My child might have shown signs of a learning disorder over the summer. What should I do? IEP

Sometimes systems of a learning disorder can show up later in a child's life.  Sometimes when a child is home from school in the summer parents may notice something is a little off when it comes to their child performing a task or completing a assignment.  So, a parent may suspect that their child has a disability, what do they do?  The first thing a parent should do is look up their child's symptoms.  This will educate the parent and help them narrow it down to what disability their child may be showing.

The next thing the parent should do is contact their child's grade special education teacher.  Usually schools either have a special education teacher for each grade or a head special education teacher at their child's school.  The special education teacher will most likely observe the student when they come back to school to see if they are showing and characteristics of a learning disability.  If the child is showing characteristics of a disability they there should be screening meeting set up, where further testing will be proposed or the special education team will not recommend further testing.

This is just the beginning phase of the IEP process.

As always if you would like to suggest a topic please do so.

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????

Need help with topics

I am drawing a blank this week on what to post about.  Does anyone have any ideas, questions, or suggestions for future posts?  I appreciate it.

What is the best accommodation

1. Extended time
2. Modified Assignments
3. Scribe
4. Reader

If you could leave feedback as to what accommodations you think is the best that would be fantastic.  Personally I think that modified assignments help the students the most because it eliminates some useless verb age in a test or a quiz.

Special Olympics Autism

I have been involved in the Special Olympics for several years now and it is one of the most amazing originations out there.  I work with what is called Unified Sports and it takes students without disabilities and pairs them up with students with disabilities with sports such as Bocce, Tennis and Track.  This allows the students to meet new people and interact with people they may never have met before.  These students become instant friends and recognize them in the hallways, invite them to their lunch table or become friends on facebook.  I have truly seen students come out of their shell in interact as they never have before.  This also teaches the students how to work hard and about teamwork which is huge if these students want to join the workforce eventually.  Sports teaches student with and without disabilities a whole lot and should not be passed up by anybody.

As allows leave feedback on what you would like to see in future posts?

If you like to read vampires or paranormal stories read on., if not just delete

So, my wife and I challenged each other to start something new this summer and mine was this blog and hers was to write her own book.  So, if you like vampires and have a kindle you may like this book here is the link (I know this has nothing to do with Autism, but I am just supporting my wife).

http://www.amazon.com/Protected-Ariya-Adams-trilogy-ebook/dp/B00DKCZ9S8/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1372125770&sr=8-3&keywords=protected+by+anna

Goodwill creating jobs, not the right way, but trying

I was watching 60 minutes  the other night and they were investigating Goodwill corporation.  60 minutes was ripping apart Goodwill for not paying their employees with disabilities at least minimum wage.  Now by no means do I agree that these workers should be paid below minimum wage, but what about these other businesses that are not hiring those with disabilities?  At least Goodwill is teaching them a trade and providing them some financial means at the job.  This is by no means slave labor, these workers are sorting clothes running a register with another employee close by or putting clothes on a rack.  What about the GAP or Burger King just to name a few hiring those with disabilities?  Why isnt 60 minutes investigating these companies that are not even hiring those with disabilities?  Again I do think that these employees should be paid minimum wage, but at least Goodwill provides jobs for those with disabilities.