Back to School Time!
Free phone consult!!!!
Still stung by the report card sent home a few weeks ago? Or do you have a young child, just entering the system and you are worried about how to ensure your child is safe and learning at school? Are you nervous about how the system works and do not know where to turn? Are you facing a new IPRC in September? New assessment? Maybe your child is not identified but there are problems that you do not want to repeat themselves this year... Relax.....just us a call. 613-769-8960.
Shared Solutions, Ontario
Do you know that the Ministry of Education actually recommends that you bring some one with you to the IPRC... an Advocate. The Ministry talks about IPRC representation in "Shared Solutions." If you haven't heard about this google it!
Enrichment Events and Great Opportunites in Ottawa on NOW!!!!
In the west end? Or Perth? Carleton Place? Franktown? Ashton? Stittsville? Almonte? And all those great towns out there,(sorry too many to mention...) Carleton place canoe camp is a great Ottawa valley secret. Their site is located at http://www.cpcanoeclub.com/SummerCamps What is great about Carelton Place Canoe Club is they run some great programs for kids. Nothing like spending a laid back summer hanging out at the beach, learning how to canoe and kayak.
What else do we recommend? If it is rainy out side spend some time visiting some of the great museums in Ottawa. The Science and Tech museum is always a fun time. Hands on education.
Saturdays at the National Gallery there are programs designed for kids: Check it out at: http://makeart.gallery.ca/index.php/about
Nice outside? Besides the numerous beaches and bike paths maybe take a walk through the experimental farm. Have some fun, milk a cow.
Up and Coming Events:
Sept 9th is a day to remember those with FASD
Events in Ottawa are currently being planned I will let you know the details soon.
IEP CASE CONFERENCES
First of all may of you may be wondering what is an IEP case conference. I get that question a lot. But to answer this question I should backtrack a bit.
Let's start with the IEP. Now my description of an IEP is very basic as I could probably write a book on what an IEP is and isn't. So here is a very brief and basic explanation of what an IEP is...
The IEP is an individualized "working" document that lists and describes the student's specific strengths, needs, formal identification, or not, accommodations, modifications, learning styles, assessments, goals etc... Understand "working" means it can be changed at any time, with out your signature... For example, when a student reaches a goal, this can be recorded in the IEP and the goal updated. Teachers need that "working" element to keep your child moving along.
The IEP also describes resources required by your child to meet these goals, and demonstrate that what they have achieved. For example assisitive technology or specialized personnel etc...may be required and recorded in the IEP.
Getting back to goals, the IEP outlines the measurable goals for the student during a specific time frame. Yes,"measurable" because if you can't measure what we are trying to do, how to you know when the goal has been reached? Then the IEP describes what the school, teacher, etc... is going to do to help your child meet those goals and who is responsible for what. The IEP should clearly say how and what is being measured by whom.
So you can see what I am talking about...here is a free IEP, in PDF for those in Ontario: http://www.tvo.org/TVOOrg/Images/tvoresources/F6F94D3D-AAFD-DC1C-6A0DC3F9FF08F3B7.pdf
So to very basic, the IEP is a description of the programming and resources required to get the student from point A to point B, along with a description of what point A and point B are. As such the IEP, is by its very nature, a highly individualized, constantly changing, written plan to help a specfic student with documented needs, progress and to document that progression.
Warning: the "goals" along with being "measurable" need to be realistic. Or else we end up with a irrelevant document that never changes year to year. This is where parental input comes in...
Parental Input and IEP Case Conferences:
Parents are a very important part of the IEP process. The teacher, while creating the IEP, is to ask for your input on the IEP. The is even a box on most IEP's listing your input. Now for practical reasons, the "input" maybe a phone call, a letter home or a draft IEP sent home for you to read and sign. But that does not mean those are your only options. Your input can also take the form of a case conference. For example a draft IEP is sent home in your child's back pack. You have a few questions. You can have a meeting specifically about the IEP. You simply call the school and request an IEP case conference. A case conference can be a powerful thing as all the people involved in educating your child are in the same room, around the same table, answering your questions and or helping to make changes to the IEP.
Now if the thought of that makes you want to run away and hide. Relax, we can attend IEP case conferences with you or we can write a report so you know exactly what to ask for. You can request an IEP case conference any time to help develop or change your child's IEP. And this is not just for the elementary students, it applies to middle school, and high school too. If something isn't right with your son or daughter's IEP, don't wait until there is a major situation, or a bad report card. Be proactive and avoid these problems. Just know you do not have to go alone. We can go with you and make the suggestions to help maximize your child's education.
If you would like to book an event with Edu-Advocates contact us. We can provide an informative special education information event for your group.Pick from the list of workshops or contact us with your requirements and we can tailor an event to meet your specific individual needs.
Workshops
1. Effective IEP's.2. Navigating the special education system (IPRC's,Appeals and IEP's).
3. Classroom accommodations.4. How to properly accommodate learning disabilities.
5. Transition planning.
6. Moving special needs children, proactive solutions for success.
7. Gifted education.
8. Disability specific integration support workshops.
9. Home schooling program support.
April 2nd is World Autism Day!
On December 18, 2007, the United Nations General Assembly adopted resolution 62/139, tabled by the State of Qatar, which declares April 2 as World Autism Awareness Day (WAAD) in perpetuity. Her Highness Sheikha Mozah Bint Nasser Al-Missned, Consort of His Highness Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al-Thani, the Emir of the State of Qatar, supported the campaign for a World Autism Awareness Day through the current 62nd UN General Assembly Session, garnering consensus support from all United Nations Member States.
Visit http://www.worldautismawarenessday.org/site/c.egLMI2ODKpF/b.3917077/k.186A/About_World_Autism_Awareness_Day.html and sign the UN World Autism Awareness Day Resolution!
Autism Events-
Autism: Upcoming Autism Speaks Events.
<