With this unprecedented school year now behind us, many children are already beginning to ask what school will look like in the fall. Of course, we still don’t know, but “I don’t know” rarely satisfies little ones--especially if they’re experiencing anxiety and disorientation from the sudden change caused by the pandemic. If your child is asking questions and you’re not sure how to answer them, consider the following when having conversations about the fall:
Read MoreWe share 5 parent tested and recommended therapeutic sensory play items.
Read MoreThe Nora Project is seeking Nora Project teachers, parents, and students to contribute content to our newest Nora Notes blog series: Walk in My Shoes. This series will highlight the day-to-day experiences of people from all backgrounds, careers, and ages.
Read MoreAs parents and teachers, it falls to us to help our children understand what's going on in the world around them. The use of social stories can help children develop and refine their responses to a variety of situations that may seem overwhelming to them.
Read MoreAs an organization founded on dismantling oppressive, dehumanizing cultural narratives through empathy education, storytelling, and the power of childhood friendships, The Nora Project stands firmly in solidarity with the Black community in its fight for racial justice.
Read MoreDuring this time of COVID-19 restrictions, podcasts can be a fun way for everyone in your family to dive into new topics or expand their knowledge in an area of interest, while decreasing screen time and working on listening comprehension at the same time.
Read MoreCrip Camp beautifully follows the story of several former campers as they become Civil Rights activists, fighting for rights under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act and ultimately the passage of the paramount civil rights legislation--the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA)--decades later. To help you process this film, we created a watch guide that offers suggestions of places to pause the film and reflect. Download The Nora Project’s free watch guide below and then grab a friend, partner, or older (read: mature) child and head over to Netflix to watch Crip Camp.
Read MoreIf we are faced with a continuation of remote learning in the fall, how will we create strong classroom communities when students don’t have the same opportunities to come together in a physical space, to get to know each other in the unstructured moments of the school day, and to work together in close proximity? In this post, Katy explores the ways in which The Nora Project programs can contribute to this community-building process, whether learning is done remotely or face to face.
Read MoreThanks to a grant from The Arc of Illinois and the Council for Individuals with Developmental Disabilities, beginning on June 15th, The Nora Project will be launching a six-week program for 25 students with communication disabilities. Teaming up with the innovators at TippyTalk, we’ve created a program that will allow your child to send text messages to peers, family members, and anyone else their heart desires!
Read MoreOur TED Talk series continues this week with a talk by Elise Roy, a lawyer, artist, and human rights advocate. But in this talk, Elise sets herself apart as a design thinker - someone who approaches the world with a mindset of “how can I make this experience better for ALL people?”
Read MoreHere’s a checklist for creating a home learning plan for your child. It’s simple and straightforward and will set you and your child on a productive path forward.
Read MoreRight now, we need community action more than ever – and that looks different for all of us. YOU can be an ambassador for inclusion by registering for our course, helping to spread the word, or continuing to support the crucial work being done by organizations like Aspire and The Nora Project.
Read MoreWe’ve put together a handy discussion guide that will help you turn this viewing experience into an opportunity to reflect on the themes of friendship, empathy, and ableism that are so deftly represented for a young audience.
Read MoreThe best part of our Bags of Love is what will happen once we can hug everyone we love once again. After sharing a long awaited hug, we will be able to give them their bag full of cards, artwork, and other goodies to show them how many times we thought about them while we were apart.
Read MoreFor families parenting a child with disabilities, adding the roles of physical therapist, occupational therapist, speech therapist, etc., to an already overloaded plate can send you running to. . .well. . .where can you run?? Nowhere. You’re stuck at home with your full plate. But don’t worry--YOU CAN DO THIS!
Read MoreThe Nora Project Program Team has curated a list of TED Talks that connect with the themes of empathy, disability and difference, advocacy, and universal design.
Read MoreSeven days into social distancing, I broke down…I realized then that I needed to do something different, because we were in this for the long haul. Here’s how I found a path forward by focusing on family values, and how you can (and probably already are), too.
Read MoreEmpathy and inclusion are more important today than ever before. And so, we’re launching this blog, “Nora Notes,” to help teachers and parents (now also teachers) bring empathy back into focus.
Read MoreThe Program Team at TNP has been working extremely hard and very rapidly to reimagine our programs and develop modified materials and new content for our school participants as well as parents and families who find themselves in a new remote learning reality.
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