| How to Overcome a Hair Playing Addiction Posted: 22 Aug 2016 05:00 PM PDT You have been playing with your hair since kindergarten; but now you have decided you would like to stop. Various types of hair playing such as twirling, pulling, and putting it behind your ears are very common among children and some adults. Changing this behavior can be a challenge, especially if it has developed into a habit, or an addictive or compulsive behavior. Through facing the problem square-on, self-distraction, and using different accessories and hairstyles, you can overcome it. Having these tools at your disposal will help free yourself from this struggle. EditHandling Your Affliction - Stay alert and aware of your behaviors. You may be playing with your hair without realizing it.[1] If you are trying to change a behavior you must stay present and aware of all your behaviors. You have prepared yourself to make a change and now you have the opportunity to follow through with your intent and gain confidence. [2]
- Slowing down and limiting the number of tasks you try to simultaneously perform will help you improve your awareness.
- Tell yourself things like, "Okay now, remember I am wide awake and paying attention and I'm not going to play with my hair."
- Design a plan for change. Set a start date and identify all the action steps you will be taking to stop your habit. A well-laid plan will increase the likelihood of your success. You will have goals to achieve and ways to accomplish them.[3]
- Don't leave anything up to guess work. You know what you want, and if you don't know how to get it, you can and will figure it out.
- Determine the level of your affliction and need for help. Realize that playing with your hair is a common affliction, but it may have developed into an addiction. Most behaviors are measured on a continuum, which ranges from slight to moderate to severe addiction. If playing with your hair has become an uncontrollable habit that causes problems in your personal life, then perhaps it's time to do something about it.
 - Although you should rely upon a professional to render an official diagnosis, you can evaluate your behaviors and decide the level of care and action you would like to take. There may be instances when others may disagree with you and want you to take stronger action.
- On one end of the scale, you find mild cases that resolve on their own or require simple strategies to stop the habit.
- On the other end of the scale are conditions such as trichotillomania, a disorder that involves repeatedly pulling your hair out from your head, eyebrows or eyelashes. This extreme condition can leave a person with bald spots and skin irritations that interfere with daily life. This would affirm that you have an addiction and definitely need help to control or eliminate the behavior.[4]
- Extreme hair playing is often times associated with other disorders such as obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), depression and anxiety.[5] It may be necessary to seek treatment for these other conditions, which may result in solving your hair playing addiction.
- Seek professional help if you are struggling with making a change. There are multiple resources available to you through groups such as, the American Psychological Association[6] and the American Psychiatric Association.[7] Help is available and could be the best thing you've ever done for yourself.
- Introspection is the process of directly attempting to access your own internal processes.[8] When you figure out how and why you react the way you do to people and things around you, you will solve many personal struggles. Only you can do the work that it takes to find the answers to these questions. Analysis can be difficult, but it can put you on a clear path toward change.
- Getting the help you need is a brave and courageous thing to do. It will contribute to your desire to live a full and happy life. With the right tools, you can make that happen.
- Reward yourself when your plan is working. Every small success and large success is an accomplishment, and represents that change is happening. Identify those things that you find rewarding so you will be ready to celebrate. When you enjoy the intrinsic and extrinsic rewards of your hard work, it will motivate you to continue.[9]
- If you make it successfully through a particular event that would normally cause you to play with your hair, congratulate yourself. Even the smallest change is important to recognize.
EditDistracting Yourself - Find healthy distractions. When you feel the urge to play with your hair, redirect yourself. Select activities that require you to be focused, but not to the point that you lose awareness of your hair playing behavior. Activities such as reading, playing a video game, watching a movie, and writing may be activities that increase the likelihood of your hair playing. Playing a game outdoors or taking your dog for a walk can be great distractions.
- Some activities, thoughts and feelings may increase your urge to play with your hair. If you catch yourself immediately say, "Stop," then find a substitute activity. For example, if you are talking to someone and you start to play with your hair, grab a pen to hold, or even sit on your hands.[10]
- Observe the number of times you need to distract yourself from playing with your hair. This will help you understand the severity of your habit.[11] You will likely notice a high frequency in the beginning stages; but that leaves a lot of room for celebrating your improvements.
