What Does It Take to Be Successful in Life

1. What Does It Take to Be Successful in Life Establishing Relationships, Living Independently, & Maintaining a Job

2. Three Themes • Establishing social relationships • Developing a set of independent or “interdependent” living skills • Acquiring skills for successful employment

3. Over-Riding Beliefs • Have high, but realistic expectations • Provide consistent messages about behavior, appearance, & acquisition of skills • Provide early & continuous hands-on experiences • Provide opportunities to make decisions & problem solve • Develop a sense of responsibility & give chores

4. Social Skills

5. What Does it Mean to be Socially Successful? • Students with visual impairments have a social presence. • Students with visual impairments have a range of skills that support them in engaging with others. • Students with visual impairments are aware of others beyond themselves.

6. Why is it Important to be Socially Successful? • Promotes friendships & positive relationships • Nurtures self-esteem • Promotes positive employment & independent living outcomes • Promotes social understanding, decision making, & problem solving • Promotes self-advocacy

7. What is Social Presence? • Appropriate dress & grooming • Appropriate body posture, stance, gestures, & gait • Facial expressions that are appropriate for the occasion • Knowledge of the social situation • Motivation to learn the social rules within a variety of environments

8. What is Important for Students to Know? • Basic interactive skills • Interest in peers, co-workers, & family • Engaging in conversation • Complimenting, reciprocating, empathy

9. Strategies to Promote Socialization • Early & continuous experiences • Opportunities with sighted & blind peers • Accountability for actions • Consistent feedback or modeling • Teach age-appropriate games & activities

10. Social Thinking • Moving beyond self & perceiving the needs of others • Understanding the social situation & making decisions about social interactions • Analyzing the social situation & evaluate social behavior

11. Activities of Daily Living

12. The Concept of Interdependence • Not all people are totally independent • We all require support or assistance • Finding the balance between independence & interdependence

13. Basic Self-Help Skills • Grooming • Personal hygiene • Dressing • Eating

14. Clothing • Choosing & matching clothes • Clean & wrinkle-free clothes • Clothing that fits & is appropriate • Clothing care

15. Organization & Time Management • Keep track of belongings • Responsible for completing chores, classroom jobs, & homework • Knowledge of time & a way to keep track of time

16. Money Management • Knowledge of cost of everyday items • Coin & bill identification • Use money in public • Understand that money is earned • Knowledge of banking • Personal signature

17. Cooking • Grocery shopping • Use of microwave • Using kitchen utensils & equipment • Using the stove & range top • Meal or snack preparation

18. Cleaning • Bed making & organize bedroom space • Laundry • Knowledge of cleaning products • Use of mop, vacuum, scrubbing surfaces

19. Home Management • Use of tools • Home maintenance- change a light bulb • Yard maintenance- mow lawn • Recycling

20. Safety • Knowledge of public & private • Understand stranger, acquaintance, friend • Aware of surroundings & travels confidently

21. Personal Management • Knows personal information & who receives personal information • Carries student and/or state I.D. • Carries purse or wallet

22. Job Readiness & Employment Skills

23. Job Readiness Skills • Punctuality • Following directions • Staying on task • Engaging socially with others • Sharing job responsibilities • Demonstrating appropriate interactions with supervisors & colleagues • Organization of work space & belongings

24. Academic Skills Needed for Work • Reading, writing, & spelling skills • Read at least 150 words per minute • Knowledge & use of technology • Mathematics: use of a calculator, an abacus, & other tools to assist with banking & purchases

25. Work Preparation • Exposure to jobs & job tasks • Job shadowing • Hand skills • Endurance for work- staying on task, completing a series of tasks, use of breaks

26. Pre-Requisites for Work • Chores around the house • Student as helper not helpee • Prior work or volunteer experiences • social security card & state I.D. • Signature that can be replicated • Exposure to work

27. Role of Families & Professionals • Partner to provide a consistent message to the student • Make the ECC a priority along with academics in your student’s education • Look beyond the present • Let Go & believe that your child is capable of achieving success in life • Nurture independence & foster interdependence

28. Role of the Student in Developing a Successful Life • Desire to become socially savvy • Desire to develop friendships • Desire to become inter-dependent • Motivated to take risks & make change • Interested in receiving feedback about social & work performance • Desire to be autonomous • Desire to be a self-advocate

29. AFB Press Focused On: Social Skills Curriculum Series Teaching Social Skills to Students with Visual Impairments: From Theory to Practice Skills for Success www.afb.org Texas School for the Blind & Visually Impaired TSBVI Social Skills Curriculum TSBVI Daily Living Skills Curriculum www.tsbvi.edu Resources

30. Resources • California School for the Blind • CSB Safety Curriculum • CSB Living Skills Curriculum • CSB Social Skills Curriculum • CSB Career & Technology Education Curriculum • www.csb-cde.ca.gov

31. Contact Me • Sharon Zell Sacks, Ph.D. • Director of Curriculum, Assessment, & Staff Development • California School for the Blind • (510 794-3800 Ext 313 • ssacks@csb-cde.ca.gov • szsacks@aol.com