iepsurvival for parents and teachers who work with special education students

I know that returning to school is most likely not on your mind at this time. For me, I assumed summer duties a week prior to school ending: things like getting bathing suits in order and buying summer gear which included sun screen and beach toys. I had even heard the roars of my children noting their longing for sleeping in and avoiding nightly curfews. However, experience tells me that summer will go by quickly and the further I allow my family to get away from morning routines the harder they will be to reinstate come the return of school.

So for me, this summer I will be enforcing daily routines. I hope to provide an extra hour of sleep in the morning and replace getting ready for school with some morning chores: making beds, making breakfast, and taking a liesure walk.  Serving early dinners is one of my goals. I am hoping to serve by five and then play board games and cards. To battle the night cries, I have instated all lights out at nine-oclock and have set the family room up with blankets and pillows for light-evening television viewing. My hope and dream is to transition the family easily into the new school year without having to reset our schedules dramatically as we have for years past. My wish is for a peaceful calm summer with an easy transition into the school year. Wish me luck and send me your ideas for summer routine.

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1gFNAtgsJohd1wO31NaeHcfNIPoh9yFDaLR4zZa2c_0w/embed?start=false&loop=false&delayms=3000” target=”_blank”>

If you would like the text to go along with the powerpoint contact me diana@talkcounts.com

Is your student surrounded with school drama: gossip,and bullying? Middle school and high school students often find themselves in the middle of drama as they spend their time learning about who they are and asserting their independence. There are three keys that teens should be reminded of for making healthy decisions and avoiding drama.
First, teach your student to always be true to him or herself. When things don’t go well, let your teen know that it is okay. I always encourage self-forgiveness over peer pressure with both my students and my children.  Empower your student to say, “No, that is not right for me.” Empower your student to find new interests and new friends.
Second, teach your student to respect him or herself by making decisions that reflect his/her morals and values as well as your families. Always share that before your student makes a decision to ask, “If what I am about to do is filmed for the nightly news, will I be proud of it?”
Three, teach your student to realize that honest, open and respectful communication is best. Teach your student how to set boundaries in relationships so that they are treated how they want to be treated. If an acquaintance/friend mistreats those boundaries teach that it is okay to consider finding new friends and exploring new interests.
Let me know how it goes,

Diana

Knowing that making good decisions begins with you isn’t necessarily a difficult concept; however, it is one that teens often forget. We have found that any successful relationship between two or more people is fundamentally based on four simple rules. In fact, when these rules are overlooked or disregarded relationships and the people in them are disturbed and even damaged. Teach your children to be and expect relationships that include trust, respect, open, honest, and direct communication as well as including shared goals. Discuss what each of these rules mean and how they apply to all healthy relationships. For more support checkout  self-help workbook:     Healthy Relationships http://www.talkcounts.com

Getting ready for back to school takes time and some planning. This school year empower your student by writing a list of things that need to happen for a successful school schedule. Include things like how much time is needed for sleep and suggested bedtimes. Develop a plan for activities prior to bedtime. Simply things like brushing teeth, organizing clothing for the next day, making lunches,snacks, and who might be responsible for organizing and packing a backpack should be addressed.

Begin early with resetting a school schedule. Have your students practice making a lunch and a snack prior to going to bed. Read a book together a little earlier every night and tuck him or her in with a kiss. Work on your morning routines: getting up with an alarm, getting ready for the day. Provide many opportunities for students to make decisions about how they plan on getting ready for school and what they might need to do to have a successful evenings and mornings. Develop systems that work for the whole family and practice and adjust the plan.

My family and I like to develop checklists of things to do for successful evenings and mornings. After we agree on what needs to be accomplished we hang the list on the refrigerator so that every family member knows what is expected.

Share your morning routines with me and I will post all of your suggestions.

Take care,

Diana

Accommodations and modifications ensure that students can do the work that is being asked of them. Think about accommodations and modifications working like a staircase, they provide a means of entry to the top floor. In this scenario, the top floor houses Common Core Standards. All students need to demonstrate mastery of standards in order to successfully move to the next grade level.

There multiple ways to demonstrate mastery of standards. (Notice that this staircase has two ways to get to the top floor.) Standards don’t specify content and how the student will show they can do what is being asked. Forinstance, an anchor standard for reading: “Determine central ideas or themes of a text and analyze their development;summarize key supporting details and ideas.” Notice, what content to use isn’t specified, the delivery isn’t specified (read aloud, books on tape, movie, apps and other systems of delivery). This provides a lot of opportunities for students to use their areas of strength to access the standard and demonstrate mastery.

All students learning means that all students have access. Access assumes that every student learns differently and it is the teacher’s job as well as the IEP team to provide accommodations so that all students can demonstrate mastery on Common Core Standards.

Source: Everyone deserves Healthy Relationships!