Unfair Labels

Unfair labels are often placed on children with disabilities. The mention of Special Education brings out labels of mental retards, weird, psycho, poor kids, and other labels. Unfair labels are nothing new. They have existed in schools for decades. The problem is that now they are part of the hidden culture that is alive and present in today’s schools. When a student is “tested” and is found to have an IQ of below 70 he/she is put into a program that in most cases does not teach them and also prevents them from ever graduating from school. The school system calls this “appropriate” education. From recent brain research we now know that IQ is not static. IQ’s can and do change with education. In fact education and educational experience can change the physical structure of the brain. Our students with lower IQ’s need to be taught in a manner that is consistent with our children that have higher cognitive levels. Make sure the education system does not write off your child by putting him/her in a class that treats their education as second to providing day care. Many of these classes do not have a defined curriculum and only pay lip service to educating our children. I am a teacher of one of those child development classes. (CDC) I have had 5 students come out of my CDC classes and back into the regular education class room (with supports) in the last two years. I approach special education not as a remedial effort but in a manner that teaches higher level concepts with allowable modifications. An example is that I have heard teachers saying –“My students will never learn math with a calculator”. Well my philosophy is that if a student has not remembered that 3 plus 3 equals 6 by the time they are in 3rd grade it is time to roll out the calculator. If we keep doing the same things over and over and in the same way with the child we will keep getting the same results. Einstein said that is the definition of insanity. However we can use technology to teach higher level thinking and calculations. The purpose of special education was never to teach remedial forever. The purpose of special education is to teach children higher levels of functioning using supports and modifications. It is preparing “all“ students to be able to function in the 21st century.

Teacher Parent Meetings

Parents sometimes find it difficult to understand testing results for evaluations and even understand the goals and objectives on Individual Education Programs that have been developed for their students. This is why it is so important that parents ask questions. Don't leave the IEP meeting without a complete understanding of how you child is going to be educated. Educating your child is the responsibility of the state. The Federal laws guarantee Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE). The emphasis here is "appropriate". As a parent you are part of that IEP Team. If you don't understand what is going on make sure you don't sign off on your child's IEP until you do. If you need help with an IEP contact a local organization that offers help and advice.

IEPS? 504 Plans

These articles are from ADDitudes website:

The School Always Ignores My Input on My ADHD Child's IEP or 504 Plan
The Problem: "I don't see the point of attending IEP/504 meetings. I barely get a chance to talk and when I do, I'm ignored. How can I get the school to listen to me?"
The Solution: Always remember that as a parent, you are an essential member of your child's IEP/504 team. While the school is not required to implement every request you have, they are required to listen to and consider your input. One of the best ways to become an active member of the team is to ask questions. After you ask a question, listen and analyze the answer. Ask follow-up questions. If you are nervous about bringing up an issue in the meeting, type up your concerns ahead of time and distribute the document at the start of the meeting. If after the IEP/504 meeting you still feel ignored, send the team a follow-up letter documenting any remaining requests, questions, or suggestions.


My Accommodation Requests Are Always Denied
The Problem: "No matter what accommodations I ask for, the school says no. Sometimes I'm told what I'm asking for violates school policy. Other times the school says I don't understand my child's needs. How do I respond?"
The Solution: Begin by explaining the reason for your request and why the status quo is not working. Use examples. Offer written documentation. Try to persuade the team that your request is something your child needs, not simply something you want. The law requires the school to meet your child's needs, but it does not require the school to provide the ideal education. If you are told that your request violates law or policy, politely ask for a written copy of that portion of the law and policy. Sometimes school officials confuse "what is always done" with the law. If the school is able to provide you with a copy of the law or policy, review it and see if there is some reason why it should not apply to your child.


The School Says My Request Is Too Expensive
The Problem: "The school agrees that my child would benefit from a particular assistive technology and a one-on-one aide, but they say they just don't have the money in the budget for it this year."
The Solution: If your child needs an accommodation or service in order to make educational progress, the school must provide it. But remember, there is a legal difference between an educational benefit and an educational necessity. If it is necessary, cost cannot be a reason for denying your request. That doesn't mean that the school can't consider the cost of your request in certain circumstances. For example, if your child requires assistive technology, you can't force the school to purchase the most expensive model if a less expensive brand will meet your child's needs.

Unemployment and Disabilities

People with disabilities are employed at much lower rates than those without disabilities, and people in each disability category are much less likely to be in the labor force than people without disabilities. Individuals with disabilities also fare poorly using the calculation of unemployment rate. People with mental disabilities who receive SSI have the lowest employment rate (percent employed) with only 9% of individuals in this group being employed and only 28% employed that do not receive SSI Disability. While the most striking differences are in overall employment participation, unemployment rates for people with disabilities who are in the labor force are two to three times the unemployment rate for people without disabilities. These figures may reflect a longer job search and the difficulty individuals with disabilities face in reentering the workforce after a job loss. (Government sources)

There is a growing belief that to affect the persistently high unemployment rate of individuals with developmental disabilities, a paradigm shift from professional- to customer-directed services must occur. Using this approach, individuals will (a) have the knowledge they need to make informed choices and to direct the employment process, (b) choose from the full array of job and career choices available to other individuals in their communities, (c) receive individual and ongoing advice and support, (d) begin the employment service process by defining their career goals and paths, (e) have individual budgets that reflect their unique career goals and paths, (f) determine the services and supports they will use their funding to purchase, and (g) contract directly with service providers. There are many unanswered questions about how a customer- directed employment service system can most effectively and efficiently be structured and how it affects customers, providers, and funding agencies.

