[blindkid] Transition to Kindergarten

[Erin Teply]

And I love this "don't settle for anything less than everything you need." - thank you Aaron for that!

And thanks to everyone who responded, everyone's comments are so helpful and give me the confidence and support I need to head into this meeting.


On May 2, 2011, at 9:44 AM, Meng, Debi wrote:

> I LOVE THAT STATEMENT!   "Don't lower your expectations. Don't let the
> school lower them ether."
> 
> Thanks for the reminder.
> 
> Debi
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: blindkid-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blindkid-bounces at nfbnet.org]
> On Behalf Of Penny Duffy
> Sent: Friday, April 29, 2011 11:39 AM
> To: NFBnet Blind Kid Mailing List,(for parents of blind children)
> Subject: Re: [blindkid] Transition to Kindergarten
> 
> Ok I don't think i will be that much help but I will try. I had a
> sighted
> kindergartener who started first grade blind.
> 
> I know that it is very important not to forget every child is different
> and
> thats with the individual part comes into play with an IEP.  No one
> knows
> your child like you do.
> 
> There should be reading goals in the IEP including math. My daughter
> (who is
> in first grade and just learned braille)  had both in her IEP.
> Kindergarten
> kids have goals they should be at by the end of the year and that should
> be
> your son's goal.  The IEP is very details about the level of of Braille
> for
> reading and the Nemeth for math she should be in a year. (some of which
> I
> still dont' understand LOL)
> 
> My daughter doesn't really uses any technology (there is a clause in the
> IEP
> to use as needed like they added a text to speech reader for the
> computer
> when she need it) She will be introduced a note taker in about 3rd grade
> I believe (maybe a little older) She has a Perkins Braille at both home
> and
> at school.  Every child is different in what they need. Those items that
> the
> child needs and the learning medium should be covered in the functional
> visual assessment. Thats a very important thing to have
> 
> How often will the child see the TVI.. This seems to be different for
> every
> single child.  My daughter sees her 1 hour a day 5x a week.
> 
> Don't forget Orientation and Mobility goals.  Its an area that gets
> forgotten sometime depending on how much experience the school district
> has
> with visually impaired students. My daughter sees her O & M once a week
> and
> uses a cane. She doesn't always need it but O & M is important.
> 
> Will he need an aid to help convert all material and give him any extra
> help
> he may need.  A child in kindergarten should already be learning some
> independence its really important they don't over help but its also very
> important that all the materials are  the right format for him.  Abby's
> aid
> spend half her time not even in the room with her but converting and
> brailling papers and books.
> 
> Its reasonable to expect that everything everyone else does in the
> classroom
> your child is able to do some how.  Even fluff work.
> 
> Oh I had them add outreach programs to the IEP. We live pretty close to
> Perkins School and they have these great programs during weekends look
> and
> see if the local schools for the blind has something like that and see
> if the school district will pay for them.
> 
> Its always  better to try and ask then not ask at all. Don't lower your
> expectations. Don't let the school lower them ether.
> 
> Thats all I have to to share :)  there are some wonderful resources for
> IEPs
> I don't know where to direct you.  We just did our IEP in November and I
> was
> pretty clueless.
> -- 
> --Penny
> ----------
> Adventures with Abby - visionfora.blogspot.com
> 
> On Fri, Apr 29, 2011 at 11:50 AM, Erin Teply <eteply at cfl.rr.com> wrote:
> 
>> I am preparing for our IEP roll-up meeting as my son Max will be
> starting
>> kindergarten next year.  He is my first child to attend public school,
> so
>> the process is new to me and I have so many questions around how they
> place
>> kids in the classroom, what they consider, etc.   I also have
> questions as
>> to what 'should be' on his IEP as educational goals aren't necessarily
> going
>> to be on as he will have the same goals as everyone else.  I've got
>> questions on what technology should be introduced, if any, along with
> his
>> Perkins Brailler.  Because I feel like there is so much I don't know,
> I am
>> sending a letter to the school prior to the meeting to make sure all
> my
>> questions are addressed.
>> 
>> If anyone has a child close in age or can remember what they did prior
> to
>> kindergarten with respect to placement, IEP goals, technology and
> anything
>> else, please share with me what you can.
>> 
>> Thanks so much,
>> Erin Teply
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