Introducing Your Child: Creating Your Child s Learning Profile

Transcription

1 Introducing Your Child: Creating Your Child s Learning Profile Illinois Statewide Technical Assistance Center for Parents An Illinois State Board of Education system of support

2 Introducing Your Child: Creating Your Child s Learning Profile Please complete the Adult Learning Styles inventory based on your learning preferences. What s Your Learning Style? Learning Style Inventory for Adults 2

3 Today s Objectives After this training you will be able to represent your child s interest through an understanding of: 1) The Illinois Education Support System. 2) Three Primary Learning styles. 3) How to develop your child s Student Profile. 4) How to communicate your child s Student Profile to teachers and service providers. 3

4 Illinois Education Support System 4

5 Our challenge is not only to prepare children for school, but to prepare schools for children. 5

6 Special Education Is Individuals with Disabilities Education Act IDEA defines special education as: specially designed instruction at no cost to parents, to meet the unique needs of a child with a disability, including- A) instruction conducted in the classroom, in the home, in hospitals and institutions, and in other settings; and B) instruction in physical education. 20 U.S.C (29) 6

7 Illinois Support Structure The Parent Mentor Project Grant The Parent Liaison Program 7

8 About Us: ISTAC-P The ISTAC-Parents/Parent & Educator Partnership provides parent-to-parent guidance by providing: Support, training, and parent leadership development The Parent Mentor Project The Parent Liaison Program Development of School, Family, and Community Partnership Lending library Online resource search Quarterly e-newsletter Toll-free number, Website: 8

9 The Parent Mentor Project An initiative of the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE), which is grant funded. Assists parents of children with disabilities, in partnership with local school district personnel, to effectively navigate the educational system. Each local parent mentor grant site is a collaboration among agencies, such as, school districts or special education cooperatives and not-for-profit parent or disability groups. Facilitator, not an Advocate. 9

10 The Parent Liaison Program An initiative of the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE), which is not grant funded. Liaison is a parent of a participating child (either IDEA or Title I). Assists parents of school-age children in partnership with local school district personnel, to effectively navigate the educational system. Serves as a connection between families and education personnel to foster positive parent and professional teamwork, providing a family perspective. Facilitator, not an Advocate. 10

11 Mentors and Liaisons Services Provide resources (websites, books, etc ) Assistance with IEP meeting preparation Able to attend IEP Team meetings as requested Help parents navigate the special education process Consultations Provide Trainings on IDEA Collaborate with support services Promotes parent and educator partnership through collaboration 11

12 Learning Styles

13 What is a Learning Style? A learning style is an innate preference for gathering information. There are three primary types of learning styles: Visual Auditory Kinesthetic 13

14 Your Learning Style How do you like to get directions? Do you want to read directions? Do you want someone to read directions to you? Do you want to use a navigation system? Do you want to be driven there? Do you want to leave it to chance? 14

15 Let s look at the Learning Styles Inventory you completed What s Your Learning Style? Learning Style Inventory for Adults 15

16 What s Your Style? If you scored mostly a s, you may have a visual learning style. Your learning preference is by seeing and looking. If you scored mostly b s, you may have an auditory learning style. Your learning preference is by hearing and listening. If you scored mostly c s, you may have a kinesthetic learning style. Your learning preference is by touching and doing. 16

17 Let s take a closer look at each of the different learning styles Prefer to learn by % of Population* Seeing Visual Learner: 40% Hearing Auditory Learner: 30% Doing Kinesthetic Learner: 30% *Study posted by Three Rivers Community College, Norwich, CT 17

18 Visual learners Think in pictures. May be seen as daydreamers because they have to reconstruct pictures in their minds. Learn through seeing reading text and visual displays. o o o o Photos Posters Bulletin Boards Concept Maps Learning is based on the idea of the positioning of items. Memorize by writing visual representation. Doodles and looks around when inactive 18

19 Tips For Visual Learners Look at all the pictures, charts, and graphs in your textbooks. Visualize, or see in your mind, new vocabulary or spelling words. Examine the bulletin boards and displays in your classroom for connections to lessons. Use a colorful highlighter to point out important information in your reading. Visualize yourself doing what you are trying to learn. 19

20 Auditory Learners Learn through listening and repeating words aloud. Benefit from using audio recordings Likely to ask questions during a lecture Classical music can help retention of information. Written information may have little meaning until it is heard. Are very good readers due to practice with reading out loud. Find quiet times very frustrating. Inactivity leads to talking. 20

21 Tips for the Auditory Learner Make tapes of your class notes and listen to them. Tape record lectures and discussions in class. Remember details by trying to hear previous discussions Say new vocabulary words and spelling words out loud. Participate in class discussions. Whisper new information to yourself. 21

22 Kinesthetic Learners Learn best through a hands-on approach, actively exploring the physical world around them. Find motion useful in learning. Are uncomfortable in classrooms where they lack opportunities for hands-on experience. Inactivity leads to fidgeting. Find it easier to learn with large amounts of space available. Districted by physical disturbance. May find it hard to sit still for long periods of time. Enjoy activities such as cooking, construction, engineering, and art to help them perceive and learn. Speak with their hands and with gestures. 22

23 Tips for Kinesthetic Learners... Learn by doing, touching, or practicing. Write notes to yourself to help you remember things. Trace over new spelling words with your finger. Take frequent stand up and stretch breaks. Move around quietly when you need to concentrate. Build projects to help explain your ideas. 23

