If you’d like to help children achieve their potential, in easy, practical ways:
Monday, 9/19/2011,listen to Dr. Stephen M. Lange. Learn how to help your child overcome sleep problems, problems that can hurt him socially, emotionally, and academically. Click: http://specialneedstalkradio.com/maximizing-your-childs-potential.
From Reading & Other Learning Disabilities
A Blog by Dr. Gary G. Brannigan and Dr. Howard Margolis
Justifiably, many parents complain that school personnel make them defensive, especially at program planning meetings, such as Individualized Education Program (IEP) meetings. Some school personnel make similar complaints about parents. No matter who’s at fault, defensiveness can destroy the possibility of developing programs that meet children’s needs. It stymies progress by fostering misunderstanding, distrust, secrecy, resentment, and contempt. Cooperation is one of its first victims.
In a previous post we argued that it’s “A Tough Time For Children And Adults With Disabilities.” Politicians are cutting critical services, using budget shortfalls as the excuse, when in many cases the underlying motivation is encased in political philosophy, opportunism, and the belief that people with disabilities and their families won’t or can’t effectively challenge the cuts. We recommended several action steps.
Action Steps
We suggested that people who care about children, youth, and adults with disabilities, any kind, should:
If you want extra reading and other learning disabilities services for your child, services adequate to help him overcome his disabilities and perhaps get through college or get a job that pays adequately and offers good health insurance that won’t be canceled if he gets sick, I strongly encourage you to become politically active. Simply depending on current special education laws and funding won’t work. From the phone calls I get and the newspaper stories I read, the federal special education laws are often ineffective, the schools often incapable of helping, and society often unwilling to help children with disabilities once they leave school.
