Special Ed Rising

SENSORY MURALS

10/11/21 I have been an on-again/off-again artist all of my life but had never ventured into the world of mural painting until several years ago when I had the opportunity to volunteer with a non-profit whose mission involved producing murals to benefit sick children. There, I was able to train under experienced artists and learn much about the approach and techniques of taking murals from blank board inception to full color representative completion. I fell in love with it and managed to personally, and communally, create many projects that would

Corporal Punishment

Justified?…Never 10/5/21 I have some thoughts on the topic of striking your child and the unhealthy mental and physical consequences that can result for the young human in your care. But to begin, let me state that I am aware how common corporal punishment can be in the home and I know that there are those of you who may have slipped or lost control in a hot, reactive flash of anger. I am very aware, from personal experience, of the effect that a child’s negative behaviors can have in causing

Transitions and Your Special Needs Child

9/14/21 Transitions can feel like drops of sunshine or drops of rain on your child’s day. The success of a transition can be the difference between basking in the glow of that sun or being doused. How the day goes often depends on how well your child is prepared to transition from one activity, event or happening to the next. Surprises are not a friend to people on the spectrum of developmental disabilities and they certainly offer little in positive returns for you. You may feel that preparation for ALL

Special Needs Parenting Tips: Four Worthwhile Approaches to a Happier Home

8/19/21 No parent has all of the answers for how to handle raising a child with Special Needs and sometimes it can feel like you’re flailing out at sea. Behavior Management is structured to prepare you to handle/react to unruly, disturbing and/or upsetting situations in a way that allows you to remain calm, consistent and reduce your stress levels. In addition, it eliminates unexpected reactions that can cause your child to increase their level of upset that could lead to tantrums or meltdowns. Here are 4 approaches to parenting

Special Ed Teacher’s Revelation

August 9, 2021 As I close in on celebrating 33 years working in the field of Special Education I have come to appreciate that there is still so much to learn. We never stop learning and can not know it all. The first 30 years in the classroom provided a vantage point which allowed me to see students away from the home environment where behaviors (depending upon the child) fluctuated from improving with the change of venue, degenerated or stayed about the same. This close environment was like living in

Parent Advocacy in Special Education

7/23/21 As a parent, you are at the mercy of those whom you entrust your child with, daily, while they are in school. You assume that your child’s best interests are always being considered and that decisions made on their behalf reflect this. As someone who has been on the caretaker/teacher side, I can tell you that you are usually safe to make that assumption. But there are times when this is simply not true. Teachers are dedicated and, if they have chosen this field of special education, you want

Parental Consistency and Positive Reinforcement

7/9/21 Consistency with anything may be the greatest challenge for any of us. Many of us are able to take a break, now and then, from life and let be what will be without serious consequences. This is not often the case for parents of Special Needs individuals. The reliance on consistency of approach for the benefit of a “good” day on behalf of their sons and daughters is paramount. No pressure, right? Just the thought of it, I know, can trigger one’s walls to shut quickly at the very

Part III: MINDFULLY PARENTING YOUR SPECIAL NEEDS CHILD

5/24/21 We have the choice of how to respond to our feelings. While driving, if someone cuts us off we may feel like we want to run them off the road. We experience the rage, the insult, the whatever, instantly within us. But is it a good idea to listen to that feeling and perform the specific action that might result in injury or death to another? Of course not. We know better. We experience feelings related choices all day. These are opportunities for mindfulness. Scenarios present themselves that cause

Part II: MINDFULLY PARENTING YOUR SPECIAL NEEDS CHILD

5/22/21 WHAT IS THE SCIENCE BEHIND MINDFULNESS? Negative emotions emerge from the parts of the brain called the amygdala and hippocampus, which are responsible for what’s known as “fight or flight” defenses. Fear and anger can cause us to act in ways that are erratic, frozen, hurtful or thoughtless. By avoiding a knee jerk response we allow the prefrontal cortex to rescue us, allowing for more thoughtful and reflective reactions. “Mindful practice,…, diminishes the reactivity from the amygdala and strengthens the prefrontal cortex (PFC). When the amygdala is calm, it