SOS: Your Personal Guide to the World of Public and Special Education

By P.L. Frederick

Whether it is your first or fourth staffing for the purpose of enlisting your child into special education, it can be a dreaded event. You, the parent, are introduced to anywhere from five to seven school "specialists," handed a lengthy, typed form that represents you and your child's rights. The staffing begins. You are not given

• Language: English
• Publisher: GoldTouch Press, LLC
• Release date: May 17, 2021
• ISBN: 9781955347662

P.L. Frederick

Pamela was student teaching second grade when her son was born; 1981. She and her husband opted for her to be a "stay at home" Mother as she had learned these are the formative years. As a parent she was hurled into the world of Special Education. This began when her son was staffed into "speech classes." Her child was in kindergarten with no front teeth. In second grade he wrote a story, winning an award from the school. By fourth grade her child was exhibiting behaviors which terrified his family. He made suicidal gestures. It was at this point Pamela was referred by a member of the school board to a child advocate in special education. This changed their lives and the lives for children of this nation. Reform laws were signed into I.D.E.A. by President Clinton in 1996 as a direct result of this case. This child had been locked in a 5x3 dark padded closet for hours on end while he was in school, unbeknownst to his family, of course. Pamela continued her education and training. She retired as a paralegal, legal advocate, tribal advocate, behavior and crisis specialist with a, B.A., followed by M.S.W. Her favorite position was with Crisis. Depending on the dispatch, she and her partner were often sent out to the schools for children exhibiting issues with depression, suicide, and other behaviors. She would first, meet with the child, secondly, the school followed by the family at home. The call was not over until everyone was safe. Literally. Upon medical retirement she wrote this book to continue providing help to the children and their families.

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S O S :

Staffing’s on Steroids

YOUR PERSONAL GUIDE TO THE WORLD OF PUBLIC AND SPECIAL EDUCATION

P.L. Frederick

Copyright © 2021 by P.L. Frederick.

Library of Congress Control Number:      2021908765

Paperback:    978-1-955347-65-5

eBook:           978-1-955347-66-2

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law.

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Contents

Introduction

Be Your Own Best Advocate

Understanding Stages of Development

The Many Faces of Intelligence

Observation Learning

Identifying a Learning Disability

The Staffing

The Individual Education Program (I.E.P.)

References

When resources are scarce and a teacher’s time is limited, the easiest solution to the problem child may be drug therapy or transfer to a different class. Neither route may be necessary to change or control a child’s behavior. However, in some cases, individual attention or skill training may achieve the same end without unnecessary trauma to the child. In the educational environment, quality-first teaching" is an example of a step in this direction. Recognizing educators need support in the classroom environment in order to fully implement the intent of The Individuals with Disabilities Act, (IDEA, Part H of P.L.101-476) of 1990. This approach represents an attempt by schools to help teachers make adjustments in their instructional methods