The planning sessions either take place online, or in the CAS period before we leave the deaf school, which is not very productive, because we have to rush to get the materials. Mrs. Pearson made a Google Classroom where we were able to plan according to a schedule and enter it on the classroom. It was very useful and greatly improved our productivity. We had the list of the materials we needed (for the 3D planets / stars, the paints, brushes, trays, aprons, newspapers, scissors, etc.), so we could easily go into the art classroom after the lesson was done and get the materials and leave earlier.
The children change every week, but we still manage to engage them appropriately. We find that we can only manage about 10 children max. when we are working on the wall, so it is necessary for us to have control. We learned this the hard way, after a session where the children were splashing paint on the wall (so they got it on themselves) and then they started putting paint on each other. They were running around screaming and yelling (they can't hear how loud they are). Eventually, with the help of Mrs. Pearson, we rounded them up and got everyone clean. We then learned that each person working on the painting of the wall can only handle about 2 or 3 children maximum.
I like working with the children a lot, and it is eye-opening how they see themselves as if they don't have a disability, and it has made me realise that they wouldn't know any different. They are children that are normal children and they act the same way. It is admirable the way they bond with each other and have learned (like I have) how sometimes when birth family isn't with you all the time, you have another family. It is difficult communicating with them at times because they sign so quickly, but we mime and have them watch, so the painting is quite easy.
The children change every week, but we still manage to engage them appropriately. We find that we can only manage about 10 children max. when we are working on the wall, so it is necessary for us to have control. We learned this the hard way, after a session where the children were splashing paint on the wall (so they got it on themselves) and then they started putting paint on each other. They were running around screaming and yelling (they can't hear how loud they are). Eventually, with the help of Mrs. Pearson, we rounded them up and got everyone clean. We then learned that each person working on the painting of the wall can only handle about 2 or 3 children maximum.
I like working with the children a lot, and it is eye-opening how they see themselves as if they don't have a disability, and it has made me realise that they wouldn't know any different. They are children that are normal children and they act the same way. It is admirable the way they bond with each other and have learned (like I have) how sometimes when birth family isn't with you all the time, you have another family. It is difficult communicating with them at times because they sign so quickly, but we mime and have them watch, so the painting is quite easy.