A Chance To Grow - Brain-Centered Therapy Services

  • Home
  • About
    • Mission
    • History
    • Board of Directors
    • Honorary Spaces
    • Impact Report
    • Contact
    • Bob's Legacy Fund
  • Programs & Services
    • Clinical Services >
      • Client Forms
      • Occupational Therapy
      • Speech Therapy
      • Neurofeedback
      • Audio-Visual Entrainment
      • Neuro Integrative Clinic >
        • Treatment Models
        • NI Clinic Pricing Model
      • Audiology Services >
        • Auditory Processing
        • Workshops
        • Auditory Interventions >
          • JIAS
          • CAPDOTS
          • Acoustic Pioneer
      • Vision Services
      • Vision Therapy
      • Insurance Payers
    • Home-Based / PCA's >
      • Get Started / Qualify
      • Waiver Services
      • Intake Form
      • Become a PCA
    • MLRC / S.M.A.R.T. >
      • S.M.A.R.T. Program >
        • How S.M.A.R.T. Works
        • S.M.A.R.T. at My School
        • S.M.A.R.T. Mentoring
        • S.M.A.R.T. Steps
        • Research & Resources
      • Workshops >
        • S.M.A.R.T. Elementary
        • S.M.A.R.T. Pre-K
        • Bridging The Gap
        • Auditory Processing Workshops
        • Hosting a Workshop
      • S.M.A.R.T. Supplies >
        • Downloads
    • School Services >
      • Third-Party Billing
      • Vision & Hearing Screenings
    • Turnquist Childcare >
      • Curriculum & Assessment
      • Teen Parent Program
      • Enrollment Forms
    • Summer Programs >
      • Advanced-Brain Summer Intensives
  • Parents
    • Helpful Resources
    • Share Your Story
  • Events
    • S.M.A.R.T. Workshops
    • Understanding The Distracted Mind
  • News & Media
    • Growing Times
    • S.M.A.R.T. Newsletter
    • Photo Release
  • Success Stories
  • Employment
  • Donate
    • Donate
    • Garden Of Hope
  • Store
    • Shipping & Returns
  • Home
  • About
    • Mission
    • History
    • Board of Directors
    • Honorary Spaces
    • Impact Report
    • Contact
    • Bob's Legacy Fund
  • Programs & Services
    • Clinical Services >
      • Client Forms
      • Occupational Therapy
      • Speech Therapy
      • Neurofeedback
      • Audio-Visual Entrainment
      • Neuro Integrative Clinic >
        • Treatment Models
        • NI Clinic Pricing Model
      • Audiology Services >
        • Auditory Processing
        • Workshops
        • Auditory Interventions >
          • JIAS
          • CAPDOTS
          • Acoustic Pioneer
      • Vision Services
      • Vision Therapy
      • Insurance Payers
    • Home-Based / PCA's >
      • Get Started / Qualify
      • Waiver Services
      • Intake Form
      • Become a PCA
    • MLRC / S.M.A.R.T. >
      • S.M.A.R.T. Program >
        • How S.M.A.R.T. Works
        • S.M.A.R.T. at My School
        • S.M.A.R.T. Mentoring
        • S.M.A.R.T. Steps
        • Research & Resources
      • Workshops >
        • S.M.A.R.T. Elementary
        • S.M.A.R.T. Pre-K
        • Bridging The Gap
        • Auditory Processing Workshops
        • Hosting a Workshop
      • S.M.A.R.T. Supplies >
        • Downloads
    • School Services >
      • Third-Party Billing
      • Vision & Hearing Screenings
    • Turnquist Childcare >
      • Curriculum & Assessment
      • Teen Parent Program
      • Enrollment Forms
    • Summer Programs >
      • Advanced-Brain Summer Intensives
  • Parents
    • Helpful Resources
    • Share Your Story
  • Events
    • S.M.A.R.T. Workshops
    • Understanding The Distracted Mind
  • News & Media
    • Growing Times
    • S.M.A.R.T. Newsletter
    • Photo Release
  • Success Stories
  • Employment
  • Donate
    • Donate
    • Garden Of Hope
  • Store
    • Shipping & Returns

s.m.a.r.t. newsletter - may 2025

5/7/2025

0 Comments

 

TIME SAVING TIPS

During your S.M.A.R.T. training, you learned all about the development of the visual system and the crucial role eye movements play in academic success.

