The first in my series of webinars "7 Secret Success Strategies for IEP's" went very well. Thank you to all who attended and then sent me emails afterwards. I am looking forward to the next one this Thursday, September 24, 2009 at 6pm.
I had hoped to quickly put the recording of the webinar on my site but it is a much larger file than I anticipated. So I've had to call in the help of my computer friends and they are all working with me to find the best way to be able to give access to anyone via my site. Please be patient while we work out all the kinks!
Again, I look forward to meeting more people this Thursday on the webinar. To get access to the webinar, please contact me via my website ww.MerrynAffleck.com and I'll be happy to forward you the information.
Monday, September 21, 2009
Monday, September 14, 2009
Webinar series September and October 2009
School hadn't even begun this year and I was already getting concerned calls from clients, some I had not heard from in years. What was driving this traffic to me?? You guessed it, the lousy economy! In particular, the cut backs that the state government has been forced to make in order to even pretend that the budget can somehow be balanced. As always, the least powerful people in our society got hit the hardest. In case you didn't know, the educational consultants that have helped our developmentally disabled community through the San Diego Regional Center, have been cut. This, to me, is appalling.
In an effort to help, I am offering a series of 7 webinars for 1 hour a week each. They will start this coming Thursday, September 17th at 6pm. To sign up, just contact me via my website and I will forward you the necessary information. Additionally, I will be recording the webinars and placing them on my website for anyone to access. I will not be focusing on the law but on very practical suggestions for creating healthy and wonderful IEP teams that work together for the benefit of your child.
Yes, it is possible to do this - it takes work and some creativity but the payoffs are amazing.
So join me for just one hour for the next few Thursdays and we'll discuss how to work together to uncover these secret strategies for successful IEP's.
In an effort to help, I am offering a series of 7 webinars for 1 hour a week each. They will start this coming Thursday, September 17th at 6pm. To sign up, just contact me via my website and I will forward you the necessary information. Additionally, I will be recording the webinars and placing them on my website for anyone to access. I will not be focusing on the law but on very practical suggestions for creating healthy and wonderful IEP teams that work together for the benefit of your child.
Yes, it is possible to do this - it takes work and some creativity but the payoffs are amazing.
So join me for just one hour for the next few Thursdays and we'll discuss how to work together to uncover these secret strategies for successful IEP's.
Friday, October 24, 2008
The Aspie Experience
Aspie's (people with a diagnosis of Asperger's Syndrome) are an amazing group of people. They can blow your mind with their wit and intelligence and, the very next minute, drive you to levels of frustration you never knew were possible!! I have the priviledge of sharing my home with an Aspie teen at the moment (not my son, but a friend who is staying with us for a while). This young man has gifts that my son will never have, but he also has challenges with independence and social skills that Sam has overcome.
The individual skills and challenges that each person on the autism spectrum presents is truly fascinating. I always say that the "I" in IEP must have been specifically designed for "individuals" with Autism. Each and every IEP I have ever worked on have been a truly individual design. The goals and objective, the assessments are all unique, and the ways we all come up with on how to achieve these milestones are just as unique.
This can make the IEP process confusing for parents who assume that everyone gets the same as everyone else. But, as the experienced IEP team members know, that's not the case. And that fact has both positives and negatives to it - the positive is that no 2 kids are alike so it would be disastrous to start treating them in a cookie cutter fashion; the negative is that some kids end up with a "Cadillac" level of service whle others get a whole lot less.
Don't stress out about every detail in an IEP - focus on creating supportive relationships with the people who work with your child. It's amazing how far a kind word will go. Balance that with sane and honest meetings and comments, and you've got the basis of a wonderful educational experience, no matter how the IEP is worded.
Thursday, September 18, 2008
Getting Back To Work
I guess summer is truly over! I'm getting calls from new and old clients and I'm getting ready to attend some of the local support meetings. It's always such a treat to meet people I've worked with over the years, to keep in touch so that I can help whenever needed. But what is even more thrilling is to hear how people put what I teach them into action so that they not only don't need me but they don't need any advocate, let alone an attorney! That's when I know I've truly done my job.
Well, I got my daughter off to college this summer. Wow, it was a LOT harder that I expected! I still am surprised at how much I miss her. Luckily, she's just up in LA but next year her goal is to go to the sister campus in New York. Now that will be a challenge for us all! Other family news is from home (Australia). Both my parents are having some serious health issues, and the matriarch of the family, Aunty Pat, has inoperable throat cancer. They say things happen in 3's, so hopefully we're all done for a while.
I'm working on the concept of a webinar, one directed at parents and one for teachers. Perhaps even a series of webinars to that we can delve deeply into various topics. I'll let you know when all is set!
Well, I got my daughter off to college this summer. Wow, it was a LOT harder that I expected! I still am surprised at how much I miss her. Luckily, she's just up in LA but next year her goal is to go to the sister campus in New York. Now that will be a challenge for us all! Other family news is from home (Australia). Both my parents are having some serious health issues, and the matriarch of the family, Aunty Pat, has inoperable throat cancer. They say things happen in 3's, so hopefully we're all done for a while.
