When I say or write something ableist - please call me out.

As we evolve in our advocacy journey I want to do better since I know better.

In yesterday's live training we shared 4 Advocacy Tips: I Used to Say to parents and What I Say Now.

 

AND 5 examples of Collaborative Advocacy to get your juices flowing for possible changes in your school district.

Click here to catch the replay of the training.

1. I used to say, "Ask to get a copy of the draft IEP at least 5 days before the IEP meeting."  

 

Now I say... Give your input BEFORE the draft IEP is even written.

It is common practice for a draft IEP to be written only by the special education teacher and related service providers. This practice can be changed.

As parents, we think of ourselves as equal members of the IEP team when we are at the IEP meeting.  We need to see our importance when it comes to writing the draft IEP for our children.

Parent input does not need to stop at the box on the IEP form that says, "The concerns of the parents for enhancing the education of their child."

Your AND your child's input are equally valuable when discussing your child's strengths, needs, present levels of performance, goals, accommodations/modifications, ESY, services, placement...in other words - you can have input for each section of the IEP.

 

Want to see examples of parent input, tips on how to organize your thoughts and walk away with some new strategies for getting more voice from both you AND YOUR CHILD in the IEP?

I'm going to do a hands-on training for our Parent Advocate Trailblazers all about parent/student input- if you're interested, just reply to this email.

 

2. I used to say, "We are more alike than different."

 

I remember turning into the parking lot of the grocery store and seeing a city bus go by with a large advertisement that took up the whole side of the bus; We Are More Alike Than Different with a larger-than-life photographer of a young adult with Down syndrome.  I smiled, thinking of our son Dylan, who has Down syndrome. 

 

My mission became pointing out similarities and the abilities Dylan had. This became the foundation of our advocacy for him.

But it was always in the realm of me telling my son, he could be anything he wanted (despite your Down syndrome). That was a mistake. I need to be telling him, that he can be anything he wants to be and one of his contributions, is his disability.

Now I say I spent too much of my energy wanting Dylan and everyone around him to know that he was more similar than different. I wound up discounting his disability and missed opportunities to nurture a sense of disability pride in him.

 

 

 

 

3. I used to say use your child's strengths to prove they are worthy of being included

 

 

Now I say there are no pre-requisites to being included.

 

It doesn't matter if your child is close or not to grade level standards.  It doesn't matter what method they use for communication.  Your child belongs because he or she is a student in the school.

4. I used to say advocate like your child's education depends on it.

 

Now I say advocate like EVERY child's education depends on it.

 

 

We can’t separate our advocacy from humanity. Our advocacy must go beyond us as individuals or our individual children. We must widen our circles of allies and engage in collaborative advocacy in order to create lasting change.

Towards the end of the training we talked about some ideas for collaborative advocacy:

*School project of reducing noise in the lunchroom so students who do not like to be in noisy places can still have lunch with their friends.  Click here for noise reducing ideas from the greatervoice.com

*School project to ensure that school events, like book fairs, carnivals, back-to-school nights are accessible.

*District project build relationships with school board members, entice a friend to go with you to school board meetings.  Better yet, gather a small group of parents to take turns going to school board meetings and keeping everyone up to date.

Click here to watch video training, Collective Advocacy at The School Board Level.

 

*District project - Widen Your Circle of Allies - gather parents of students with and without disabilities, community members and business owners you know, educators, students with and without disabilities, and other interested people committed to inclusive education.

*State project – lobby for an updated or new state law to stop seclusion and restraint. Check out the resources at the Alliance Against Seclusion & Restraint.

 

What passion project would you love to be involved in that would bring positive change to your school, district, or state?  Let me know if you want to brainstorm some ideas!

 

 

 

 

P.S. If you're interested working with others to create systemic change in our public education just reply to this email and let's talk! 

 

P.S.S. You can make a dream come true - all the district staff can have top-notch inclusive education training at the virtual Summer Leadership Institute!  AND the district can register now when there is Early-Bird pricing.

Share this link with administrators (Superintendent, Director of Instruction and Curriculum Development, Special Education Director). www.inclusiveschooling.com/sli22

Yes, this is also fabulous training for families.  Register before May 17th for the Early-Bird pricing! Click here.