Navigating Your Child s Educational Path: Kindergarten to College. A Resource Guide prepared by Landmark School

Transcription

1 Navigating Your Child s Educational Path: Kindergarten to College v A Resource Guide prepared by Landmark School

2 Landmark School Landmark School s mission is to enable and empower students with language-based learning disabilities (LBLD) to reach their educational and social potential through an exemplary school program complemented by outreach and training, assessment, and research. v admission@landmarkschool.org web: landmarkschool.org

3 Navigating Your Child s Educational Path This resource guide has been compiled by Landmark School and is a collection of advice, books, articles, online resources, schools, and lists of professionals dedicated to providing productive and appropriate education for all students. Unless otherwise noted, inclusion in this publication does not constitute a recommendation or an endorsement from Landmark School or any of our associates. The information included in this guide is merely a starting point containing the contact information of individuals and organizations that are known to provide services in the educational and/or LD field. Most importantly, know that navigating this path for your child(ren) has been forged before you. Learn from friends, colleagues, members of your school community, and professionals. You are not alone. 2 Learning Disabilities Resources, Educational Resources, and Advocacy Groups 3 Recommended Reading and Resources Ann Brochin Neuropsychologist 4-5 Private Tutoring Peter Harris Head of Language Arts, Landmark Elementary Middle School 6 Disabilities and Post Secondary Education Courtney Joly-Lowdermilk Disabilities Coordinator, Northeastern University 7 Advocacy Nancy Reddish-Gurry Educational Advocate 8 Notes v Table of Contents

4 Learning Disability Resources Please Note: Inclusion on this list does not constitute an official recommendation by Landmark School. HELPGUIDE.org LD (Learning Disabilities) Online National Center for Learning Disabilities Dyslexia Parents Resource Learning Disabilities of America (LDA) Resources for Gifted Children with Special Needs Smart Kids with Learning Disabilities SPED Child and Teen (camps, services & events in Massachusetts) WebMD Yellow Pages for Kids (to locate ed consultants, therapists,tutors, diagnosticians, advocates, lawyers, schools, programs, parent groups, government programs searchable by state) Educational Resources Advocacy Groups Massachusetts Advocates for Children To locate an advocate in Massachusetts To locate an advocate by State and Federation for Children with Special Needs, MA NH Special Education Advocacy, Bedford, NH Disability Rights Center, Concord, NH Parent Information Center, Concord, NH Disability Rights Center, Augusta, ME Advocacy Initiative Network (AIN), Bangor, ME LD Association of America (LDA), Pittsburgh, PA Connecticut Parent Advocacy Center, Niantic, CT Rhode Island Parent Information Network (RIPIN) Resources for Children with Special Needs, NY Please Note: This list is in no way complete, and is merely a starting point containing the contact information of individuals and organizations who are known to provide services in the educational and/or LD field. 2

5 Recommended Reading and Resources Submitted by Ann Brochin Neuropsychologist Books Overcoming Dyslexia: A New and Complete Science-Based Program for Reading Problems at Any Level by Sally Shaywitz Understanding Dyslexia and the Reading Process: A Guide for Educators and Parents by Marion Sanders The Dyslexia Checklist: A Practical Reference for Parents and Teachers by Sandra F. Reif and Judith Stern (2010) ADHD: What Every Parent Needs to Know The American Academy of Pediatrics Understanding Girls with ADHD by Kathleen G.Nadeau, Ellen B. Littman, and Patricia O.Quinn Straight Talk About Psychiatric Medications for Kids by Timothy Wilens Taking Charge of Adult ADHD by Russell A.Barkley (Also appropriate for adolescents.) The Survival Guide for College Students with ADHD or LD by Kathleen G. Nadeau ADD and the College Student: A Guide for High School and College Students with Attention Deficit Disorder by Patricia O. Quinn Putting on the Brakes: Understanding and Taking Control of Your ADD or ADHD by Patricia O. Quinn and Judith M. Stern Many Ways to Learn: A Kid s Guide to LD by Judith M. Stern, Uzi Ben-Ami, and Carl Pearce The Disorganized Mind: Coaching Your ADHD Brain to Take Control of Your Time, Tasks, and Talents by Nancy A. Ratey Legal Resources Kotin, Crabtree & Strong, LLP Lawrence Kotin, Robert K. Crabtree, Joseph B. Green, Eileen M. Hagerty, Marie Mercier, Sherry Rajaniemi-Gregg One Bowdoin Square, Boston, MA kcs@kcslegal.com Law Office of Michelle Moor, LLC P.O. Box 299, Beverly, MA michelle@michellemoor.com fax:

6 1. Private Tutoring Submitted by Peter Harris Language Arts Department Head Landmark Elementary Middle School (EMS) Finding a Tutor Contact your local school system. Ask your child s teacher if he/she knows of a private tutor in the area. Contact: Tara Joly-Lowdermilk Landmark Elementary Middle School or Cal Zelenka Landmark High School They will: take some general information from the parent about his/her child s educational needs. place that information along with contact information into a private tutoring database. Landmark teachers who do private tutorials can search the database for possible clients. Please Note: Being added to the database does not guarantee a call back by the tutor. Landmark teachers contact the families directly. The tutoring is not provided by Landmark School. Rather, it is a private contract between the family and the tutor. Questions to Ask up Front 2. How long has the tutor been tutoring privately? Can the tutor provide references from past and/or current clients? What subject(s) does the tutor teach during the school day? What age level(s) does the tutor generally feel comfortable working with? Would the tutor agree to a brief evaluation period (usually 1-3 sessions) to ensure that he/she is a good match for the student? Would the tutor be willing to contact my child s teachers to communicate with them as needed to discuss assignments and possible areas to work on? 4

