Blog 3/13 and a bit more...

 

THRIVE Director Notes

Posts on this Blog will be directed to help families see what is going on in our THRIVE Program.  Items discussed on the Blog have already occurred.  To keep updated on what’s coming up please refer to the THRIVE activity calendar or UCM activity calendar.

Classes for Fall Semester:

Students in the first year of our program will be enrolled in their classes in the couple of weeks after Spring Break.

Roommates for Fall Semester (1st-year students only):

I'll be sending out a Google form in the next couple of days to the first-year students.  It will be asking them who they would like to have as a roommate next fall.  If they like the roommate that they have now and they are also a first-year student they can check that box.  Otherwise, they will be asked to give their top five choices so we can help get roommates lined up for next fall.  They will also have the choice to choose to be with a new first-year student.  This form has been shared and the staff will be working on this over the next couple of weeks.

First-Year Students:

Learning Strategies: Debra Southard  

Monday we played two Kahoots to prepare for the mid-term test. Wednesday students got together with their study partners and planned a time to meet to study for the test. I listed on the board ways they could review. Some included: rereading their index cards, reviewing the questions at the end of the chapter, predicting questions that might be on the test, reviewing the words in the book that are highlighted, and looking over the power points. Friday we took the test. 

Workplace & Community Skills:  Gary Manning

This week we discussed having self-determination and being an advocate for yourself.  The discussion involved having these skills whether in the workplace, with friends and families and in your daily life.  Further, we discussed that we are responsible for the choices that we make.  Sometimes we have to overcome our bad choices and have the self-determination to make ourselves better.

The students also did their second job shadow for the semester.  The students will do their final job shadow the last week in March. 

Daily & Independent Living Skills (DILS):  Joni Shelton

The Midterm exam was assigned on Tuesday and due on Thursday. To review for the exam, students finished presenting the 8 Healthy Habits for Daily Living and 4 Components of Overall Wellness (see pictures below), and we went over the Study Guide as a class. On Thursday the students got a preview of our next unit, which includes Work Ethics, Initiative and Professionalism in the Workplace.

Second-Year Students:

Notes from the Director:

Hello second-year families, We will be setting up a Zoom Meeting for families looking at the  3rd and 4th year, so we can discuss the upcoming year.  Then we’ll be setting up individual meetings to discuss the students, families, and THRIVE expectations.

Transition Planning II: Gary Manning

The students continue to work on a transition plan from being in the UCM THRIVE program to graduating and what might be the next step in their lives.  We have discussed apartments, transportation, and budgeting.  For the students, this can be an overwhelming/stressful discussion/project to work on.  However, we believe this is a vital part of our program.  

We have suggested to the students to start getting in contact with Vocational Rehab over spring break.  The students also may need to use other agencies/resources to help them find jobs for the summer.  

Internship II: Gary Manning

We continue to discuss professional and social skills that an individual will need to help them to be successful.  Some of those skills are; self-determination, problem-solving, decision-making, personal responsibility, personal space, and being respectful to others.  

We continue to collaborate with the UCM Career Service Office.  Last week the students worked with Career Coaches on their resumes.  This has been a very good partnership with the UCM THRIVE program and the UCM Career Service Office.  The students need to update their resumes over spring break. 

Personal Finance II: Mrs. Garnier

It’s all about insurance in Personal Finance this week. In addition to monthly premiums, deductibles, and out-of-pocket maximums, we’ve discussed the concept of risk and how that affects our coverage choices. We’ve seen how these concepts are similar across a range of insurance types (renters, homeowners, health, and auto). 

Plato: Debra Southard

All students need to work on increasing their mastery on each subject.  Slowing down and reading the question twice would help. 

Third-Year Students:

A presenter came to speak about rentals…

Notes from the Director:

Hello third-year families, We will be setting up a Zoom Meeting for families looking at the  3rd and 4th year, so we can discuss the upcoming year.   Then we’ll be setting up individual meetings to discuss the students, families, and THRIVE expectations.

Transition Planning IV: Mrs. Garnier

We continue to work on our unit on independent living. Part of this is learning the ins and outs of renting an apartment and all the costs and responsibilities associated with that. We had a guest speaker this week from Spirit Rentals in Warrensburg. Jason Sharpe was kind enough to come and talk to students about the “real world” of renting. I think this really put renting into perspective for the students as it wasn’t just me telling them how it works, it was an actual landlord.

Internship IV: Mrs. Garnier

Midterm supervisor evaluations are in and were positive for the most part. There are always ways for the students to improve/areas they need to work on. 

Foods & Nutrition II: Mrs. Southard

This week students made taco salad. Students cut tomatoes and onions, browned hamburger, and used a colander to drain the beans.  Also, they learned how to core a head of lettuce. The students did a great job. 

Looks like Taco Soup for lunch…on Sunday the 26th…

THRIVE Activities:

Mentor Activities: This past weekend the students made Walking Tacos.  They look yummy…

Great Job Everyone!!  For more pictures please join our THRIVE Facebook and/or Instagram pages.

Important upcoming dates: 

Next Mentor Activity:  The next Mentor Activity will be Cooking with Ashtyn: Nachos!  We look forward to seeing how it went.

"This blog is a programming blog written by the director and staff of the THRIVE Program on the University of Central Missouri campus.  This blog doesn't accept any form of cash advertising, sponsorship, or paid topic insertions. 

The views and ideas expressed on this blog are purely the blog owners.  This blog does not contain any content which might present a conflict of interest.  We are simply telling you what we plan to do in our program and using the blog to help spread what we are doing on a weekly basis."