CEHHS Dean Janosky to Speak at Children's Summit, Sat. 9/20

Register Now! Saturday, September 20, 2014 University of Michigan – Dearborn 19000 Hubbard Drive, Fairlane Center North, Quad E Sponsored by: Child’s Hope Great Start Collaborative Wayne Save Our Children Coalition University of Michigan - Dearborn

Highlighted Summit offerings... Keynote:  Janiva Magness, “Becoming a Miracle: Our fate does not have to be our destiny” National Spokesperson-Casey Family, Ambassador –Foster Care Alumni of America Ms. Magness is both a Detroit native and a product of childhood hardship.  Ms. Magness, a renowned blues singer, will share her success in overcoming her childhood hardships.  Her presentation will inspire Summit participants. Plenary:  Cara Weiler, LMSW “The Ingredients to Raising Resilient Children” Ms. Weiler is a state licensed social worker and is affiliated with the Children’s Trauma Center.  Ms. Weiler provides education and training to encourage trauma-informed system change in agencies and communities. She will present practical concepts/supportive factors for fostering resilience, highlight the effects of unaddressed trauma, and identify components of best practice models that could contribute to the development of a resilient child. Panel:  Youth United Chairs:  Brittany Horton, DWMHA; and Danita Echols, MSW, Foster Care Alumna & Advocate Our panel of young adults will share their experiences and what has enabled them to overcome the obstacles that have threatened their growth and development.  This presentation by young adults who have been in foster care is an opportunity for conference attendees to witness the hope and optimism these panelists convey. *Panel Moderator: Janiva Magness Summit 2014 Schedule 8:00a Registration/Networking/ Breakfast 8:45a Welcome - Dean Janosky, UM-D Remarks - Thomas Karnes, Exchange Clubs of America 9:15a Keynote – Janiva Magness 10:30a Break 10:45a Plenary – Cara Weiler, LMSW 12:00p Break 12:15p Panel – Youth United 1:00p Adjournment *Program MC - Brenda Baker-Mbacke'

New Life for Old Textbooks: CEHHS prof ships resources to colleagues overseas to increase access to academic materials

Muna Al-Siyabi will return to her home country this summer as the first Omani instructor at Sultan Qaboos University with a master’s degree in early childhood education and a focus on special education.

It’s a distinction that brings certain benefits. For starters, she’ll become a leading advocate for children with special needs.

There is a downside, though.

“[Because] special education is a new major in Oman, we don’t have resources on the subject yet,” said Al-Siyabi, who earned her master’s degree this spring from University of Michigan-Dearborn. “None of the resources discuss new trends in teaching or educating young children with disabilities.”

She wanted to purchase additional materials to take back with her; but Kim Killu had a different idea. 

The UM-Dearborn professor of special education recently moved offices and purged a glut of teaching and learning resources in the process of relocating. That stockpile, along with materials from retiring professor Belinda Lazarus, now will travel back to Oman with Al-Siyabi.

Al-Siyabi plans to use the materials as an instructor at Sultan Qaboos.

“I am planning to advocate for children with special needs and these resources will be one way to increase my awareness about different issues related to special education,” she said. “Looking at different researches done in special education will give us guidelines about how we are going to teach individuals with disabilities.”

Sharing resources with colleagues abroad is nothing new for Killu. She often ships materials to friends and former classmates in Africa and South America who have limited access to academic materials.

“I think it’s important for us to share what we have here and pass it along to other people who don’t have access to what we have,” Killu said. “Textbooks are useful, older journals, assessment instruments, curriculum materials—they can use that in their courses.”

Killu says professors use these resources to provide more current information to their students, which helps in the classroom as well as in clinical experiences.

That’s how Al-Siyabi plans to use her new materials. They’ll serve as a starting point as Al-Siyabi and her students conduct their own research.

“I would like to work with my students to apply some research-based practices in teaching children with disabilities,” she said. “We will use the data we collect to help us make recommendation on how we can provide good services for young children.”

"CEHHS Heads" Take 2nd Place in MHealthy Scavenger Hunt

L to R: Catherine, Karen & Raechel

On Wednesday, August 6, the CEHHS Heads - a staff team comprised of Karen Claiborne, Raechel Espinoza, and Catherine Parkins - earned 2nd place in the first annual UM-Dearborn MHealthy Scavenger Hunt.  Taking place on the central campus, teams had 45 minutes to decipher clues, reach specific destinations across campus, and take photo evidence that the group had visited the location.

The CEHHS Heads power-walked and sprinted from the organic community garden to the bridge over the Rouge River on the Henry Ford Estate grounds, and to most buildings on campus in order to complete the scavenger hunt.

Karen stands on her head!

At the event's conclusion, the CEHHS Heads found themselves in a three-way tie for 2nd place, which called for a physical challenge tie-breaker.  Karen recorded the fastest time with 7.2 seconds as she zoomed through the horizontal rope ladder to clinch 2nd place for the team!