Lecture+5


 * Topic**: Parents of Students with Disabilities
 * Date**: Jan. 23/08

Began class with a math calculation opener on birthdays.

1. Write down the # of your birth month 2. Multiply by 2 3. Add 6 4. Multiply by 50 5. Add the date of your birth 6. Subtract 365 7. Add 65 If you calculated correctly your answer should reflect your birthdate (month followed by day).

Reminder that learning extension exercise 1 is due on Friday Jan. 25 at beginning of class. Discussed that if you are only using the text to refer to it with page #'s in the text. However, if you used additional sources, you should cite them in proper APA format.

(class discussion)
 * Factors Affecting How Parents Respond to Having a Child with a Disability**
 * how friends/coworkers respond to you (supportive vs. sending sympathy card)
 * when parents find out such as before birth vs after birth (did it occur suddenly such as an accident/illness)
 * type of disability
 * whether the disability is severe- long term or life threatening vs. short term
 * how you are told by the doctor
 * emotional state of the parents- age of parents (maturity level)
 * how supportive your family is
 * prior knowledge/experience with the disability
 * lifestyle- how much time you have, work, social economic status
 * culture/religion


 * Other Issues Parents May Deal With** (overhead from text)
 * struggle with guilt and self esteem
 * additional responsibilities in time, energy,finances
 * experience a cycle of grief not unlike dealing with death
 * coping with the stress of raising a child with disabilities may lead to abuse
 * may experience social isolation
 * may encounter attitudes, ignorance, and disrespect from professionals that increases stress

Professor Updike shared with us her personal experience about having a son that was diagnosed with Autism at age 2.5. She explained how they suspected something wasn't right when he began losing the language that he had previously acquired. Through trying to find information and reading about autism, she and her husband realized that their son was showing the signs of autism. This is how they found out and it was a very emotional time in their lives.

Role of Parents** -individual discussion with the appropriate teacher (s) and/or principal, -participation as volunteers, and/or -participation in the parent council
 * __Winnipeg School Division Policy KMA 2.1__ (overheads, also in PowerPoint slide form under files on the main class website)
 * parents are encouraged to participate in the education of their children through:


 * Your role as a parent:**
 * identify that you child has special needs when entering the Winnipeg School Division (W.S.D)
 * be informed of the W.S.D. policies
 * participate in discussion affecting your child's education
 * take an active role in you child's IEP
 * five written and informed consent for any special assessments
 * receive information on child's educational progress and receive written reports at least 2x per year
 * have access to information in your child's school file
 * be consulted with and give permission before your child is placed in an alternative setting
 * provide written authorization for any specialized additional services you child might need
 * provide written and informed consent to share information for Special Needs Categorical funding Level II and III if necessary
 * maintain ongoing communication with your child's teacher(s)
 * attend parent teacher conferences
 * be an advocate for your child

Note the differences in expectations for parents with children with a disability.


 * Partnerships as Archways**

When looking at this concept in diagram form, TRUST is in the middle as it is the keystone of the relationship between parents and professionals. Other factors are: Communication, Professional Competence, Respect, TRUST, Commitment, Equality, and Advocacy.

We got into assigned groups and read a scenario that involved a student named David in grade 7 coming into a new class. He had a significant cognitive disability, mild cerebral palsy, and experienced epileptic grand mal seizures once a week. His reading level was at a grade 2 level. Each group discussed issues that would need to be addressed in the class and strategies for creating an inclusive classroom. Some ideas that were discussed: -finding out about his epileptic condition and knowing what to do -talk to the class about it- how to react etc.(also be sensitive to not single him out) -icebreakers, so everyone gets to know the new student -student of the week- highlight strengths/talents -incorporate books of his interest into classes- motivation -peer tutoring -tiered differentiation -rotating groups so he has a chance to work with everyone
 * PLANNING:**

__**Edub 2800 Notes/ January 23, 2008/Athena**__

At the start of the class, we had some...birth date fun!

-	Write down the number of your birth month -	Multiply by 2 -	Add 6 -	Multiply by 50 -	Add the date of your birth -	Subtract 365 -	Add 65

Parents and Planning Read chapter 5 for next class Consent form due next class**


 * Inclusive Special Education**

-	What -	Why -	How -	Who

For example- why- research/ legislation/ litigation- parents objecting to a segregated placement.

**Parents of children with special needs**

**What might you say to parents who discover their child had Down Syndrome?**

-	“Congratulations on your gift” -	“You are chosen” -	An example Mary Ann gave in class was when a group of co-workers sent a sympathy card to a parent who had recently discovered that their child had a disability.

**One of the factors to how a parent reacts**

-	If you learn at birth or if you learn later

**What other things parents might think having a child with a disability**?

-	Age of a child -	How parents are told -	Hormones of mother -	Support that one person has available -	Prior knowledge/experience -	Lifestyle, work -	Culture, religion -	Age of parents, when the child is born -	Type of disability/severity/lifelong or temporary

**Parents of children with special needs**

-	Often struggle with the issue of guilt or self esteem -	Often face additional responsibilities in terms of time, energy, and finances -	May experience a cycle of grief not unlike dealing with death -	Coping with stress of raising a child with disabilities; may lead to abuse -	May experience social isolation -	May encounter attitudes, ignorance, and disrespect from professionals that increases stress -	Mary Ann talks about her own experience when discovering her son had autism; disbelief at first


 * Role of Parents (Winnipeg School Division)- see main website for class for further notes**

-	Parents are encouraged to participate in the education of their children -	Through individual discussions with the appropriate teacher(s) and/ or principal -	Through participation as volunteers -	Through participating in the parent council (see Jump notes) -	Identify that your child has special needs when entering the Winnipeg School Division. Be informed of the Winnipeg School Division policies. -	Give written and informed consent for any special assessments -	Receive information on a child’s educational progress and receive written reports at least twice a year -	Have access to your child’s school file -	Be consulted with and give permission before your child is placed in an alternative setting -	Provide written authorization for any specialized additional services your child might need -	Maintain ongoing communication with your child’s teacher(s) -	Attend parent teacher conferences -	Be an advocate for your child -	Mary Ann shares that she herself has not received and written reports since Grade 7 and no invites to parent/ teacher nights


 * Partnerships as Archways**

-	Communication -	Professional Competence -	Respect -	Trust -	Commitment -	Equality -	Advocacy

Mary Ann had us get into groups where we were presented with an Inclusive Teaching Scenario.


 * David**

- 7th grade -	- Significant cognitive disability/ epilepsy; has seizures each week; mild cerebral palsy; walks haltingly, speaks slowly but intelligibly -	Likes reading and computers, -	Language arts is in every classroom -	He has not made many friends

We were instructed to make an inclusive classroom for David.


 * Ideas presented in class**:

-	Have him share his disability in class; informing the class -	Group activities- reading- literature circle -	Social studies- could do an internet research project -	Science- demonstrations and experiments in groups -	Language arts- perform in a play, show and tell, each student could do a biography of themselves (another way to share about one another in class and understand David’s disability) -	Health/Physical Education- if David is not as mobile, then maybe he could use technology to do demonstrations in class. For instance, make a video of the rules of basketball, volleyball, etc. He could use computer programs to edit his video (utilizing his strength in the usage of computers) -	Group work- be sure to change the groups all the time so that all students get to know one another -	Peer tutoring- David could assist other students who are not as technologically savvy -	Tiered lessons -	Safety issues/ seating arrangements -	Icebreakers/ community building

- Do a “kid of the month” - Be aware and informed - Role-playing activities- to show what can happen - Show other people who have it- celebrities
 * What can a teacher do to deal with seizures?**