The students of the Lighthouse School of Ojai have had an exciting few weeks! Recently they have been learning about the art of Kung Fu from Sifu Tom Farrar of the Mountain Institute for Kung Fu and Tai Chi. The students have been learning not only the different moves and sets in Kung Fu, but also the history of the art of Kung Fu. They have also been learning how to use aspects of Tai Chi and meditation to calm their bodies and minds and help them focus on the tasks at hand. The students have found that the discipline and focus that is central to many martial arts can also help them in their academic classes and in working on their behavioral and social goals each day; they are able to better understand the perspectives of their classmates and instructors. This, in turn, allows them to modify their own behaviors, becoming better social thinkers in the process!
Today, the students also got the opportunity to visit the Sea Center at the Wharf in Santa Barbara, which is part of the Santa Barbara Natural History Museum. There the students were able to touch different types of sea animals in the touch tanks and learn about the different types of marine life found in the oceans. The students were also able to apply many of their Social Thinking techniques and skills, such as creating a group plan for their trip, demonstrating appropriate behaviors for different social situations, using their ‘people files’ to help them engage in meaningful conversations with their peers and instructors, and taking responsibility for their own choices and actions while on the field trip. The students are now off enjoying their spring breaks!
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