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Retired Special Ed teacher

snapp

Hello All,

I am a retired special educator with 35 years experience.  I have seen many changes in education over my teaching career.  My advice to parents would be;

-be prepared for IEP meetings- Don't automatically think the school will have your child's best interest in mind.  The bottom line is services cost money.  Stand up for what your child needs and get an advocate if necessary.  Do NOT trust anyone who tries to put blame on your child for not trying, being lazy, etc.  Ask what the school can do to help your child.  Check your state laws and be prepared.

-Understand that your child's teacher is under pressure to go along with the psychologist and school.  He/she will be reprimanded for not agreeing. I know this from experience. 

-If you don't agree with the psychologist, request additional testing by an outside source.

Best of luck in your journey.

{editted by mod}

  • There are affluent philanthropists around. What message do they get about autism or asperger's?

  • Would be nice if there were some affluent philanthropist out there who felt like funding some things.

  • Might be the Cindy Stringer Wismer who recently wrote to the Search Ellen TV show in America about her book "Never Push and Never Pull"  - written by a recently retired special education tutor about one of her children who came to her about not communicating and went on to win the spelling bee.

    Possibly therefore not relevant to autism or the UK education system. But, you know....we get all sorts on here.....

  • Whether snapp is in the UK or elsewhere s/he is right.  The bottom line is always money, especially when the economy's in trouble.  Money, of course, isn't the only thing but you can't get the right level of services without it.  It's a lesson that is hard to learn. but every parent needs to be prepared because no-one is likely to say so.  For example. there's nothing wrong with children/adults being reassessed by social care every yr or so to see if their needs have changed relating to services.  However, if the assessment criteria changes because of lack of money, then some of them will end up with reduced or even no services.  Perhaps we cd ask for a few billion from the bankers?

  • Thanks for the advice.  Are you in the UK?