Thank an Educator Today, continued...
On this, the last day of Teacher Appreciation Week, let’s talk about your child’s ‘Teacher of Record.’ A student’s TOR has students assigned to him or her and has met state licensing requirements for this position. Also, hopefully, this teacher a ‘Highly Qualified’ teacher; which means that he or she has met all federal licensing requirements for that position.
< My Thoughts > “A student’s TOR… “
In my experience, the Special Education TOR has access to all the student’s records. Has followed the student’s academic and individual progress, from the beginning. The TOR, when writing the Individual Education Plan (IEP) he or she gathers all possible information through documents and teacher / parent interviews. Thus, ‘paints a picture’ of this student, which will support all IEP requests, requirements, accommodations and modifications. The TOR gathers together the student’s ‘support team’ to contribute to and participate in all meetings, concerning this individual student.
For more information, please find the following on this website, from MENU –
Luker, S. (2024).
UNIT 6 – Where to Look for Resources?
UNIT 6 – CHAPTER 3 – INTRODUCTION
a. Individualized Education Plan (IEP)
b. Autism Education & Anti-Bullying Policies
UNIT 6 CHAPTER 4 – Where to Look for Resources?
UNIT 6 CHAPTER 4 – CHAPTER 4 – FUTURE CHALLENGES
Special Education Teachers also know what your child’s neuro-typical peers are expecting from their teachers. Here are some examples of what they like teachers to do –
< My Thoughts > “…help us with new skills we need.”
Whether Special Education Teachers, or General Education Teachers, educators can help to encourage create ‘lifelong learners’.
Please read, share, and comment.
Regards,
Sara Luker
Reference:
Luker, S. (2024). Know Autism – Know Your Child: with < My Thoughts > by Sara Luker; 2024. Retrieved from: www.sarasautismsite.com.
Thank an Educator Today
Thank an educator today and every day. This week, May 6th – 10th, is Teacher Appreciation Week. General Education and Special Education educators spend years becoming qualified and certified to teach your child. Parents are the child’s first and foremost teacher and professional educators welcome your support.
Help support the Special Education teacher’s sometimes subtle teaching of necessary ‘Soft Skills’. These are skills which make life so much easier.
Here are some of the ‘Soft Skills’ teachers work on, daily with autistic students –
Another ‘support’ in the classroom comes from the Paraprofessional. They also are a big part of a student’s learning experience.
Asking for ways to support these efforts will be greatly appreciated. And always welcomed is a simple ‘Thank You’ for all that you do.
Damon, L. (2011) 10% didn’t waste precious years of Carrie’s life while operating on the assumption that Carrie was going to turn out just fine on her own.
I’m Carrie’s mother and I barely have these things under control. But, I do know the activities she likes to do and what triggers her to lose control.
45% All of the school staff who would work with Carrie – her classroom teacher, her special ed teacher, her speech pathologist, her paraprofessionals, even the school nurse – attended a workshop on autism over the summer before Carrie started school, just to be prepared. THAT is awesome.
…no matter how well versed you are in autism or how many professional development courses you may have taken, you don’t know THIS child.
< My Thoughts > “…you don’t know THIS child.”
General education teachers can determine pretty quickly which children are confident and which are struggling. Special education teachers may take months to determine ‘what’s what’ with your child, but they are looking through a professional’s lens. Because after all, this is not a typical setting with anticipated set of actions and reactions, it’s school, with other children on the spectrum with whom they are interacting. And, so many other things.
Your child will have good days and not-so-good days…as will you and your child’s teacher. There are days of medication ‘override’, when what dosage worked yesterday is not holding as well today.
Interventions that worked well yesterday are brand new and like starting over today. Often times because of subtle changes that only the child notices, like –
The teacher’s hair smells different because she tried a new shampoo. The air outside is thick and humid and changes the mood all around. Yes, ‘air’ does bother him/her.
The classroom aide was late today and seems rushed or upset. Its assembly schedule today. The hall monitor is new and doesn’t know the kids. The district calls for ‘fire alarm drill’ just before the end of day. The water fountain doesn’t work.
The bathroom is closed for repairs and students need to use the one on the other side of the building.
Damon, L. (2011) 98% We still have so much to learn about autism, but the great thing is we are learning those important things at an incredible rate. There has never been a better time to be an autistic person because of the more widespread knowledge and recognition, even from average people on the street, but especially from the people who matter most in the person’s life.
99% …when that mother has to let her child loose into the world, there will be people like you (his teacher) around him or her on a daily basis to help them be as successful as they can be.
< My Thoughts > “…help them be as successful as they can be.”
Hopefully you will fill your child’s life with people who will know them and help them to feel successful, when you turn them loose into the world.
Resources:
Damon, L. (2011). Autism by Hand; eBook Edition.
On this, the last day of Teacher Appreciation Week, let’s talk about your child’s ‘Teacher of Record.’ A student’s TOR has students assigned to him or her and has met state licensing requirements for this position. Also, hopefully, this teacher a ‘Highly Qualified’ teacher; which means that he or she has met all federal licensing requirements for that position.
< My Thoughts > “A student’s TOR… “
In my experience, the Special Education TOR has access to all the student’s records. Has followed the student’s academic and individual progress, from the beginning. The TOR, when writing the Individual Education Plan (IEP) he or she gathers all possible information through documents and teacher / parent interviews. Thus, ‘paints a picture’ of this student, which will support all IEP requests, requirements, accommodations and modifications. The TOR gathers together the student’s ‘support team’ to contribute to and participate in all meetings, concerning this individual student.
