how to help kids succeed in school

Helping Your Child Succeed in School

Presented by Joan Mancini, M.A.

MJC Foster/Kinship Care Education Program

September 26, 2009

Introductions

• On the sticky note on your table, please list at least one goal for your time here today. This goal might include finding an answer to a school issue you’ve been encountering, or finding fellow foster parents with similar issues.

• When you are finished, please share your goal with another person at your table.

Facts about CA and Education

• Education is standards driven and test driven• http:www.cde.ca.gov/be/st/ss• These standards dictate the curriculum used

and the pace of lessons for a class of learners• Each school should have standards for the

grade level available for parents to review

Conduct Code

• Behavior is often a challenge for students who have attended many schools

• It is critical to know and understand the conduct code at your child’s school

• Discussion:• How has the conduct code and issues of zero

tolerance affected your child?

CA Teachers have standards for their profession

• The Standards are organized around six interrelated categories of teaching practice. The six standards are for: • Engaging and Supporting All Students in Learning • Creating and Maintaining Effective Environments for Student Learning • Understanding and Organizing Subject Matter for Student Learning • Planning Instruction and Designing Learning Experiences for All Students • Assessing Student Learning • Developing as a Professional Educator

Why do I need to know this?

• Understanding the roles and responsibilities of each member of a child’s educational team helps parents work in conjunction with all parties.

• Teachers are held accountable to meet these standards and must continue to uphold them.

• You must be an advocate for your child!

Looking at a Sample School Compact

• Look at the handout• Talk with the parents at your table about the

various roles and responsibilities listed• Does your school have you sign this type of

agreement?• Does your child understand his role and

responsibility in learning?• How can we facilitate this key understanding?

What is IDEA?• Video highlights http://www.ideatraining.org/• The purpose of the Individuals with Disabilities

Education Act (IDEA), as amended in 2004 (34 CFR 300.1) is:

• * to ensure that all children with disabilities have available to them a free appropriate public education (FAPE) that emphasizes special education and related services designed to meet their unique needs and prepare them for further education, employment and independent living

•

IDEA (cont)

• * to ensure that the rights of children with disabilities and their parents are protected

• * to assist States, localities, educational service agencies, and Federal agencies to provide for education of all children with disabilities; and

• * to assess and ensure the effectiveness of efforts to educate children with disabilities.

California Requirement

• Request for assessment must be in writing to document the time the request was received

Evaluation • Parent Input• Teacher/Service Provider

Observations• Classroom Based Assessments• Technically Sound Instruments

– Cognitive, Behavioral, Physical and Developmental Factors

IDEA 2004 Changes

• If the child is a ward of the state and not residing with the parents, reasonable efforts shall be made to obtain consent

• No consent required if parent cannot be found, parental rights have been terminated or a Court has appointed an individual with educational authority

Reevaluations

• Conducted at least once every three years unless conditions warrant or the parent or teacher requests

• The scope of the reevaluation is determined by the IEP Team

Eligibility

• Meets One or More of the Disability Categories

• Adversely Affects Educational Performance

• In Need of Special Education– Specially Designed Instruction

California Requirements

• Preschoolers between the ages of 3-5 are eligible if they have one of the enumerated disabilities or an established medical disability

IDEA 2004 Changes

• Not eligible if determinant factor is lack of appropriate reading instruction

• Policies to prevent over identification or disproportionate representation by race or ethnicity

IDEA 2004 Changes

• LEAs allowed to opt out of the severe discrepancy SLD criteria

• RTI-- “response to scientifically based interventions” as part of the evaluation

2006 IDEA Regulations

• SEA may permit use of other alternative research based procedures

• SLD may be determined if the child:– Does not achieve adequately for the child’s age

/grade level standards– Does not make sufficient progress in grade level

standards under RTI; or…

2006 IDEA Regulations

• SLD may be determined if the child:– Exhibits a pattern of strengths and weaknesses in

performance, achievement or both

• As part of the evaluation process, must consider whether the child received appropriate instruction in regular education settings delivered by qualified personnel

