dressed like super heroes. We all danced with them.
  • Giovanni Calles presented each of us and our translators with Panama hats.
  • We found out that Galo (the previous director and current counselor) is retiring in November 2024, Mauricio is retiring the end of March (right after we leave) and Juanita is retiring in February, so we won’t see her again. All three of them were there in June, 2014, when Dave and I first showed up at Giovanni Calles. We were able to honor them with a statue reminding them of our partnerships.Goodbyes
  • We presented Elba with a shirt and Cotinga gifts because of her organization for us this week.

Throughout the week, every high school teacher talked about Student A and his horrible behavior. Dave and I spent time with him and decided that he is a lot smarter than they think. We decided that he is really bored and that his team needs a lot of ideas of how to handle him. After talking to them, Dave and I talked to Galo for the administration’s take on Student A. He told us the background, which involved trying to get him moved to an appropriate building, which UDAI declined.

During lunch, I created a chart for him, so that the teachers would give him rewards for appropriate behavior BUT also that they could track all behavior, contacts with mom, etc. for a paper trail for the school. I developed strategies for each area for problem behavior. I called a meeting with Galo, all the high school teachers, Flor, me and Dave for the afternoon. I explained everything, the reason for it, the ways to motivate him and reward him. I committed to test him in reading, and provide him with supplies. Dave and I gave Student A his supply bucket. I put Cotinga labels on it and we told him that he has to have good behavior and do his work to keep his bucket. He loved it. His family doesn’t treat him like the other children and neglects his needs in every way.

The team left but Allegria, Elba and I pulled Student A so that I could test his reading. I had only printed out the benchmark passages for A through L. He was able to read all of them at 100% accuracy and all questions, except on Level L. On L, he had problems with the questions, but was able to talk around them about the topic. He can read and understand. I passed that information on to the teachers. I stressed that he needs to be challenged – the work that he is given is years behind his understanding and level. Books and math that is appropriate for him will help his behavior tremendously.

THROUGHOUT THE WEEK, we gave away:

  • 60 headbands, 80 hats and 100 washcloths that were knit and crocheted by many people. Some went to people at church.
  • 600 Cotinga pencils
  • 250 sets of fat markers, 125 sets of skinny markers
  • 100 books in spanish
  • 200 pieces of donated jewelry
  • 300 toothbrushes

Thank you for your continued interest and support of the Cotinga Foundation, therefore the teachers and students of Ecuador. Your help has made this work possible.