Wittrock- Strength Based IEP-2
Necolena Wittrock
Strength Based IEPS
City University of Seattle
Strength-Based IEP
A strength-based IEP is an Individualized Educational Program that focuses on a child’s strengths instead of their deficits. If we look at the Individual with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), we will see that under the section Development of the IEP; it states the team shall consider the strengths of the child when writing an IEP. Showing the importance of focusing on strengths in the IEP because every child has them and as adults, we need to find them (Goldberg, 2012). According to Edward Anderson cited by Goldberg (2012)
Strengths-based education involves a process of assessing, teaching, and
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The consequence of not writing IEPs, in strength based form, is the suffering of the child because most IEPS are written in a method that shows deficits. Meaning that students could continue to struggle and feel inadequate in reaching their goals because they continue to work without their strengths. An example is a child with a weakness in math, but a love of drawing. We could either write a goal because he struggles with math or we could write a goal that uses his love of drawing to help him learn math. Example: Using drawings of objects, the student will solve math expression 8 out of 10 times. By allowing him to incorporate his passion into the lessons this student could grow and begin to understand math. Children need to know that teachers and parents want to create goals for them that will make them feel empowered and not insufficient. Some of the struggles I can see myself facing when writing IEPs in strength based method is making sure the IEPs are strength-based. I believe that we are all guilty of focusing on the deficits that children have and not on the strengths. Teachers need to remember not to become entangled in the negative. Even as a sub, I have come home telling my husband about a negative event that happened during the day, instead of saying the positive events first and many times the positives occur more often than the negatives. I can only hope I will be able to remember this and write many strength-based
According to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) an Individualized Education Program (IEP), address the following 7 steps about the student. The first step begins with a statement of the student’s present level of academic achievement and functional performance (PLAAFP). This is a summary of the student's present levels of academic achievement and functional performance, including (a) how the disability affects the student's involvement and progress in the general education curriculum; and (b) for students who
The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) greatly emphasizes the participation of the child’s family during the Individualized Education Program (IEP) process. Parents and/or caregivers are considered one of the most essential members of their child’s IEP team. Their involvement benefits their child’s overall academic success. Unfortunately, full parental involvement does not always occur and there can be many different reasons for their nonparticipation. The IEP process can be a very overwhelming experience for families with children with special needs, especially for those who are culturally diverse. It is the job of the professionals and special education teachers to understand the importance of collaborating with family’s
While all children can be referred for evaluation for special education, not all are found to be eligible. The student will be tested in all areas related to the child’s assumed disability by the multidisciplinary educational team. In order to be eligible for special education services, the child’s assume disability has to impact the child’s ability to learn. Parents represent the child’s interests. They need to stay informed and involved in their child’s education. IDEA of 2004 strengthened the role, as well as the responsibility, of parents and ensures that they and their families have opportunities to participate in their child’s education. IDEA also protects the rights of parents by ensuring that they can be members of the IEP teams. Parents can be involved in the evaluations and placements of their children and have a say in what happens.
IEP stands for an Individualized Education Program, it is a document, that was developed in conjunction with the parent/guardian, is an individually tailored statement describing an educational plan for each learner with exceptionalities There are five major points that are to address the present level of academic functioning personnel as present level of performance, annual goals and accompanying instructional objectives, educational services to be proved, the degree to which the pupil will be able to participate in general education programs, and plans for initiating services and length of services and length
Special education students are delayed in there learning process. To resolve the gap in learning abilities Individual with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) obliges by law that all public schools to create an Individualized Education Program (IEP) for every child that receives special educational services. IDEA inspires to create an effective relationship amongst the parents and school that boost an educational team with the goals of providing the student with proper services (Mueller, 2009). In Each IEP meeting it involves the IEP team, IEP sections that addresses the student with disabilities educational progress.
