October 14–18, 2021
Theme: Games of Life
Skill Building: Becoming an Expert
Person-Centered Thinking & Safety
Monday October 18, 2021
Today happens to be...Developmental Language Disorder Awareness Day
Theme for the Month: Remind everyone of the theme being Games of Life
Skill for the Week: Becoming an expert - basically leveling up in the game of life with the skills you can sell.
Becoming expert at things means you are an accomplished person. Accomplishments are more valuable than things we are just lucky to have. We can be born funny, good-looking, strong, but we don't earn those things. Accomplishments are things we became because we worked at them. When someone is very accomplished that is worth admiration and respect because they CHOSE to become an expert.
Hope Program Updates
Please discuss the further opening of in-person programming and share how that is going. Remind everyone that we are trying to reach 75% re-joining face-to-face.
Hope Learning Board Update
If your group has a board member, have them tell you about our brainstorming session last Tuesday. If not, you can review these ideas that we discussed.
- Classes about Art, Music, and Creative Hobbies, suggestions on everything from dance classes to music performance to making jewelry and studying design of all kinds. Creative writing class with poetry.
- Classes about jobs and business with suggestions on resume writing, going back to work after covid, how to work in your passion, information on specific industries like food service and retail, and how to get more money without messing up your SSI.
Thematic Media
PRESENTERS: STOP the video at 02:46 where the narrator says "They will not settle for average"
Video on What It Takes to Become an Expert
Thematic Activity
Now that you know what "deliberate practice" is, in your group go over the questions below.
- Have you ever had a coach, like for a sport or other activity?
- Did the coach help you do deliberate practice?
- What do you know how to do?
- How would you recommend someone practice that skill to become as good as you are at it?
Be sure to modify for your body and space.
Skills Media
More about deliberate practice
Skills Information
Story 1
Shana works at Safeway bagging groceries, mopping, and price-tagging produce. Her job coach only comes in about once a month. Last week her supervisor told her she will get a performance review on her job tasks and if she does well, she can get a raise. What kind of deliberate practice would be good for Shana?
Story 2
Banu wants to work in fashion design. They draw clothes and make outfits for fashion dolls a lot. People always compliment them on their designs. Banu won free art lessons in a raffle but they don't want to go because they don't know the other students. Is Banu staying inside, or going out of their comfort, zone?
Story 3
You are having an ISP meeting with your staff and you decided you want to learn to keyboard so you can get an office job. You don't have much experience typing except texting in your phone. How would you ask your goal to be made so you can use deliberate practice to learn to keyboard?
Skills Applied
- Think of something you do well that took time and practice to learn, like chores, playing an instrument, playing a sport, or doing a hobby.
- What part was easy that you got it right away?
- What part was hard and frustrating to learn?
- What motivated you to practice long enough to become expert at it?
- What things do you still WANT to become an expert at in the future?
Find a reason: Why did you get the COVID-19 Vaccine?
- Deciding to get vaccinated can be a tough choice to make. What are some reasons why you decided to get to vaccinated or have yet to decide?
Be sure to modify for your body and space. This has no music. Just beeps to change moves.
Fun Stuff
Johnny English is a terrible trainee
What did we learn today?
Sequence the day—Help the group review what you explored together today.
What are we doing this afternoon?
Civics & Community Awareness
Tuesday, October 19, 2021
Today happens to be...Evaluate Your Life Day
Hope Program Updates
Share information and new updates from programs and the larger organization
Hope Learning Board Meets this afternoon.
This time we will be taking attendance for people who are officially on the board and having the discussion in a breakout room. Please check the participants list on the home to check that you are one of the selected representatives.
Theme for the Month: Remind everyone of the theme being Games of Life
Skill for the Week: Becoming an expert
Thematic Media
Experts can help us understand issues that affect our communities. View to this news story about Coyotes attacking people's pets.
PRESENTERS: pause the video to make sure story points get across.
Thematic Activity
Answer the questions about the news story in your group.
- What kind of expert did the reporters ask for information?
- Why would communities want to hear from an expert on a problem they are having?
- One important skill in the game of life is being able to prepare for things that MIGHT happen with information and readiness. What kind of preparation or readiness do you think the residents of Danville should consider?
- Does the expert explain WHY the coyotes are coming into neighborhoods?
- Are people in danger of coyote attack?
- Knowing the information the expert offered, how would you help keep your pets safe if you lived in an area with this problem?
Be sure to modify for your body and space. No music, just beeps.
Skills Media
Watch this disaster preparedness video from the Phillipines.
PRESENTERS: DESCRIBE the visuals in the video and pause it periodically to check understanding.
Skills Information
Here's disaster checklist for California wild fires.
Skills Applied
- What was the same about the plan for the Phillipines and for California.
- Were the types of disasters similar or different?
- What kinds of skills can you level up to be ready for any disaster in your community?
- Do you feel better when you are prepared? Or does thinking about preparing make you worry? Or both?
Be sure to modify for your body and space.
Fun Stuff
What did we learn today?
Sequence the day—Help the group review what you explored together today.
What are we doing this afternoon?
Well Being and Social Connection
Wednesday, Ocotober 20, 2021
Today happens to be...Community Media Day
Hope Program Updates
Theme for the Month: Remind everyone of the theme being Games of Life
Skill for the Week: Becoming an expert
Thematic Media
You can become an expert on yourself, your needs, and your own wellness. Meditation and other mindfulness exercises can help you tune in to your own deeper knowledge.
Watch the video and try the suggested meditation example.
