By Massachusetts Down Syndrome Congress (MDSC) | www.mdsc.org

Congratulations to all our incredible 2016 MDSC Award Winners: 

Heather Hegedus (Fox 25)- Media Award
Julie Messina (3-21 Foundation) – Educator Award
Susanna Peyton & John Campbell – Leadership Award
Melanie Perkins McLaughlin – Allen Crocker Award of Excellence
Market Basket’s Arthur T. Demoulas (represented by Dan Riley and Gary Sessa) – Employer of the Year Award
Gillian & Fran Callaghan – Leadership Award (Not present)

Your work and your speeches yesterday epitomize our mission, our community and our 2016 theme ‪#‎iBelieve‬.

https://www.facebook.com/massdscongress/posts/10154043852803200

By World Down Syndrome Day | worlddownsyndromeday.org

In honor of World Down Syndrome Day, the National Down Syndrome Congress and six other national Down syndrome organizations are promoting “Random Acts of Kindness” in the United States.

In collaboration with Down Syndrome Affiliates in Action, Global Down Syndrome Foundation, International Down Syndrome Coalition, International Mosaic Down Syndrome Association, Lumind Foundation and National Down Syndrome Society, we have created a toolkit for WDSD 2015 that you can use to share information about Down syndrome with your community, celebrate people with Down syndrome, and spread a little love and kindness in the name of Down syndrome!

It’s as easy as 1-2-3-4!

1. On March 21st, wear a t-shirt that says something about Down syndrome (your NDSC Convention t-shirt is a great option!)
2. Choose an act of kindness, like taking cookies to a fire station, or checking in on an elderly neighbor (we have a list of suggestions to help get you started!)
3. Print a WDSD postcard and give it out or place it with your Random Act.
4. Take pictures of the random act and post on your social media pages with the hashtag #WDSD15. We’ll have people on the receiving end of our kindness, and the whole world watching on Facebook and Twitter.

Let’s make this the biggest, best World Down Syndrome Day yet!

How will you celebrate World Down Syndrome Day 2015?

By Michelle Garcia Winner | socialthinking.com

Question: I was wondering if you could help me explain some of the language you teach.  I am having some trouble with the teachers I am working with wanting to use the language “expected and unexpected.”  I have utilized many consultation tactics and they still are using the language “appropriate and inappropriate.”  I am trying to think outside the box a little and thought maybe if the explanation came from you, they would understand the terminology better.

Our Response:

Historically there is a tendency to think we can teach students to learn social behavior by setting behavioral expectations and then simply telling them what we expect from them or telling them when we are disappointed in their behavior. To this end, professionals and parents, upon noticing a student doing an undesired behavior, will tell the student, “That’s inappropriate.” Rarely do you hear teachers telling students their behaviors are “appropriate.”  When we interpret the meaning behind the use of the phrase “That’s inappropriate,” we usually find it is used in a manner that reflects the speaker is disappointed in the student if not upset with him or her. Therefore it is used to scold and redirect rather than to teach.

https://www.socialthinking.com/Articles?name=Why+do+We+Use+the+Expected-Unexpected+Social+Thinking+Vocabulary+Article