The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) is an important law that was passed, which advocates for the needs of disabled children. Federal funding is given to the schools to meet the needs of students with disabilities. Each state works with the federal government to provide this service. It is the states responsibility to follow the laws and find appropriate placement for these children. (US Department of Education, 2007) These students go through a process called appropriate placement by going through a series of referrals, evaluations, and classifications to see which category they fall under. These students may suffer with learning disabilities, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, emotional disorders, cognitive challenges, autism, hearing impairment, visual impairment, speech or language impairment, and developmental delay. Once they find the category then the Child Study Team (CST) made up of a school psychologist, social worker, and a learning disabilities teacher consultant will decide if the student needs an Individualized Education Program (IEP). Then the consultant will decide if the student needs an Individualized Education Program (IEP). This program is offered to students struggling in school allowing them to be taught a different way in the school system. If the student needs an IEP the multidisciplinary committee will meet. The
In 1991 the Public Law 94-142, the Education for All Handicapped Children Act was replaced by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. This law was passed to provide free and appropriate public education to every child with a disability. It requires that each child with a disability “have access to the program best suited to that child’s special needs which is as close as possible to a normal child’s educational program” (Martin, 1978). The Individualized education program (IEP) was developed to help provide a written record of students’ needs and procedures for each child that receives special education services. The IEP will list all the services to be provided, the student's performance level, academic performance, and
In my district, in order to ensure the accommodations are being implemented according to IEP deadlines, special education staff frequently monitor our classroom activities, as well as meet with the teachers and request they complete a progress report on each student with an IEP. Our responses will show if we are not applying or interpreting the accommodations correctly or if there are ineffective accommodations. For example, in Joseph’s situation, if one of the accommodations is that teachers are to provide preferred seating in the classroom, but it is not affecting his focus, the team might need to reconvene to modify the IEP accommodation to small group work. Regardless of the reason, having teachers complete a progress report provides documentation that is essential to the IEP process. This fact is supported by Lombardi and Ludlow; “general education teachers are expected to be prepared to modify the scope and sequence of their curriculum when needed” and “when either the teacher or parent feels the program is not meeting the student’s needs, it is important for both parties to have documentation to support their positions” (2004, p. 14-15). Lastly, because the mother felt there was a serious lack of communication between her and the school, a regular report should be given to her, using her preferred form of
In the American system the curriculum serves 5, 000 students and more than 20 countries and we need to review and look at the IEP process. The question that has spark concerns is to look at students direct IEP and how we can look to evaluate it? How students benefits from an IEP and what would be the first logical steps to change the process. We have a mixture of students who are not all English speaking students from all backgrounds and have some disabilities. I’m not here to complain about the teachers in your system, you have wonderful teachers who capture student’s interest and encourage students learning. But we are here to address the IEP’s process issue.
The authors suggested that the ILP and the IEP planning processes should be more closely articulated through a collaborative exchange of information and coordination of goals. They further suggested that students with disabilities be exposed to a full array of career pathways, and for students to assume leadership roles within their own planning process – with active family involvement and support throughout the process.
One option on the form is that the student will meet the districts graduation requirements or will complete the measurable annual goals and therefore will not need new measurable annual goals. The student is expected to graduate with a regular diploma by the end of the current school year. Another option is that the student will not meet the district’s graduation requirements, or will not complete the measurable annual goals and that student will need new annual goals. The IEP team members will then write a new IEP for the next school year. The third and final option on this form is that the student will not meet the district’s requirement and will not receive a regular diploma; however the school district will not provide the student with special education services for the next school
Children with behavioural, social and emotional needs without the right support in place can struggle within an education setting, children with these difficulties can be identified under the SEN code of practice when this identifies the problems and how the setting can support/set reachable targets for the child this is usually in the form of a IHP or a statement.
The special education teacher interviewed, showed me that she uses the teaching/individual goals related to each student’s IEP. The teacher always tries to excel and reach the needs to relate
Beakstead, personal communication, October 31, 2013). Alternately, another student’s area of concentration might be based solely on independent living skills at home or with caretakers, and less focused on academic goals. As the goals are implemented by the special education team the student’s achievements can be evaluated daily, weekly, or monthly and in independent and group settings until mastery of the IEP goal is achieved, and where the learning goals of the IEP are age and skill level appropriate and address the future needs of the student. Additionally, these experiences encourage opportunities to practice new knowledge and skills, where teacher-directed and student feedback is available, and where instructional practice and student expectations can be reflected on and adjusted if necessary (Johnson-Gerard, 2012).
In this assignment, the client was dealing with a recent interaction between her boyfriend and herself that brought up issues pertaining to how to assess and support the presenting problem that the client is faced with. A strengths-based intervention provides a way for the client/worker relationship coming together to provide responses and a way to overcome the issues that are presented. The understanding of a strengths based approach brings out other theories that can be similar. One of these include the problem solving approach but for the purpose of this intervention, it is focused on the strengths-based aspects. I believe that this intervention may be used in the client’s best interest because it focuses on positive aspects of the individual