Beginning with Friday dinner after parent drop-off
and ending after Sunday lunch with parent pick-up, WISE consists of Social Skills Training Groups and recreational
activities such as swimming, boating, soccer, arts & crafts, and much more.
Emphasis is on cooperation
rather than competition.
During social skills groups, social-emotional and problem-solving skills are taught
through discussion, demonstration, role play, and positive reinforcement.
Recreational activities provide the opportunity
to practice applying the newly taught skills in a controlled and supervised situation.
W.I.S.E. is designed
for children with difficulties displaying appropriate social skills and problem-solving skills. The program commonly
is appropriate for children with special education needs, including high-functioning Pervasive Developmental Disorders (e.g.,
Asperger's Syndrome, High Functioning Autism, PDD-NOS), Non-verbal Learning Disabilities, ADHD, Learning Disabilities, and
symptoms of anxiety, shyness, obsessive-compulsiveness, etc. A diagnosis or special education classification
is not required for enrollment in W.I.S.E. Other Important
Information
* All children are carefully screened prior to acceptance.
*
Children are grouped based upon age, strength and needs relative to the other children in the group, and based upon
the determination of the best match with specific counselors.
*There are specific social problem-solving skills
targeted for all students in the program. We also teach children how to problem-solve so they can potentially handle
any social situation. Additionally, there are individual goals for each child.
*Staff members rate
each child's behavior and social skills after each activity every day and provide ongoing feedback to the children.
A daily scorecard and comments are sent home at the conclusion of the program.
* Parenting information is provided, focusing
on gaining compliance, providing reinforcement, reducing negative behaviors, promoting social skills, generalizing positive
behaviors across settings, etc. |
