The Self-Determined Child: Evidence Informed Tools to Build Autonomy and Success!

Description

Do you know a child or teen who waits for others to do things for them?  Do they depend on adults or peers for daily tasks and decision-making?  These are signs of “learned helplessness,” a condition that leads children to believe they are unable to learn and have little control over their lives. Therapy practitioners and educators have an opportunity to change this! “The Self-Determined Child” is a one-day course on children’s self-determination that focuses on strategies to promote self-reliance and reduce learned helplessness.

Workshop participants will receive the “Self-Determination Strategies Toolkit©” a guidebook and kit providing ten evidence-informed strategies to increase children’s motivation and engagement. Each strategy will be reviewed and practiced by participants during the workshop.   A 2022 Temple University research study revealed that educators and practitioners who used these ten strategies observed significant increases in children’s ability to take part in learning activities with motivation and enthusiasm.  Additionally, practitioners stated that they found renewed joy and meaning in their own practice when using this approach. The Self-Determination Strategies Toolkit© is a user-friendly way to completely change one’s experience during sessions, to provide children and teens with multiple opportunities for success.

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About the Instructor

Amy Coopersmith is a lecturer and consultant who worked as an OT Supervisor, clinician, and evaluator for the NYC Department of Education for 17 years. She is passionate about promoting student self-determination and has provided workshops at national conferences and online learning communities on this topic for the past seven years.
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