24 The Learning Environment Project based activities tend to bring a multiple learning style approach into the classroom. Important things to consider in your child s learning environment: Displays Room layout Who sits with whom Music/sounds Lighting Distractions 24

25 Learning at Home 25

26 Learning at Home Be empathetic to your child s learning preferences. Establish a learning routine: Same time each day. Same location. Be aware of the learning environment. Sound Light Seating Distractions Is it best for your child to have a snack before studying? 26

27 Your Child s Learning Style Student Learning Style Survey A tool for parents and their children which allows the student to answer a series of questions to discover their learning preferences. Please ask or assist your child to complete the provided Student Learning Style Survey at home. 27

28 Developing Your Child s Profile

29 Building Your Child s Profile Each new school year brings a variety of challenges for school students, and parents. It is essential that individuals who interact with your child know key information about your child s unique learning style and needs. Share your child s profile with teachers, related service providers (speech therapist, teaching assistant), and other staff at the start of each school year. Make yourself available to the professionals to answer any questions or concerns they may have. 29

30 Building Your Child s Profile INTRODUCTION Child s name and date of birth Current grade level SCHOOL-HOME COMMUNICATION Contact information Communication preferences OUR FAMILY Parent names and background information Siblings, other family members, pets Special family considerations 30

31 Building Your Child s Profile MEDICAL INFORMATION Doctors and service providers contact information and release of information Diagnosis information Medications Therapeutic services outside of school IEP INFORMATION Date of current IEP Date of last re-evaluation Eligibility Category Related services and interventions 31

32 Building Your Child s Profile ADDITIONAL INFORMATION Description of child Favorites Hobbies, sports, foods TV shows, video games Goals Academic, social, transition Your dream for your child PROFILE UPDATES Update at least annually by gathering information from the previous school year teachers. Acknowledge contributions to your child s profile by teachers and staff who have worked with your child. 32

33 Building Your Child s Profile LEARNING PREFERENCES Learning style Successful strategies and accommodations Optimal learning environment Strengths and challenges Motivations and interest 33

34 Perceptions of Your Child Perception of your child begins with you. Be selective with word choices when describing your child. My child is bad at Math. finds 3 digit division and equations with fractions challenging. can t sit still. communicates frustration and excitement through movement. 34

35 Developing Your Child s Profile The Profile Builder has been provided to assist you in creating your child s Student Profile to share with teachers and related service providers. 35

36 Communicating Your Child s Profile

37 Research tells us When schools and families work together, a partnership of support for children develops. Education becomes a shared venture, characterized by mutual respect and trust in which the importance and influence of each partner is recognized. Although children, families, teachers, and schools benefit individually, their partnerships enhance the entire process of education. Rebecca Crawford Burns Parent Involvement: Promises, Problems, and Solutions 37

38 Communication Plan Step 1: Prepare a cover letter to accompany your child s Student Profile. (Cover letter template provided). Step 2: Determine how you wish to distribute your child s Student Profile: Deliver your child s Student Profile to school, and ask your child s case manager or teacher to distribute to the people you designate. your child s Student Profile to the members of your child s education team. 38

39 Cover Letter Describe: Your collaborative intentions. Expectations for the education team relating to: Distribution of your child s Student Profile. Communication of review and thoughts regarding your child s Student Profile. If necessary, request a meeting to discuss your child s Student Profile. 39

40 Sample Letters ISBE Parent s Guide- Educational Rights & Responsibilities: Understanding Special Education in Illinois Contains sample letters that can be used when facing various situations described throughout the guide. Letters are simply suggestions for the reader and should be modified as needed. Table of Contents- scroll down to Appendix A Note type of letter you would like to write, click on Appendix A: Sample Letters for Parents 40

41 If A Meeting is Necessary Express gratitude for collaboration time. Convey an openness to discuss questions or concerns related to your child s Student Profile. Discuss how your child s learning needs were accommodated successfully in previous years. 41

42 If A Meeting is Necessary Discuss the possibility to regularly communicate about your child s progress: School to Home options: Online grades Report Cards Home to School options: Phone Calls Bi-weekly Assignment notebook If the IEP will need to be adjusted and the entire team is not present, you may need to call an IEP team meeting. 42

43 After the Meeting Follow-up after the meeting: Write a note or to the team to summarize the discussion and thank them for meeting with you. If an IEP team meeting needs to be called, submit a request to your child s case manager or building principal, and follow-up with an or phone call if necessary. Be sure to keep notes of all communication. 43

44 Let s Summarize

45 Today we learned The Illinois Education Support System. Three Primary Learning styles. How to develop your child s Student Profile. How to communicate your child s Student Profile to teachers and service providers. 45

46 Your Next Steps Use the provided Student Learning Style Survey to determine your child s learning style. Refer to the provided Profile Builder to create your child s Student Profile and gather other helpful documents. Write a cover letter to accompany your child s Student Profile. Determine and implement your distribution plan: Who will receive your child s Student Profile? When and how will you deliver your child s Student Profile? 46

47 Creating Partnerships By openly communicating key information with your child s education team, you are taking the first step in working as an equal partner in your child s education. 47

48 Contact Information: Parent & Educator Partnership Toll free: