Max's Kindergarten IEP

I have taught now for 13 years.  I have been to tons of IEP meetings and have met with hundreds of parents for Parent Teacher Conferences.  But nothing can really prepare you for your own child's first parent teacher conference.  It is so weird to sit on the other side of the table.  As I drove to Max's school I was nervous and had a pit in my stomach.  What were they going to say?  What are they thinking our home life is like?  Am I am bad parent?  Did we make the wrong decision to send him to Spectrum?  Do they love Max?  So many unanswered questions were racing through my head.

First, what is an Individual Education Plan or IEP?

Each IEP must be designed for one student and must be a truly individualized document. The IEP creates an opportunity for teachers, parents, school administrators, related services personnel, and students (when appropriate) to work together to improve educational results for children with disabilities.

Both Max and Dexter qualify for an IEP because of their autism diagnosis and their inability to reach the state core curriculum without assistance.  Having an IEP can really help a child be successful.  I have seen it first hand in my own classroom, and with the proper accommodations and goals children really can be successful.  

One of Max's IEP goals is to be able to use scissors properly to cut out a circle.  They will practice first cutting straight lines and then slowly move toward the goal.  He has a year to complete the goal, but if the goal is met before the year mark then we can meet with the IEP team again and establish a new goal.  If the goal doesn't look like it will be met, we can either keep the goal or make a new one.  

Max has 2-3 IEP goals for math, speech, occupational therapy, physical therapy, and also social/emotional skills.  

Something that was very interesting at Max's IEP was learning that Max hasn't picked a dominant hand.  We thought for a while he was a lefty, but when you observe Max for long periods of time you notice he doesn't have a dominance.  This is typically established between ages 3-4.  His brain hasn't established dominance yet and will actually need OT/PT to help his brain.  It is really interesting how Max's brain works.  

If you want to read more about hand dominance and the brain here is a great blog post:  http://www.ot-mom-learning-activities.com/handedness.html

And a second article:  http://www.ot-mom-learning-activities.com/hand-dominance.html

As Max continues to learn and develop his IEP will also change.  Currently Max is in an adaptive skills Kindergarten class.  He is lower on the Spectrum and has challenges that need more 1-on-1 care than other children his age, even at Spectrum. 

I am glad to know he is loved at Spectrum.  I have never felt more confident in the decision we made as a fmaily to send him to school there.

I am also glad that my first parent IEP is over.  I really had nothing to worry about. 

This is Max on his first day of school at Spectrum Academy.  Spectrum Academy is a k-12 charter school for students on the autism spectrum. 

Graduating from Giant Steps and Interviewing Max.

This last month has been full of a lot of emotions.  As a mom I have felt sadness, happiness, loneliness and pure joy as I have watched Max graduate from Giant Steps.
When he started Giant Steps Autism Preschool a year and a half ago I was scared.  The future was daunting.  I wanted so bad for Max just to look at me and say "I love you." 
With the help of amazing teachers, especially Amber, Max has grown and developed so much more than I could have ever foreseen 18 months ago.

Above picture:  Max's first day of Giant Steps November 2014.
Below picture:  Max and Mrs. Amber on Graduation day June 2016. 

Max still has a lot of growing and developing to do.  He is still socially and emotionally behind typical children his age.  He will receive speech therapy and occupational therapy (for his food and sensory issues) in kindergarten next year and for many years after. Max is working very hard on his reciprocal communication instead of just repeating what you asked him.
For example:
Mommy:  How are you doing Max?
Max:  How you doing Max?
Mommy:  How old are you Max?
Max:  How old Max?
*We are working on him actually answering these questions instead of simply repeating them.

I sat down next to Max while he was playing with his new pirate ship, garbage truck, and castle and also watching the iPad (Yes he does all of these at the same time) to ask him the following questions: 
*All answers are exactly what Max said (or what Max did) to answer each question.

1. What is something mommy always says to you? A toy mom!
2. What makes you happy? A happy! 
3. What makes you sad? I love the T-rex when sad
4. What makes you laugh? I love laugh
5. How old are you? Angry
6. How old is Mommy? You happy mom
7. How old is Daddy? Its good.  
8. What is your favorite thing to do? toys!
9. Who is your best friend?  Daddy
10. What do you want to be when you grow up? everything
11. What are you really good at? Happy
12. What are you not very good at? (head butts me in the arm)
13. What did you do today? a toy!
14. What is your favorite food? strawberries.
15. What is your favorite song? Charlie Brown (music from the Peanut movie)

16. What do you want for your birthday this year? I love presents!
17. What is your favorite animal? Ankylosaurus* 
18. What is love? I love the present ankylosaurus.  (He didn't get this dinosaur for his birthday, we failed as parents this year...)
19. What does daddy do for work? I love happy birthday!
20. Where do you live? big trunk
21. Where is your favorite place to go? I love the school the bus.  

I love my Max with all my heart.  He is the coolest.  He makes me such a proud mom.  And I can't wait for his kindergarten adventures next year. 


*If you are interested in knowing what an Ankylosaurus is click this link.
http://www.livescience.com/25222-ankylosaurus.html
And if you see one in the wild, please make sure to take a picture (or buy it) for Max, his parents will pay you back.