Dream Catching for kids: Here is waht we neeed to proceed.

BECOME A DREAM CATCHER FOR SPECIAL NEEDS KIDS

An invitation from Paschal Baute, March 26, 2014

One out of 20 children are born handicapped. One out of 8, 15%, have some special need, handicap, adversity, trauma, or loss that slows learning and growing.  I was one of these “lost kids” until one teacher changed my life, at age 13, by believing in me.  More than other children these kids need to find hope and inspiration to cope with  adversity.  If we can save one child  from despair ,this project is worthwhile.

Stories and storytelling foster hope, dreams, and possibilities like the famous  Ugly Duckling. We dream of a storytelling festival designed for special needs children. Will you help?  Will you become a Dream Catcher for children needing hope.  

Our state is highest in the nation in child abuse. We aim to touch many hearts  Too many children  give up too soon without love and attention. They stop trying or escape into mischief.    It almost happened to me long ago. Let us parents, caregivers and storytellers use our gifts to foster grit in children with special needs. “It takes a village.”  We are that village.

I am a Spellbinder ™ storyteller and KSA member is a Dream Catcher: now recruiting persons to become a dream catcher with me.   Here are our needs,  with 5  months to go. Our immediate need is to  obtain Dream Catchers for these positions:

Chair, to contact Special Needs groups in Fayette County;

Chair  to contact Public School coordinators of Special needs in seven surrounding counties.

Chair of local arrangements, to explore suitable venues

Chair  to collect stories of hope and grit for special needs children.

Chair  to recruit storytellers, develop program.

Chair for media  promotion and publicity.

Come, dream with me: Call Paschal (859)m293-5302

Visit our blog for updates. http://dreamcatchersforchildren.blogspot.com/

CHILDREN LEARN GRIT THROUGH ADVERSITY

http://www.stlmag.com/St-Louis-Magazine/March-2014/Fostering-Grit/

Fostering Grit

Overcoming adversity. is part of the learning process.

By Thomas Hoerr

Illustrations by Donough O’Malley

“Should students be praised for their achievements or their effort?” That question reflects a dialogue that educators are having about how to prepare students for success in life. We’ve come to realize that while doing well in school counts, it’s also important to have strong “noncognitive” skills. These include working well with others, being an engaged and caring person, and possessing grit. Grit is having tenacity, hanging in there, and being resilient. Grit is not backing away from a problem because it’s difficult and not giving up until you finish the job.

When you consider who is successful—regardless of how you define success—it’s probably their grit that got them there. Their success didn’t come easily; it happened because they learned from their mistakes, turned them into “good failures,” and didn’t give up. Grit was written about in Paul Tough’s book How Children Succeed, and associate professor Angela Duckworth was just named a MacArthur Fellow for her research on grit.

Educators need to develop grit in children, and there is a role for parents, too. At home and in school, children need to know that good things don’t often come easily and that success comes from not giving up. Children need to learn that there is merit in trying and trying again, even if they aren’t immediately successful.

Parents should talk about grit and let their children know that they value both the effort and the result. Instead of complimenting Janice for being a good soccer player, she should be praised for her effort and for being a good teammate. Lawrence should be told how much we value the many drafts he prepared in writing his report and that he kept working to make it better. Our children should know that important goals aren’t achieved without effort and failure along the way. That’s part of the learning process.

Children should also step out of their comfort zones and take risks in learning. Too often, kids want to back away at the first failure or when things become hard. We need to talk about their grit, so they understand that tenacity is needed to succeed and that they will gain from persevering. Grit needs to be part of their vocabulary.

We need to practice what we preach and let our children know how we respond even when things don’t come easily. Too often, we don’t share our frustration or how it took us seven tries to finally get it right. We do our children a disservice if they don’t see us displaying the grit that they need to develop. Our children need to appreciate our grit and how we handle frustration. Modeling a behavior is always more effective than just talking about it. 

Let’s think about good grit, too. We want our children to use grit in achieving positive ends and making the world a better place. This means that we must teach character along with grit. 

Thomas Hoerr, who received his Ph.D. from Washington University, is head of New City School in the Central West End. A former public-school principal and teacher, he’s the author of Fostering Grit

http://www.stlmag.com/St-Louis-Magazine/March-2014/Fostering-Grit/

Here is a great short story on ecology for children:

Wake up and smile today.....

Wake up. and smile today!  This blue speck of dust on which we live has begun, last night at 11:57 p.m., a different journey!  The wonderful season of spring is upon us, with leafing, flowering, blooming, blossoms and berries and fruit and veggies to follow.  We are alive at a magnificent time in the history of the cosmos. Today, we dance and sing: “This Little Light on Mine…(please excuse the spam weight loss commercial that got attached., ity is not long. )” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CVeB7ACVgO0

Stories for Children with Speical Needs.