I'm working on the concept of a webinar, one directed at parents and one for teachers. Perhaps even a series of webinars to that we can delve deeply into various topics. I'll let you know when all is set!
Monday, August 4, 2008
Training Teachers
I have had the priviledge of attending one of the best conferences in the past 20 odd years. It was in Sedona, NV by a group called Center for Teacher Effectiveness (www.timetoteach.com). The integrity of the whole group and the solid strategies and techniques that they have practiced and improved not only make sense but there is solid date behind them to show that they work.
So, I am now proud to say that I am a certified trainer for Time To Teach and I will be sending out proposals to conferences and school districts offering to come and instruct the staff on these techniques so that they do indeed have more "time to teach"!! Additionally, I will be offering to present a seminar that I have successfully offered to parents, professionals and teachers for the past few years here in southern California, teaching everyone how to make an IEP meeting successful and productive.
My advocacy is based upon the fact that IEP meetings can be wonderful experiences and that most kids can benefit tremendously from the special education services in public schools. There are, naturally, a lot of different factors to put into place and to arrange successfully, but it certainly can be done. My success rate speaks for itself. I end up with happy parents who now feel they are part of the IEP team and that their child is making progress, and they are in sync with the IEP team and teachers (and vice versa).
The Time To Teach program also has this philosophy - that working together a class can change it's behavior and can indeed learn and progress - and it's a painless process!! I look forward to telling you more in later blogs.
I hope your summer has been successful and productive (and relaxing too!)
So, I am now proud to say that I am a certified trainer for Time To Teach and I will be sending out proposals to conferences and school districts offering to come and instruct the staff on these techniques so that they do indeed have more "time to teach"!! Additionally, I will be offering to present a seminar that I have successfully offered to parents, professionals and teachers for the past few years here in southern California, teaching everyone how to make an IEP meeting successful and productive.
My advocacy is based upon the fact that IEP meetings can be wonderful experiences and that most kids can benefit tremendously from the special education services in public schools. There are, naturally, a lot of different factors to put into place and to arrange successfully, but it certainly can be done. My success rate speaks for itself. I end up with happy parents who now feel they are part of the IEP team and that their child is making progress, and they are in sync with the IEP team and teachers (and vice versa).
The Time To Teach program also has this philosophy - that working together a class can change it's behavior and can indeed learn and progress - and it's a painless process!! I look forward to telling you more in later blogs.
I hope your summer has been successful and productive (and relaxing too!)
Sunday, July 20, 2008
Frustrations!
I need to start this entry by affirming to you that I do indeed LOVE my children, but there are times when I am ready to simply pack it all in and run away. How can these fabulous people drive me so insane???
I sat with one of my good friends yesterday (Gayley) and we both lamented about the complicated relationship we have with our kids and how it is STILL so complicated even though our kids are older. Surely it is supposed to get easier at some point???
No, it doesn't get easier - it just changes and the challenges evolve. And we also had to change and evolve to even have a chance to keep up. Sigh....it gets tiring. But that's where good friends come into the picture.
Most of my friends are involved in Autism in some way or another - most are parents but I also have a smattering of various professionals. All are wonderful sources of strength and support - the hardest lesson I had to learn was to actually ask for help. I still seem to forget sometimes that I have people to learn on. I let the feeling of "being alone" take over my life. And I suffer and so do my kids. Thankfully, I somehow crawl out of that place and start to talk to my friends and, without exception, they help me find my way back. And that's where I am today - crawling out of my hole, trying to breathe and relax and enjoy my children again.
Tomorrow will be a better day - how many times have I said that to myself? Actually, I have the following quote pinned to the wall by my bed (i just need to read it more often) -
"Courage doesn't always roar. Sometimes courage is the little voice at the end of the day that says "I will try again tomorrow" .
Take the time to attend as many parent support meetings as you can, and reach out to people at those meetings. Introduce yourself - if you're too shy then privately ask the meeting leader to introduce you to people who might have similar situations. Believe me, this is no time to sit back and just observe! Get out there and talk to people. I have found that by approaching people to ask for help I have been rewarded. People truly want to help, they just don't always know how and if you can help them with the how you will be amazed at the positive response you will get. And you may even find a friend!
I sat with one of my good friends yesterday (Gayley) and we both lamented about the complicated relationship we have with our kids and how it is STILL so complicated even though our kids are older. Surely it is supposed to get easier at some point???
No, it doesn't get easier - it just changes and the challenges evolve. And we also had to change and evolve to even have a chance to keep up. Sigh....it gets tiring. But that's where good friends come into the picture.
Most of my friends are involved in Autism in some way or another - most are parents but I also have a smattering of various professionals. All are wonderful sources of strength and support - the hardest lesson I had to learn was to actually ask for help. I still seem to forget sometimes that I have people to learn on. I let the feeling of "being alone" take over my life. And I suffer and so do my kids. Thankfully, I somehow crawl out of that place and start to talk to my friends and, without exception, they help me find my way back. And that's where I am today - crawling out of my hole, trying to breathe and relax and enjoy my children again.
