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5 Tips For a Smooth Sailing IEP Meeting

By Katie@specialneedsessentials.com
March 13, 2017 //
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In all the stores I go to, I see bunnies, chickens and lots of pastel pink, green and blue, in other words, it is Easter time.  In the traditional calendar that we all follow, Easter comes in Springtime.

There is also something that traditionally comes in the Spring…and unlike Easter, a select few know what I am talking about…and it is IEP season.

The time of the year that those who have special needs children know as a pretty stressful time of year.

IEPs or Individualized Education Plans are part of the world for many of our children.  

They are plans that speak for our child.

They tell the world what special needs our children have.

They contain the education goals that the school is working on with our child.

They contain the goals that speech and OT are working on with our child.

They contain the plans for our child’s future.

They are also the reason for much tension, disagreement and deliberations.

They are one of the causes that can make us feel it is us versus the schools.

I am looking an IEP meeting in the face for this Friday…and even after having them for some 14 odd years, I too, have so many feelings as I enter into the meeting.

So I thought I would share the things I do and think about that help me face the meeting and do the best for Elizabeth.

1. REMEMBER WHO IT IS REALLY ABOUT

Sometimes personalities come into play.  Sometimes attitudes are quite strong.  So it is very important to  remember why you are there.  To remember that it is about what is best for your child at this time.  I use to tell myself, I am speaking for Elizabeth, because she cannot.  I now, tell myself that it does not matter what others think of my feelings about Elizabeth.  It matters that we believe in her.  

What matters is that what goes down on that paper reflects who your child is right now and that the goals reflect what they need right now.

You know you would move the world for your child, so remember that no matter what you encounter, it is all for your special child.

2. LOOK AT CURRENT IEP BEFORE YOU GO

Even though you may have worked so hard on your current IEP, there are many details in the IEP that you might want to reread.  

It helps to be proficient with the current one, so that when new goals are proposed and new ideas are shared, you can judge if they are too similar to the current ones or if they show positive growth.

Also by knowing the current IEP, you can discuss ideas and thoughts better.

3. BRING THE RIGHT ITEMS

Speaking of the current IEP, bring it with you as a reference as well as paper and something to right with.  I know it sounds like common knowledge, but I know I actually thought they would provide these things during our first IEP. They did not.

So in addition to the above, bring support.  Be it your spouse or significant other, friend, or even an advocate.  Just, in my opinion, do not go alone.  IEP meetings can be more intimidating than you think.  Sometimes this is because of the fact that so many people are telling you so many things and sometimes it is because those very people may have strong personalities.  Whatever the reason, having someone there who is there for you is so important.  

4.  YOU DO NOT HAVE TO SIGN IMMEDIATELY

Of course, a signature is what is important when it comes to finalizing the IEP.  But in my opinion, I don’t want to sign it until I have a chance to read it again at home.  Maybe share it with our private therapists and tutors and get their take on it.  

If you take away the pressure of having to sign it, you can get through the meeting in a bit more of a relaxed state of mind.

5. IT IS NOT EASY TO HEAR ALL THEY SAY

It is never, repeat never easy to hear the words of the educators and therapists as they describe your child and their deficits as they compare to typical developing peers. No it is not, but something I offer here is ….before you go in.  Take a moment to think of a recent success for your child.  Maybe they spoke a new word or sentence.  Maybe they tried a new skill or mastered a new task.  Whatever it is…take a mental picture of it and think back to where you started.  And see the gains that your child has made.  Know that you are making a difference in your child’s life.  So hold onto these accomplishments as you enter.  It will strengthen you.

I am going to do all the above…I promise you. I will be thinking about how great Elizabeth is doing volunteering at the preschool.  The child who was afraid of it all is having a ball with 16 three and four year olds!  Yep, I will hold onto that as I enter the meeting.

I wish you a peaceful week and for those who are entering their own IEP meetings know I am sending you good thoughts.

Michele

 

 

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Categories Awareness, Education, Parenting, Special needs parents, Therapy, Uncategorized

5 Steps To Help Keep Organized For Your Special Ones

By Katie@specialneedsessentials.com
February 20, 2017 //
3

Just last week I was scheduled to head to a meeting for my special needs daughter Elizabeth.  You see we are planning the next step in Elizabeth’s journey as she is graduating from high school this year.  So as I prepare to head off the meeting, I get together the necessary paperwork: the IEP (Individualized Education Plan), the latest ETR (Evaluation Team Report) , various reports, anecdotal notes, report cards and probably a few other things.  But you get the idea.

After I get it all together,  I put them into a new accordion file that I purchased for the start of her life after high school.  I thought it would be great to separate the before from the after.

And this got me thinking about the amount of paperwork, notes, and records that become part of your life when your child has special needs.  I happen to be a pretty organized person due in part to my love of office supplies.  I used to be the happy “back to school” child.  You know the one, the one who happily picks out their folder colors and binders. Pretty much the one my young son would love to yell at in the aisle at Target.

Whatever got me to this level of organization, I know I would be lost without it. I may not be able to find a paper this second but I can tell you where it is and I will find it….just give me a few minutes.

I thought maybe I would share how I keep track of the always growing amount of papers for Elizabeth.  Please know, I am sharing what works for me.

1. ONE YEAR AT A TIME

It is very important to keep all information from each school year together.  Such as daily reports, report cards, communication notes that you have exchanged with anyone at the school.  Also, any therapy reports from the school or private therapy.  I keep everything in one folder for one school year.  This way anything that happened in second grade is right there…together.  I tried separating things out based on school related items versus private therapy but that just got too confusing and made two folders for each year.

2. PUT THE YEARS TOGETHER

After the school year is done, I take the folder and put it into a big, waterproof bin with a secure lid.  Two floods in the basement have taught me the value of waterproof!  Once they are labeled, then finding anything the school may need at a later time is really easy and if you forget to put something away, it is easy to locate where it goes as it is all based on the school year.

3. KEEP IEP SEPARATE

I know I said all things in the school folder, but the IEP is such a fluid and working document that I find myself flipping through old ones to read and see how much the goals have been changed or asking myself why then haven’t been.  

I have every IEP in one VERY big folder.  Along with any ETR reports.  

How nice to know all that information is in one place.  Simply bring the folder to any IEP meetings.  Besides its weight, it is pretty nice to have it all right there.

4. USE A TICKLE FILE APPROACH

Some people use their schedules and calendars on their phones to organize their lives. I do a little of that but because  I am a visual person,  I go old school and use a calendar,  the kind with 12 months of pictures, flowers or cats.

I put it on my desk so that the pictures are tucked under and I see only the months.  Then I write down reminders for myself of things for Elizabeth.  Such as “call for volunteering in May” I will slide that in the calendar in the month of April and when I flip to April, I will see it.  

I do this a lot for all my children but especially for Elizabeth because by using it like this she can help me to write the cards, file them and we can talk about the schedule before it really starts.

5. DO NOT BE OVERWHELMED

Even as I read this, I can see how it may seem like a lot of work, but it really is not.  What I mean is think of how many things you have done and worked on for your child that have simply become part of your life.  I think so much of it just becomes habit.  

The same as a sensory diet can become simply part of your day to life so will keeping all the records in order.

As you know, you never thought you would face the challenges of a child with special needs but you did.  You never thought you would rejoice over the little successes but you do.  So figuring out how to keep track of life and still enjoy the good things is just one more thing you can do.

I wish you all a blessed week.

Michele

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Categories Daily Living, Education, Parenting, Therapy, Uncategorized
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