For more information, please find the following on this website, from MENU –
Luker, S. (2024).
UNIT 6 – Where to Look for Resources?
UNIT 6 – CHAPTER 3 – INTRODUCTION
a. Individualized Education Plan (IEP)
b. Autism Education & Anti-Bullying Policies
UNIT 6 CHAPTER 4 – Where to Look for Resources?
UNIT 6 CHAPTER 4 – CHAPTER 4 – FUTURE CHALLENGES
Special Education Teachers also know what your child’s neuro-typical peers are expecting from their teachers. Here are some examples of what they like teachers to do –
- We like when teachers help us keep our grades up with extra credit assignments so we can get good grades for sports and clubs (and our self-esteem).
- We like when teachers make me feel that I am in charge of my learning (recognize my strengths). One teacher set me up with an online class to help me catch up with my science and math work, after I was out sick.
- We like when teachers bring the world into the classroom. Tell us about things they do with their families. Help us (discover) get interested in things, or build on our interests.
- We like when teachers make us feel important and point us towards goals. Teachers can bring out the best in us, find out special talents and help us with new skills we need.
< My Thoughts > “…help us with new skills we need.”
Whether Special Education Teachers, or General Education Teachers, educators can help to encourage create ‘lifelong learners’.
Please read, share, and comment.
Regards,
Sara Luker
Reference:
Luker, S. (2024). Know Autism – Know Your Child: with < My Thoughts > by Sara Luker; 2024. Retrieved from: www.sarasautismsite.com.
Thank an Educator Today
Thank an educator today and every day. This week, May 6th – 10th, is Teacher Appreciation Week. General Education and Special Education educators spend years becoming qualified and certified to teach your child. Parents are the child’s first and foremost teacher and professional educators welcome your support.
Help support the Special Education teacher’s sometimes subtle teaching of necessary ‘Soft Skills’. These are skills which make life so much easier.
Here are some of the ‘Soft Skills’ teachers work on, daily with autistic students –
- Communication. Since social communication is often a ‘core’ symptom of autism. Is your child’s keyboarding, storyboarding, or an alternative and/or facilitated form?
- Self-motivation. Knowing their special interests helps teachers use that as a ‘hook’ to lead the learning process. What is your child’s ‘hook’?
- Leadership to lead and inspire others. Discovering the student’s preferences, when working in a small group, may be the answer.
- Responsibility. This requires productivity and success. The autistic world mostly consists of living in the ‘here and now’, not in the ‘future’. How can you help your child with these concepts?
- Time Management. The student with autism is often fighting to stay in a routine. This can be an advantage when managing time. Will visual schedules help your child with this?
Another ‘support’ in the classroom comes from the Paraprofessional. They also are a big part of a student’s learning experience.
Asking for ways to support these efforts will be greatly appreciated. And always welcomed is a simple ‘Thank You’ for all that you do.
Damon, L. (2011) 10% didn’t waste precious years of Carrie’s life while operating on the assumption that Carrie was going to turn out just fine on her own.
I’m Carrie’s mother and I barely have these things under control. But, I do know the activities she likes to do and what triggers her to lose control.
45% All of the school staff who would work with Carrie – her classroom teacher, her special ed teacher, her speech pathologist, her paraprofessionals, even the school nurse – attended a workshop on autism over the summer before Carrie started school, just to be prepared. THAT is awesome.
…no matter how well versed you are in autism or how many professional development courses you may have taken, you don’t know THIS child.
< My Thoughts > “…you don’t know THIS child.”
General education teachers can determine pretty quickly which children are confident and which are struggling. Special education teachers may take months to determine ‘what’s what’ with your child, but they are looking through a professional’s lens. Because after all, this is not a typical setting with anticipated set of actions and reactions, it’s school, with other children on the spectrum with whom they are interacting. And, so many other things.
Your child will have good days and not-so-good days…as will you and your child’s teacher. There are days of medication ‘override’, when what dosage worked yesterday is not holding as well today.
Interventions that worked well yesterday are brand new and like starting over today. Often times because of subtle changes that only the child notices, like –
The teacher’s hair smells different because she tried a new shampoo. The air outside is thick and humid and changes the mood all around. Yes, ‘air’ does bother him/her.
The classroom aide was late today and seems rushed or upset. Its assembly schedule today. The hall monitor is new and doesn’t know the kids. The district calls for ‘fire alarm drill’ just before the end of day. The water fountain doesn’t work.
The bathroom is closed for repairs and students need to use the one on the other side of the building.
Damon, L. (2011) 98% We still have so much to learn about autism, but the great thing is we are learning those important things at an incredible rate. There has never been a better time to be an autistic person because of the more widespread knowledge and recognition, even from average people on the street, but especially from the people who matter most in the person’s life.
99% …when that mother has to let her child loose into the world, there will be people like you (his teacher) around him or her on a daily basis to help them be as successful as they can be.
< My Thoughts > “…help them be as successful as they can be.”
Hopefully you will fill your child’s life with people who will know them and help them to feel successful, when you turn them loose into the world.
Resources:
Damon, L. (2011). Autism by Hand; eBook Edition.
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