2006 IDEA Regulations

• If the child has not made adequate progress after an appropriate period of time, a referral for special education must be made

• Parental consent required at that point

2006 IDEA Regulations

• If RTI was used must have documentation of:– Instructional strategies/data collection

–Parental notification about State policies regarding the amount/nature of performance data collected/ general ed services and right to request an evaluation

Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE)

• Special Education and Related Services–Provided at public expense–Meet the standards of the State–Pre-school, elementary or secondary

school education–Provided in conformity with the IEP

FAPE Standard

• The Supreme Court established two criteria in determining FAPE:– Have the procedures been adequately complied with?; and

– Is the IEP reasonably calculated to enable the child to receive educational benefits?

IEP Teams• Parents• Not less than one regular classroom teacher of the student• Not less than one special education teacher/service

provider of the student• District Representative

IEP Teams

• Individual who can interpret instructional implications of the evaluation

• Others with knowledge or expertise• Student, where appropriate• Other agency representatives (Transition

Services)• Representative from private school

IEP Considerations

• Strengths/Concerns

• Behavior Issues

• Language issues for ELL students

• Braille instruction for VI students

2006 IDEA Regulations

• Every IEP must include statements of present levels of performance and goals addressing functional performance AND academic achievement

• “Functional” generally refers to skills/activities not considered academic

Behavioral Intervention Plans

• IEP Team determination based on the evaluation results• If behavior impedes learning, IEP

includes:- Positive behavior interventions- Strategies- Supports

Discipline

• Short Term Measures

• Long Term Measures

• Interim Measures

Short Term Suspensions

• 10 School Days or Less in a School Year• Follow Regular Disciplinary Procedures• No need to:

– Determine Manifestation– Conduct a FBA– Provide Services

Short Term Disciplinary Hearings

• Applies to all students• Informal Hearing with Administrator

– Notice of the charges– Explanation of the evidence– Opportunity for student to share their story

Check state and local policies

In School Suspensions

• Does not count as a day of suspension if:- afforded the opportunity to participate in the general education

curriculum- provided their special education services

- participates with non-disabled peers to the extent they would in their regular placement

Other Disciplinary Considerations

• Portions of a day considered in determining whether a pattern of removals exists

• Bus suspensions are deemed a removal if:– Transportation is listed in the IEP– No alternate transportation has been offered

Disciplinary Change of Placement

• More than 10 consecutive school days of disciplinary removal

• More than 10 cumulative school days of disciplinary removal in a school year when a pattern exists

2006 IDEA Regulations

• Parents must be notified of the proposed change of disciplinary placement and notified of their procedural safeguards on the day the decision is made by the LEA to seek such a disciplinary action

2006 IDEA Regulations

• The Congressional Conference Report states that the manifestation determination should analyze behavior across settings and across times

If There Is a Manifestation

• If there is a manifestation:– Conduct FBA and develop/revise Behavioral Intervention Plan

– The child returns to last placement unless otherwise agreed to as part of the behavior intervention plan except where there are grounds for an IAES

If No Manifestation

• Student is subject to the regular disciplinary process of the school

• Services must be provided no later than the 11th cumulative school day of removal in the school year

Who can I ask for help?

• Early intervention services are available for children before school age

• http://www.earlystartstation.org/services.html

• * service coordination• * nursing services• * nutrition services• * occupational therapy• * physical therapy• * psychological services• * audiology or hearing services• * social work services•

Each child's plan is individualized according to their specific needs and may include one or more or the

following services.

• * special instruction• * speech and language services• * vision services• * respite services

• * assistive technology, including devices or services• * counseling, home visits, and training for you family• * health services necessary for your child to benefit

from other early intervention services• * medical services for diagnosis and evaluation only• * transportation and related costs necessary for your

child to receive services

For children of school age:

• Talk to your social worker• Schedule a conference with the teacher• Call an SST/CST meeting at your child’s school• The road to getting additional services is long

and challenging: the best thing you can do for your child is to be an advocate and work “with” the education team.