- Keep both hands busy to prevent you from playing with your hair. There are a lot of possibilities such as baking a cake, playing a sport, making something from metal or wood, frosting some cookies, shopping for clothing, building a rock garden, painting with both hands (give it a try), doing handstands, grooming your pet, or playing a musical instrument, etc.
- Not only will you stop playing with your hair, but you could have a lot of fun too.
- Find new and exciting things to do that you've never done before. Be adventurous. You may discover a new and rewarding interest.
- Worry stones may help you dispel the nervous energy that is causing you to play with your hair. These are smooth stones that are made for you to play with and rub. They have also been successfully used to help smokers deal with fidgeting as they quit smoking.[12] You can find them online or in some health or new age stores.
- Assess your anxiety or boredom levels. Playing with your hair can be a sign that you feel anxious or bored, which means it's important to deal with the cause rather than take it out on your hair. If you're feeling anxious, there are many calming techniques you could try. Talking to someone who will lend an ear, will help you process your feelings. If you are bored, then find a way to entertain yourself.
- Try meditation or yoga, which will help you focus on your breath and will teach you to be calm.[13]
- Find other soothing behaviors that will help you manage your anxiety. Simply talking to yourself (out loud or silently) in a positive way will help. Tell yourself, "I'm safe and I am taking care of myself and everything is going to be okay, and I don't need to play with my hair."[14]
- A sure cure for boredom is to get busy doing the things you need to do. Make a list and check off each item as you complete it.
EditUsing Hair Accessories - Wear fun and stylish hats. Making changes like this, even if temporary, could immediately help break the habit of hair playing and help in the long term as well. Essentially, this will block your hands from reaching the area on your head where you repeatedly play with your hair. There are many alternatives when it comes to hats. You may find that some styles fit you better than others. A knit cap may fit you better than a cowboy or baseball cap. Choose the ones that make you feel comfortable.
- Use hair bows and barrettes to style and control your hair. If you pin your hair down, then you won't be able to play with it. Place these accessories strategically to gather your hair, and pull or push it away from the area of concern. Get creative and you might just start the next new fashion trend in hair accessories.
- Cover your hair with a scarf or bandana. Completely covering your head will eliminate any chance of playing with your hair. Each time you touch the scarf or bandana, you will be reminded that you are trying to make a positive change. If you can withstand the urge to pull off the scarf or bandana, you will experience a significant amount of "play-free" time.
EditChanging Your Hair - Braid your hair to pull it away from your face. Simple changes, although temporary, help to break habits and assist in making long term changes in your behavior. If you can relocate strands of hair that can be played with, your hands won't find anything to do. This can trigger a mental reminder to stop trying to play with your hair. When you commit to braiding your hair, you can't play with it because it will loosen and ruin the braid.
- A ponytail or bun will work well. Keeping it off your shoulders and away from swinging in your face will remove the temptation to play.
- Hair stylists can help you find a style that will keep temptation to a minimum.[15] In particular, keeping the hair off your face, out of reach, or styled using a lot of hair product will prevent unwanted hair playing. The desire to keep your hairstyle looking its best can be enough to stop you.
- Cut your hair. If a shorter or more layered look is what you want, then make the change. Shaving your hair would be extreme; but if you like the look of it, you might love it.
- There are charitable organizations that use donated hair to make wigs for cancer patients who have lost hair due to chemotherapy. You can donate your hair to this type of program, which will help others and help you as well.[16]
- Color your hair. A simple change in color might be exciting. It can make you feel better about yourself, or see yourself in a more positive way. A change in scenery might be just want you need to get motivated.
- If the "new you" wants to stop playing with her hair, pick a new hair color and create a new picture for the world to see. It could be quite a cathartic experience.[17]
- Be kind to yourself. Change can be difficult.
- Reassure yourself that your hair looks great.
- Stay in the present moment to avoid mentally wandering into unwanted behavior.
- Excessive hair playing may lead to permanent hair loss and other skin related conditions.
- Addictions of any kind should be monitored and taken seriously.
