Guest guest Posted April 5, 2001 Report Share Posted April 5, 2001 We have had VI services for a while now and I don't find them too helpful except they have extra monies to buy things like touch screens, magnifers, enlarged print, audio tapes etc. The OM guy used to take Sara out alone which made me uncomfortable so I asked that OM be done by her peers which she enjoys much better. We have also asked VI services for transition planning regarding jobs etc. otherwise they would have Sara sweeping a floor she can't see. Her vision is 20/600 and she is in highschool. We have had several accidents that could have been prevented like her falling off the bleachers, falling into a mud hole, etc. if teachers would remember she is blind but they constantly " forget " . I have also requested pictures at doors etc. since she changes classes so often. She is very short and most class numbers are above the doors and too small to see. We are lucky that her memory is good and she learns where things are quickly. Special ed is the only class to have summer school so last year Sara had 6 weeks in the summer to get orientated to the campus with only about 30 kids instead of 3000. They all seem to watch out for her and help her on her way. I even let them (peers) choose her IEP goals. They have a much better idea than us " old folks " . Last IEP we had 18 students who had each written a IEP goal for Sara...they came up with ideas none of the adults had...they also had a better grip on her strengths and weaknesses. It was an IEP that is now being used as a model in our district. Judy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 5, 2001 Report Share Posted April 5, 2001 Sure...The students thought of goals like teaching Sara how to " act cool " how to walk the " right way " what to say to a boy she likes, things that would help her to fit in. They came up with business cards for her to hand out so friends could call her. Behaviors they saw like nose picking and hand flapping they came up with alternative behaviors or visual cues that she responds to. Strategies that made her more compliant. She takes instruction much better from them than adults so they sugessted each one take a subject and develop a lesson plan and they are responsible for implementing it. The teacher pretty much takes a back seat. They had goals like teaching her dance steps to the latest dances..(she learned memorization, left from right, rythum, etc.) they taught her words to songs when no one could get her to say a word. We have even dyed her hair " pink " to help her fit in and try and buy 'cool clothes " instead of pull on polyester pants. Cd's are replacing all the video watching and cartoon characters. Instead of reading books with pictures their reader is " 17 " . She has become very popular on campus and every student says hi to her. We took her to the mall the other night and she knew the clerk at Target and the bag boy at the market and the girl at Sears. They all asked her " wassup Sara!!? " and she responded with " hey man " and a big high 5. Maybe not what others think as an education but I can tell you Sara is learning things that many of us take for granted, and are important for getting along out in the real world. Us old people had her " sorting laundry " , wiping her mouth, raising her had to use the restroom, sorting and matching. She didn't like them, wouldn't do them and it caused tons of frustration. Building her self-esteem and confidence has taken over many of the so called " living skills " for now. For now I think she just needs to be a " normal teenager " . They walk her to the burger joint and work on ordering a meal and paying for it with right change. They help her sell candy at lunch and have taught her all the names of the snack foods so she can fill their orders. A bonus is most of the students that spend time with Sara are headed to college for " careers in special ed " Some of the students used to be gang-bangers and working with the special ed students have changed their lives around. I was skeptical at first but the proof is in the care and love they show her. Judy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 5, 2001 Report Share Posted April 5, 2001 Judy, That is such a great idea to have her peers write goals for her. Brook has peer buddies in his special day class and that's an idea I might talk over with his teacher. Marisa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 5, 2001 Report Share Posted April 5, 2001 Wish I could take credit for it but heard the idea at an inclusion conference. It's as good for them as it is for our kids. I heard a dad speak about how his daughter always talked about driving and how sad it made him. He ended up buying her a convertable and it is permanently parked in the driveway... but it's hers and she has peers come over and they pay cd's and sing and go for imagnary rides. It was very touching and such a cool idea. He also paid them to take her out on the weekends and after school and after a while they didn't want the money anymore because they became such good friends. Judy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 5, 2001 Report Share Posted April 5, 2001 In a message dated 4/5/01 7:45:37 PM Eastern Daylight Time, Judithrehling@... writes: << Sara had 6 weeks in the summer to get orientated to the campus with only about 30 kids instead of 3000. They all seem to watch out for her and help her on her way. I even let them (peers) choose her IEP goals. They have a much better idea than us " old folks " . Last IEP we had 18 students who had each written a IEP goal for Sara...they came up with ideas none of the adults had...they also had a better grip on her strengths and weaknesses. It was an IEP that is now being used as a model in our district. Judy >> That is so cool Judy! I think I will ask the girls tomorrow what they think Seth's goals should be. Really cool! Gail Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 5, 2001 Report Share Posted April 5, 2001 In a message dated 4/5/01 8:52:05 PM Eastern Daylight Time, Judithrehling@... writes: << A bonus is most of the students that spend time with Sara are headed to college for " careers in special ed " Some of the students used to be gang-bangers and working with the special ed students have changed their lives around. I was skeptical at first but the proof is in the care and love they show her. Judy >> Judy, this is so neat! It's amazing the kids were so responsible as to take that on. One question. What are *gang-bangers*? Hope it's not what I think. LOL Gail Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 5, 2001 Report Share Posted April 5, 2001 It's what we call gang members in our neck of the woods...not really sure what it implies...I'm