As teachers, we have been tasked to a new way of learning. So I am becoming technology proficient very quickly!!! In the meantime, getting back to writing my posts has been slow. So, my apologies!!! Since we have been sheltering in place, and tasked with a new way of teaching… and learning, I thought a little classroom humor would be nice!!! Please enjoy…
ADL skills… Activities of Daily Living! Part of our job as Special Education teachers is to teach those skills; getting dressed, brushing teeth, feeding oneself, and toileting. What helps us in teaching those skills are lots of equipment, technology, and modified tools of the trade, to name a few. Some skills are easier to teach than others, and I would say one of the most difficult to teach, and the least favorite of my students, is toileting. And Jessie was no exception!
Jessie was a busy guy and he loved to “tinker”. He was the kid who preferred the mechanics of everything he touched, how it was made, how it was put together, and how it could be taken apart. Jessie loved to unscrew, pulls things apart, and more. He was no different when it came to his adaptive potty chair. Jessie had weak trunk control and some independent weight bearing skill for short periods of time. For safety and support when toileting, he required trunk and seat support. So, Jessie’s potty chair provided those supports and was attached to a toilet that sat low to the floor so that Jessie’s feet touched the floor. Every time Jessie sat on that chair, he tried to figure out how to unbuckle the belt, or unscrew the screws from either the seatbelt, the chest support, or the anchor that held the chair to the toilet. If he wasn’t doing that, he was wiggling, squirming, and squawking!
On this particular day, we had put Jessie on the potty, and he was secure with his seatbelt and chest support on. He started out on the potty like he normally does… wiggling, squirming, and squawking. He quieted down and went to work on the seat belt and screws like usual. And, as always, with no success. Second toileting rendered the same response. But, the third toileting? Well, let’s just say he did not get the desired result he was looking for!!!
Third toileting, we put Jessie on the potty as usual. Seat belt and chest support, Jessie was secure. He wiggled, squirmed, and squawked. When he got quiet, we knew Jessie was working on that seat belt or messing with the screws. And, sure enough, about five minutes into sitting, not only was Jessie squawking, so was two of his friends.
The scene that greeted us when we went back into the bathroom had us incredulous and rolling with laughter! And the look on Jessie’s face was priceless! What was the scene you ask? Well, Jessie managed to wiggle, squirm, and loosen the screws to free himself!!! The problem was he didn’t free himself from the adaptive potty chair. No, he freed the potty chair from the toilet! So, there he was, looking at us while standing hunched over with his adaptive potty chair still attached to him. I’m sure he learned a lesson that day… but so did I!!! Diligently check all screws and attachments!!!