teaching emotions

[Guest guest]

Hi ,

thanks for posting this.

heather Kunkle <hpearce@...> wrote:

BLAIRSVILLE - With four autistic children in her life, one

Blairsville woman's life couldn't get any more hectic ... or

rewarding.

But Pearce's busy lifestyle - which also includes working on

her master's degree in special education and producing a learning

game she developed for autistic children - is well worth it. Her

dedication to the children and to autism itself is evident in the

pictures of her children on her coffee table, the look in her eyes

when she talks about them and the voicemails on her cell phone of the

children singing to her.

And also in the fact that none of the four are her biological or

adoptive children.

Pearce, 30, is a member of Family Behavioral Resources' therapeutic

staff support, out of the North Huntington office, and works with

children with autism, a neurological disorder that affects normal

brain development in the areas of social interaction and

communication skills. She splits her time daily at the homes of four

children and provides one-on-one play therapy, including speech and

occupational therapy.

Advertisement

Over the 4½ years she's worked with autistic children, Pearce has

developed a strong bond with the four children she sees daily, so

much so that she often refers to them as " her kids. "

" I don't think I could function without some of my kids. You cannot

not love my kids, " said. " My little guys, they're just amazing little

kids. "

Her dedication to and emotional bond with one child in particular

prompted Pearce to develop the game Emotions Go Fish, an emotions-

reading game to help autistic children understand emotions.

" One of my guys couldn't understand emotions, " said Pearce, an

Indiana University of Pennsylvania psychology graduate.

Autistic children " don't perceive emotions. ... To get it to click is

difficult. ... You can't teach them emotions in a fun way. "

So Pearce decided find a way to do it. She got the idea while playing

Go Fish with one of the children. She then created cards, which are

faces that all look identical except for the facial expression.

The game, which Pearce has had patented, can be played seven

different ways, including receptive ways, such as asking the child to

hand over the card with a certain expression; and expressive ways,

such as holding up a card and asking the child what expression that

card is trying to convey.

But the important thing is that, no matter what way it's played, the

game must be fun, Pearce said.

" That's the biggest thing, " said Pearce, who noted the game can also

be used for children with other disabilities or brain injuries. " I

want to make it fun for the kids. ... If they're not laughing, you're

not playing it right. "

Pearce said she has seen good success rates with the game. One child

she played the game with would cry because something was wrong, but

he couldn't express what it was or how he felt.

" If they can't express that, how can they tell you what they need? "

she said.

Now the child can verbally tell her how he feels and physically show

the emotions.

" If you see any of the kids ... the progress they made is amazing, "

said Pearce, who is willing to train people how to use the

game. " It's so much fun just to see them do well. ... I love it. "

Because children with autism learn differently, repetition is key. A

therapist could work with a child on a certain subject 50 times

without the child understanding, which can be frustrating. When one

way of teaching doesn't work, therapists and parents try another and

another until one works and, say, on the 51st time, the child will

understand.

" You have your days when it's bad, " said Pearce, who will complete

her master's degree from Seton Hill University in the spring.

But " when it clicks, they don't believe it. It's like the fog lifts.

You live for those days. "

Pearce's next project is a therapeutic preschool for children with

autism she hopes to open after graduation. The goal is to get the

children independent enough to be able to handle a classroom setting

and to make friends.

" I don't want them to have tougher lives just because they have a

disability, " she said. " I want them to be happy.

For more information or to purchase a game, contact Pearce at (724)

422-5944 or hpearce@...

---------------------------------

Now that's room service! Choose from over 150,000 hotels

in 45,000 destinations on Travel to find your fit.

[Guest guest]

you're very welcome feel free to ask me any questions, I have been

working with children on the spectrum for over 7.5 years and have

many ideas.

> BLAIRSVILLE - With four autistic children in her life,

one

> Blairsville woman's life couldn't get any more hectic ... or

> rewarding.

> But Pearce's busy lifestyle - which also includes working

on

> her master's degree in special education and producing a learning

> game she developed for autistic children - is well worth it. Her

> dedication to the children and to autism itself is evident in the

> pictures of her children on her coffee table, the look in her eyes

> when she talks about them and the voicemails on her cell phone of

the

> children singing to her.

> And also in the fact that none of the four are her biological or

> adoptive children.

> Pearce, 30, is a member of Family Behavioral Resources' therapeutic

> staff support, out of the North Huntington office, and works with

> children with autism, a neurological disorder that affects normal

> brain development in the areas of social interaction and

> communication skills. She splits her time daily at the homes of

four

> children and provides one-on-one play therapy, including speech and

> occupational therapy.

> Advertisement

>

> Over the 4½ years she's worked with autistic children, Pearce has

> developed a strong bond with the four children she sees daily, so

> much so that she often refers to them as " her kids. "

> " I don't think I could function without some of my kids. You cannot

> not love my kids, " said. " My little guys, they're just amazing

little

> kids. "

> Her dedication to and emotional bond with one child in particular

> prompted Pearce to develop the game Emotions Go Fish, an emotions-

> reading game to help autistic children understand emotions.

> " One of my guys couldn't understand emotions, " said Pearce, an

> Indiana University of Pennsylvania psychology graduate.

> Autistic children " don't perceive emotions. ... To get it to click

is

> difficult. ... You can't teach them emotions in a fun way. "

> So Pearce decided find a way to do it. She got the idea while

playing

> Go Fish with one of the children. She then created cards, which are

> faces that all look identical except for the facial expression.

