How Goals of Focus Child Will Be Embedded into Activities?

First thing I would do is to understand the strengths and weakness in the child.  Then I would develop a goal and break it down into several smaller objectives to help the child to take steps to reach the year long realistic goal. 

            I believe that interventions should be embedded within the daily activities and routines (cook, 2008).  That means that no matter what we, as the teachers, want to teach we must focus on individual strengths and needs.  Everyone has different ways of learning and we have different ways of teaching also.  It is important to understand the child’s needs and how we can help the child to success with extra help. 

            When planning classroom activities it is important to think of the individual needs of each child and make sure you have addressed them with classroom activities and daily plan.  Allowing the child to work on goals during classroom activities instead of being pulled to the side will give them better opportunities to learn from their peers and mainstream into the general education setting. 

            Motivation is the one of the keys to help children have the drive to learn, but they may have mental blockages so we have to use IEP method to break through to their minds.  That way they can open their minds like we open the flood gate to learning.      

Reference:

Cook, R.E., Klein, M.D. & Tessier, A. (2008). Adapting early childhood curricula for children with Special Needs (7^th Ed).  Upper Saddle River, NJ:  Pearson Prentice Hall.

Importance collection progress on IEP Goals

           I strongly believe that using progress monitoring gives strong support for IEP goals.  It gives observers an idea of what level the child is and how much he has accomplished and the observers will be aware of what to develop the next goals in the IEP.  Monitoring Progress is meant to track down what the individual is doing during the ongoing time frame.

            As  professionals know that the IEP documents are only good for one year and they will need to be recreate the goals or expand if the majority of the goals have not been accomplished. The monitoring of progress is meant to collect data to show evidence for parents and other professionals of the ongoing progress to be shared. 

It is important to use progress monitoring because the child may be constantly changing goals if he or she reaches the goal much quicker than a year.  So if that happens, then the IEP team must develop new goals and objectives to make further progress in order to close the gap with typical students’ levels.    

            Progress Monitoring helps keep instruction on track for the individual child and it has abundant amount information to use for writing the IEP document.  It also would make sure that teachers will know where the weakness are and helps guide the next step of instruction to meet the ongoing goals of the IEP.

The Importance of the individual education plan and how it is used to implement services.

            It is important to have the Individual Education Plan or IEP because it is mandate by public law 101-476P:  The Education of the Handicapped Act Amendments of 1990 and it is developed for preschoolers thru age 21 who are eligible for services.  IEP is crucial because it is for the family members and professionals to work together to help the children with disabilities.  The professionals use IEP to help themselves break down the process of meeting the goals by creating smaller and simpler steps to meet the goal. 

            The professionals and family members must focus on each child’s social and emotion, language, cognitive, and physical skills to analyze and determine areas of need.  When the professionals and family members work on the children’s goals through positive collaborative attitudes, then the children will successful meet their goals specially designed for their needs.

            The professionals’ duties are to get to know the child and find out the child’s general strength and sum up the assessment records.  Also they will need to communicate and listen to the parents’ concerns and desires for their children’s needs.  Then the professionals will do some research on the child’s academic and behavior performance.  That is when the professional will generate annual goals and short term objectives to meet the child’s needs.  After analyzing and see how the goals has been met, they will discuss with the other professionals and parents to decided what types of service the child will need as long as they have an official IEP.  Then they can execute their decision about who, when, how, and where to help the child to promote success.     

            Finally, for special education teacher, regular teacher, and other professionals such as Occupational Therapist and Physical Therapist work together to meet the child’s needs, they must communicate, communicate and communicate to stay on the same page and be aware of what the child’s needs.  They need to look over their materials, information, and understand what the child’s needs and implement them.   

                 

The Reference:

Cook,R.E., Klein, M.D. &Tessier, A. (2008).  Adapting early childhood curricula for children with Special Needs (7^th Ed).  Upper Saddle River, NJ:  Pearson Prentice Hall.

The important of family involvement in the individualized plan

            I really believe that family involvement is crucial for both parents and children.  The professionals should be more than willing to find every way to make their students with special needs become successful independent people.  In order to do that they must teach the children with Individualized Educational Plan to reach the goals set for that child.  Creating these goals is something that both the professionals and parents should work closely on together.  Professionals must meet the parents and discuss the progress of the child and discuss the next steps.  Professionals are aware that what the parents and professionals discussed must be remain confidential because the parents need to feel safe about the information they share will not be discussed with other people without parents’ permission (Cook, 58). 

                 When the parents are aware that professionals will communicate progress about their children and remain confidential it allows the parents’ trust in professionals more.  It takes two-way communication to support the child with special needs to become successful and meet his/her potential.  The parents know more about the children than anyone else, but they may not be sure of how to help the child educationally succeed so the professionals’ role is to facilitate them by guiding them, giving advice, testing, and doing follow up on individual progress. 

            Professionals must be open-minded, concise of what to discuss, be honest, and remain positive at any situation.  Parents may feel insecure, a failure, and in denial because they did not know how to help their child with special needs overcome their obstacles.  Professionals will listen to parents’ comments and be responsive to ensure the parents know they professionals actually care about their concerns. 

            Professionals also inform the parents that their children are important.  The parents must interact with their children as much as possible so the children will feel safe and be in an environment that promotes growth.  The professionals also would mention that joining a support network it will help tremendously because there are other parents that have children with similar disabilities and deal with them in positive ways.  The “veteran” parents could give input and advice to help their children.  The professional also would say talk, talk, and talk with their child.  Conversations help the children learn cognitively as well as socially and emotionally connect with those around them allowing for great potential growth.

            In sum of all, it is important the parents and professionals have a strong sense of collaboration to help the children with special needs meet their potential in life.  The professionals are to listen, be open-minded, be honest, and be willing to find every way to support the parents and their child.  Parents and professionals will have a good relationship and it will help develop a positive environment for their child. 

The Reference:

Cook,R.E., Klein, M.D. &Tessier, A. (2008).  Adapting early childhood curricula for children with Special Needs (7^th Ed).  Upper Saddle River, NJ:  Pearson Prentice Hall.

Court case

Allen Walker: Summary of Handicapped Children's Protection Act o...: "The Handicapped Children’s Protection Act of 1986 had been passed in 1986 which was an amendment to the Education of Handicapped Act. ..."