Creativity expert Sir Ken Robinson challenges the way we’re educating our children. He champions a radical rethink of our school systems, to cultivate creativity and acknowledge multiple types of intelligence.He argues that it’s because we’ve been educated to become good workers, rather than creative thinkers. Students with restless minds and bodies — far from being cultivated for their energy and curiosity — are ignored or even stigmatized, with terrible consequences. For an interactive transcript you can visit the TED website at: www.ted.com/talks/ken_robinson_says_schools_kill_creativity.html.

INFORMATION ON SIR KEN ROBINSON
(Bio excerpt taken from his website listed below)

Sir Ken Robinson, PhD is an internationally recognized leader in the development of education, creativity and innovation. He is also one of the world’s leading speakers with a profound impact on audiences everywhere. The videos of his famous 2006 and 2010 talks to the prestigious TED Conference have been seen by an estimated 200 million people in over 150 countries.

He works with governments in Europe, Asia and the USA, with international agencies, Fortune 500 companies and some of the world’s leading cultural organizations. In 1998, he led a national commission on creativity, education and the economy for the UK Government. All Our Futures: Creativity, Culture and Education (The Robinson Report) was published to wide acclaim in 1999. He was the central figure in developing a strategy for creative and economic development as part of the Peace Process in Northern Ireland, working with the ministers for training, education enterprise and culture. The resulting blueprint for change, Unlocking Creativity, was adopted by politicians of all parties and by business, education and cultural leaders across the Province. He was one of four international advisors to the Singapore Government for its strategy to become the creative hub of South East Asia.

For more information about Sir Ken Robinson, you can visit his website at: www.sirkenrobinson.com.

by Kelly Bothum of the News Journal

For the most part, kids don’t need much coaxing to go to the therapy services at All The Difference in Talleyville. The treatment rooms, with hanging ropes, swings and giant cushions under elevated loft areas, give the appearance of an indoor playground.

It’s the kind of place children can feel comfortable, whether it’s spinning around on a swing bolted to the ceiling, pushing heavy objects around the padded floor or creating their own obstacle course.

But the fun is with a purpose, said Kristina Stroh, co-founder and executive director at All The Difference, which provides occupational and speech therapies and other services for children with a variety of developmental needs.

At All The Difference, therapists encourage children to run, jump and explore — often with siblings in tow — with the idea that it can help children with sensory issues fine-tune their nervous system.

Stroh said the approach acknowledges that children are individuals and have their own ways of learning…

Read the rest of this article on delawareonline.com

This article appeared on delawareonline.com and in the News Journal on September 27th, 2011

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For more information, please visit their website: www.autisticlike.com

The following are quotations from the book The Child with Special Needs by Stanley I. Greenspan, M.D. and Serena Wieder, Ph.D. (1998). pg. 21-22:

• “Current diagnostic categories generally summarize a child’s symptoms, but often don’t tell us enough about the processes underlying a child’s challenges – how this child takes in, processes, and responds to information from the world.”
• “Children with the same label may be more different than they are alike and chldren with different lables may be more similar than they are different in terms of their underlying profiles.”
• “By grouping children into diagnostic categories that are too general, we may obscure the underlying biological processing differences related to their problems and gain no clues as to how to treat them.” This is what we aim to change!

Why All The Difference?
All The Difference, Inc., is a non-profit, corporation that seeks to evaluate, treat, and research sensory integration dysfunction as well as learning differences and disabilities in children in the Delaware area. Children do not receive the services of sensory integration therapy in their schools nor in the local children’s hospital, the largest outpatient therapy provider. When necessary, we integrate treatment including speech therapy, home based “floor time” therapy and occupational therapy to allow for the most individual growth possible. By working with children collectively we seek to leap frog off of one another, this allows each therapy to work off of the successes of the last. We also greatly believe in treating people with dignity and respect; something we all deserve and need so that we may reach our greatest potential. With continued research as well as publications in parent support magazines, families of children with these special needs are seeking out this specialized therapy for their children. There is a great need for pediatric therapy services that work with this ever growing segment of our population. And we are working hard to fill some of that need. We do everything with our senses – if they are not working; we are isolated and alone. Imagine a life like that! And better yet, we are learning how to treat these difficulties.

Additional information from the book The Child with Special Needs by Stanley I. Greenspan, M.D. and Serena Wieder, Ph.D. (1998). pg. 62:

• “Understanding your child’s sensory reactivity can help you decode some of her[/his] behavior, as behavior is often an attempt to cope or adapt to difficulties.”
• “Children [and adults!] pay attention better, communicate better, learn better, and are happier when their sensory needs are being met.”
• “Your efforts to accomodate your chld’s sensory needs and help her [/him] master a challenge will make a difference in her[/his] ability to enjoy your company and learn.”

Contact Us

The most discouraging aspect of our journey we soon found out, was that even though our child was receiving treatment from medical professionals, our “popular” insurance program would not pay one cent towards helping him. And paying a premium close to one thousand dollars per month, it was not easy to maintain even a modest standard of living. But helping our child was non-negotiable.

What my wife and I realized was that there are many people who aren’t even as fortunate as we are but need the help just as much as our son did. Hence, All The Difference was born. We are here to help parents who are in a similar situation; but don’t know where to turn. We at All The Difference, want to provide support, both emotionally, and financially. You can help and we ask you to help us provide that support to those families who’s sole hope, is to have a child that can look them in the eyes and say “mommy” or “daddy”. Please help us to help those who do not have the means to gain help for their children. Thank you.

Darren Stroh, father of Erik, our little blessing.

All The Difference, Inc. would like to thank all of the guests who attended our New England Style Clambake on October 2, 2010! You have each helped to make a difference with All The Difference. Thank you!

We would also like to thank Jake Greenspan, the Board Members of All The Difference, our wonderful volunteer staff (set up, event management, and clean up), the band members of Spokey Speaky, Justin Frohlic (guitarist), The Kohl’s Cares Team, and The Genthner Family (from Maine) for making such a memorable evening.

A very special thank you to: Jansenn’s Market, Trader Joes, The Sann Family, Premier Liquors, Richardson’s Garden Center, Penn Container, Restrooms Remembered, and the Pettinaro Family & Pettinaro Property Management for providing all of the special finishing touches.

We would also like to thank everyone for the donations to our wonderful cause. Without your support, none of this would be possible.