Special Education Advocates Are Highly Valued -

By The U.S. Department Of Education

In a land where coffee flows like rivers and memes reign supreme, there exists a peculiar group known as special education advocates. These valiant warriors of inclusion, armed with stacks of paperwork and hearts full of compassion, have a single mission: to ensure that every child receives the education they deserve. Yet, despite their noble cause, they find themselves trapped in a vortex of...

PLAYING NICE IN THE SANDBOX

MANAGING DISAGREEMENTS

Managing disagreements and ineffective interactions is a core skill of professional special education advocacy. We must choose whether we want conflict or peace. Learning peace comes from getting out of the inner conflict of attack and grievance maintenance which means getting out of the ego side of the conflict.

Parents come to us with an inner war that is going on already that they are outwardly expressing. We do not...

Please Tell Me That You Walk on Water

This could be the entreaty of those parents who have the distinct feeling that, at the IEP table, their comments are magically heard by team members only in a foreign language. Another common perception is that all comments by parents will be met with rolling eyes, sighs, and harumphs if not another adjustment in the team member seats and a chorus of clearing throats.

While this may be an exaggeration, if you are a parent feeling this way, something...

 WRITE THE IEP RIGHT THE FIRST  TIME

The IEP is the child's individualized plan to attain functional goals. It makes no difference if we are looking at reading, social competence, or anyone or combination of needs, if they are not addressed in the IEP there will be no focus on them. Most parents and advocates are not taught how to do the IEP right the first time around. So let us start with a clear understanding of what the IEP is, its function and its purpose..

• IEP stands for...

Provocative Language provides information on the interface between psychological practice, applied behavioral analysis, and social cognition training in an area that affects the education and welfare of children with specific disabilities like Autism, ADHD, TBI, and Tourette Syndrome. It provides insights on working with schools, mental health providers, and the criminal justice system. It describes principles for best practices and recommends procedures to be followed in IEP and goal...