Re: Transition

November 10, 2000

ReHi

My son is in 7th grade and I really do not want him to be taken out of any

regular ed classes to learn to cross streets and cook. He is in THAT special

ROOM 3 times a day,can't they get it done then. As you can guess I am not

happy with THAT special ROOM. Does he really need a feild trip to teach him

to cross a street?? I feel that he can wait until 9th grade to do thsi stuff.

He will be pulled out more then and will find less classes he will be able to

take in Reg Ed. I feel that he should be able to have as much time as

possible with his typical peers. Am I wrong??? Having to argue with hubby

about this also. I have met with an inclusin specialist and stated my case. I

am an unhappy camper who does not have an IEP yet and has a SPED teacher that

feels it is her way and he will conform. What ever happened to the I in IEP??

okay off the box for a while

Thanks for letting me vent

(sigh) JEannette

November 10, 2000

You know the old idea was, and maybe it still is, they had to get the

disabled or retarded or whatever child away from the parents in order to

teach them anything because the parents were too involved. I've seen and

heard that so many times it really sticks in the craw. As if all parents are

just coddling this poor child and only a professional can teach them

anything. BULLFEATHERS as you all know. But I think some teachers etc are

still hanging onto that idea. Evidently.

To show you how helpless is after being coddled all these years,

one day I got out the last packet of instant oatmeal in the house and was

going to have it for breakfast. Just then I saw our neighbor outside and I

wanted to talk to him about something so I went out and when I came back

had cooked (microwaved) the cereal and eaten it. Of course, there

are thousands of other things but that just came to mind. Jessie

November 10, 2000

You have to insist on the I in IEP, Jeanette. I agree that he could wait

for these things. His transition plan could read that he will transition

when he is 16. Sounds like you know what he needs.

Elaine

Re: transition

> ReHi

> My son is in 7th grade and I really do not want him to be taken out of any

> regular ed classes to learn to cross streets and cook. He is in THAT

special

> ROOM 3 times a day,can't they get it done then. As you can guess I am not

> happy with THAT special ROOM. Does he really need a feild trip to teach

him

> to cross a street?? I feel that he can wait until 9th grade to do thsi

stuff.

> He will be pulled out more then and will find less classes he will be able

to

> take in Reg Ed. I feel that he should be able to have as much time as

> possible with his typical peers. Am I wrong??? Having to argue with hubby

> about this also. I have met with an inclusin specialist and stated my

case. I

> am an unhappy camper who does not have an IEP yet and has a SPED teacher

that

> feels it is her way and he will conform. What ever happened to the I in

IEP??

> okay off the box for a while

> Thanks for letting me vent

> (sigh) JEannette

>

November 10, 2000

Sounds right to me--vent or not. I find it fascinating sometimes to hear

about the " skills " educators feel they should teach Jessie. A couple years

ago, it was making a sandwich (we already taught her that at home and she's

working on the microwave now). We are in a very auto -oriented community

without many sidewalks, let alone crosswalks, so since she has to cross the

two lane highway when she exits the bus, I'm planning on making a cardboard

stoplight to teach her in a naturally occurring situation--otherwise I

expect we'd have been teaching her that one for the last several years.

Sometimes I get the impression that educators don't think parents do

anything with their kids at home (well, maybe some don't), but for me

" school " is for learning life skills related to reading, writing,

arithmetic, and social skills and citizenship at that level and leave the

stuff that isn't school to me.

Judi (always in favor of inclusion), mom to Jess, 6th grader

Re: transition

ReHi

My son is in 7th grade and I really do not want him to be taken out of any

regular ed classes to learn to cross streets and cook. He is in THAT special

ROOM 3 times a day,can't they get it done then. As you can guess I am not

happy with THAT special ROOM. Does he really need a feild trip to teach him

to cross a street?? I feel that he can wait until 9th grade to do thsi

stuff.

He will be pulled out more then and will find less classes he will be able

to

take in Reg Ed. I feel that he should be able to have as much time as

possible with his typical peers. Am I wrong??? Having to argue with hubby

about this also. I have met with an inclusin specialist and stated my case.

