Current and Upcoming learning opportunities:
Spring and Summer 2020 ONLINE
Weekly Groups: Using Dramatic Play and Art Activities to Build and Strengthen Social Skills
Enrollment for our K-5 Spring and Summer 2020 ONLINE social clubs is in full-swing right now! We are excited to welcome new students and welcome back returning students who want to keep growing and expanding their skills. We are happy to (1) share information about how our program works, (2) think with you about supporting your child's social-emotional development, and/or (3) set up an ONLINE no-fee, play-based assessment if we agree that is the right next step. Please call us to connect: (415) 824-2248
Individual Social Coaching is also available. Individual coaching helps older students (middle school, high school, college and beyond) who: (1) Prefer the privacy and individual attention they get from one-to-one instruction with a coach, (2) Want to refine their social skills now while they are wait-listed for enrollment in a group, or (3) Want to combine individual learning with group learning to accelerate their progress. Call now if you are interested in learning more about our unique approach to one-to-one coaching: (415) 824-2248
FAQs about our unique approach to teaching social confidence and competence:
What is the Creative Arts Social Club?
CASC ("Casey") is an art- and drama-based social learning program. In our weekly social “clubs,” small groups of girls or boys receive direct social skills instruction that is immediately practiced and reinforced in hands-on, experiential learning activities.
What do kids do at the Creative Arts Social Club?
In our social clubs, students work, play and create together weekly. We use dramatic play, improvisation and group storytelling methods to teach effective interpersonal strategies and increase each student’s ability to read and respond to social cues. Our building and art activities teach collaboration, cooperation and successful participation in a shared group experience.
Friendship-building concepts are interwoven throughout all creative activities. Every session is unique, and designed specifically for your child’s group. We do not rely on someone else's pre-set curriculum. We create your child’s lesson plan every week based on which social learning concepts his/her group is showing us they need to focus on, explore and put into practice right now.
Why do we use drama and art to teach social skills?
Group art and drama activities are (1) highly engaging and appealing to students, and (2) require cooperation and collaboration. Collaboration, by its very nature, calls on participants to practice and refine their interpersonal skills. Every week, your child receives direct instruction about specific social skills, then immediately puts these concepts into practice in a facilitated group experience where successes are reinforced and missteps are corrected in empowering, positive ways.
Who will teach my child?
Jahna Pahl, MA, designs and conducts all of our prosocial learning groups and individual coaching sessions: "I am an extensively trained, highly experienced social learning specialist and drama therapist whose focus with your child is to develop and refine their social skills with peers. I created our unique CASC teaching model based on my many years of experience working with groups and individuals and my advanced training in social-emotional education, drama therapy and theater arts."
When/Where are groups conducted?
Spring and Summer 2020 ONLINE
Weekly Groups: Using Dramatic Play and Art Activities to Build and Strengthen Social Skills
Enrollment for our K-5 Spring and Summer 2020 ONLINE social clubs is in full-swing right now! We are excited to welcome new students and welcome back returning students who want to keep growing and expanding their skills. We are happy to (1) share information about how our program works, (2) think with you about supporting your child's social-emotional development, and/or (3) set up an ONLINE no-fee, play-based assessment if we agree that is the right next step. Please call us to connect: (415) 824-2248
Individual Social Coaching is also available. Individual coaching helps older students (middle school, high school, college and beyond) who: (1) Prefer the privacy and individual attention they get from one-to-one instruction with a coach, (2) Want to refine their social skills now while they are wait-listed for enrollment in a group, or (3) Want to combine individual learning with group learning to accelerate their progress. Call now if you are interested in learning more about our unique approach to one-to-one coaching: (415) 824-2248
FAQs about our unique approach to teaching social confidence and competence:
What is the Creative Arts Social Club?
CASC ("Casey") is an art- and drama-based social learning program. In our weekly social “clubs,” small groups of girls or boys receive direct social skills instruction that is immediately practiced and reinforced in hands-on, experiential learning activities.
What do kids do at the Creative Arts Social Club?
In our social clubs, students work, play and create together weekly. We use dramatic play, improvisation and group storytelling methods to teach effective interpersonal strategies and increase each student’s ability to read and respond to social cues. Our building and art activities teach collaboration, cooperation and successful participation in a shared group experience.
Friendship-building concepts are interwoven throughout all creative activities. Every session is unique, and designed specifically for your child’s group. We do not rely on someone else's pre-set curriculum. We create your child’s lesson plan every week based on which social learning concepts his/her group is showing us they need to focus on, explore and put into practice right now.
Why do we use drama and art to teach social skills?
Group art and drama activities are (1) highly engaging and appealing to students, and (2) require cooperation and collaboration. Collaboration, by its very nature, calls on participants to practice and refine their interpersonal skills. Every week, your child receives direct instruction about specific social skills, then immediately puts these concepts into practice in a facilitated group experience where successes are reinforced and missteps are corrected in empowering, positive ways.
Who will teach my child?
Jahna Pahl, MA, designs and conducts all of our prosocial learning groups and individual coaching sessions: "I am an extensively trained, highly experienced social learning specialist and drama therapist whose focus with your child is to develop and refine their social skills with peers. I created our unique CASC teaching model based on my many years of experience working with groups and individuals and my advanced training in social-emotional education, drama therapy and theater arts."
When/Where are groups conducted?
