What is Hocus Focus?
Hocus Focus™ is a creative instructional approach to support the learning of students with varying degrees of educational challenges and abilities including autistic, cognitively delayed, emotionally disturbed, and learning disabled students. The activities are motivational, promote positive self-expression, and reinforce many key skills needed for student success.
Hocus Focus™ Activities
One of the biggest challenges for educators is to find activities that are engaging and meaningful for students. But even more challenging is finding activities that allow for inter-disciplinary collaborations between educators, speech language pathologists, psychologists, counselors, and occupational therapists to help students with learning disabilities achieve the desired outcomes identified in their Individual Education Plan. Hocus Focus™ activities combine education and imagination to help children improve cognition, motor skills, communication, and social skills while developing creativity and flexible thinking.
Who is Dr. Kevin Spencer?
Kevin Spencer, Ph.D. is an award-winning performing artist and academic. Spencer and his wife, Cindy, toured the world for more than 25 years, with one of the largest and most successful theatrical illusion productions in the U.S. They left behind a trail of accolades in their wake including 2009 International Illusionists of the Year and six-time recipients of Performing Arts Entertainer of the Year. They are also the recipients of the magic industry’s most prestigious award given by The Milbourne Christopher Foundation – the 2015 International Illusionists of the Year for notable contributions to the art of magic.
Spencer has earned a Bachelor’s in Psychology, Master’s in Arts & Academic Interdisciplinary Education, and a Ph.D. in Special Education. He also holds a certification in Autism Studies and Trauma Support Specialist. He has published studies in peer-reviewed journals including the American Journal of Occupational Therapy (AJOT) and the Journal of Learning Through the Arts (JLTA). His work was also featured in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA).
Dr. Spencer is a 2024 Silver Anthem Award recipient for Nonprofit Leader of the Year in the category of Health. His therapeutic program – Magic Therapy™ – is a 2023 Gold recipient for Best Innovation in the category of Health. His education program – Hocus Focus™ – is a 2022 Silver recipient for Best Innovation and Spencer himself is a Gold recipient for Leader of the Year awarded by the Anthem Awards in May 2022, both in the category of Education, Art, and Culture. Spencer was also a 2022 finalist for the Zero Project Award which recognizes innovative persons, practices, and models that improve the daily lives of persons with disabilities.
Dr. Spencer is faculty with Harvard Medical Teaching Hospital and Boston Children’s Hospital’s “Pediatric Sedation Outside the Operating Room” conference; associate professor by special appointment in the School of Health Professions Department of Occupational Therapy and a research consultant for Institute for Arts in Medicine at the University of Alabama at Birmingham; faculty in the department of education at Carlow University in Pittsburgh; a Fulbright Specialist on arts integration for special populations for the U.S. Department of State; and an Approved Provider of Continuing Education for the American Occupational Therapy Association.