I

am an unhappy camper who does not have an IEP yet and has a SPED teacher

that

feels it is her way and he will conform. What ever happened to the I in

IEP??

okay off the box for a while

Thanks for letting me vent

(sigh) JEannette

November 11, 2000

In a message dated 11/10/00 11:50:56 PM Central Standard Time,

JB66111@... writes:

> To show you how helpless is after being coddled all these

years,

> one day I got out the last packet of instant oatmeal in the house and was

> going to have it for breakfast. Just then I saw our neighbor outside and

I

> wanted to talk to him about something so I went out and when I came back

> had cooked (microwaved) the cereal and eaten it. Of course, there

> are thousands of other things but that just came to mind. Jessie

ROTFLOL Now I can see Miss Sara doing this, Right now Sara sneaks to the

bathroom to eat her treats/M & Ms I asked her why and she answered " No share "

Kathy mom to Sara 8..........a product of being the youngest lol

November 11, 2000

Rick's letter was great. The things we need to teach our children are not

always easy and can be time-consuming, but that is our job as parents. I am

careful about what I want the school to do for . I try to get

activities and classes, etc., that I can't replicate at home. I can take her

to the store and let her buy things, I can take her to Mcs and let her

order using her communication board, and I can teach her to cook at home. We

have to prepare our children to be independent -- all of them-as much as

possible. Kathy

November 11, 2000

In a message dated 11/11/00 12:18:55 PM Eastern Standard Time,

rdill@... writes:

<< Many of the elements of 'transition' that the schools do are there

because the families don't do them. >>

I disagree.

Cheryl in VA

November 11, 2000

Maybe that is part the problem. What we have struggled with at times is the

situation where they want to teach " life skills " and we end up teaching

academic skills--a totally back*****wards way to approach it, IMHO. I guess

you have to add to the equation that they don't always have the ability to

grasp that children can and will learn the other stuff, if someone teaches

them--remember " Kids like these? " Or maybe it's just easier to teach

washing face and hands, traffic, etc--in which case I definitely want to do

that part! ;o)

Judi

Re: transition

You know the old idea was, and maybe it still is, they had to get the

disabled or retarded or whatever child away from the parents in order to

teach them anything because the parents were too involved. I've seen and

heard that so many times it really sticks in the craw. As if all parents

are

just coddling this poor child and only a professional can teach them

anything. BULLFEATHERS as you all know. But I think some teachers etc are

still hanging onto that idea. Evidently.

To show you how helpless is after being coddled all these years,

one day I got out the last packet of instant oatmeal in the house and was

going to have it for breakfast. Just then I saw our neighbor outside and I

wanted to talk to him about something so I went out and when I came back

had cooked (microwaved) the cereal and eaten it. Of course, there

are thousands of other things but that just came to mind. Jessie

November 11, 2000

Rick,

That's a really good description of family's role in transition. I think

it's also good to remind us parents of younger kids that risk-taking is a

big part of building independence, although the idea of letting Jessie (11)

loose alone in the mall has me biting my nails!

Out of curiosity, did you have the school teach or co-teach and reinforce

sub-skills for, say, going to the mall, by working on things like making a

list, taking the right amount of money and a calculator if necessary,

stranger danger, knowing who to go to if there was a problem, being

responsible for being where they're supposed to be on time, etc? I think

that was part of the original question too.

Also, we have also already started some transition planning and the things

I'm hearing a lot from other parents of older children and some of the

social service agencies is that social and work skills are the primary

things to focus on in high school especially--how did you handle that with

Jan (who, btw, I was glad to hear is feeling better)?

Judi

Transition

Many of the elements of 'transition' that the schools do are there

because the families don't do them. Crossing the street was something

Janet got in early elementary school. The sped classes didn't get it at

a much different time than the regular kids.

