'Dysgraphia? What's is dysgraphia? I've never heard of it!' This is a scenario that has come up many times to parents in our online chat group. As parents become more informed, we are better able to advocate for our kids. If you go back even 10-20 years, not many parents had even heard of specific| A Day in our Shoes
Like it or not, tests are a part of school life. Yep, even for our kids with IEPs and 504s. Whether it’s the weekly spelling test, those dreaded benchmark assessments, or state-mandated standardized testing, it's going to happen. Schools love data—and testing is their favorite way to get it, whether it tells the whole story| A Day in our Shoes
Much as I dislike it, our education system is centered around a child's ability to take tests. And, when you work with as many learning-disabled children as I do (or as some teachers do), we usually focus on the academic content and the student being able to demonstrate that they know the content. Non-academic test| A Day in our Shoes
Retaking Tests Accommodation Allowing a student to retake a test is a very common IEP accommodation. And, at first glance, it seems like a reasonable one. Reasonable? Sure. Helpful....mmm, not so sure. Last week I completed a post about extended time on tests. This accommodation goes with that one, and both are seen together, frequently,| A Day in our Shoes
As an advocate, I'm always on the lookout for innovative ways to help my clients. That includes being collaborative with IEP teams and bringing ideas to the table. That's why I'm excited to share with you the benefits of using critical thinking games in the classroom. These games are a fun and engaging way to| A Day in our Shoes
Slow processing speed can be a challenging issue for many children, impacting their ability to keep up with peers and complete tasks in a timely manner. Many parents ask for accommodations for this on an IEP. But, not enough believe you can or know how to improve slow processing speed in kids. You can, and| A Day in our Shoes
Are you good at sports? Is your child? Have you been told that you just 'aren't good at sports?' I have. In fact, I was in adaptive PE as a kid. I hated sports. Turns out, I really needed some help with my visual motor skills and visual motor integration. Isn’t it amazing how many| A Day in our Shoes
Back when I was in high school, when we got our driver's licenses, most of us got jalopies as cars. They were old, rusty, and honestly, sometimes unreliable. So I also often received AAA memberships in my Christmas stocking. Because that's what we did--when our cars broke down or got a flat tire, we found| A Day in our Shoes
Inside: I hear from many parents who 'don't even want to bother' with an IEP. It's a sentiment I understand, but you may want to| A Day in our Shoes