Today, I have just started reading (on my kindle) Chicken Soup for the Soul:  Storyies for Children with Special Needs.
I am impressed and can immediately recommend this book. 48 reviews, 5 star average on Amazon..  An estimated 20 million families have special needs children. The use of stories in healing, and fairy stories in psychotherapy  has a lolng history.
Can we bring this great healing tradition to Central Kentucky?

Let’s have a party! Breaking News

Let’s have a party!  Breaking News!

Here is your invitation to become part of

Kentucky’s newest storytelling festival, to be held

In Central Kentucky this summer (Lexington)

Designed in particular for Special Needs Children.

Steering committee being formed during next 3 weeks.

Inspiration. My grandkids are undergoing vision loss and other life-threatening issues because of a rare genetic  blood disorder. For a while ,we assumed it was only the older who has been getting treatment since age 4,but now we have discovered it is also his younger sister. This has been going on for some time, but now they are both undergoing  chemo and bone marrow transplant, at Children’s Hospital in Cincinnati.  There they see children from all over the world with Severe health issues and some not getting well. The Ronald McDonald House across the street is fabulous place after the long hospital stay. So our whole family has become tuned in to a different population that we are now part of.

Having enjoyed my storytelling at Cassidy Elementary for years, they said,

“These kids need your stories, Poppy!”

I said, “There is a way to reach lotsa children (like Carolyn Franzini does at Cave Run and what happens at Jonesboro--been there 4X since 1980i).   

"We could have a STORYTELLING FESTIVAL.   Furthermore, I know lotsa very good storytellers."

"Wow!” they said, “Let’s have a party!”

So we are going to have a storytelling party.  Lexington Spellbinders have given the idea an enthusiastic response. My Blind Veterans Chapter wants  to endorse and help sponsor it.  Maybe you know another organization which would get on board?

So now, for the next three weeks, we are enlisting a steering committee of persons who want to make this happen.  We will probably do all of this online. And by end of April be selecting tasks. 

Will you help?  Lotsa special needs children can catch new dreams through storytelling.  BTW, don’t miss the story of Helen Keller in the play The Miracle Worker at Lexington Opera House this weekend.

Who will pitch in to lend a hand?

Paschal the Rascal, Lexington Spellbinder.

Announcing Our First Co-Sponsor

The Lexington, Ky Chapter of the Blind Veterans of America announce their endorsement and sponsorship of The Storytelling Festival for Special Needs Children, to be held in Lexington, Ky this summer. By way of full disclosure, Dr. Paschal Baute is Acting Chaplain to this group of fellow Veterans.

Can you bring your own organization o"on board"  for this event? My cell (859) 293-5302.

Thank you, Lexington Spellbinders...

...for welcoming my grandkids request for a storytelling Festival for special needs kids which they laid on me as their longtime favorite storyteller.

Both grandchildren, ages 11 and 13, have a genetic rare blood disorder causing childhood blindness. The boy has been getting laser surgery since age 4.  Now they are both undergoing chemo and bone marrow transplant at Children's Hospital in Cincinnati.
They have been learning first hand about all kinds of children who have life-threatening problems. They both sat in on my storytelling at Cassidy Elementary for 5+ years, and were my audience to practice my latest new folk fairy tale.
"Kids with Special Needs need to hear you stories, Poppy.".
Together, we decided a Festival of storytelling was the best way to reach many kids.
They have agreed to be the President adn Vice President of my Youth Advisory Group.

Yesterday, Wednesday, March 12, Lexington Spelllbiders were enthusiastic about supporting this venture. We shall move forward.  Stay tuned. We have read Carolyn Franzini's :10 tips for a Storytelling Show, and are assembling a Festival Steering Committee for a festival this summer in Lexington. .
Call me (859) 293-5302 cell, or email paschalthestoryteller@gmail.com 

"Special Needs Children" is the proper term Ishould be using for this project.

I am delighted that Quinn Bell, my grandson, Bone Marrow Transplant survivor, has agreed to be part of my Advisory Board, and further agreed to serve as Honorary President.

Our aim is to help challenged children catch new dreams

We shall not use the word "handicaped" but challenged.
We have mandy children who are variously chellenged: physically, emotionally, socially.
Most of all, they need to catch new dreams for themselves,, like Helen Keller, in the wonderful drama, The Miracle Worker.

In Kentucky, we have a group of marvelous dream-catchers. called storytellers and Spellbinders.
We aim to connect some of these gifted adults with challenged children who will welcome hope and inspiration, by an annual storytelling festival in Lexington for Central Kentucky.

Will you dream with us?
Several years ago, a group of Lexington Spellbinders calling ourselves Dream Catchers, performed for several groups of challenged children and challenged adults. Paschal Baute, Charlie Hardy, charlie Eer and Linda Kendrick were the tellers. For several reasoons, this project did not continue.
We believe our Award Winning Kentucky storytellers , like Mary Hamilton, Cynthia Changaris and Buck Crasy would want to be part of tjhis 0roject.

Will you dream with us?
We are dreaming of a storytelling festival in Lexington this summer, with countless children with every sort of persona challenge.

Will you join us?