If you feel your child is at risk crossing the street, go out with

her/him and cross streets. Then figure out some way to allow her/him to

do it independently. If your child has never been on a bus or subway go

on a bus or subway. If you travel by air, let them handle some of the

transaction and figure out where to go. This is probably a more

important area to put energy into than helping with homework.

Jan learned elementary cooking by being allowed to cook a snack at

school. She used the toaster, the microwave and later the stovetop.

Sure she learned in school cooking class and in the vocational course in

cooking, but mostly she learned to cook independently which is needs in

her life. She's probably a better cook than I was at 27. My best

recipe was a can of mushroom soup, a can tuna, a box of frozen peas,

heated together and served over white Minute rice.

Do you allow your teen independence to shop and look in the mall with a

pre-arranged meeting place and time? Do you allow them to spend money

when you aren't there? Sure the school can teach that, but why? Yes,

I've let Jan get away in the mall far too many times before we had set

on a meeting time. I'm pretty good at searching a large mall for her.

Now when I remember to bring them, we take along radios so we can talk

and find each other.

Doing dishes .. all kids did it. Jan probably did more because her

brothers found that they could talk her into some of their turns. Lawn

mowing was something expected of the kids. Jan's younger brother got

ten dollars a week to mow the lawn next door. He paid Jan five and both

were happy. Jan always helped rake the lawn. That's been an activity

she does, even in her recovery this fall. It is exercise and it keeps

her on her feet. Yes we pay, but that's also part of the training.

Yes it's a push. A few years ago Jan was invited to do a demo at an

international gymnastics meet in Virginia. I left my car where I picked

her up in New Haven. She had the job of bus training me about how to

get to the railroad station. We took AmTrack to Union Station in

Washington. She had to find someone to ask to figure out how to get to

the address we had. We took the Metro, made a change, and got off at

the required station. After waiting a fairly long time for the bus she

asked again and we were at the wrong bus stop. She explained where she

was going to the bus driver and was told when to get off. Yes, I was in

the background, but did as little as possible. Yes, I could have driven

the whole trip, but that wauldn't have taught her much.

Rick

November 11, 2000

It seems that no one but us has positive attitudes abour our " kids " .

They keep insisting on pushing Jan into the more menial and dull and dirty

jobs. It's like she won't notice that dirty things often smell bad, and

these jobs are boring. For anyone. When they are little we are told that

they have a short attention span, yet when they are older they are expected

to do dull repetitive jobs that would drive anyone nuts. Doesn't make sense.

And even when Jan was doing well, as a nurses' aide asst. for example the

teacher had to push her out. I think it's rather typical and disgusting.

Maybe by the time these little kids grow up it will have changed, but don't

bet the house on it. Jessie

November 11, 2000

My feelings on this are that he is only in 7th grade. Can't it wait??? Am I

really being unrealistic. Does he NEED to start now. We practice crossing

parking lots and roads EVERY time we cross them. Watch for taillights.

Whatever I need to tell him. I just feel that middle school would be a better

place to get those social skills in by being in the classes with the other

kids. No I am not asking to have him placed in Algebra but in resource math

with an aide. The other kids have math problems too but they are not SPED

kids.How about art instead of SPED room having the kids CLEAN the lunch

tables in front of the other kids. No way !!!!!!!!! How can I make him be the

same but have them all see him as the R kid that cleans the table. The other

typical kids are not cleaning the lunch room!!!!!!!!!!!!

Jeannette

November 11, 2000

In high school, much of the time, Jan had afternoons in vocational

training. That was probably the poorest part of her training. I think

she got more vocational training through her parents, i.e. working for

the family, after school and summer jobs in a chldcare setting, and a

year or so as a Sunday volunteer as assistant to nurses'aide at an old

woman's home.

One year she was placed in a 'closet campus' away from everything else.

They had Jan in a 'hotel/motel' program presumably to teach them to make

up motel rooms. The only good part of the program was significant

attention on grooming and self care. The rest of the little shack

campus was split between severely retarded training for workshops (also

awful) and the kids who couldn't make it in regular vocational courses.

