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 disabilities may receive supports in the school through an Individual Education Plan (IEP). Progress reports are created every 9 weeks to help evaluate the student’s progress on specific IEP goals. The holiday season can be a great time to review the progress reports and see areas that your student may need more support. Time to check your list, and check it twice.
Here are some questions to reflect on as you review a progress report
- Is my student making progress toward their IEP goals? If not, does another IEP meeting need to be called to adjust the IEP?
- Was each goal addressed in the most recent 9 weeks?
- If student is not making progress, was there a reason provided?
- Is the student on track to meet their goals by the end of the school year?
Reviewing the IEP and progress report can help keep the student in focus even during times away from school. Likewise, holiday breaks can be a time to reflect on areas the student might need support in the community or at home. A student might struggle with daily living activities, navigating their community, or communicating their needs. It is important to make notes of any areas the student may need support in their community and discuss it with the IEP team. The IEP team may be able to work on some of these skills in the school environment or provide suggestions on what has worked well for the student when they are at school. Communicating what you are observing at home allows collaboration and communication to continue.
Also, students may display different behavior at home than they do at school. Again, it is important to take note of this and discuss with the IEP team. If any medication changes are made during a break, make sure to tell the IEP team as well.
Holiday breaks can be hard on students because their normal routine is disrupted. It can be challenging and confusing for the student. Here are some tips to help create routine at home during the holiday breaks:
- Create a routine that can be used each day. This can be as simple as what the student does when they get up each morning. You can create a visual schedule of each step of the routine, so the student knows what to expect.
- Create a schedule for each day so the student knows what is happening.
- Use timers when transitioning from one activity to another.
- Discuss changes in the schedule and how the student can always ask for a break if an environment becomes too overwhelming.
- Ask the IEP team if there is anything that can be worked on at home during the holiday break.
- Give choices on what activity needs to be completed and the order of the activity. This seems like a simple idea but giving the student some autonomy allows them to feel in control even during an unpredictable time.
- Schedule downtime to allow the student to reset or rest. Holidays can be so busy that having a planned downtime can allow the student to regroup.
While there is so much going on during the holidays, it is always important to keep thinking about the IEP and areas of support the student might need. Navigating the holidays can be overwhelming but you do not have to do it alone. Always feel free to reach out to us if we can help you locate any resources this holiday season. Call Tennessee Disability Pathfinder at 1-800-640-4636, Monday through Friday, 8 AM to 4:30 PM, CT, email us at TNPathfinder@vumc.org, or visit our website 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at TNPathfinder.org.