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Special Education Blog
May 26, 2010
Posted in: Blog
As May moves rapidly along, we are nearing completion of our fifty (or so) transition IEP meetings. I have seen nervous parents, organized parents, excited parents, and combinations of those qualities. As usual, our outcomes of these meetings have been good entry plans for the children coming to our kindergartens. These, of course, are plans that are written before the children have another three months of growth.
School will begin before we know it! Most of the time, everything will go smoothly. Sometimes, there is a concern. If there is, relax – and communicate. We want you to work with us as partners in your child’s education. We want you to stay in touch with your child’s teacher. We want you to share both concerns and successes. We don’t want you to worry. If you have regular communication with the teacher you will know what is happening in your child’s class and how he or she is doing. If you have concerns, schedule a time to meet with the teacher. Problems can almost always be solved in a parent-teacher meeting. If they can’t be, remember that schools have administrators to solve problems. Meet with the principal. Always try to solve problems as close to the problem as possible. Teacher, then principal, then district administrator. We all want your child to succeed! Sometimes anyone of us does not clarify something and a team member thinks something else was met. Stay in touch.
And, most importantly, keep a positive attitude in front of your child. Children pick up much more from adults than we think. If your child thinks you are concerned about children, your child will become concerned. These are adult problems which should be solved away from the child.
That IEP you and your child are walking into school with can always be amended. If it needs adjusting, the team can make adjustments. This is a flexible, working document. It changes as your child changes.
Enjoy school! Have a great time in kindergarten!