They had plumber's assistant (instead of plumbing) and small motor

repair instead of auto repair and the kids were very rough and tough

(and an awful influence on Jan). It was this school that she ran away

from and was eventually found a little way away at a rural ski shop.

We tried to push Jan into a nurses' aide class but were blackballed.

She ended up in a cooking class (where they discovered she could already

cook). The outcome of that rather quickly was an after school job at a

local Macs. She started cooking, but quickly they had migrated

her to cleaning the lobby and bathrooms.

Jan's sped teacher took on the job at the old woman's home and reduced

it to supervised dusting rather than helping the nurses' aide in patient

care. Jan did well in the latter, particularly when working alongside

nurses who had a retarded sibling.

Jan was nominal 'transitioned' when she graduated from high school, but

we have been working since then (six years) to finish the job. She

needed more help in social skills, particularly with intellectual peers

and got that. She needed and still needs grooming and self care. She

still needs to find a place vocationally. That said, she is still doing

very well with the biggest issues being enough self control for

independence (eating and exercise largely) and finding a good vocational

placement. The latter is more difficult because she often is stubborn,

does not accept advice immediately, and gets bored. These aren't

uncommon traits among our kids. Some of the stubbornness and

unwillingness to accept advice is that they have been advised and

supervised all their lives and are sick and tired of it. Some of that

is healthy, but not too much.

Rick .. got to go down and see if she is cleaning up the living room.

Ralph & Judi Lowenthal wrote:

>

> Rick,

[snip]

> Out of curiosity, did you have the school teach or co-teach and reinforce

> sub-skills for, say, going to the mall, by working on things like making a

> list, taking the right amount of money and a calculator if necessary,

> stranger danger, knowing who to go to if there was a problem, being

> responsible for being where they're supposed to be on time, etc? I think

> that was part of the original question too.

>

> Also, we have also already started some transition planning and the things

> I'm hearing a lot from other parents of older children and some of the

> social service agencies is that social and work skills are the primary

> things to focus on in high school especially--how did you handle that with

> Jan (who, btw, I was glad to hear is feeling better)?

November 11, 2000

In a message dated 11/11/00 6:51:20 PM Central Standard Time,

angel2cook@... writes:

<< ith an aide. The other kids have math problems too but they are not SPED

kids.How about art instead of SPED room having the kids CLEAN the lunch

tables in front of the other kids. No way !!!!!!!!! How can I make him be

the

same but have them all see him as the R kid that cleans the table. The other

typical kids are not cleaning the lunch room!!!!!!!!!!!!

Jeannette

>>

That is awful. I would never allow that either. I remember when

was just little and my daughter was in Jr. High and High school she said you

could always tell the sp. ed. kids because they went around in a group and

were never dressed like everyone else. The boys had crew cuts, for instance,

when the others were wearing it long. And their clothes always looked like

hand-me-downs and out of style. This was before anyone heard of inclusion,

of course. The " educable " kids went there, when they finally started the

" trainable " classes they were completely separate. But she told me to be

sure was always dressed like the other kids. I would have anyway but

that was always a reminder. Some years before that a neighbor had a sister

who was " retarded " , I think from an illness. But at family gatherings there

were 2 things I noticed. Everyone else would be dressed up and she would be

in a cotton " house dress " . And no one ever really talked to her or listened

to her. At least she lived at home and not in some institution which would

have been the alternative in those days. I thought we'd come a long way but

now the sped kids are cleaning tables in front of the other kids?????

GRRRRRRR.

Another things. The other kids don't have to decide what they want to do

with their lives in 7th grade. Why should these kids? Some college students

don't even know. GRRRRRR again. Jessie

November 11, 2000

In a message dated 11/11/00 6:35:46 PM Central Standard Time,

seads@... writes:

> Of course, by then, Kaitlyn may have other areas of interest

> as well.