Bad Behavior Remedies

Chase away bad feelings.
Relaxation, breathing techniques, and visual imagery can help kids fight off depression and anxiety. Practice these in the evenings (they’ll also help your child unwind before bedtime). Once he’s mastered a calming technique, he can use it to stop a bad feeling in its tracks.
Relax: Have your child lie down and focus on and relax one body part at a time—hands, arms, chest—until his entire body is calm and anxious feelings have been crowded out.
Breathe: Teach your child to breathe in deeply, count from one to three, then breathe out. As breathing slows, the body becomes more relaxed. If your child focuses on each breath, he won’t be able to focus on the bad thoughts, moving them from the center of his attention.
Visualize: Ask your child to think about happy times or a good feeling. One boy I worked with would imagine himself “being licked by a whole bunch of puppies.” Another child pictured walking through a cool forest. If your child is fearful of a particular situation, such as a test, he should picture himself successfully completing the test.

Behavior and Autism

Those parents of children with Autism, sometimes are their wits end to correct behavor of their child. The following link has some good information on the subject.

http://rsaffran.tripod.com/aba.html

Help Your Child Organize

School Organization Tips for Students with ADHD or Learning Disabilities
Help your child with ADHD or learning disabilities develop school organization skills that will bring success - and end clutter.
by Donna Goldberg


There's no doubt that kids are busy: Along with academic and social demands, they also juggle extracurricular activities, playdates and sleepovers, and, oh yes, family responsibilities.
Many children need school organization help -- it's hard for anyone to get and stay organized during back-to-school time. But for children with attention deficit disorder (ADD ADHD), whose ability to organize, prioritize, and manage time is affected by neurological deficiencies, the challenges are far greater.
That's where you come in. Work with your child to get school help by supplying her with organization tips to gain control at home and at school.
ADHD or no ADHD, organization is not an innate skill. Children must learn to manage and maintain systems. Consider yourself your child's consultant. She should be engaged in the process, so involve her in every step and allow her to make choices and decisions. Help your child practice her skills on a regular basis, and follow through with the systems you create together.
Organization for school has two major components:
TIME MANAGEMENT — how your child keeps up with homework assignments, activities, and appointments.
PAPER FLOW AND MANAGEMENT — how papers move to and from school and what your child does with these papers now and later.
Because time management is the more challenging, especially for a child with ADHD, that's where we'll start.
ON TIME
In my 15 years as an organizational coach, I've learned that understanding and managing time is a huge part of being organized. The concept of time is difficult for children to master, especially in our digital world.
Schools and parents teach kids how to use a calendar and read a clock, but by fourth, fifth, and even sixth grade, some children still haven't mastered these skills. Older elementary-school students are expected to be somewhat independent and manage a large school workload, long-term assignments, and extended projects — next-to-impossible tasks for a child who doesn't grasp time.
Understanding sequence
Children learn about time from an early age. Initially, toddlers are exposed to sequence and routine: First you have a bath, then you have a story, then you go to sleep. Eventually, sequences include the concept of before and after: Before dinner you will take a bath; after a story, you will go to sleep. In kindergarten and first grade, the teacher puts up a daily schedule and uses words and pictures to review it. The concept of time expands to include days of the week, months, and seasons.
By second grade, students are introduced to the clock and are taught to tell time. The clock is reviewed again in third grade — and then time education comes to an end. At this point we expect children to infer that calendars and clocks can be used to determine the sequence of events and create routines. We also expect that children will translate their understanding of time into responsible planning. Unfortunately, many kids, particularly those with ADHD, do not make these leaps and are lost in school because of it.


SIGN ME UPfor a free copy of the ADD handout...Battling Disorganization at School.

You can help your child by reinforcing these concepts at home. Make sequence clear to him by giving specific verbal cues — first, next, then, before, after — as you develop a routine. Ask questions: What comes next? Do you remember what you did first? Reinforce sequence comprehension by giving a series of directions using these verbal cues. Make it fun ("First do ten jumping jacks, then write your name backwards") and have your child give you directions as well. Tell him that you are doing this to help him learn how to listen carefully and pick up on important words that tell us what order to do things in. Ask him to point out words that are related to time. A child who masters the concept of sequence will be better able to organize and prioritize tasks.
Concepts of before and after eventually develop into yesterday, today, and tomorrow, and develop further into past, present, and future. Again, as your child learns these concepts, support them at home. Talk about future vacation plans or reminisce about his last birthday party.