Tomorrow will be a better day - how many times have I said that to myself? Actually, I have the following quote pinned to the wall by my bed (i just need to read it more often) -
"Courage doesn't always roar. Sometimes courage is the little voice at the end of the day that says "I will try again tomorrow" .
Take the time to attend as many parent support meetings as you can, and reach out to people at those meetings. Introduce yourself - if you're too shy then privately ask the meeting leader to introduce you to people who might have similar situations. Believe me, this is no time to sit back and just observe! Get out there and talk to people. I have found that by approaching people to ask for help I have been rewarded. People truly want to help, they just don't always know how and if you can help them with the how you will be amazed at the positive response you will get. And you may even find a friend!
Thursday, July 17, 2008
Our Children's Future
I am fortunate to continually meet and work with families who have many different challenges due to disabilities. The majority of my clients are on the autism spectrum - I guess that's just a sign of the times. When we first meet, my goal is to listen. I need as much information as I can get about the whole family and what is going on, not simply about the child with autism. Afterall, as I see it, my job is not to fix the autism, but to help the "team" be able to work more effectively so that everyone feels supported. Focusing just on school, or home is pointless - the child doesn't exist in only one place!
The most important exercise I give my families to do is actually a written assignment (yes, I give out homework!). I ask the parents to do something that they have not done since the diagnosis was handed down - I ask them to dream of a future for their child.
When I first tried to complete this exercise myself many years ago it opened the floodgates of emotion that I had tried so hard to squelch in order to just be able to function and get through my day. And I cursed the person who first came up with this cruel exercise - didn't I already have enough to do and wasn't I already in enough pain??? But I think what really shocked and scared me most was realizing that I actually didn't have ANY dreams for my son - every dream I'd ever had for him had disappeared (actually exploded) when he was diagnosed. And, most heartbreakingly, no one had ever, ever, EVER encouraged me to dream again. Instead, I was trained to think only for the moment or the very short term. I still had dreams and plans for my other younger children, but none for Sam. That was so unfair. So, I put my feelings aside and began this exercise.
Start by dreaming of how you would like your child's life to be when he/she is 25 years old. Think of relationships (romantic, family, friends etc.), education, lifestyle, life skills, jobs - anything you can think of.
Then, work your way BACKWARDS! Dream of your child's life at age 21 - what needs to be in place in order for the "age 25" dream to become a reality? Then, dream of age 18 and do the same thing. Continue to work your way backwards using whatever intervals you like (1 year, or 2) until you reach your child's current age. You have now made a blueprint for everyone to follow to take your child from his/her current state to your dream.
Now, your dream will probably change over the years as some skills are learned more quickly and some don't! That's fine - we need to be flexible. But with out a plan, without direction, without that life dream, our kids are doomed. Teachers/therapists etc. are only concerned with the short term - for the amount of time that they will actually be involved with this "case". But parents MUST think in terms of lifetimes. It is our responsiblity to bring these dreams to each and every meeting and drag the rest of the team in that direction (sometimes kicking and screaming all the way). No one else will dream for our children. Take back one of your most important parental roles and dream for the future of your child.
The most important exercise I give my families to do is actually a written assignment (yes, I give out homework!). I ask the parents to do something that they have not done since the diagnosis was handed down - I ask them to dream of a future for their child.
When I first tried to complete this exercise myself many years ago it opened the floodgates of emotion that I had tried so hard to squelch in order to just be able to function and get through my day. And I cursed the person who first came up with this cruel exercise - didn't I already have enough to do and wasn't I already in enough pain??? But I think what really shocked and scared me most was realizing that I actually didn't have ANY dreams for my son - every dream I'd ever had for him had disappeared (actually exploded) when he was diagnosed. And, most heartbreakingly, no one had ever, ever, EVER encouraged me to dream again. Instead, I was trained to think only for the moment or the very short term. I still had dreams and plans for my other younger children, but none for Sam. That was so unfair. So, I put my feelings aside and began this exercise.
Start by dreaming of how you would like your child's life to be when he/she is 25 years old. Think of relationships (romantic, family, friends etc.), education, lifestyle, life skills, jobs - anything you can think of.
Then, work your way BACKWARDS! Dream of your child's life at age 21 - what needs to be in place in order for the "age 25" dream to become a reality? Then, dream of age 18 and do the same thing. Continue to work your way backwards using whatever intervals you like (1 year, or 2) until you reach your child's current age. You have now made a blueprint for everyone to follow to take your child from his/her current state to your dream.
Now, your dream will probably change over the years as some skills are learned more quickly and some don't! That's fine - we need to be flexible. But with out a plan, without direction, without that life dream, our kids are doomed. Teachers/therapists etc. are only concerned with the short term - for the amount of time that they will actually be involved with this "case". But parents MUST think in terms of lifetimes. It is our responsiblity to bring these dreams to each and every meeting and drag the rest of the team in that direction (sometimes kicking and screaming all the way). No one else will dream for our children. Take back one of your most important parental roles and dream for the future of your child.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)