Ooh my......I couldn't dare plan out Sara's life Heehee her choices for the

future change weekly the only thing that is consistent is that she wants

to be married, now her choices in mates change weekly though lololol

Kathy mom to Sara 8.................Sara will definitely have to put her

" bossy " ooops leadership skills in use when she does get a job lolol

November 11, 2000

This is my great fear, that no matter how much we plan and work to train

Kaitlyn for a job that she would like and find challenging, that they

will assume her less capable. Kaitlyn is only in kindergarten but I

have already been checking out the Nurse's aide program at our community

college. The lady there told me she thought that Kaitlyn could get

through the program and if she could pass the test and was physically

able to handle it, she could be a Nurse's Aide. I also talked to the

state boards about the test and they said that they could have someone

read the test and she could take it orally if necessary.

I have begun putting the idea in the school staff's head that this is

where we are headed for Kaitlyn at this time. They look at me like Im

bonkers. Hopefully by the time we reach high school they will take us

seriously. Of course, by then, Kaitlyn may have other areas of interest

as well.

But if she wants to work in a Nursing Home as a Nurse's Aid, I sure

don't want her just washing dishes. That seems to be the job of " choice

" for most kids coming out of high school special ed around here.

I like your idea of volunteering at the home. This would be a great way

to get experience and see if this is an area in which Kaitlyn would be

interested. I'll have to remember that for when she gets old enough.

Darcy

Rick Dill wrote:

>

> In high school, much of the time, Jan had afternoons in vocational

> training. That was probably the poorest part of her training. I think

> she got more vocational training through her parents, i.e. working for

> the family, after school and summer jobs in a chldcare setting, and a

> year or so as a Sunday volunteer as assistant to nurses'aide at an old

> woman's home.

>

> One year she was placed in a 'closet campus' away from everything else.

> They had Jan in a 'hotel/motel' program presumably to teach them to make

> up motel rooms. The only good part of the program was significant

> attention on grooming and self care. The rest of the little shack

> campus was split between severely retarded training for workshops (also

> awful) and the kids who couldn't make it in regular vocational courses.

> They had plumber's assistant (instead of plumbing) and small motor

> repair instead of auto repair and the kids were very rough and tough

> (and an awful influence on Jan). It was this school that she ran away

> from and was eventually found a little way away at a rural ski shop.

>

> We tried to push Jan into a nurses' aide class but were blackballed.

> She ended up in a cooking class (where they discovered she could already

> cook). The outcome of that rather quickly was an after school job at a

> local Macs. She started cooking, but quickly they had migrated

> her to cleaning the lobby and bathrooms.

>

> Jan's sped teacher took on the job at the old woman's home and reduced

> it to supervised dusting rather than helping the nurses' aide in patient

> care. Jan did well in the latter, particularly when working alongside

> nurses who had a retarded sibling.

>

> Jan was nominal 'transitioned' when she graduated from high school, but

> we have been working since then (six years) to finish the job. She

> needed more help in social skills, particularly with intellectual peers

> and got that. She needed and still needs grooming and self care. She

> still needs to find a place vocationally. That said, she is still doing

> very well with the biggest issues being enough self control for

> independence (eating and exercise largely) and finding a good vocational

> placement. The latter is more difficult because she often is stubborn,

> does not accept advice immediately, and gets bored. These aren't

> uncommon traits among our kids. Some of the stubbornness and

> unwillingness to accept advice is that they have been advised and

> supervised all their lives and are sick and tired of it. Some of that

> is healthy, but not too much.

>

> Rick .. got to go down and see if she is cleaning up the living room.

>

> Ralph & Judi Lowenthal wrote:

> >

> > Rick,

> [snip]

> > Out of curiosity, did you have the school teach or co-teach and reinforce

> > sub-skills for, say, going to the mall, by working on things like making a

> > list, taking the right amount of money and a calculator if necessary,

> > stranger danger, knowing who to go to if there was a problem, being

> > responsible for being where they're supposed to be on time, etc? I think

> > that was part of the original question too.

> >

> > Also, we have also already started some transition planning and the things

> > I'm hearing a lot from other parents of older children and some of the

> > social service agencies is that social and work skills are the primary

> > things to focus on in high school especially--how did you handle that with

> > Jan (who, btw, I was glad to hear is feeling better)?