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| How to Calm an Autistic Child Posted: 22 Aug 2016 09:00 AM PDT Autistic children are often overstimulated by things like touch, sound and light. They can also become overwhelmed and frustrated by unexpected events, such as changes in routine.[1] Because autistic children often struggle to understand or communicate their experiences, they may throw severe tantrums, sometimes referred to as meltdowns. During a meltdown, a child may scream, flail wildly, destroy property, or even respond violently to others. Autistic children can frequently become agitated, so it is important parents now how to calm them down. Every child is different so try several techniques to find the ones that work best for your child. EditPreventing and Dealing with Meltdowns - Figure out what triggered the meltdown. Finding the cause can help you keep them away from whatever is upsetting them. This is important in calming an autistic child. Observe your child and try to figure out the triggers for certain behaviors. If a parent or guardian is aware of the child's triggers, they may be able to avoid it.
- Keep a notebook to record the child's common triggers will help you to prevent triggering meltdowns. You might also consider using a smartphone app to log meltdowns and their causes.
- Some common triggers for meltdowns in autistic children are changes or disruptions in their normal routine, overstimulation, frustration and communication difficulties.[2]
- Meltdowns are different from tantrums. Tantrums are thrown on purpose, as a power play, and will stop once you give in. Meltdowns occur when an autistic person becomes so stressed that they cannot control themselves, and they feel powerless and will not stop until it has run its course.
- Stick to a routine. When there is a routine to be followed, the child can predict what will happen next. This helps to keep the child calm.[3]
- Illustrated schedules can help the child visually see the routine for the day or week.
- If you know that there will be changes to the routine on a given day, make sure you take the time to prepare your child. Talk to them beforehand and communicate these changes clearly and patiently.
- When introducing your child to a new environment, it best if you do it when there is less stimuli. This means bringing your child at a time when there is less noise or fewer people.
- Communicate clearly with your child. Verbal communication is a source of frustration for many autistic children. Talk patiently, respectfully, and enunciate clearly.
- Avoid shouting or adopting an aggressive tone, as it may worsen the tantrum.[4]
- If verbal communication is difficult for your child, try communicating through pictures or other forms of AAC.[5]
- Remember that communication goes both ways. Always listen to your child, and make it clear that you value and respect what they have to say. Ask them questions if you need clarification to prevent frustration-related meltdowns.
- Distract the child if you suspect the cause is emotional/psychological. When your child is upset, you can sometimes calm them down by diverting their attention. Try playing enthusiastically with a favorite toy, watching a favorite video, or listening to a favorite song. If possible, involve their special interests.
- Distraction won't always work. For example, questions about your sister's rock collections might distract from her fears about getting a flu shot, but it won't fix things if her problem is that her dress seam feels like fire ants on her skin.
- Once the child is calm again, it is a good idea to talk to them about what made them angry or stimulated them in the first place. Ask them what happened and work together to find ways to prevent it from reoccurring.[6]
- Change the child's surroundings. Your child may be upset because they are hypersensitive and overstimulated. When this happens, it's a good idea to simply bring the child to a different environment, or to change the environment (e.g. turning off loud music), to reduce overstimulation.
- For example, if your child finds fluorescent lights, it is better to take your child to a room with alternative lighting, rather than forcing the child to put up with it.
- If the child is in a location where the environment cannot easily be changed, take precautions. For example, you could give your child sunglasses (to prevent hypersensitivity to light) or earplugs (to drown out noise) to wear in public places. Brainstorm precautions with your child.
- Give your child some space. Sometimes, children just need time before they feel ready to re-engage.[7] Try letting them sit for awhile to calm down, usually in any area with limited sensory stimuli.
- Consider safety. Never leave a young child alone and unsupervised, or lock someone in a room.[8] Make sure the child is safe and able to leave if they want.
- After the meltdown, discuss it with your child. Use a solution-based approach: instead of blaming or punishing your child, talk about ways to prevent meltdowns and better cope with stress.[9] Try talking about:
- What the child believes caused the meltdown (Listen patiently).
- How similar situations can be avoided in the future.
- More effective coping strategies (taking a break, counting, using deep breaths, asking to leave, etc.).
- An escape plan to end future tantrums.
