The Mystic Hand Sandwich
Mystic Pizza is a coming of
age film from 1988. The title of the
film was based on a pizza shop in Mystic, Connecticut, called Mystic Pizza. Through this
romance, two sisters and their friends explore relationships, work ethics,
goals and their
futures.
-
Every speech
therapy room is Mystic
-
Every speech
therapy session explores relationships
-
Every speech
pathologist has excellent work ethics
-
Every speech IEP
presents goals
-
Every speech
pathologist visualizes the future for his/her clients
Mystic
Pizza
was not about pizza or even about food. It was about relationships and
communication.
Mystic
Hand Sandwich
is not about food.
It is about
learning how to begin to communicate and build relationships.
It is about
learning how to take turns.
Menu for a
Mystic Hand Sandwich
- One table
or flat surface
- Two sets
of hands
Directions
for a Mystic Hand Sandwich
- Person # 1
places right hand on table
- Person # 2
places right hand on top of the first hand
- Person # 1
places left hand on top of the second hand
- Person # 2
places left hand on top
- Alternating
hands, slap, slap, slap, on top
You all know
this familiar scene: its fun, fast, fabulous, and flashy.
Here's how
a Mystic Hand Sandwich enhances speech therapy
- Turn
taking at its best
- Tactile
(not all children with ASD like touch - this helps)
- Eye
contact (you are close and having fun)
- Appropriate
laughter
- Spontaneous
learning
- Left/right
learning
- Color/number
learning (put colored dots/letters/numbers on each hand and call them out
as that hand lands on top)
- _______'s
turn (using four animal pictures, tape one on each hand and call them out
as that hand lands on top - "dog's turn, monkey's turn," etc.) This also
allows for novel speech.
Use your own innovative ideas to vary
the stimuli and create spontaneous speech while taking turns. Use faces of
children from the child's classroom, for instance, on the tops of hands. Bring in
a third set of hands.
Thank you, Jeff, for my Mystic Hand Sandwich
It was 1988 when I met Jeff at his
elementary school. He was in kindergarten. Jeff didn't talk much although he
was very bright. He didn't understand that communication was about taking
turns. Throughout the school year, we did the same routines when Jeff came to
my speech room each day. Every session ended with a custom hand-over-hand game.
It was fun, fast, fabulous, and flashy. Over the course of the school year, Jeff
became very verbal and on the last day before summer vacation, I neglected to
do our hand game. As we got up to leave, Jeff announced, "Oh no, you forgot our
Hand Sandwich."
"Speech pathologists make good things happen..."
and
Jeff made me such a delicious "hand sandwich." I
can still taste it TODAY.
Yes,
"Speech pathologists make good things
happen," but as speech pathologists
we must always be alert to those who teach us. Dr. Seuss said it best in Oh, the Places You'll Go!
"Mystic Hand
Sandwich" is about turn taking and the title Jeff bestowed upon it. A child has
taught YOU. Come with me. Share with me. Tell me who it was and what it was. We
are all better because of the places we have been. Go places and come right
back here next week.