7 private tutoring 3. Types of Tutoring Remedial Tutoring The tutor designs a program for the student that is tailored to the student s individual needs. For example, if the student needs help with fluency, the tutor might bring Read Naturally exercises (a reading fluency program) and work on them with the student. Similarly, a student who is struggling with note taking in class might work on two-column notes exercises with his/her tutor. This type of tutoring is designed to help close the gap between the student s potential and his/her current level of performance. Academic Support Tutoring The tutor is hired to help the student with nightly homework assignments and long-range assignments (e.g., a research paper, an oral presentation). Students who benefit from academic support tutoring are having difficulty in school mainly because they are struggling with areas of executive function (e.g., planning, organization, follow through, adherence to deadlines). This type of tutoring is designed to help the student keep on top of his/her academic workload. Other Details Frequency and Session Duration Private tutoring usually occurs between 1-3 times per week for minutes sessions. 4. Decisions about the frequency and duration of each session are made based on the age and performance of the child. Location Some private tutors will travel to the child s home for tutoring sessions, and others prefer to meet at a local public library. Payment Private tutors charge between $50 and $75 for a 60-minute session. Some tutors like to be paid weekly, and others prefer to be paid once a month. 5

8 Disabilities and Post Secondary Education Submitted by Courtney Joly-Lowdermilk Disabilities Coordinator at Northeastern University Texts Adult Learning Disabilities and ADHD: Research-Informed Assessment by R. L. Mapou (2009), New York, NY, Oxford University Press Preparing Students with Disabilities for College Success: A Practical Guide to Transition Planning by S.F. Madaus Shaw, J. W. Dukes, and L. L. Dukes (2010) Baltimore, Paul H. Brookes Publishing Company AHEAD Publications Beyond Accommodations: Strategies for College Students with LD and ADHD by Mary Barrows, Jennifer Newton, and Emily Estep Navigating College: Strategy Manual for a Successful Voyage by Kimberly Nolting, Academic Success Press, Inc. The Essential Six, Volume I, A Parent s Guide: How to Pave the Road to Self-Advocacy for College Students with Learning Differences by Lorri Comeau and Mickey Cronin Websites Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act Association on Higher Education and Disability U.S. Department of Education Journals Disability Compliance for Higher Education Journal of Postsecondary Education and Disability Articles GreatSchools Teens with LD and/or ADHD: Shopping for College Options by L.C. Brinckerhoff (2005); available at: Assessment for Effective Intervention Assessing Student Performance in Distance Education Courses: Implications for Testing Accommodations for Students with Learning Disabilities, 27(3), by M.Banerjee and L.C. Brinckerhoff (2002) Current Psychiatry Reports College Students with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder L. E.Wolf, P. Simkowitz, and H. Carlson (2009), 11(5), doi (digital object identifier): /s College Preparatory Programming College Internship Program (CIP)

9 Advocacy Submitted by Nancy Reddish-Gurry Educational Advocate, Family Advocacy Group of New England Organize Organize your child s records with a 3-ring notebook and dividers. Stay organized by categorizing IEPs, progress reports, evaluations, correspondence, and IEP signature pages. Appreciate the importance of your child s IEP by reading it line-by-line. If you don t understand parts of the IEP, then seek out internet sources, local special needs agencies, or your child s Team to explain and answer your questions. Don t just glaze over it claiming inexperience or time constraints. Study it! Read and study your child s evaluations. Get to know the tests that were given. Learn the key words used in evaluations. Understand how norms and averages are determined. This takes time but will bring you closer to understanding your child s specific deficits. Different tests examine different aspects of your child s learning profile. For example: some reading tests examine word reading vs. passage reading, word fluency, accuracy, or comprehension. It is very important to know what each test is examining within your child s learning profile. Every child has strengths and weaknesses. Know the terminology for both and be prepared to advocate strongly your child s weaknesses within his/her learning profile. Don t allow Teams to ignore weaknesses in certain areas because of your child s strengths in other areas. Create a history or a summary of your child s evaluation scores. This helps you follow and monitor progress through the years. Ask the district to repeat similar testing so you can easily compare scores from one year to the next. Keep these updated in your notebook. Use a *yellow highlighter when reading IEPs and Evaluations. Make notes in the margins for quick reference. Develop a system that makes this a working document during meetings. This not only provides visual cues to you, but also shows the Team you have carefully reviewed the documents you are discussing. * Yellow highlighters do not block out text when using a copy machine. Know how to maneuver your 3-ring notebook. You will need to reference many documents you have studied during a Team meeting and you want to do this quickly and efficiently. This also lets the Team know you are organized and an invested team member. Reach out to professionals outside of your Team to provide neutral guidance and consultation. Build a Team around you to help you navigate the Special Education process. Go as far as you can see; when you get there you ll be able to see farther. - John Pierpont Morgan Useful Resources Suffolk University Alumni Magazine The Accidental Advocate (article): Family Advocacy Group of New England pages:

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11 educational path Navigating this path for your child has been forged before you. You are not alone. kindergarten to college

12 Landmark School landmarkschool.org