Bloom360 Learning Community is a 501 (c)(3) non-profit school in southeastern Wisconsin for children with neuro-diverse needs.

DIR Floortime® and Bloom360’s Innovative Education Model

What is DIR and DIRFloortime®?
DIR is the Developmental, Individual-differences, and Relationship-based model that provides a foundational framework for understanding human development and learning and how each person individually perceives and interacts with the world differently. DIRFloortime® is widely known in the child development space as an approach that supports neurodivergent individuals, specifically those with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The DIRFloortime model was developed by Dr. Stanley Greenspan and Dr. Serena Weider more than 30 years ago.DIRFloortime supports the healthy development of children with autism and other developmental challenges, through:

  • A developmental approach – Parents/educators seek to understand and support the child through respectful, playful, and engaging interactions. There is a priority on building trust in relationships and connections.
  • Intentional interactions – Parents/educators interact with the child intentionally in a sensitive manner that seeks to understand and respond to the child’s ideas.
  • Joining the child – The adult meets the child at their developmental level and joins in their world. This helps facilitate interactive and meaningful play that can help support the child to grow in their engagement, communication, positive behaviors, and critical thinking.


Why is DIRFloortime important?
When a child feels understood and respected, this is the foundation from which trusted relationships, learning and growth can begin. The focus of DIR is to individualize interactions based on the child’s specific needs, strengths, and interests. This leads to growth opportunities for communication skills, helps address sensory processing challenges, supports critical thinking, and empowers parents and families to support their child’s development. All these things lead to more positive outcomes for the child in the future.

How does Bloom360 integrate DIRFloortime into its programs?
At its roots, the Bloom360 educational model has a solid foundation that aligns with the developmental approach of DIR. This includes respect for each Learner for who they are. This includes steps to:

  • Identify and nurture each Learner’s strengths.
  • Cultivate positive, authentic relationships.
  • Support and guide each Learner’s growth from his/her developmental uniqueness.

This unique and innovative approach incorporates DIRFloortime into the core program for each Learner that supports growth and development of the whole person. It is woven into the fabric of each day at Bloom360 which includes social-emotional learning, interest-based projects and whole-person growth opportunities.
Two of Bloom360’s Learning Guides are the first two practitioners in Wisconsin certified in The Greenspan Floortime Approach®. This licensing is the highest licensing in the world involving the DIR Model and Floortime Therapy.

Bloom360 believes in a developmental approach that respects each Learner’s uniqueness
“Bloom360 Learning Community is leading innovation in education by shifting the paradigm to approaches that respect each child’s body and mind. This approach is not yet integrated into traditional educational settings, even though it is supported by the rich data from relational neuroscience and human development showing that respect for individual differences and relationships should become a new standard in education across the world.”
–Mona Delahooke, PhD

Mona Delahooke, PhD, is an internationally known child psychologist, author and winner of the IBPA Gold Medal Benjamin Franklin Award for her book, Beyond Behaviors.

How does ABA therapy differ from DIR?
Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA) and DIRFloortime are two vastly different approaches to supporting neurodivergent children. They differ in their approach, setting and focus.

Approach – With DIR the interactions are led by the child and based on their interests focusing on attunement and relationship building. With ABA, the therapist leads the session with a focus on compliance (changing behaviors) using reinforcement and sometimes punishment.

Setting – DIR is play and relationship-based and is sometimes on the floor, which is how it became known as Floortime. With ABA, it usually is done with the child sitting at a table with preferred activities withheld and used as a reward. Focus – DIR is aimed at building relationships and promoting development. ABA is focused on making the child’s behavior compliant to fit within “normal” parameters of non-autistic peers.

Curious about how a developmental approach could benefit your child or young adult?
Reach out to schedule an introductory phone call with one of our team members.
More Resources:
Check out the International Council on Development and Learning
Books
Beyond Behaviors: Using Brain Science and Compassion to Understand and Solve Children’s Behavioral Challenges by Mona Delahooke, PhD.
Brain-Body Parenting: How to Stop Managing Behavior and Start Raising Joyful, Resilient Kids by Mona Delahooke, PhD.
Engaging Autism and The Child with Special Needs by Drs. Stanley Greenspan, M.D.  and Serena Wieder, PhD.
Building Healthy Minds: The Six Experiences That Create Intelligence and Emotional Growth in Babies and Young Children, by Dr. Stanley Greenspan and Nancy Breslau Lewis.