>

November 11, 2000

In a message dated 11/11/2000 2:47:19 PM Eastern Standard Time,

wildwards@... writes:

<<

<< Many of the elements of 'transition' that the schools do are there

because the families don't do them. >>

I disagree.

>>

Depends on the family. Not all special needs children get the stimulation we

provide for our children. For life skills, maybe my son will need some

reinforcers from school...who knows as it's too early to tell. But from

working in DSS, I can say that many children do not get the transition pieces

from home. Some parents do too much for their kids, too.

My goal for is to have him work with a government agency. Why not?

His parents do, two of three of his aunts do as do two out of three

uncles...not to mention my mother who did. There is that stability, benefit

package, etc...not to mention more education on ADA issues. I just hope we

can find something he likes to do and something that will work for him.

Speaking of transitioning.....I picked TJ up from school an hour early

yesterday. A bus was returning to school with 5 special ed students who were

probably out on some tranistion based goal. 4 had Down syndrome. Where

have these kids been? I had not seen them before. I'm going to ask TJ about

these boys. I have heard stories about one of the boys (good stories) from a

fellow cheerleading mom. I am assuming one of the 4 was her friends son.

November 11, 2000

I advocated for a young lady who had an IEP goal for cleaning the desks. I

said " And how exactly will this help her in the future?? " I really think

these people should be required to go back to school and get training. Kids

with DS can do many things besides clean desks and lunchroom tables. That

seems demeaning to me (unless they pay them to do it). If other kids don't

have to do menial chores, kids with DS or any other disability certainly

shouldn't either.

I think you should tell them that legally he doesn't have to have a

transition plan until 16. He does have to have some basic IEP stuff that

can lead up to transition at 14. Academics and social skills can be part of

that plan. Stand your ground.

Elaine

Re: Transition

> My feelings on this are that he is only in 7th grade. Can't it wait??? Am

I

> really being unrealistic. Does he NEED to start now. We practice crossing

> parking lots and roads EVERY time we cross them. Watch for taillights.

> Whatever I need to tell him. I just feel that middle school would be a

better

> place to get those social skills in by being in the classes with the other

> kids. No I am not asking to have him placed in Algebra but in resource

math

> with an aide. The other kids have math problems too but they are not SPED

> kids.How about art instead of SPED room having the kids CLEAN the lunch

> tables in front of the other kids. No way !!!!!!!!! How can I make him be

the

> same but have them all see him as the R kid that cleans the table. The

other

> typical kids are not cleaning the lunch room!!!!!!!!!!!!

> Jeannette

>

November 12, 2000

In a message dated 11/12/00 12:48:38 AM Eastern Standard Time,

c1ndysue1@... writes:

<< Depends on the family. Not all special needs children get the stimulation

we

provide for our children. For life skills, maybe my son will need some

reinforcers from school...who knows as it's too early to tell. But from

working in DSS, I can say that many children do not get the transition

pieces

from home. Some parents do too much for their kids, too. >>

And I think the transition skills/life skills pieces are generally part of

the plan because teachers are taught to add community based learning

REGARDLESS of the child's already present skills and abilities. I don't

believe most of the school personnel look at the individual and base their

curriculum on them. There is a big difference between reinforcement and

repetition.

IMO, they should make cooking/lifeskills/finance/budgeting skills part of

EVERYONE's curriculum. After all, if the kids with disabilities need that

curriculum because their parents are slack at home, their siblings must need

it too!

Anyone interested in reading some transition info, here are two good sites.

http://www.ldonline.org/ld_indepth/iep/ieppub.html#defined

<A HREF= " http://www.fcsn.org/peer/ess/transitionfs.html " >PEER Fact Sheet:

Transition to standards-based education reform as emphasized i</A>

Cheryl in VA

November 12, 2000

learned a lot more about being independent in Life Skills classes

than she ever learned from me! Every time I would try to teach her

something, I'd get " Oh, Mom! " But her teachers were infallible. She believed

every word they said. Me? What did I know?

