Newsletter
Volume 28 | 2005 | Number 1
Shema Kolainu “Hear Our Voices”
About Us
Shema Kolainu “Hear Our Voices” (SK-HOV) is a school and center for children with an autism spectrum disorder and their families. We are a private, non-profit, non-denominational, multi-cultural school, founded in 1998 by Joshua Weinstein, M.Ed., MBA. Our school and center was started in response to parents seeking, and having difficulty finding, quality services for their children who were diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder in Brooklyn, New York City.
Our mission at Shema Kolainu-Hear Our Voices is to hear the voice of our students’ and their families as they strive to achieve their full potential for independence, productivity, and inclusion within their communities. The high standard and quality of care displayed by all of our staff is achieved through their ability to hear and learn from every student. The comprehensive application of the science of behavior in all aspects of education, as well as in communication with families, therapists, and others reflects our commitment to learning and improving our services on ongoing basis. At SK-HOV we acknowledge that we are all interdependent and believe that the ethnic, religious, and cultural diversity of our staff, and the people we serve, opens the door to learning and strengthens our ability to be collaborative. As such we are dedicated to providing behavior analytic services to children with ASD and their families in all five boroughs of NYC and in our center in Brooklyn. The practices we follow to accomplish our mission include:
1. Encouraging parents and relatives to actively participate in forums that will enhance their knowledge of related educational resources and effective advocacy.
2. Providing comprehensive educational and therapeutic services, based on the science of behavior, to enhance the participation of children with various developmental and neurological disorders and their families throughout the five boroughs of New York City.
3. Encouraging all of our staff to actively participate in forums that will enhance their professional competency and performance to serve others in a warm and effective manner.
4. Infirming and inviting community leaders to hear the voices of children with developmental and neurological disorders and their family members.
Our Services
The Center and School
Our program includes educational and related services provided both in our school and the communities in which our students live.
In our center in Brooklyn, New York we have seven New York State Department of Education approved classrooms. Three of our classrooms are for preschoolers (three to five years old) classified as having disability. Each child is referred by the Committee of Preschool Special Education (CPSE), a part of the child’s local school district. Each of our classrooms has one NYS certified special education teacher and three teaching assistants (6:1:3). We have four classrooms for school age students (ages five to eleven). In order to attend our school-age program, students have to be recommended by the Committee for Special Education (CSE).
Individualized instruction is provided to all of our students in accordance with their IEPs and based on criterion-referenced assessment. Teachers then use scientifically designed, scripted lessons as a guide to meet the learner’s needs. Lessons are designed hierarchically to ensure that each student’s goals are functional and to facilitate generalization. Students receive 1:1 instruction as well as small group instruction. Both types of instruction utilize a verbal behavior framework and are learner driven.
The related services we provide in the center include speech therapy, occupational therapy, and physical therapy. Training in applied behavior analysis is provided to the related service practitioners.
In the Community
Our early intervention (6 to 36 months) program is funded through NYS Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. Following a comprehensive evaluation students are recommended for services through a service coordinator who works closely with the family. Through this model students are able to receive instruction in their homes, day care centers or other settings. Educational services are individualized and delivered in accordance with the child’s Individualized Family Service Plan. " Students who are preschool age are eligible for in home and community based services as well. Our services can be delivered where the student spends time (home, day care, etc.) including in mainstream settings. Services have to be recommended by the CPSE.
Applied Behavior Analysis Outside of the Classroom
As part of our commitment to the science of behavior and scientifically derived teaching practices we encourage our staff to conduct single subject research and to present their findings. Similarly we understand the importance of collaborating with and teaching our family members about how we teach.
On October 14th, four staff members from SK-HOV went to NYSABA in Saratoga Springs, NY to present some of the things we have been teaching our staff and students. This annual conference is organized by the New York State Association for Behavior Analysis (NYSABA), the state chapter of the Association for Behavior Analysis. The goal of the yearly conference is to allow parents, educators, and other professionals the opportunity to present and discuss research related to behavior analysis and education. This year’s focus was Applied behavior analysis across the lifespan; Facing challenges of autism.
Two of our teachers, along with their supervisor and Education Director, presented. The topics covered were: increasing the rate of student performance on academic and motor skills through fluency; intraverbals training to decrease echolalia; and applied behavior analysis in the work place, including our staff training and how to change staff behaviors through public posting. In May 2005 this presentation will be given in New York City at the YAI/NIPD international developmental disabilities conference.
Family Training
This year we started a family training program concentrating on topics our family members told us were problematic:
- What do I do when problems arise? How behavior develops and some important principles.
- My child has difficulty communicating: What are some strategies? The use of verbal behavior.
- Toilet training.
- How to handle “down time”: The use of activity schedules.
- How to teach play and social skills.
Each family training session incorporates a question and answer session to follow up on previous topics, presentation on the new topic including: visuals and handouts, as well as group and individually completed exercises. These interactive training sessions are conducted monthly by two board certified behavior analysts and are well attended.
Employment Opportunities
At SK-HOV we are committed to staff training, staff development, and staff retention. Employment opportunities exist for teachers, teaching assistants, speech therapists and occupational therapists. To be eligible for community or center based teaching and speech or occupational therapy positions, candidates must possess relevant NYS certification.
On the job training, benefits and staff development incentives are available. Board Certified Behavior Analysts are on staff for training and supervision. For more information about programs, services and employment opportunities, contact Gina Feliciano, M.Phil, BCBA Education Director, at (718) 686-9600 extension 119.
This section of the newsletter introduces ABA’s new organizational members. Each new member has prepared a description of its work and services so that it can introduce itself to the larger ABA community. The inclusion of this material is not an endorsement, authorization, sponsorship or affiliation by ABA of these members or their work and services or of the content of the material they present.