News from Tennessee Disability Pathfinder
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
As we enter a new year, it can be a great time to reflect on ways to improve your life. Have you ever considered how technology might help you reach your goals? Although it might sound like a unique resolution to use more technology, there are great benefits to using technology in your daily life.… Read more Special Ed 101: New Year New Technology – January 2024
As the holiday season approaches, it can be easy to focus on the long list of things that need to be done. Your child’s IEP might be the last thing on your mind, but it is an important time of the year to look at the progress your child is making. Every nine weeks, schools… Read more Special Ed 101: Holidays and IEPs
“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” – Nelson Mandela, former president of South Africa Did you know that employment goals should be a part of a student’s individual education plan (IEP)? Education and employment go hand in hand. Employment goals help ensure the student can reach their… Read more Special Ed 101 – October 2023
What does Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) really mean? We often hear the word “free,” but do you know how it applies to special education? Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 legally requires all public schools to provide free and appropriate education to students with disabilities, but what does it mean? To better understand,… Read more Special Ed 101: Free Appropriate Public Education
Freshly sharpened pencils, new backpacks, and school supplies are starting to fill stores again. A new school year is right around the corner, and with each new academic year, there is an opportunity to foster collaberation. Back-to-school season is a great time to start thinking about collaboration if your child has an IEP. An Individual… Read more Back to School, Back to IEP Basics
We all have a desire to be as independent as possible. Independence is something we strive to achieve, starting at a very young age, and to regain as we grow older. It is quite a journey learning how to manage to ask for and need help while maintaining your independence. As an individual ages, it… Read more Aging Independently
What comes to mind when you hear the word “team”? Maybe you picture playing your favorite sport or working on a project with coworkers. The word can hold different meanings for everyone, but a team always requires collaboration and connection with others. An Individualized Education Plan (IEP) is a specialized learning plan for students with… Read more Team IEP: Britt Henderson Training Series Spring 2023