EditCalming the Child Using Deep Pressure - Apply deep pressure. Autistic children frequently have sensory processing differences, which can be stressful or even painful. Applying deep pressure causes muscles to relax.[10]
- Try wrapping your child snugly in a blanket or lay several blankets across them. The weight of the blankets will create soothing pressure, but be sure not to cover their face to prevent interfering with breathing.
- You can order or create tools designed to provide deep pressure online. Weighted blankets, toys, vests, and lap pads are all possibilities.
- Give your child a deep pressure massage. Massage is a good way for you to interact with your child, while applying deep pressure, which may strengthen the parent-child relationship.[11] Position the child between your legs. Cup your hands on the child's shoulders and apply pressure. Then, move your hands slowly over their arms and shoulders.
- If you do not feel comfortable, consider asking a massage therapist for tips. Or, ask someone you know who gives really good back rubs.
- Try a pillow press. A pillow press is done by positioning the child on a soft surface such as a pillow or a couch cushion. Let the child lie or sit down, then use a second pillow or cushion to apply deep pressure to the torso, arms and legs in a slow pulsating manner.
- Never cover the child's face to prevent accidental suffocation.
EditCalming the Child Using Vestibular Stimulation Exercises - Understand how vestibular stimulation exercises work. The vestibular system contributes to balance and sense of spatial orientation. Vestibular exercises help to calm the child down using swinging or rocking motions.[12]
- Repetitive motions sooth and refocus the child's attention on their physical sensation.
- Swing back and forth. Place the child in a swing and gently push them. Adjust the swinging speed, slowing down or speeding up, until your child is calm. If swinging seems to make things worse, stop.
- It may be a good idea to install an indoor swing to best incorporate technique.[13] This can be accessed no matter what the weather is.
- Some children can swing themselves. In this case, gently suggest they go to their swing.
- Twirl the child in a chair. Spinning is a stimulating vestibular exercise.[14] This activity will likely stop a meltdown by diverting attention from the trigger and redirecting it to physical sensation.
- Office chairs tend to work best because they swivel easily.
- Make sure the child is firmly seated and spin the chair slowly to avoid injury.
- Some children will prefer to leave their eyes open, while others may close them.
- Speak in a calm, soothing tone.
- Acknowledge and address your own feelings of frustration to avoid taking them out on your child.
- Engage regularly with teachers and other caregivers to provide consistency.
- Approach your child cautiously if they are flailing or throwing things, or if they might feel cornered. They might accidentally hurt you.
- If you are concerned your child may hurt themselves or others, or if you become overwhelmed and don't know what to do, ask another caregiver for help.
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| How to Prepare To Teach a Course Posted: 22 Aug 2016 01:00 AM PDT Teaching a course at any level requires knowledge, authority and the ability to anticipate and answer questions. Your students will expect to learn things they did not know, and to attain the tools necessary to continue learning in whatever subject you are teaching. You may be teaching in front of a few students, in a large lecture hall or online. Whatever the case, you should prepare to teach a course by determining its learning objectives, developing a syllabus, and making lesson plans. EditDeveloping a Syllabus - Establish your goals for the course. Having clear objectives for your course will help you know exactly what to teach, and will help your students realize what they should be learning.[1] Objectives are meant to give you a way of measuring whether you and the course have achieved what you need to.[2] Think about:[3]
- Who are your students?
- What curricular needs do they and/or your department have?
- What would you like students to have achieved by the end of the course?
- Include a statement of learning goals on your syllabus. Write out a set of learning goals for your course (using action verbs) and include it as one of the first sections on your syllabus. You don't need to have a great number of learning goals for your course; including a few well-thought out goals is best. You don't have to only teach what is included in your stated goals, but they will serve as a guide. Some examples of learning goals used in actual courses are:[4]
- Demonstrate the ability to read, evaluate and interpret general economic information.
- Apply research methods in psychology, including design, data analysis, and interpretation to a research project.
- Communicate effectively in an oral presentation.
- Formulate a well-organized argument supported by evidence.
- Identify major figures and ideas in peace movements from around the world.
- Think about how you will assess if students are learning.[5][6] Once you have developed a set of learning goals, you will want to make sure your students are meeting them. Typically, you will determine this based on how students perform on the assignments you provide, but there are other options as well. You will want to write a more or less detailed description of assignments/assessment tools to include in your syllabus. Some typical ways of assessing learning include:
- Quizzes and exams
- Learning activities (fill in the blank, practice equations, etc.)