Parent teacher communication

• Think of a time when your child had an issue at school• Jot down a few thoughts about how

you the parties involved handled the situation• Share with the group at your table

Tips to Improve Communication

• Suggest a regular communication log/report so that both positives and challenges can be documented• Let your child know that you are on

the “same team” as the teacher and that you will be working together to help ensure the child’s success

Become More Involved

• Benefits of parent involvement are documented in research:• Higher grades/test scores• Positive attitudes and behavior• More successful programs• More effective schools

Can you think of any ways to become more involved or a positive model for

school?

• Share with your table partners ideas about promoting positive school performance

Some Ideas …

• Be a reader/learner and role model for learning

• Watch educational programs together• Go to museums, zoos, historical sites• Go to state parks, forests• Visit historical landmarks during family

vacations

School Stress

• Please talk about these questions at your table..

• What are some of the biggest stressors for your child at school?

• How are you helping your child deal with these stressors?

How Does Stress Show in kids?

• Irritability• Depression• Impulsivity• Fear, anxiety, worry• Sleep problems• Nervousness• headaches

We can help!

• Have realistic expectations for your child• Manage time wisely: simplify!• Teach simple relaxation techniques: • Building Emotional Intelligence by Linda

Lantieri • ( Play sample from CD)

Positive Emotions Help Learning

• According to research by Dr. Barbara Fredrickson’s Broaden-and-build theory:

• First, when we experience a positive emotion, our vision literally expands, allowing us to make creative connections, see our oneness with others, and face our problems with clear eyes (a.k.a. the broaden effect).

• Second, as we make a habit of seeking out these pleasing states, we change and grow, becoming better versions of ourselves, developing the tools we need to make the most out of life (the build effect). And strikingly, these twin benefits of positive emotions obey a tipping point: When positive emotions outnumber negative emotions by at least 3 to 1, these benefits accrue, yet below this same ratio, they don't.

Brain Rules by Dr. John Medina

• EXERCISE | Rule #1: Exercise boosts brain power.• SURVIVAL | Rule #2: The human brain evolved,

too.• WIRING | Rule #3: Every brain is wired

differently.• ATTENTION | Rule #4: We don't pay attention to

boring things.• SHORT-TERM MEMORY | Rule #5: Repeat to

remember.

• LONG-TERM MEMORY | Rule #6: Remember to repeat.

• SLEEP | Rule #7: Sleep well, think well.• STRESS | Rule #8: Stressed brains don't learn the

same way.• SENSORY INTEGRATION | Rule #9: Stimulate

more of the senses.• VISION | Rule #10: Vision trumps all other senses.• GENDER | Rule #11: Male and female brains are

different• EXPLORATION | Rule #12: We are powerful and

natural explorers.

Help Your Child Learn How he/she Learns

• VARK questionnaire helps people learn how they learn

• The questionnaire alerts people to the variety of different approaches to learning. It supports those who have been having difficulties with their learning and has particular applications in sport, training and education. Teachers, trainers and coaches who would like to develop additional learning strategies can also benefit from using VARK.

It’s helpful to know ..

• We often help others in the way that we tend to learn

• Once we know our child’s predominant modality, we can help them process through that way of learning

• Lots of suggested activities to correspond to each learning style! (see handouts)

Knowing what you know now..

• How might you help your child use a new strategy?

• How might you have benefitted from knowing this information in school?

Developing Good Study Habits

• Be consistent!• Set up a quiet location for homework. Lighting

and minimizing distractions are key factors.• Help your child get organized! • Do weekly backpack “weed-outs!”

Tests!

• Help your child use a planner to plan ahead and study for tests in increments.

• Make the time manageable and help with the use of flash cards, study guides, notes, internet resources such as video clips,etc.

Keep up The Great Work!

• Celebrate the small successes!• Model that “working hard”• is most important, not achieving perfection!• Give praise for effort and hard work and help

kids understand that success takes time

• Thanks so much for coming!