Webinar: Improving Gross Motor Skills

Motor skills are essential to playing any instrument, and students with exceptionalities sometimes need extra support in developing these abilities. In this webinar, you'll learn about the importance of gross motor skills and how they relate to playing a number of different instruments. Then, you'll discover some ways to help students develop their abilities around core stability, coordination, proprioception, and more. Our presenters demonstrate some activities that you can incorporate into your lessons and explain how you can adapt them for students of different abilities.
Format

Recorded Webinar

Price

Free

Nicole Lemire

Occupational Therapist
Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario
About
Nicole Lemire (a.k.a Nikki) is an Occupational Therapist and author of the children’s book, A Birthday Party for Moe. She currently works at the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO), providing school and home-based occupational therapy services. Nikki has worked as an occupational therapist for 7 years, in both publicly and privately funded sectors. A person with many interests and hobbies herself, Nikki is passionate about supporting all people, but especially children, in participating and engaging in meaningful activities.

Nikki holds a Bachelor of Biological Sciences from the University of Alberta’s Campus Saint-Jean and a Master of Health Science in Occupational Therapy from the University of Ottawa. As a lifelong learner, Nikki has attended a multitude of workshops and conferences. These range from a multi-day advanced training with the STAR Institute for Sensory Processing, to a weekend of mentorship with renowned Canadian Occupational Therapist, Kim Barthel, to a 25-hour Vinyasa Yoga for Youth Teacher Training, and a workshop on the Use of Sound in Sensorimotor Integrative Treatment.


Nikki works and plays in Ottawa, where she lives with her partner Oli, their dog Leo, and their cat Leeloo. When not performing her duties as an Occupational Therapist, she can be found exploring the city and its surrounding areas, playing Disney music on her violin, baking sourdough bread, rock-climbing or playing volleyball.



Olivia Adams

Director of Education
Lotus Centre for Special Music Education
About
Olivia Adams is a pianist, teacher, researcher, and author. She is currently a Ph.D. Candidate at the University of Ottawa. Her research lies at the intersection of Music Education and Critical Disability Studies. Olivia holds a MA in Music and Feminist Studies from the University of Ottawa, and an Honours B.Mus. in Piano Performance from Western University. She has been awarded numerous research grants, including a SSHRC Doctoral Award. Olivia has over a decade of teaching experience in piano and choral classrooms and is part of multiple research teams at the intersection of music education and health. Olivia speaks, adjudicates, and performs across Canada and abroad, giving workshops on inclusivity and diversity in the piano studio. She is the author of Loud and Clear: A Guide to Levelled Piano Music by Women Composers in the 20th and 21st Centuries, which is used in music studios and classrooms in numerous countries. When she is not working, Olivia enjoys reading, baking, hiking, crocheting and hanging out with her family and spunky puppy, Nori. She is thrilled to be joining the incredible team at Lotus Centre.
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