The
Secret Social Skills Ingredient
I love the story about a man who approached legendary
pianist Arthur Rubinstein on the street in New York and asked, “Excuse me,
how do I get to Carnegie Hall?” Rubinstein reportedly looked at the man and
said, “Practice, practice, practice.” This anecdote may be apocryphal, but
it’s still a great story.
Free
Virtual Field Trips Bring the World into Any Classroom
When virtual field trips began, most of such journeys were underwhelming,
but recent technology has allowed the development of impressive -- and free
-- adventures.
Blue Zones Quest encourages healthy behaviors through scientific
exploration of cultural practices,
GoNorth! brings students to the North Pole via dogsled,
Windows into Wonderland explores the geysers and hot springs of
Yellowstone National Park, and
National Geographic: Lewis & Clark traces the famous explorers' path
from the Mississippi River to the Pacific Ocean.
A
Walk In The Park Improves Attention In Children With ADHD
For children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
tasks that require concentration such as doing homework or taking a test can
be very difficult. A simple, inexpensive remedy may be a "dose of nature."
Legal
Analysis of IDEA from The Council of Parent
Attorneys and Advocates
(COPAA)
MI
Parents: Free Services Help Children Succeed in Childcare
Are you a parent or child care provider looking for help with a difficult
child between the ages of 0 to 5 or in need of resources to best handle
tantrums, aggression, biting, or possible developmental delays? The Care
Connections program offers free services designed to help young children
succeed in any child care setting. To find out more please call Ms. Lynnell
Morrison at (313) 531-2500 ext. 2125.
Empathy
in the Classroom
Let me tell you about the worst "teacher" I ever had.
He was a salesman standing in for a trainer who’d gotten ill. He’d come to
our company’s location to teach a roomful of us to use a complicated,
computer controlled, multi-projector slide show system. This salesman made a
classic teaching mistake. He assumed that because something he worked with
every day was easy for him to understand, it should be easy for others to
pick up. He rattled off information about the system in machine-gun fashion.
When he repeatedly asked us if we understood something and various class
members said, "No," he impatiently snapped his fingers at us and barked,
"Keep up, keep up!" Some students got disgusted and left the class at the
break. Others stuck it out, but learned little.
Serving
Victims of Crime with Autism
The Autism Society of
America Addresses Needs of Crime Victims with Autism - As part of its
Crime Victims with Autism Assistance, Education, and Training Program, a
project funded by the Department of Justice Office for Victims of Crime, the
Autism Society of America has created a series of fact sheets and brochures
to assist crime victim assistance professionals, families, and individuals
with autism. A 2007 ASA survey of individuals with autism and their families
revealed that 35% of individuals with autism have been the victim of a crime
and the ASA is taking steps to help communities and professionals provide
crime victim assistance. These much-needed materials are the first of a
series of publications designed to improve services to crime victims with
autism. Watch for the project’s training curriculum which will be available
in the coming months!
MI
Standards for the Emergency Use of Seclusion &
Restraint
The document, Supporting Student Behavior: Standards for the Emergency
Use of Seclusion and
Restraint is now available on the Office of Special
Education and Early Intervention Services (OSE-EIS)
Web site. The document summarizes how a
positive behavior support approach uses proactive
strategies to reduce or eliminate the use
of seclusion and restraint; defines the terms
"seclusion" and "restraint"; outlines procedures
for emergency use of seclusion and restraint; and
provides a framework for training.
Parents
of Special-Needs Children Divided Over Promise to Help
Amid the barbs and hockey banter Wednesday night, Gov. Sarah Palin
directed an emotional appeal to the hearts of millions of parents with
children who have special needs, promising they would “have a friend and
advocate in the White House” in a McCain-Palin administration. As she spoke,
the camera panned to her baby, Trig, who has Down syndrome.
Bridges4kids
Featured
Resource:
ParentsConnect
ParentsConnect is brought to you by the same folks who bring you Nickelodeon.
"As you probably know, we like to make fun stuff
for kids. That's because, as parents ourselves, we know how important it is
to keep kids happy. But we also know that kids aren't the only ones who need
stuff just for them, which is why we decided to create a space for parents
too. You're looking at it ... and it's all about you. Our motto is: We're
not perfect, we're parents. And we mean it!"
New
Manual on Advocacy for Students with Epilepsy
The Epilepsy Foundation has just published a new, free legal resource,
Legal Rights of Children with Epilepsy in School & Child Care: An Advocate’s
Manual. This manual provides detailed practical guidance – for both parents
and attorneys – on effective advocacy. strategies. Although parts of the
manual focus on the needs of children with epilepsy, it would also be useful
for people who advocate for kids with other chronic illnesses like diabetes.
Most of it will be useful to people who advocate for children with
disabilities. Describes rights under IDEA, 504, ADA and more.
MI
Policy Supports Student Behavior
In question and answer format, this article discusses how the State of
Michigan, Office of Special Education and Early Intervention Services is
interpreting the December 12, 2006 policy passed by the Michigan State Board
of Education on Standards for the Emergency Use of Seclusion and Restraint.
[Focus on Results: 2007-08 Volume #6, Issue #2, Packet #11, Article 1]
People
w/Disabilities Gaining Independence
Through Video Games
Today’s video games serve a multitude of functions ranging from
entertainment to exercise and even education. Now, three graduates from
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute’s Class of 2008 have created a game with an
even more important purpose—to foster independence among disabled
individuals.
Microsoft
Improves Word for the Blind
Microsoft has joined with Sonata Software Ltd. and the Digital
Accessible Information System (DAISY) Consortium
to launch an initiative to make Word documents
more accessible to blind and print-disabled users.
Bridges4kids
Featured
Resource:
Scholarship Junkies
Stuck on a scholarship essay? Need a letter of recommendation from
your teacher? At Scholarship Junkies, you can learn from the tips and
suggestions of students who have won scholarships on local and national
levels. Follow these steps and start maximizing your scholarship potential
today!
Resource
Sites for Parents and Students
FunBrain,
Scholastic Kids,
Homework Spot,
PBS Kids,
Game Goo,
Learning that Sticks,
Aplusmath.com! This web site was
developed to help students improve their math skills interactively.
S.O.S. Mathematics - for high school
math support. Math.com,
and University of Cambridge.
How
to Resolve Special Education Disputes
In drafting the provisions of IDEA, Congress clearly contemplated that,
at times, there would be disagreements between parents of children with
disabilities and the school districts providing special education and
related services to their children. When such disagreements occur, parents
and school districts can turn to IDEA’s dispute resolution options. Find out
what those options are---there’s a new one. NICHCY, the National
Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities, has posted a training
module covering Options for Dispute Resolution which includes PowerPoint
slide shows to use in training sessions, a detailed discussion of IDEA for
trainers, and handouts for audience participants.
MI
Michigan Seclusion and
Restraint Standards (PDF)
MI
Bridges4Kids Parent Resource Guide
(PDF)
Find out where to find help for children in
Michigan at all ages and stages. Includes toll-free numbers and websites,
early childhood-specific resources and school age resources.
Updated April 2006.
MI
Free
Mediation Services
Free services
to help schools & parents communicate before battle
lines are drawn. Call
(800) 873-7658.
Special
Education Law Questions and Answers