Developing strong saccadic eye movements, the quick, simultaneous movements of both eyes, is essential for effective reading and academic success. These eye movements allow students to efficiently scan lines of text, move smoothly from word to word, and shift focus between different parts of a page without losing their place. Poor saccadic control can result in skipped words, line repetition, or slow reading speed, which can hinder comprehension and make learning more difficult. 

Strengthening these visual tracking skills supports better reading fluency, focus, and overall performance in the classroom. A great resource from a vision-centered program, Eye Can Learn, provides educators with this helpful download.
Picture
Download, print, and set out for visual efficiency practice in your classroom! ​

Click here to download.
0 Comments

s.m.a.r.t. spaces

5/6/2025

0 Comments

 
The end of the year is approaching. Motivation can be waning and enthusiasm for S.M.A.R.T. may be low. Perhaps it is time to schedule the S.M.A.R.T. Olympics!
Picture
Just as athletes have to practice and prepare for their events, your S.M.A.R.T. students can gain some excitement for S.M.A.R.T. by viewing it as practice for a classroom competition.

Need some ideas of how to create a S.M.A.R.T. Olympics in your classroom or gym?
Download some of these ideas to jumpstart your creativity!
​Download: S.M.A.R.T. Olympic Ideas
0 Comments

s.m.a.r.t. at home

5/6/2025

0 Comments

 
We love to continue learning. The more we learn, the more we have to share! We are thrilled to share a helpful interview from Dr. Dipesh Navsaria, a pediatrician with a special interest in reading. Please enjoy the following article and interview. 

This Doctor Has a Prescription for Creating Lifelong Readers

A brief blurb from the article sets up the content that we are sure you won’t be disappointed listening to…
​

“Watch my interview with Dr. Navsaria, or read the highlights below, to learn how shared reading contributes to kids’ flourishing—and why read-aloud time is valuable even when it’s squirmy, messy, and short. Plus, you’ll discover how to make the most of pediatrician’s visits and how to refer your child for early-intervention services if you think their development is lagging.”
0 Comments

one s.m.a.r.t. teacher

5/6/2025

0 Comments

 
The end of year finds us yearning to be outdoors more. Don’t forget the power of taking S.M.A.R.T. outside!

Your S.M.A.R.T. manuals from training contain a whole section of class where we talked about how to do many S.M.A.R.T. core activities out on your playground. You will find it in the section ‘S.M.A.R.T. Activities’ from day 2.
One S.M.A.R.T. Teacher Jessica applied the principles behind the S.M.A.R.T. activities and drew a “Final Countdown” space inspired chalk sensory path for her school in Minneapolis the last few weeks of school that gave every student an opportunity at recess to have some sensory input while feeling like it was good old fashioned fun in the sun.
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
If you want to see some incredible smiles, hear tons of laughs, and watch kids have a blast doing S.M.A.R.T., grab a friend or two, several sets of sidewalk chalk, and get creative!!!
0 Comments

s.m.a.r.t. newsletter - April '25

4/8/2025

0 Comments

 

s.m.a.r.t. spaces

Merrill, Wisconsin is home to a lively S.M.A.R.T. room utilized by many students each day.
Here is a photo shared with us that incorporates a little spring flare into the Hopscotch
​and Balance Beam activity.
Picture
These foam shapes (find them on Amazon under a quick search of “butterfly foam shapes”) are durable enough to last a week or two yet add to the novelty and engagement of students, causing them to keep doing the same activity they have been doing daily all year long.
 Remember, new and novel stimulate the brain. This is the time of year where you often see the greatest growth and change in the S.M.A.R.T. room! A little creative thinking and a new twist on a familiar activity keep this stimulation going and those neural connections strengthening.

