On Thursday evening, January 27, 2017, LifeLine families came together at our northwest Georgia FamilyShare support group and discussed ways to facilitate our children’s emotional regulation at home and at school. Lisa Mattheiss shared ideas and resources that she and Michal Jones had collected in their years of working with families in Chattanooga and northwest…
Many of us are in the same boat. We are raising children with special needs. The problem is, they didn’t come with a manual and there are things that happen with them that we can’t explain, medicine can’t explain, and mainstream medicine can’t always cure. Our purpose at our last FamilyShare support group meeting of 2016…
This month the United States Department of Education Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services published a Dear Colleague Letter intended to help clarify the use of Positive Behavior Interventions & Supports in the IEP. A copy of the guidance can be found here: Dear Colleague Letter-on-PBIS-in-IEPs–08-01-2016 Of course, as a governmental document, it was a little…
Stubborn is…as Stubborn Does by Carol Johnson, Calgary, Alberta, Canada “It is interesting to me how many people talk about their child’s stubborn behavior as if it was part and parcel with having Down syndrome. It isn’t. There are many people who are stubborn who do not have DS. In fact, in some situations, being…
For years parents and educators have heard many excuses why students with disabilities should not be full included in their home zoned school.. Many times these excuses fall into specific categories. Myth #1: Students with significant disabilities educated in general education classrooms won’t get the support they need. Myth #2: Students with the most significant…
The sheer volume of autism treatment options can be overwhelming to a parent with a new diagnosis. We have listed here some common treatment options with summaries and links to additional details on each treatment option. Websites listed here have been used and recommended by LifeLine families over the last 13 years. Not all options…
“Nat runs to avoid work Sherry runs when she wants attention Mark runs whenever he can They ran in the past and continue to run in spite of strategies created to stop the running. Sound familiar? People who run create stress for everyone involved; often their safety is at risk or their running creates further…
“A paraeducator is an individual who provides instructional or related support to students under the direction and supervision of a certified teacher. In the last two decades, the roles and responsibilities of paraeducators in inclusive schools have reached new levels of importance. The role of paraeducators has evolved from clerical support to personal support, such as feeding…
The website www.schoolbehavior.com holds a host of resources on multiple diagnoses and their related behaviors. Suggestions for classroom and home abound. Leslie Packer has compiled a valuable list of recommendations for various scenarios and situations related to behaviors based in neurological conditions. Parents and educators, you’ll want to bookmark this one! From Leslie Packer –…
Hints for being engaged dads. Even though my girls are 16 and 10, they still love to have Jeff read to them. “The impact that engaged fathers have on significantly reducing at-risk-behavior in their children has been well documented. Additionally, fathers who are physically and emotionally engaged lead to
