As I was scrolling through Facebook, I came across a post that did a wonderful job describing the IEP meeting. It’s important for parents to be mentally prepared for how it will feel, including the many adults who will be present that will tell you all about your child. The group will explain all the ways your child is behind their peers and will feel focused on all the negative parts of your child. It may even feel as if it is your fault as a parent.

If you are concerned about their educational success, then push forward and do not settle for a “let’s wait and see” mentality. If you are not happy with the response you receive from the school, then seek out the services of an educational consultant or advocate, even if to ask questions and/or get another set of eyes on the situation.

IEP meetings can be raw and emotional, especially when what a parent observes at home conflicts with what teachers see at school. It’s especially difficult to hear about your child’s deficits. It’s ok to disagree with the direction of the committee, therefore it’s critical to understand your rights and that of your child.

Autism awareness, like many other things, should not be limited to one month per year. We must continue to support each other and find ways to be inclusive within our own communities. One of the areas not often discussed or observed is what it looks like for individuals with Autism to find meaningful employment.

One way to help family and friends understand SPD is to try to use connections based on their own personal experiences. Begin to think about what your reaction is when you smell freshly brewed coffee or when someone vomits. Our brain sends a response that causes us to react. When I smell freshly brewed coffee it sends a signal to my brain which makes me want coffee.

April brings us to Autism Awareness Month. Children with autism are extremely amazing individuals and as this month begins, I am flooded with all the wonderful students and families I have been connected with throughout my career. You are there to not only witness the amazing moments but to see the challenges.

It’s okay to acknowledge that life is hard and different right now and we are all trying to find our way through daily. Perhaps we could focus on grace and understanding instead of judgement. Maybe, instead of rushing to push our students back to what used to be, we embrace the different, focusing less on what we are missing out on and more on being change-makers.

My area of expertise and pride point is focused around behaviors. I gravitate toward the students who exhibit the most outward of behaviors. It’s critical to understand that many students, regardless of having a disability or not, are communicating through how they behave. Really think on that for a moment and think of examples where you’ve seen that in your life.

Let me be clear, our children do not need to fail to have a disability! What happens to students who always struggle with school and continue to “almost” fail?

Recently, I listened to a podcast by Rachel Hollis, where part of the episode discussed why the fear of failing is so triggering for many of us. Rachel spoke about how we do ourselves a disservice when we do not allow for failure or refrain from experiences because we don’t want to chance failure. I have always been one to dream but it was these fears of failure that were holding me back. Fear of failure holds us back from continuing to set goals or pursue dreams. The brutal result of this cycle is stagnation.

As much as we all want to forget 2020, please take time to reflect on this past year. How will you choose to view 2020? We want to be more purposeful in helping our children focus on what is important to them and how to spend their energy as they take their cues from us. How do you want your children to respond? We can spend hours on all the things we have lost or appreciate everything we still have or may have gained.

Reflecting on the relationships I’ve built over time, I got to thinking about students in the inner city of Chicago. Many of these students hated every bit of school, but once I worked on building their trust, I saw increases in attendance, time on task, assignment completion, and passing classes. One specific way I was able to make inroads was through a daily decision many students made: choosing each morning to either play basketball or eat breakfast. It was evident on the days that basketball was chosen, that my first-period class was more difficult as they were hungry and most times angry. What I understood about this choice, was that many had not eaten since being at school the day before. I saw a tremendous opportunity here...

Why again is December so difficult? Because children crave consistency and routine and December is one of the most inconsistent months of the year. We have a winter break, days off for parent-teacher conferences, assemblies, etc. The “normal” schedule is altered including whatever changes are happening at home. You also need to consider the pressure of being able to afford gifts or the increase in the use of alcohol for celebrations. These factors affect us as adults, can you only imagine how they impact our children?

When we are trying to help students it is important to remember some require more support than others and that is ok! Our role as educators is to teach the students we have and not the ones we wished we had. Be bold and ask for help.

As a teacher and school administrator, I would dread the month of December as many of my students would begin to struggle. There would be expectations and hopes of what the holidays could bring, but ultimately it created more stress and anxiety, leading students to act out even more. Don’t get me wrong, most students look forward to this time, but consider the students that rely on two of their daily meals coming from school and who will have to find another means to eat. It was sad and exhausting to observe.