​
0 Comments

s.m.a.r.t. (at home) and in the park!

4/8/2025

0 Comments

 
Build better brains while playing in the park! Parks offer a wide range of opportunities that stimulate our sensory systems and encourage gross motor movements. Here are some playground activities that the brain loves:
Swings!

Swinging brings balance to the brain. It produces a sense of calm. Sensory information is being sent to the brain through the vestibular and proprioceptive system. When on a swing, children can move front to back, side to side, and even around and around in a circle. 
Picture
These sensations help both systems mature and build our body awareness. Body awareness is the ability to understand where we are in space and how to move about through it. Having a good understanding of body awareness will help your child be able to sit comfortably while learning, stay focused on the lesson, and move about in a more coordinated way.
​

PS: They are gaining the ability to sit still during dinner too!
Picture


​Slides!

Slides give us great sensory input in the form of vestibular stimulation too. When we slide down, we feel that sense of acceleration. This fast sensation promotes the maturity of the vestibular system, allowing us to have a greater sense of control of our body.

​

Monkey Bars!

This piece of equipment is awesome for handwriting development. When children hang from the monkey bars, they are developing strength and dexterity in the muscles of their hands. Building strength in their upper body leads to more refined fine motor skills like handwriting.

When playing on the monkey bars, make sure your child is holding the bar with a motorcycle grip, with the thumb curling under and around the rung. 
Picture
This grip builds the foundation for holding a pencil properly, which means moving across the monkey bars is helping your child with writing skills!​

​So the next time you find yourself playing in the park with your children, know that you are making your child a S.M.A.R.T. child!

​Want more information? Check out the article "M is for Monkey Bars" written by child development expert Gill Connell.
0 Comments

time saving tips

4/8/2025

0 Comments

 
Our featured One S.M.A.R.T. Teacher inspired us to share thematic components to boost engagement and enthusiasm for S.M.A.R.T. during the time of spring fever!

This file includes a Tactile Tracker and two Overs and Unders sheets for you to use with your students.
​Download spring_vision_activities.pdf

Happy Spring!
Picture
0 Comments

one s.m.a.r.t. teacher

4/8/2025

0 Comments

 
Have you incorporated a theme into S.M.A.R.T. yet this year? Themes do not have to take a lot of prep!

Keep it CORE and choose just a few activities to add in a thematic component. Let’s do one together as an example. 

If you are using the PreK CORE guide, open up to page 110-111. Here is the Bugs, Bugs, Bugs theme. This will be a fun one for the students this time of year.

Let’s say we choose a Slap Track suggestion, a Pencil Roll idea, and a Tactile Tracker.

For the Slap Track, I am going to download these faded flower print cards (spring_flowers_creep_track_cards) to add a little variety and write some rhyming words on them. We have been working on long vowels so I am going to write the words bee, tree, see on them in an ABC pattern.
Picture
Picture
Next, I am going to add a bunch of paper worms to the Pencil Roll area for them to roll over. Here is a download you can use to save some time (worms.pdf). I am going to distribute them at a morning work station and have my student cut them out. Fine motor practice meets prep time!

Finally, I like the idea of the bees flying to the hive for a fun Tactile Trackers. Head over to the Time Saving Tips section of this newsletter to download a copy of this Tactile Tracker!

Reference:
  • SMART PreK CORE Program Guide pgs 110-111
0 Comments

one s.m.a.r.t. teacher

3/5/2025

0 Comments

 
When were you trained in S.M.A.R.T.? How is your S.M.A.R.T. journey going?
​

We often encounter teachers, specialists, and therapists who sign up to attend the S.M.A.R.T. workshop for a second time. Their response is always the same…”I am SO GLAD I came again.
​I learned so much more with having some S.M.A.R.T. implementation under my belt.”
​

At our last training, we met Kendy. Kendy is a seasoned kindergarten teacher who attended a workshop six years ago. Not only did she share valuable insights and creative ideas with her fellow colleagues during the training, she repeatedly shared how grateful she was to have gotten a chance to come a second time. 