- Presentations
- Writing assignments (essays, research papers, etc.)
- Portfolios that gather and introduce a collection of finished work
- Self-reflective exercises (ask students to describe what they have learned from the course)
- Develop rubrics for your assignments. In order to determine how a student is performing on any given assignment, you'll want a rubric. Rubrics help you measure student achievement by comparing it to certain levels that you've set. Most rubrics operate on a points or letter-grade scale, such as A/B/C etc. A rubric has four components:[7]
 - A description of the task. This should be a clear set of instructions about what you are asking students to do, such as write an analytical essay or conduct a scientific experiment.
- Characteristics you will be rating. These are the skills, knowledge, or behavior that you will be observing and grading. For example, you might measure clarity of language for an essay or use of the scientific method for an experiment. Usually, these are listed in rows on the left of the rubric sheet.
- Levels of mastery. These levels measure how well the student displays the rated characteristics. You can use names (e.g., Exceeds expectations/Meets expectations/Below expectations) or grades (A, B, C, etc). Usually, these are listed in columns across the rubric sheet.
- Description of each characteristic at each level of mastery. This will explain what each characteristic looks like at each level of mastery. For example, you might say something like "Student has fewer than 5 grammatical errors" for an "A" level of mastery in "clarity of language."
- You can find many samples of rubrics online,[8] or you can ask fellow instructors in your department to share theirs with you.
- Consider course policies. Aside from teaching the content of a particular course and giving assignments, you will also need to articulate expectations and requirements for managing the course. Consider, for instance:[9]
 - Will students be required to purchase textbooks or other materials? Or will they be optional? How will you ensure that course materials are affordable? Will students have to purchase materials all at once, or can they stagger the purchases throughout the term?
- What will your grading policy be? Your institution, department, or supervisor might require a certain grading policy. If not, you will have to determine how different components of a course will factor into a student's overall grade or evaluation.
- Will you accept late or incomplete assignments? Will you allow students to resubmit assignments on which they did not perform well?
- Is attendance required in your course? If so, how will you keep track of it, and evaluate it? If it is not required, how will you ensure that students are meeting your learning goals?
- Will you allow students to use electronic devices (laptops, tablets, smartphones, etc.) in class? Not at all? Only at certain times?
- How will you accommodate students who may have special needs? Many institutions have an office dedicated to this concern; if you are not sure if yours has one, ask your supervisor about it. This office may even require that you include an accommodation statement on your syllabus, so check with your department.
- Draft a course schedule.[10] Figure out how many weeks and class meeting there are for your course in a given term, and sketch out a basic calendar. Decide which topics, readings, concepts or activities will be covered each session. In addition, schedule examinations, when assignments are due, and any other important dates. You can modify your schedule later, if you need to, but always think about how to schedule your course to help students meet your learning objectives.
- For instance, you might plan to cover more complex topics and assignments later in the term.
- Likewise, you might schedule activities early in the term that help you see how prepared students are for the course, and to identify any areas that might need special attention.
- Think about scheduling assignments and activities at a pace students can handle. For instance, you might not want to assign a major assignment immediately before or after a major examination.
- Remember to block out holidays or other days on which your school is closed. Nothing is worse than working out a beautiful syllabus only to find out that you have scheduled an exam for a holiday.
- Write a version of your syllabus. The specific components of a syllabus, as well as the order in which they appear, will vary based on the course and/or institutional requirements. However, syllabi commonly include sections on:[11]
- Basic information (course title and/or number, meeting times, office hours, contact information)
- A course description
- Learning goals
- Materials (books or other supplies required for the course, and/or a list of helpful resources)
- Requirements (examinations, writing assignments, presentations, participation, etc.)
- Grading/evaluation policy
- Course management policies (attendance, use of technology, etc.)
- Statement on accommodation
- Statement of honor code (describing expectations to combat plagiarism, for instance)
- Schedule of class meetings, examinations, assignments, and other significant dates.