not too street smart but can spot them a mile away by their demeanor and clothes. I heard from a friend on the gang task force that we have about 33 gangs here in little old farm town Merced. Funny cause' a lot of people moved here from the bay area to get away from them and we have more here than they do. We have one of the highest poverty rates in the state and Merced is one of the places that the Hmong people were re-located when they were brought over. We have many hispanic and asian gangs. Almost all my students are Spanish and I have 3 spanish teachers and 1 Hmong & Lao teacher. We live in a very diverse community. Judy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 5, 2001 Report Share Posted April 5, 2001 At 07:33 PM 4/5/01 EDT, you wrote: Last IEP we had 18 >students who had each written a IEP goal for Sara...they came up with ideas >none of the adults had...they also had a better grip on her strengths and >weaknesses. It was an IEP that is now being used as a model in our district. Any chance you would share some of those goals with us? And maybe some that the " old folks " were going to suggest? I love these types of projects. Just love kid-centered teaching and curriculum and..... Thanks for sharing all that judy. j ------- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 5, 2001 Report Share Posted April 5, 2001 In a message dated 4/5/01 10:44:27 PM Eastern Daylight Time, Judithrehling@... writes: << We have one of the highest poverty rates in the state and Merced is one of the places that the Hmong people were re-located when they were brought over. We have many hispanic and asian gangs. Almost all my students are Spanish and I have 3 spanish teachers and 1 Hmong & Lao teacher. We live in a very diverse community. Judy >> Oh how nice! The only asian people we see here are the kids that are adopted. I think that's really sad that my kids have to grow up without such diversity. Gail Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 5, 2001 Report Share Posted April 5, 2001 We have a diverse community here also. Many Kmong and Kming, and Hispanic. Also a bunch of rednecks. & Garry, parents of (10 ds), (9 ds), JJ (7 ds/autism/celiac), (6 ds/ADHD/Celiac), and Esther (4 ds). All adopted. ---------- >From: smilinggail@... > >Subject: Re: VI services >Date: Thu, Apr 5, 2001, 8:07 PM > >In a message dated 4/5/01 10:44:27 PM Eastern Daylight Time, >Judithrehling@... writes: > ><< We have one of the highest poverty rates in the state and Merced is one of > the places that the Hmong people were re-located when they were brought >over. > We have many hispanic and asian gangs. Almost all my students are Spanish > and I have 3 spanish teachers and 1 Hmong & Lao teacher. We live in a very > diverse community. > > Judy >> >Oh how nice! The only asian people we see here are the kids that are >adopted. I think that's really sad that my kids have to grow up without such >diversity. >Gail > > Checkout our homepage for files, bookmarks, and photos of our >kids. Share favorite bookmarks, ideas, and other information by including >them. Don't forget, messages are a permanent record of the archives for our list. > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 6, 2001 Report Share Posted April 6, 2001 It is very nice, a lot of culture, which I never grew up with in Berkeley...the only bad part is translating so many languages. We have law suits going on now over IEP's not being translated. I do a lot of training's in different languages...the first time almost made me dizzy...I also have trouble with translators not translating word for word but always adding or taking away what's being said....a good translator will do it word for word. I spoke to a mom yesterday who has 3 children who are deaf. They are married now and I asked their kids if they translate for their parents...they told me in most situations (school meetings, etc.)it's illegal because kids don't translate word for word. Was very interesting to hear. When our schools send out flyers or notes they are usually in 4 languages. Many translators do not write the language or speak it...so it's very difficult to get things written..the Internet helps and some computer programs but you have to be really careful..one wrong word can change the whole meaning. Judy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 6, 2001 Report Share Posted April 6, 2001 We have 2 hispanic kids and one Korean and 2 with pitch black hair and 2 with blond hair and blue eyes. We get a lot of stares in town..people ask us if we are a group home or foster parents....I once heard a woman at the mall whisper to her hubby that I must have had a lot of boyfirends. :-) Judy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 6, 2001 Report Share Posted April 6, 2001 We have 2 hispanic kids and one Korean and 2 with pitch black hair and 2 with blond hair and blue eyes. We get a lot of stares in town..people ask us if we are a group home or foster parents....I once heard a woman at the mall whisper to her hubby that I must have had a lot of boyfirends. :-) Judy >> ROTFLOL!!!!!!!!!! Like Sara said, must be something in the water! Gail Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 17, 2001 Report Share Posted April 17, 2001 Hi Gail - Wondering if you could share the successful model that your school district is using for IEP development for special needs students? Would sincerely appreciate. Daughter Corrin (8ds) is fully-included in a multiage reg ed classroom and we're researching to help develop her generalization skills beyond home and the classroom. Thank you. Mae - mom to Corrin (8ds), Elle (7) and Sadie (almost 2) Re: VI services > In a message dated 4/5/01 7:45:37 PM Eastern Daylight Time, > Judithrehling@... writes: > > << Sara had 6 weeks in the summer to get orientated to the > campus with only about 30 kids instead of 3000. They all seem to watch out > for her and help her on her way. I even let them (peers) choose her IEP > goals. They have a much better idea than us " old folks " . Last IEP we had 18 > students who had each written a IEP goal for Sara...they came up with ideas > none of the adults had...they also had a better grip on her strengths and > weaknesses. It was an IEP that is now being used as a model in our district. > > Judy > >> > That is so cool Judy! I think I will ask the girls tomorrow what they think > Seth's goals should be. Really cool! > Gail > > Checkout our homepage for files, bookmarks, and photos of our kids. Share favorite bookmarks, ideas, and other information by including them. Don't forget, messages are a permanent record of the archives for our list. > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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