Special Ed Rising

Advocating for Your Child

November 23, 2020 Throughout my years teaching in a private school for Deaf and Special Needs children, I observed a diverse range of parental involvement in the pursuance of educational goals and services for the students. I never worked formally in a district but had many dealings with them and what I am writing about here is applicable to all schools, and to the parents, those with children presently receiving services or those whose child may qualify for them. Everyone’s situation is different and the reasons for more or less involvement are

10 Prewriting Skill Ideas: At Home Fun!

November 16, 2020 Getting your child to write can be a frustrating experience for both of you. Depending upon the individual child, this process can seem grueling and insurmountable. But if we can take away demands and expectations and allow room for creative exploration and acceptance, we might be surprised at what is revealed. Here are some suggestions for stimulating interest in writing. Take them for what they are, interpret them or be inspired to add your own! Put workbooks away. Don’t formalize writing and make it a chore. Read

HAVE YOURSELF: MINDFUL PARENTING

November 5, 2020 When I began teaching and still in my “green” phase, I was confronted by students exhibiting with meltdowns, oppositional outbursts, lack of motivation and a variety of behaviors that were entirely foreign to me. These instances gave me pause and a new kind of stress to respond equal to the task. I was now a “professional” and I was the one who was supposed to have the answers…but, I didn’t. How can anyone know the best way to solve a crisis without an accumulative set of experiences

WHAT WILL THE HOLIDAYS LOOK LIKE DURING A PANDEMIC?

October 25, 2020 This year the holidays will look very different for most of us. Due to Covid-19, family gatherings will be smaller and may be accompanied by video conferencing of relatives and friends. Holiday destination activities will be restrictive or cancelled and the exuberance of the season may be dampened. Of course, that part depends on us, our perspectives, our creativity and our determination. The fact that we have traditions that may date back to our childhood does not preclude space for new traditions. This crisis has caused us all to take

How Did I Get Here?

October 16, 2020 The journey to writing this first sentence has been a long one. It has been filled with so many diverse experiences, relationships (both student-teacher and parent-teacher) and amazing memories that have shaped the person I am today. When I think back on who I was before entering into the field of Special Education, I recall someone sensitive and aware but lacking the understanding of what a family with a child possessing special needs faces. My exposure to the nature of disabilities began very early in my life. I

SpecialEdRising

October 18, 2020 The concept of SpecialEdRising is an outgrowth of timely inspiration as it relates to the word, rising; for me, a touchstone for motivating, growing and overcoming. When I left the classroom after 30 years, it was something I had dreamed about doing for awhile. I always knew there were other ways for me to contribute to this world; some I had already gotten a taste of both professionally and creatively. I was ever mindful of that. However, the real reasons behind the number 30, for as much as