EditCreating a Lesson Plan - Determine your learning objective(s) for each particular class session. Just as your course as a whole has several broad learning objectives, defined on your syllabus, each lesson plan should outline specific goals. If you have designed your syllabus and course schedule well, this should not be too difficult. Think about:[12]
- What is the day's topic? (reading, concept, method, etc.)
- What do you want students to learn?
- What do you want students to be able to do or understand at the end of class?
- Think about how to manage your class time. Your lesson plan should incorporate an amount of activity that is appropriate for the time allotted for the class. Don't try to do too much, but also make sure that class time is used effectively.[13]
- Some find it helpful to write out a rough timeline for each lesson. For instance: "We will spend 10 minutes on activity A, then 20 minutes on activity B…."
- Prioritize activities and/or learning objectives. Place those that you definitely want to cover with students early on in the lesson. If there are others that are optional or could be omitted if you are pressed for time, place them near the end of the lesson plan.
- Set an introduction, middle, and end.[14] You can help students understand the information given in a lesson if you preview it for them beforehand, then summarize it afterwards.
- Try giving students a brief introduction at the start of class that explains what you will cover that day (activities, key points, concepts, etc.).
- After covering the material of a lesson in the middle of a class, close by summarizing what you have done in the session. This helps students retain information. You can also ask students to self-reflect on what they have learned in a discussion or written form.
- Write out the lesson plan, if desired. You don't have to write down your lesson plan if you don't want. Even if you do, it doesn't need to be a lengthy document. Whether it is written or just "in your head," just make sure that your lesson plan outlines learning objectives in a way that is effective for you and your students.
- Be ready to alter your lesson plan. Your lesson plan doesn't have to be fixed. If you notice that a particular activity isn't working well, for instance, you can move on to something else. Alternatively, if it seems that students want to or need to spend more time on a particular topic or activity, you can do so. Be flexible with your lesson plan, as long it helps to meet your learning objectives.
EditManaging Your Course - Talk to other instructors about your course. You can learn a lot about teaching by discussing ideas with other instructors. Talking to instructors who have taught the same or similar courses can help you when you are planning your syllabus and lesson plans. You can also gain ideas from them throughout the term.
- Learn who your students are. You don't need to become best friends with your students. Knowing something about their backgrounds, interests, and future plans, however, can help you teach them more effectively. If you are familiar with your students, you can foster an inclusive classroom environment.[15] Likewise, students are more likely to be engaged in a course if they feel that their instructor understands and cares about them.
 - You can ask students to fill out a brief survey at the beginning of a course that describes any of the following: their background, reason for choosing the course, similar courses taken, interests, etc. You can also meet with students individually in office hours to get to know them.
- Model diversity and inclusiveness for students by accounting for multiple points of view on a given topic. For instance, if you are teaching "American Literature," make sure that the course acknowledges a range of perspectives, including those of Native American, European, African, and Asian descent as well as other heritages and perspectives, such as LGBTQ writers. You could do this by including a wide variety of readings, for instance.
- Don't assume that students will contact you if they have problems or questions about a course. They might be busy with other courses or work obligations, or be unsure of how to approach you. Be proactive and ask students frequently if they have questions or concerns.
- Have high expectations for all your students. If you expect that they can and will succeed, they are more likely to. Identify those students that need more assistance, and work to provide it. Don't assume that a student from a certain background will or will not succeed just because of that background.
- Don't assume that all members of a group will share the same opinion. Respect your students as individuals.
- Have a reasonable policy for accommodating students who will be absent for religious or cultural events, services, and holidays.
- Don't assume that students who don't participate much don't care about your course. Some students are shy or unaware of how to participate. Identify these students and work with them to develop ways they can be engaged in your course.
- Keep in touch with your students. You will want to make sure that students can contact you throughout the term, including outside of class hours. Email is a good option, but it is also a good idea to keep regular office hours where students can visit with you and ask any questions about the course or assignments.[16]
- If you are teaching an online course, you can either keep office hours (if you have a physical office students can easily visit), or virtual office hours via video conference, email, a forum, etc. Instructors teaching traditional courses can also make use of virtual office hours, if they like.
- You can find lots of sample syllabi online, especially by searching on institutional websites.[17]
- Many institutions have centers devoted to teaching and learning. If yours has one, contact it for assistance in preparing and managing a course.
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