She also got the academics in Life Skills classes. In the few classes in

which she was mainstreamed, such as PE and reading, she was treated like a

pet. When she reached Junior and Senior High, she was harassed, teased,

robbed, and molested in the mainstream setting. In Life Skills a whole lot

more was expected of her and she was safe. The student/teacher ratio was

greater and they didn't tolerate any nonsense. Most of the kids in 's

Life Skills classes now have jobs, which they acquired before they

graduated. Others are attending special glasses with and at the

local college.

granny

---

God loves everyone, but probably prefers " fruits

of the spirit " over " religious nuts " .

http://home.earthlink.net/~bspyle

Transition

> Many of the elements of 'transition' that the schools do are there

> because the families don't do them. Crossing the street was something

> Janet got in early elementary school. The sped classes didn't get it at

> a much different time than the regular kids.

[snip]

November 12, 2000

In my district, when a student reaches 14, we do the first Individual

Transition Plan. The parents are given a booklet with the IEP notice to read

and questions to answer. The questions concern future employment,

education/training, living arrangements, leisure activities. At the IEP

meeting, the team, including the student discuss the choices and plan what

can be done by the school, the parents and the community for the next year

to explore options. I have students who say they want to be a lawyer or a

doctor or a vet or a teacher, although I know and the parents know that the

student doesn't have the intellectual ability to handle the college for

that. But we put that down and discuss what can be done in the coming year

to find out about the chosen career.

When I taught high school, I had students that were at that time termed

" educable " and there were also students in the then " trainable " designation.

Both groups participated in the vocational classes that were offered.

Classes that required higher math, such as electronics, were not usually

recommended. However, students participated in food service, health

occupations, building construction, auto mechanics and a couple of other

areas. After graduation, one of my students who had taken health occupations

went on to pass the state exam for being a care provider in a convalescent

home. Others went to work in restaurants, starting out as bus boys and dish

washers, then working their way up. I often worked during the summers as a

job coach for the state dept. of vocational rehabilitation, teaching kids to

do hotel/motel housekeeping, restaurant work and laundry work.

The biggest problem that I encountered when working with high school

students was that parents either had too little expectations for their

children, or ones that were not reasonable. Parents who expected their

children to do chores at home, dress themselves, take care of a pet, help

cook, do laundry, etc. had the kids with the best chance for success.

Parents who didn't think their children could do any of these things, or

were too impatient to give them time to be successful, had students with the

least chance for success. Parents who felt that if more and more academics

were given to their child, the child could be on grade level, or who

expected a " cure " were the ones who also had the most disappointments and

whose children were not usually successful.

Dressing children age appropriately and involving them in age appropriate

activities is MOST important. I have a student right now whose mother still

bathes him and lets him play with toy trucks. He's 14 and dresses like he's

9 or 10. As a teacher, how can I tell the parent to buy different clothes

for this boy? Or tell her to back off and let him learn to take care of

himself? That would be seen as an intrusion by this parent.

This year, I have 3 students with IQ's measured in the moderate range (below

50). One of them has been changed to a different program at the school where

he'll get more functional skills, including work on appropriate social

skills. He would masturbate in class and could not function without a 1:1

aide to make sure he dressed himself correctly for PE, wiped his nose with

tissue, got his lunch okay, etc. The other 2 can dress themselves correctly,

get their lunch, move about campus, take care of themselves with no

assistance. They're staying with me, because their adaptive skills are much

higher. I do work on adaptive skills in the classroom, but since most of my

students are able to function independently, I don't have to work on lower

level skills like dressing, tying shoes, purchasing lunch, toileting, etc.

Academics are easy to adapt and modify, up to a point. It's these other

skills that are the most difficult at a junior high and high school level to

work on in an inclusive setting.