> The game, which Pearce has had patented, can be played seven

> different ways, including receptive ways, such as asking the child

to

> hand over the card with a certain expression; and expressive ways,

> such as holding up a card and asking the child what expression that

> card is trying to convey.

> But the important thing is that, no matter what way it's played,

the

> game must be fun, Pearce said.

> " That's the biggest thing, " said Pearce, who noted the game can

also

> be used for children with other disabilities or brain injuries. " I

> want to make it fun for the kids. ... If they're not laughing,

you're

> not playing it right. "

> Pearce said she has seen good success rates with the game. One

child

> she played the game with would cry because something was wrong, but

> he couldn't express what it was or how he felt.

> " If they can't express that, how can they tell you what they need? "

> she said.

> Now the child can verbally tell her how he feels and physically

show

> the emotions.

> " If you see any of the kids ... the progress they made is amazing, "

> said Pearce, who is willing to train people how to use the

> game. " It's so much fun just to see them do well. ... I love it. "

> Because children with autism learn differently, repetition is key.

A

> therapist could work with a child on a certain subject 50 times

> without the child understanding, which can be frustrating. When one

> way of teaching doesn't work, therapists and parents try another

and

> another until one works and, say, on the 51st time, the child will

> understand.

> " You have your days when it's bad, " said Pearce, who will complete

> her master's degree from Seton Hill University in the spring.

> But " when it clicks, they don't believe it. It's like the fog

lifts.

> You live for those days. "

> Pearce's next project is a therapeutic preschool for children with

> autism she hopes to open after graduation. The goal is to get the

> children independent enough to be able to handle a classroom

setting

> and to make friends.

> " I don't want them to have tougher lives just because they have a

> disability, " she said. " I want them to be happy.

> For more information or to purchase a game, contact Pearce at (724)

> 422-5944 or hpearce@...

>

>

>

>

>

>

> ---------------------------------

> Now that's room service! Choose from over 150,000 hotels

> in 45,000 destinations on Travel to find your fit.

>

>

[Guest guest]

BLAIRSVILLE - With four autistic children in her life, one

Blairsville woman's life couldn't get any more hectic ... or

rewarding.

But Pearce's busy lifestyle - which also includes working on

her master's degree in special education and producing a learning

game she developed for autistic children - is well worth it. Her

dedication to the children and to autism itself is evident in the

pictures of her children on her coffee table, the look in her eyes

when she talks about them and the voicemails on her cell phone of the

children singing to her.

And also in the fact that none of the four are her biological or

adoptive children.

Pearce, 30, is a member of Family Behavioral Resources' therapeutic

staff support, out of the North Huntington office, and works with

children with autism, a neurological disorder that affects normal

brain development in the areas of social interaction and

communication skills. She splits her time daily at the homes of four

children and provides one-on-one play therapy, including speech and

occupational therapy.

Advertisement

Over the 4½ years she's worked with autistic children, Pearce has

developed a strong bond with the four children she sees daily, so

much so that she often refers to them as " her kids. "

" I don't think I could function without some of my kids. You cannot

not love my kids, " said. " My little guys, they're just amazing little

kids. "

Her dedication to and emotional bond with one child in particular

prompted Pearce to develop the game Emotions Go Fish, an emotions-

reading game to help autistic children understand emotions.

" One of my guys couldn't understand emotions, " said Pearce, an

Indiana University of Pennsylvania psychology graduate.

Autistic children " don't perceive emotions. ... To get it to click is

difficult. ... You can't teach them emotions in a fun way. "

So Pearce decided find a way to do it. She got the idea while playing

Go Fish with one of the children. She then created cards, which are

faces that all look identical except for the facial expression.

The game, which Pearce has had patented, can be played seven

different ways, including receptive ways, such as asking the child to

hand over the card with a certain expression; and expressive ways,

such as holding up a card and asking the child what expression that

card is trying to convey.

But the important thing is that, no matter what way it's played, the

game must be fun, Pearce said.

" That's the biggest thing, " said Pearce, who noted the game can also

be used for children with other disabilities or brain injuries. " I

want to make it fun for the kids. ... If they're not laughing, you're

not playing it right. "

Pearce said she has seen good success rates with the game. One child

she played the game with would cry because something was wrong, but

he couldn't express what it was or how he felt.

" If they can't express that, how can they tell you what they need? "

she said.

Now the child can verbally tell her how he feels and physically show

the emotions.

" If you see any of the kids ... the progress they made is amazing, "

said Pearce, who is willing to train people how to use the

game. " It's so much fun just to see them do well. ... I love it. "

Because children with autism learn differently, repetition is key. A

therapist could work with a child on a certain subject 50 times

without the child understanding, which can be frustrating. When one

way of teaching doesn't work, therapists and parents try another and

another until one works and, say, on the 51st time, the child will

understand.

" You have your days when it's bad, " said Pearce, who will complete

her master's degree from Seton Hill University in the spring.

But " when it clicks, they don't believe it. It's like the fog lifts.

You live for those days. "

Pearce's next project is a therapeutic preschool for children with

autism she hopes to open after graduation. The goal is to get the

children independent enough to be able to handle a classroom setting

and to make friends.

" I don't want them to have tougher lives just because they have a

disability, " she said. " I want them to be happy.

For more information or to purchase a game, contact Pearce at (724)

422-5944 or hpearce@...