PRESENTERS: support attention and rentention by pausing the video to make sure participants understand the points being made.
Thematic Activity
When you do relaxation or deep breathing exercises, what do you know about yourself that makes it work?
- What parts of your body relax in what order?
- What images come to mind when you first try to calm down?
- Are there things you think about that you know make you worry, even just a little?
- What colors or scents do you find calming?
Be sure to modify for your body and space.
Skills Media
Listening to your body is a skill you can practice until you become an expert. This video explains the different things a body can like and want for activities.
Skills Information
Infographic on physical activity for disabled adults. Look at the reasons to be physically active and decide what your body says about it.
PRESENTERS: you can adapt the magnification by using the CTRL and the + key to magnify (CTRL and the - key to zoom out)
Skills Applied
Think of the things your body likes and doesn't like. Share them using the prompts below.
- indoors vs outdoors
- groups of people or one-on-one
- adventure travel or resort vacations
- eating light or enjoying comfort food
- sleeping or rising early
- other ideas
Be sure to modify for your body and space.
Fun Stuff
What did we learn today?
Sequence the day—Help the group review what you explored together today.
What are we doing this afternoon?
Rights & Self Advocacy
Thursday, October 21, 2021
Today happens to be...Get Smart About Credit Day
Hope Program Updates
Theme for the Month: Remind everyone of the theme being Games of Life
Skill for the Week: Becoming an expert
Thematic Media
Know Yourself to Value Yourself to Stand Up for Yourself
Thematic Activity
PRESENTERS: the language in the video is precise and grown up. Define and explain these ideas:
- a stable sense of what we're worth
- knowing our values and judgements
- denigration - people telling us we're not good
- adulation - people thinking we are good no matter what we do, even if it's wrong
- the "court of public opinion"
- building a good identity early
- generous interpretations by people who love us
- resilient self-esteem
- out of sync - something from the outside not matching what we experience on the inside
- emotional neglect (different from physical)
- knowing ourselves and our values will keep us from following poor influences
Be sure to modify for your body and space.
Skills Media
Review these areas of self knowledge and offer examples of areas where you know the answer and areas where you still have questions.
- My beliefs
- My values - what I think is right and wrong
- My accomplishments
- My physical skills
- My mental skills
- My social skills
- My weaknesses
- My needs
- My dreams
- My fears
- My attitude
- How I come back from a challenge or defeat
Skills Information
Choose one of the areas in the list above. Set a timer for 2 minutes and write, draw, or doodle all the things in that category of self=knowledge that you can think of.
Skills Applied
For each item you wrote in the brainstorm, pose a question to yourself that would help you learn more about that area of self-awareness.
Example:
Social Skills: meeting new people, hosting parties, doing social media, introducing people to each other.
Meeting new people; could I meet people who have very different lives from me?
hosting parties: am I a good guest when I go to other people's parties?
social media: do I do too much social media and not enough social time?
introducing people to each other: do I ever ask people to introduce me to new people?
Be sure to modify for your body and space.
Fun Stuff
What did we learn today?
Sequence the day—Help the group review what you explored together today.
What are we doing this afternoon?
Knowledge & Fun
Friday, October 22, 2021
Today happens to be ... Bunch of different stuff.
Hope Program Updates
N/A
Review the Week
What did we do in program this week? What was your favorite part?
Movie Time
Let’s watch Spring!
After watching, discuss the short film together. What do you think happened? Who was the girl, and why did she go to the forest? What do you imagine happened at the end of the film? What do you think happens next?
Body Break
Have you ever been kayaking?
Did you know that with adaptive kayak launches, people with mobility impairments — including some people who use wheelchairs – can go kayaking? Check out this article and watch the included video to learn more: Adaptive Kayak Launches Offer Expanded Access To The Water.
Now, let’s Learn How to Kayak.
Now, let’s get moving! Let’s Train for Kayaking. Presenters: Guide your participants in the Open Book, Skater, and Book Grab exercises.
Music
Can you guess Billboard’s #1 pop song from 2014?
After everyone has taken a guess, click on this link to find out the answer and listen to the song: #1 Pop Song of 2014.
Do you ever listen to music at different speeds? After you’ve listened to the song, play it again and change the playback speed in the video player settings. Listen to the song at 0.5 and 2.0 speeds.
How does that change the feeling of the song? Which version(s) do you like most?
Don’t like that song? Check out Billboard’s Top 100 Song from 2014, and see if you recognize any of your favorite songs.
Body Break
Time to dance! Let's listen to BTS, a popular K-Pop group from South Korea. Any BTS fans in the room?
Food
Let’s watch a video from Tasty: Dumplings Around Asia.
Do you like dumplings? Why or why not? What are your favorite types?
Language
Do you know American Sign Language (ASL)? Can you fingerspell your letters?
Let’s watch a video to practice fingerspelling: Learn ASL: The Fingerspelling Alphabet for Beginners.
Now, let’s practice fingerspelling words with the website fingerspelling.xyz. This website will use your webcam to help you learn to fingerspell. Presenters: Open this website and share your screen. If you feel comfortable, turn on your webcam and practice fingerspelling. Have fun!
Moments of Gratitude
Who are you grateful for this week?
How can you show your gratitude to those around you?
Sequence the Week
Review what you explored together over the last week.
What did we learn today?
What are we doing this afternoon?
Choosing Fun Stuff to Do
Need some help deciding on an afternoon activity?
The activities are numbered. These numbers corrospond to brief activity descriptions listen in the linked document below.