When asked what made her want to attend the training again, Kendy replied: 
 “I have been using SMART in my classroom since 2019.  After changing districts and getting back to teaching kindergarten I started implementing many of the basic ideas into my new classroom.  When staff would ask me WHY I was using an activity, I couldn't always give them the hard core answer behind the WHY. Attending training with my PLC partner and refreshing this passion was key to loving my job everyday.”
The power in knowing the WHY behind what we are doing with the children we work with everyday causes us to be more intentional, more consistent, and more purposeful in our approach.

Kendy also shared what stood out to her the most this second time around:
“Understanding the activity and knowing how I used it in my classroom allowed me to listen more intently to how this affects the brain, the whole body, and how students can go back and fill in what is needed for higher level learning. Re-understanding how to look at the students in your class through a different mindset and lens. Opening my eyes as a grandparent and understanding how my own body needs movement in different ways as I grow older and smarter.”
Come train with us!
​
Reignite your passion for the program by joining an upcoming workshop—refresh your skills, gain new insights, and continue making a meaningful impact on your students' success!
click here to view upcoming workshops
Picture
Picture
Picture
0 Comments

time saving tips

3/4/2025

0 Comments

 
During a recent S.M.A.R.T. workshop, a group of teachers shared that tracking S.M.A.R.T. can be challenging as it is one of a hundred things they must manage each day in a classroom.
​
We hear you!
Picture
Picture
Day 3 of the workshop is all about implementation and setting up a movement environment. When this challenge was presented, we thought of a resource that might help. When we shared it with the group, the consensus was that having a student track activities on a chart like this would be a great visual to make sure S.M.A.R.T. was happening in an intentional way every day.
​
We would like to share this resource with you!

Download either of these versions to track your S.M.A.R.T. activities weekly:
  • Blank Checklist: s.m.a.r.t._weekly_checklist_-_blank.pdf
  • Checklist with Activities: s.m.a.r.t._weekly_checklist.pdf

We are so grateful when educators and professionals in a child-centered field ask for specific tools to help with S.M.A.R.T. implementation. If there is a resource you would love to have, please email us at [email protected]

We would be happy to do what we can to keep your program thriving!
0 Comments
<<Previous

    AuthorS

    Cheryl Smythe
    Director of Education Services at ACTG
    [email protected]

    Jessica Kittleson
    S.M.A.R.T. Mentor 

    [email protected]


      Subscribe

    Subscribe to Newsletter

    Archives

    May 2025
    April 2025
    March 2025
    February 2025
    January 2025
    December 2024
    November 2024
    October 2024
    September 2024
    May 2024
    April 2024
    March 2024
    February 2024
    January 2024
    December 2023
    November 2023
    October 2023
    August 2023
    December 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    October 2021
    August 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016

    RSS Feed

Our Mission is to promote the maximum development of the whole child and adult through innovative, individualized and comprehensive brain-centered programs and services.
Location & Contact Information
1800 NE 2nd Street, Minneapolis, MN 55418
(612) 789-1236 / [email protected]

Main Fax: (612) 706-5555
Fax for Home-Based Services: (612) 706-5509
Fax for Clinical Services: (612) 746-5144

Stay Informed
Sign-up for our newsletter and special offers!
Submit
Quick Links
Donate
Employment
​Store
Terms of Use
Nondiscrimination Policy
​Shipping & Returns
Privacy Policy
A Chance To Grow is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Gifts are tax-deductible. ACTG does not discriminate on the basis of race, sex, religion, age, disability, sexual orientation, or marital status.
​© 2023 A Chance To Grow, All rights reserved.