ONLINE: During the COVID-19 crisis, we are meeting online on weekdays. We are finding that the consistency and structure of our weekly meetings are helping our students navigate these uncharted stay-at-home waters.
IN-PERSON: Our Learning Studio is located in The Ogden Building on Mercer Island (closest to I-90 Exit 8):
9311 SE 36th Street, Suite 118
Mercer Island, WA 98040
(415) 824-2248
[email protected]
AFTER-SCHOOL PEER LEARNING GROUPS: MON - FRI, after school
For Children entering K through 5th Grade: 55 minutes (one class each week) to build skills within a small group (2-4 students) of learning-compatible peers. Parents learn about their child's participation and progress during individual feedback calls during the Fall and Spring Learning Cycles.
INDIVIDUAL COACHING/SKILL-BUILDING: MON-FRI, by appointment
For Children, Adolescents and Adults: 50 minutes of 1:1 social coaching weekly. Parents are invited to share insights and updates about their child's social successes and struggles to inform what they work on with their coach during the Learning Cycle.
IN-PERSON: Our Learning Studio is located in The Ogden Building on Mercer Island (closest to I-90 Exit 8):
9311 SE 36th Street, Suite 118
Mercer Island, WA 98040
(415) 824-2248
[email protected]
AFTER-SCHOOL PEER LEARNING GROUPS: MON - FRI, after school
For Children entering K through 5th Grade: 55 minutes (one class each week) to build skills within a small group (2-4 students) of learning-compatible peers. Parents learn about their child's participation and progress during individual feedback calls during the Fall and Spring Learning Cycles.
INDIVIDUAL COACHING/SKILL-BUILDING: MON-FRI, by appointment
For Children, Adolescents and Adults: 50 minutes of 1:1 social coaching weekly. Parents are invited to share insights and updates about their child's social successes and struggles to inform what they work on with their coach during the Learning Cycle.
How big are the groups?
Our groups are small and focused: Usually between 2-4 students whom we have assessed individually and brought together because their social learning needs and learning styles are compatible. This intimate class size allows us to provide a safe, supportive environment and time and attention for every child.
Do you work with individuals?
Yes.
For Children: Some students are not ready for a group social learning experience; they can benefit from one-to-one coaching to build their social understanding and develop group-readiness.
For Adolescents: "Older" students (middle- and high-schoolers) respond to the privacy and individual attention 1:1 coaching provides. Often, they are more comfortable opening up about their social stresses and struggles when they are away from the influence of peer presence.
For Adults: We provide 1:1 social coaching to increase your social awareness, understanding, confidence and skills. We aim to increase your understanding about the nuances of social interactions between adults and how the rules for social behavior change from one social setting to the next. Our approach is educational, not psychotherapeutic. If you wish or we feel you will benefit from clinical support, we will provide referrals.
On what basis are students grouped together?
We assess every student interested in our clubs to understand their current level of (1) perspective-taking ability,
(2) social functioning, (3) language skills, and (4) temperament. Experiencing your child in these four focus areas allows us to make an informed, meaningful placement with fellow learning-compatible students. If we have an opening in a group that is a good learning fit for your child, we will invite him/her to enroll. If we feel we don’t currently have a group that will be a productive learning-match, we may recommend individual skill-building sessions. We want everyone seeking services to receive services, so we will waitlist your child and keep in touch as new groups form at CASC, and/or provide you with referrals to other social learning services we endorse.
To learn more or begin the enrollment process today:
Call to schedule some telephone time, so we can think about your child together and decide whether an assessment and/or skill-building sessions are the right next step. Space is limited and groups fill quickly, so call soon. We look forward to hearing from you!
Jahna Pahl, Seattle/Eastside: (415) 824-2248
Our groups are small and focused: Usually between 2-4 students whom we have assessed individually and brought together because their social learning needs and learning styles are compatible. This intimate class size allows us to provide a safe, supportive environment and time and attention for every child.
Do you work with individuals?
Yes.
For Children: Some students are not ready for a group social learning experience; they can benefit from one-to-one coaching to build their social understanding and develop group-readiness.
For Adolescents: "Older" students (middle- and high-schoolers) respond to the privacy and individual attention 1:1 coaching provides. Often, they are more comfortable opening up about their social stresses and struggles when they are away from the influence of peer presence.
For Adults: We provide 1:1 social coaching to increase your social awareness, understanding, confidence and skills. We aim to increase your understanding about the nuances of social interactions between adults and how the rules for social behavior change from one social setting to the next. Our approach is educational, not psychotherapeutic. If you wish or we feel you will benefit from clinical support, we will provide referrals.
On what basis are students grouped together?
We assess every student interested in our clubs to understand their current level of (1) perspective-taking ability,
(2) social functioning, (3) language skills, and (4) temperament. Experiencing your child in these four focus areas allows us to make an informed, meaningful placement with fellow learning-compatible students. If we have an opening in a group that is a good learning fit for your child, we will invite him/her to enroll. If we feel we don’t currently have a group that will be a productive learning-match, we may recommend individual skill-building sessions. We want everyone seeking services to receive services, so we will waitlist your child and keep in touch as new groups form at CASC, and/or provide you with referrals to other social learning services we endorse.
To learn more or begin the enrollment process today:
Call to schedule some telephone time, so we can think about your child together and decide whether an assessment and/or skill-building sessions are the right next step. Space is limited and groups fill quickly, so call soon. We look forward to hearing from you!
Jahna Pahl, Seattle/Eastside: (415) 824-2248