Transition

When looking at an IEP the transition plan should drive all other parts of the IEP when the students turns 14.  So, where does the plan start?

1. Interview-  This should be where the students interests are discussed. What does the student like to do outside of school?  What are the students hobbies?  What kind of jobs has the student had in the past?  There are many other questions that are asked in the interview, but that is a start.
2. Post Secondary Goals-  What skills do does the student need to work on in order to get a job?  Does the student have a drivers license?  Does the student know how to fill out an application?  Does the student know how to dress appropriately?
3. Outside Agencies-  This is where DORS, DDA and BHA.  These are all the outside agencies and those that help the students outside of school.

Now this is just the basics of the IEP transition plan, but it is vital to know what goes into each one.  This section should be very detailed and organized.

As always send questions or topics you would like to read about. 

Helping Your Child Transition after the Holidays

First off happy holidays and I hope that you and your family had a safe and blessed holiday.  With school starting on Monday here are some helpful pointers to help your child with a learning disability transition back into school.  There are also some additional pointers to help in future holidays.

1. Remind your child every couple of hours of what is going to happen tomorrow.  Tell them school is starting back up.  Ask them questions like; What do you have to do when you wake up?  What is your first class?  What bus do you ride home?  All of these will be reminders to students and will help them transition to the start of school.  One of the biggest issues with students with disabilities is their resistance to change, help make the change as easy as possible.
2. Set a time in the day to review some of the skills the child was working on before school ended.  Many students forget simple steps in math or facts about history, that if they had practiced for an hour or so a day, the steps would still be there and they would remember the facts needed for school.  
3. Remind the students of who their teachers are.
4. Go through safety procedures encase of an emergency. 
5. Have your child tell you the house phone number.

I hope these tips will help you.  As always leave a comment for a future post.

Help keep my blog alive and give me time to do so ---------------------->

http://www.gofundme.com/jocugk

Having Anxiety ove the first day of school and how to handle it.

Whether your child is starting a new grade or going into middle or high school, some of these students/parents might have some serious anxiety over the start of school.  So, what can we do to relieve some of this anxiety?

1. Visit the school in the summer.
2. Walk the students schedule several times.
3. Have a personal meeting with the teachers.
4. Meet with the students case manager to go over the students triggers.
5. Have the student check in at lunch to assure them they are okay.
6. Communicate with the students case manager on the progress during the day.
7. If the student is a very sensitive student meet with the principle so the student has a familiar face. 

The more familiar the student can be with their environment the better their first day will be.

As always let me know if you would like a topic to discuss????