Spring is here, and yet there is talk about the end of the school year. With less than two months to go, summer vacation will be upon us. Teachers and children are anxiously waiting for school to end, while parents are anxiously scrambling to plan for what to do with their children for two months [...]
When a student with special needs attends school, it is not just academics that he or she is faced with learning. There are independence, life and social skills lessons presented in and out of class-time. While home and school are not the same environments, there are some things that can be worked on at home [...]
Many people are considering their personal goals or resolutions for the new year. For families of children with special needs, inclusion in the wider community is usually on that list of goals. Here’s a list of 10 ways to include a child with special needs in the new year. 10. Fulfill sensory needs at all [...]
The holiday spirit is in the air. The commercials for toys bombard us every day. The cards and invitations for gatherings arrive in our in-boxes and mailboxes. All of this means the winter break is right around the corner. Here are some survival tips to help make winter break a little easier and exciting for [...]
“Retarded.” For some, the word carries a tremendous sting. For others, it is simply a colloquial word akin to “silly” or “ridiculous.” A campaign by the Special Olympics, “Spread the Word to End the Word” asks people to pledge to stop using the word, “retarded.” The project has taken hold in several schools as peers [...]
This is a very busy time for our children, both academically and socially. Students are learning to: Participate as members of their new classes Follow new schedules Learn new names Predict how others will act Figure out how their teachers will respond Follow directions, and Enjoy the company and presence of others. Children will find [...]
By Jeanette Kevra, OTRL Going back to school can be a stressful time for both children and parents alike. This is especially true for kids with sensory processing challenges. Here are some fun sensory-based ideas to ease the transition into the school year and help makes things easier on everyone. 1. Preview the upcoming school [...]
Summer break represents many different things to many different people. Some people use the summer break for vacation, trips and fun. Some use the summer as the season of projects and renovations, while others work right through it without any change. For special educators the summer represents a little bit of everything, a little bit [...]
I sat in the dark and cried this afternoon. Please don’t get the wrong idea – they were tears of joy. I was sitting in the school gym at my nephew’s school. The kids were rehearsing their end-of-the-year school play. I’ve worked as his aide at this particular school for the better part of a [...]
Being a special educator can be a very challenging task. Teaching, paperwork, IEP meetings and overseeing paraprofessionals leaves special education teacher drained at the end of the day. Its no wonder that 50% of special education teachers leave their jobs within 5 years. Parents can help their child with special needs succeed by helping their special [...]
