Earlier this spring we had a not-so-pleasant experience with Maddie participating in a community activity. ( see this post: http://mcdj.wordpress.com/2008/04/04/so-the-drama/ )
I have a good friend who talks a lot about the value of participating in sports, and I figured my kids aren’t getting any younger, so during Easter Break I took all the kids up to the Township [...]
If you somehow missed the massive amounts of publicity, Barbara Walters has written a new book called “Audition” . Along with the details of her growing up, her career achievements, all the drama about Starr Jones and Barbara’s affair with a married congressman, Barbara writes about her sister with a cognitive disability.
In her memoir Barbara thanks her sister as being the [...]
Maddie completing a 4th grade reading comprehension worksheet with her Dad.
The assignment is unmodified (ie questions are the same) but the product (ie her answers) are accommodated (given in an alternative format, specifically Boardmaker symbols).
http://www.onetruemedia.com/shared?p=5ccb673caeeb6c67360ee5&skin_id=601&utm_source=otm&utm_medium=text_url
<<< OK, there will be multiple posts on the Grade 5 IEP, otherwise it will be so long, nobody would ever finish. >>>
I know I linked to the IEP Goals and Objectives Bank, and I used to have goals like that for Maddie, but anymore we write our goals very differently. This post is limited [...]
<<< OK, there will be multiple posts on the Grade 5 IEP, otherwise it will be so long, nobody would ever finish. >>>
Follow this link to read my “parent input” for the IEP. I always use this same format, with some pictures and our “dream statement” (aka mission statement) for Maddie.
Parent Input & Concerns (200 
I took the kids to a High School Musical party at our local library tonight. Our community theater group is putting on a HSM performance in a couple weeks, and they’re visting local venues and events, practicing a couple songs and promoting the upcoming shows.
At one point, the large group was divided up and went with different cast members to [...]
<<< OK, there will be multiple posts on the Grade 5 IEP, otherwise it will be so long, nobody would ever finish. >>>
It went well! We were finished in four hours. That’s pretty much unheard of for me.
The main thing I took away from Maddie’s meeting was how important people are. We did a MAPS session, part [...]
Today is Maddie’s IEP. It never gets “easy”, but I feel pretty comfortable with how I anticipate the meeting will go. I know at what points I will tear up and what point I will have to be fighting mad.
Just yesterday, a mom said this to me:
I guess I have looked at an IEP as [...]
What is it like to be wanted? Isn’t that something that we all crave? Wow, I’ve never really had this experience with Maddie before.
In general, this time of year really sucks for me. We have Maddie’s annual IEP and MAPS meeting. Its a really long day, a lot of prep work, a lot of anxiety and [...]
We started potty training my daughter right before she turned two (before we knew there was something actually amiss with her). She did not walk or talk at the time.
She was in cloth diapers (sensitive skin), and she knew when she wet it was NOT a comfortable thing. It was pretty obvious she would pee [...]
