Special Education is a service, not a place

• IDEA and NCLB have changed the focus on access to the general curriculum from WHERE to:

• WHAT, a focus on what the student is taught (curriculum mastery)

AND

• HOW, a focus on methods and pedagogy

Required Components of Every Individualized Education Program

The students present level of performance

Measurable annual goals

How will progress be measured

Special education services, related and supplementary services

An explanation of the extent to which the student will not participate in the general education setting

Individual, appropriate accommodations used to measure the student’s outcomes on state and district assessments

The projected beginning date for services

When a child turns 14, a transition plan

IEP Hunt

Chapter 3Today’s Multicultural, Bilingual, and Diverse

Schools

What is Culture?

• Culture is the customary beliefs, social forms, and material traits of a racial, religious, or social group; a shared way of life

Factors Associated with Disproportionate Representation

and Educational Equality• Racial/Ethnic Considerations

• Language Considerations

• Poverty Considerations

• Relationships Among Race/Ethnicity, Language, and Poverty• Majority Values• State/federal Policy Factors• Community Factors• School Factors• Family Factors• Student Factors

Becoming a Culturally Responsive Teacher and

Advocate

• Enhancing your Self-awareness

• Increasing your knowledge and Experiences of Other Cultures

• Advocating for Systems Change

• Implementing Culturally Responsive Instruction• Use the Adapted Posture of Cultural

Reciprocity• Incorporate Five Components for Delivering

Culturally Responsive Instruction• Capitalize Upon Instructional Consultation

Teams• Implement Response to Intervention

Chapter 4Today’s Families and Their

Partnerships with Professionals

Who Are Today’s Families?

• Similarities among families with and without disabilities

• Differences among families with and without disabilities• Income • Education level• Household composition

What Are Partnerships and

Why Are They Important?

• Partnerships are important because they:• Foster trust• Stimulate student achievement • Enhance families’ quality of life

How Do Children with Exceptionalities Affect Their

Families’ Quality of Life?

• Mothers’ stress and depression when raising a child with a disability

• Emotional well-being• Parenting• Family interaction• Physical/material well-being•Disability-related support

Emotional Well-Being

• Encourage parents to be involved with other parents

• Be available to parents outside of regular school hours

Parenting

• Parenting is strong when families can help their child:• Learn to be independent• With schoolwork and activities• Get along with others• With individual needs

Family Interaction

• Families who have high levels of family interaction:

• Enjoy spending time together• Talk openly with each other• Solve problems together• Show they love and care for each other

Physical/Material Well-Being

• This can include the ability of families to:

• Access transportation • Pay expenses• Feel safe at home, work, school, and in the neighborhood•Obtain medical and dental help when needed

Disability-Related Support

• Some aspects of disability-related support help the student to:• Achieve goals at school or work• Make progress at home• Make friends• Have a good relationships between family and

service providers

How Can You Form Partnerships with

Families?Seven principles of partnerships:• Communication• Professional Competence• Respect• Commitment• Equality• Advocacy• Trust

Communication

• Five practices for effective communication:• Be friendly• Listen• Be clear• Be honest• Provide and coordinate information

Professional Competence

• Three practices associated with professional competence:

• Provide a quality education• Continue to learn• Set high expectations

Respect

• Professionals who demonstrate respect:

•Honor cultural diversity• Affirm strengths• Treat students and families with dignity

Commitment

• A committed professional will:

• Be available and accessible•Go “above and beyond”• Be sensitive to emotional needs

Equity

• Professionals who seek equality in partnerships:

• Share power• Foster empowerment • Provide options

Advocacy

• To be an effective advocate, professionals will:• Seek win-win solutions

• Use skilled dialogue• Prevent problems• Keep one’s conscience primed• Pinpoint and document challenges• Form alliances

Trust

• Four practices associated with being a trusted partner:

• Be reliable•Use sound judgment•Maintain confidentiality• Trust yourself