Our first ARD/IEP help

[Guest guest]

> Hello Everyone.

>

> We are getting ready to do our first ARD IEP meeting

> and I wanted some advice from those who have done

> this

> before. The sent a preARD form to get a feel for

> what

> I am looking for. I know my son is not going to get

> PT because he is on track. He will be 3 after

> Thanksgiving.

> What types of measurable goals should I have for by

> the end of the year?

>

> He has oral motor issues so someone will feed and I

> have that goal. I just to know, knowing what you

> know

> now what would you have had written early on that

> made

> life easier. He is the only 3 year old so far and

> it

> is mixed with preK. They have 2 teachers and 2 aids

> and to be honest, I could not tell the difference of

> the kids with disabilities vs " typical " .

>

> What are the things I should watch for or make sure

> I

> get? It helps that the school knows me from my

> oldest

> child (3rd grade) that is in the gifted

> class

> at school.

>

> Thanks! Its on the 17th. I have my ECI OT going

> (love her) and my coordinator.

> B

>

>

>

>

__________________________________________________

[Guest guest]

,

I think we should all get a free course in how to write goals! They are TOUGH! I hate em..... <g> Much easier to just DO them I think...anyway. I can not recommend the VORT books enough as a map for all the major developmental areas. It makes our life MUCH easier and also gives you very detailed information that will help you help your child.

First off for PT make sure you at least get a once a month consult to keep on top of things. If you had the VORT books you could go the PT section and make a quick assessment as to where your son is now, and what the next steps should be, along with detailed information to write great goals.

Here's an examples for gross motor ( with out the details just the headers ) Runs a distance of 10 feet, Tosses a large ball with both hands underhanded,begins a simple somersault, climbs up and down ladder one rung at a time, walks up and down stairs using rail alternate feet with out rail,throws a ball against a wall and catches it with hands,body, walks 10 feet a on a 4 inch wide line-

Personally, I would never come up with such ideas on my own. :-) There a goals for ALL areas, including social and such things as being able to find your way around school! The speech and language goals are great!

I also made our OT teach how to discern objects using just her hands. The OT was very surprised at what a difficult time she had with this. She is improving though! This helps 's fine motor, builds neuropath ways that are obviously lacking due to her low tone and also cognition- being able to think about what she is feeling and then retrieving the info takes lots of mental gymnastics!

I would also be sure to include READING in your son's goals. You are prolly going to have to do quite a bit of convincing here since schools don't bother teaching regular preschoolers to read, they may look at you as though you are deep in denial! Get "Teaching Children with DS to Read' and MAKE them use the flash cards every day!!

Down's Ed trust has wonderful information on how reading helps SPEECH, so print that off and give it to your ST and get speech involved in the reading program as well. Make goals that he will learn a certain number of new words each quarter! Start slow with learning 5. To begin use words your child is familiar with- his name, names of his best friends in school ( this worked really well in our school because all the kids wear name tags. They first realized COULD read was when she started to hand out name tags to the correct kids <g>), sib names, foods he loves, animals he loves etc..

As a side note- today earned the "Principal's Pride' award for her her flashcards! She now is making her OWN ( not for her reading program, but for her words she uses in the curriculum)!! I was shocked when I saw them at school this morning! She DREW beautiful pictures and then had copied the words herself!! BIG words too like pumpkin... I am so very proud of that little stinker. She just keeps surpising us with what she can do.

I would say reading is *the* most important goal you want for your son. He *can* do this! He will LOVE it and it will improve his life across many areas- speech, cognitive, self esteem!, how the teacher's view him and his abilities, how his peers view him!!! I made her flash cards myself and sent them to school in the beginning. Now they are all about making her cards.Also make books with your son and his life as the subject. She just turned 6 and her reading has really taken off this fall! She can pick up an easy book and read it all by herself now. We are just stunned- even ME who believed in her. :-)

Do you have any goals for signing? Did you add any thing about pictorial schedules for the classroom? It's great to see in the school... not just her classrooms- all these pictures and pecs up everywhere now. :-) Also all the kids using sign language- fantastic stuff. Skills for independence?

There are so many things you need to address that it would be too long to write out. Get the VORT books... they just make it so easy.

Be sure you have daily communication, know what they are studying so you can support it at home, set up monthly meetings with the team to discuss how things are going. Spend time IN the classroom. Offer to help with any materials they need made. Bring in any fun games you have, ideas, just try to be very supportive in general and make it clear you want to help them teach your child and that you are very involved and don't expect them to do everything- it's a team effort. Be sure your team input is not just telling them what you want them to do, do your part as well. Document all educational activities you do at home and in your communication notebook too. Don't forget to mention such things as your child helping you bake, bagging groceries, computer games you have , activities you attended such as the support group Halloween Party, gatherings with relatives at home, attending sporting or performance events of sibs or friends, visiting museums, zoos, library

events etc. Don't forget those social engagements with your child's friends! You want to let them know your child has a well rounded and busy life outside of school with friends just like everyone else. Pictures of such events sent in with your child give wonderful speech and language opportunities too!!! Come to think of it- that is another goal- talk about your weekend on Monday! ALL the kids do it quite naturally, but our kids often times need support in the way of pictures or mom having written something to facilitate questions and communication of the facts. :-) And school needs to do the same for you! If they have a guest speaker or assembly- they need to tell you so you can ask about his day.

Carol in IL

Mom to seven including , 6 with TOF, AVcanal, GERD, LS, Asthma, subglottal stenosis, chronic constipation ( cured now ) and DS.

My problem is not how I look. It's how you see me.

Our first ARD/IEP help

> Hello Everyone.> > We are getting ready to do our first ARD IEP meeting> and I wanted some advice from those who have done> this> before. The sent a preARD form to get a feel for> what> I am looking for. I know my son is not going to get> PT because he is on track. He will be 3 after> Thanksgiving. > What types of measurable goals should I have for by> the end of the year?> > He has oral motor issues so someone will feed and I> have that goal. I just to know, knowing what you> know> now what would you have had written early on that> made> life easier. He is the only 3 year old so far and> it> is mixed with preK. They have 2 teachers and 2 aids> and to be honest, I could not tell the difference of> the kids with disabilities vs "typical".> > What are the things I should watch for or make

sure> I> get? It helps that the school knows me from my> oldest> child (3rd grade) that is in the gifted> class> at school. > > Thanks! Its on the 17th. I have my ECI OT going> (love her) and my coordinator.> B> > > > ____________ _________ _________ _________ _________ __