The Special Education Advocacy Blog

As we cycle through routines from year to year; for many parents, August is Back to School season with all of it's rituals including new clothes, new supplies, and other essentials.  This year, I highly recommend experiencing new thoughts, new emotions, and overall, a...

In 1975, federal law was passed protecting the rights of students with disabilities and PL 94-172 has been the guiding light ever since.  Parents, educators, and advocates have been on this vigilant path for 42 years and continue to work toward providing opportunities...

I always associate the homestretch of the school year with the Kentucky Derby for both come at the same time; early May.  Taking this metaphor further, it's not about how you start the school year, nor the Derby, it's more about how you finish.  And in light of...

"Being Present …" "Staying in the moment …" "Keeping calm …." "Being in the here and now."   Likely, these Yoga-like phrases are familiar to you.  They are helpful when we need mental reminders leading to a form of relaxation and stress reduction.  However, in my...

Elephants are best observed in their natural habitat.  Or in the zoo.  Then again, there are still a number of elephants found in the circus.  However, within special education meetings, sometimes, elephants are also in the room.  Here's what I am talking about:...

Building success upon "what already works" is the way to go when it comes to motivation, reward systems, and inspiring the best from our children.  They are no different than the larger, older forms of humanity; we all like positive feedback and respond accordingly....

What I am trying to do here is share a perspective: Autism is part of the human experience. We all share similar behaviors and responses, especially, when stress, anxiety, or the general feeling of being over-whelmed is at the core. From my point of view, the...