At the moment, I'm very upset with our high school. One of my former

students came by to see me last week. He was one of the real pains I had to

deal with last year, so his visit was a surprise! He told me that the

special ed classes he had were so much easier than mine. No homework, movies

every Friday, no books, worksheets, and easy spelling lists. I drill kids

for 2 years, getting them ready for high school and what I think should be

more demanding work and skills. Now I find that the kids are going to

regress probably. Our high school is horrible, even for kids in regular

classes. I'm not upset enough to ask for a transfer over there, though!

Parents, be realistic, but have expectations. It's a fine line to walk. I

have to do it all the time. Most of you teach your children self-help

skills. But trust me--you are not like many of the parents! It's

time-consuming and frustrating to teach a special needs kid a skill, like

tying shoes or dressing appropriately with no help, or doing chores

correctly, like washing dishes or doing laundry. Some parents just aren't up

to it. So remember this when your child may be taught some of these skills.

And think how exciting it will be for them to be the star and model the

right way to do these things for the other students!

Jena, Full Moon Warrior Princess

-

November 12, 2000

Looks like we have a new advocate folks. Thanks Loretta. When we get

settled next year (I hope this is our last move) we will definitely see what

's interest are. I hope we can find a good school situation.

Elaine

transition

> Hi-

> I hope this message goes out without the extra messages attached.

> Regarding training for employment in nursing homes -- I think that would

> be great. My Mom is a nursing home resident and as a family member, I

> would be so delighted to see more caring people work with her. It's their

> ABILITIES that count. At my Mom's nursing home they have a candlelight

> dinner once a month. They use volunteers and I would like to see people

> with DS help out. I have to see what I can do to facilitate that.

> Loretta

> ________________________________________________________________

> YOU'RE PAYING TOO MUCH FOR THE INTERNET!

> Juno now offers FREE Internet Access!

> Try it today - there's no risk! For your FREE software, visit:

> http://dl.www.juno.com/get/tagj.

>

May 19, 2007

Hi Amy:

I think the best approach would be for you to first read what we have in our IPADDU files on SSI, medicaid and guardianship. There is also a file that contains an extensive Transition Manual put together by Faye Manaster. You can also go to http://www.ssa.gov/ to learn more about SSI and to http://www.ssa.gov/applyfordisability/adult.htm for assistance and information on how to apply and what you will need for SSI benefits and

http://www.dhs.state.il.us/ts/fss/pdf/Il444-2378b.pdf

for application and instructions to apply for Medicaid.

If you prefer to pay for someone to do the work of applying, there is also a benefits specialist many of us know and many of us have used, Sherri Schneider (Family Benefit Solutions), 847/279-8506.

Once you have read through the information, feel free to pose any additional questions you may have on IPADDU.

Hope this helps.

Ellen

Ellen Garber Bronfeldegskb@...

transition

this is my first time on your website. my son's teacher recommended it highly. my son is almost 18 and i have no idea where to start with the state process of medicaid/ssi. do i need to wait until he turns 18 in june to apply? he has a mental impairment and severe hearing imapirment and should be eligible for servives. i have also heard that unless he is severely impaired we dont need total guardianship for him, maybe just powers of attorney for health care and finances? i will take any advice. thanks!amy ferrero

May 20, 2007

I suggest you print out the resources that Ellen gave you, sit down and highlight

and flag all the information relevant to your son.

If I can offer just one tidbit: Call SSA on the morning of your son's 18th birthday

or the closest business day after. This phone call becomes your official start date.

During this call, you will schedule your appointment. Get up early, be the first call.

We completed the application process ourselves. Most of the supportive

paperwork came from the guardianship process and our application for

the HCBS waiver. Josh and I both went to our appointment. Josh was

"presumed disabled" by the gentlemen who we were assigned to.

(When Josh is really on a roll - as he was that morning - there is NO dispute

that he is disabled.) I completed the appointment on the telephone the following

day at the request of that same gentleman.

Pam and Josh (18 Rubinstein-Taybi Syndrome)

--Strengthening the Family's Voice of AAC / we're blogging! http://aacfamily.vox.com/

May 20, 2007

Thanks, Pam.

Great additional advice.