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What is an IEP? An IEP is an individualized education plan. Setting up an IEP for your learning disabled child is done in cooperation with your local school and teachers, unless you are a parent who homeschools your child. In order to do this; your child must have some sort of learning disability. Let's face it, we would not need to do this unless there was some educational reason. If your child is having trouble in school, the first step is getting a diagnosis from a trained professional.
Parents can not simply depend on teachers who tell them that their child may be ADD or another learning disability. Too many times a parent takes the child to their family doctor, explaining what the teacher said. He or she prescribes medication immediately, or after only a week of parent-teacher evaluations. No, this is not enough information to make a good diagnosis of a learning disability.
There must be an entire battery of psychological, emotional, and even physical tests done. There are many medical problems that can mimic the symptoms of several different learning disabilities. Ruling out these other diseases and disorders is a must! If not, your child may be misdiagnosed with a learning disability that he or she does not have.
Lead poisoning is just one thing that can effect the behavior and grades of a child. Hyperthyroidism is another disorder that can be responsible for symptoms of ADHD and other learning disabilities in a child. Many psychological problems can be misdiagnosed as a learning disability.
If your family physician doesn't suggest a specialist, you should! Always be sure to get a second opinion from a Psychologist and even a third opinion, possibly from a Neurologist or Psychiatrist. Only after these tests confirm a learning disability, should a parent ever you consider drug therapy or classroom interventions.
An IEP is an agreement of sorts between the parents and school. This agreement states the ways that your child learns best. It sites different strategies for coping with his or her learning disability. One type of an IEP is a 504 plan. These plans help parents and schools to communicate, and also help many students learn in the style that is best for them.
How to Create an IEP (Individualized Educational Plan):
1. Ask your child's doctors and psychologists many questions about ADD, and have them explain practical classroom strategies that may help your child. These should be very customized to your child's needs. If your child is artistically inclined, ask if this could be incorporated into the plan.
2. Meet with your child's teacher and also the principal. Share your fears and views with them. Ask them what they think would help your child? Ask them what programs are available that could benefit your child.
3. It is also a good idea to request that the school Psychologist and the director of special needs or special education be present at this meeting also. These specialists are often a parent's best allies when sculpting an IEP.
4. Focus on your child's strengths, while exploring his or her weaknesses.
· If your child is verbal, ask about verbal testing.
· If your child has problems with sloppy handwriting, ask if your child can type out writing assignments on the computer.
5. Give the teachers and administrators ideas. Tell them what successes that your child has had with learning. If using an egg timer helps, tell them this. If well-spaced study helps, inform them of this also.
6. Tell your child's teachers just how bright he or she is. Instruct them to expect excellence from your child. Studies show that a teacher who thinks a child can succeed is often the key to a child achieving higher grades.
7. After the meeting, check with your child on the specific interventions. Ask him or her if the teacher is doing these things. You must keep tabs on this! Teachers are human just like everyone else. At times they will lapse back into old habits of not using interventions that are spelled out in an IEP.
8. Many times, schools just talk. Too many times they do not follow through with the IEP. A parent must follow up with the school several times throughout the year. Be persistent. Be stubborn. Be a pain even. After all, this is your child's education!
9. Schedule conferences with your child's teacher even if the teacher does not request the meeting.
10. Create open communication between yourself and the school. Sometimes this can be difficult due to the persistence that we must display, but it can be done.
If your child is diagnosed with ADD, ADHD, or any other learning disorder, research it. Do searches about it on the Internet. Go to seminars on their learning disability. Read everything and anything about this disorder. It is also a good idea to get your child into some type of therapy that teaches him or her how to deal with the symptoms of the disorder. These children need to learn practical strategies and techniques to help them cope with everyday problems that their disorder creates.
Parents also will learn so much from interacting with the child's counselor. Ask questions and ideas of them. You will be surprised at the creative ideas that really work! Remember that knowledge is power. It is much harder for school administrators to bully an educated parent. You expect your children to do their homework, right? Well, do yours! I hope that this article not only gave you the information that you need to help your child's education be a success, but has that it has also inspired you to change a few things. Remember to be smart and get the facts. Remember to be proactive and demand a change. Good luck.
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