News from Tennessee Disability Pathfinder
Have you ever seen a service dog team in public and immediately wanted to approach the dog because they were so cute? Maybe, you are a dog lover and wanted to share all your favorite stories about your furry friends. Maybe, you wanted to make noises to get the dog’s attention? While all of these… Read more Advocating Heartfelt Ways to Support Service Dog Teams in Your Community
As we continue to plan for a new year in 2025, goals are on our minds. Whether you created a goal to get outside more, move your body, or establish a new routine, the new year allows time for intentional reflection to consider hopes and dreams for the next year. While many of our goals… Read more Goals in the New Year: IEP and Education – January 2025
As the holidays approach and the weather turns colder, it can be tempting to put special education in the back of your mind, especially when the students are home for winter break. Did you know holiday breaks offer a great time for reflection on how to continue to collaborate with your school system? Students with… Read more IEP Checklist for the Holidays, Checking it Twice
You probably remember being asked when you were younger: What do you want to be when you grow up? Maybe you wanted to be a firefighter, ballerina, teacher, doctor, or veterinarian. Children may be thinking about future employment goals even at a young age. It is truly never too early to start thinking about employment.… Read more IEP: A Roadmap from School to Employment
Although it is still Summer, Tennessee students are heading back to school. Whether they have already started or starting in the next couple of weeks, there is so much to think about during back-to-school season, especially for students with disabilities. Being prepared for a new school year can help the transition back into the school… Read more Tip Tip Hooray! Getting IEPrepared
With the weather getting warm and flowers blooming, the school year is coming to an end. Before you pack away the backpacks for the summer, there are a couple of things that would be helpful to do especially if your student has an Individual Education Plan (IEP). Closing out the school year efficiently will help… Read more Special Ed 101 (May 2024) – End of the Year IEP Tips
Transportation and Individual Education Plan (IEP) are two concepts that seem to have no connection. However, they may have more of an intersection than you think. Did you know transportation can be a part of the IEP? Students with an IEP are provided the same opportunity to have access to transportation to and from school.… Read more Special Ed 101 – April 2024
Walking into your first IEP meeting can feel like a rollercoaster of emotions while you process so much information. It can feel like drinking from a fire hose of information. March is Developmental Disability Awareness month and frequently after a diagnosis many parents must engage with the IEP process for the first time. To help… Read more Special Ed 101 – March 2024: Developmental Disability & the IEP
Dear Friends of Pathfinder, Self-advocacy is a skill that is important to me personally and professionally. When I was teaching Special Education, self-advocacy was one of my top priorities for my students. I am passionate about teaching self-advocacy skills because it gave my students a voice to express what they need or want. It gave… Read more A Message from Pathfinder’s Education & Resources Coordinator on Self-Advocacy
As Christopher Reeves, actor and disability advocate, said, “A hero is an ordinary individual who finds the strength to persevere and endure in spite of overwhelming obstacles.” Self-advocacy allows individuals to express their needs and how they might need help. Practice is the best way to build these skills and learn how to use them… Read more Special Ed 101: – Setting Self-Advocacy IEP Goals