Joseph Greget's Special Education and Student Services Blog

Saturday, December 15, 2012

A National Tragedy: Helping Children Cope

Tips for Parents and Teachers

Whenever a national tragedy occurs, such as terrorist attacks or natural disasters, children, like many people, may be confused or frightened. Most likely they will look to adults for information and guidance on how to react. Parents and school personnel can help children cope first and foremost by establishing a sense of safety and security. As more information becomes available, adults can continue to help children work through their emotions and perhaps even use the process as a learning experience.

All Adults Should:

Model calm and control. Children take their emotional cues from the significant adults in their lives. Avoid appearing anxious or frightened.
Reassure children that they are safe and (if true) so are the other important adults in their lives. Depending on the situation, point out factors that help insure their immediate safety and that of their community.
Remind them that trustworthy people are in charge. Explain that the government emergency workers, police, firefighters, doctors, and the military are helping people who are hurt and are working to ensure that no further tragedies occur.
Let children know that it is okay to feel upset. Explain that all feelings are okay when a tragedy like this occurs. Let children talk about their feelings and help put them into perspective. Even anger is okay, but children may need help and patience from adults to assist them in expressing these feelings appropriately.
Observe children’s emotional state. Depending on their age, children may not express their concerns verbally. Changes in behavior, appetite, and sleep patterns can also indicate a child’s level of grief, anxiety or discomfort. Children will express their emotions differently. There is no right or wrong way to feel or express grief.
Look for children at greater risk. Children who have had a past traumatic experience or personal loss, suffer from depression or other mental illness, or with special needs may be at greater risk for severe reactions than others. Be particularly observant for those who may be at risk of suicide. Seek the help of mental health professional if you are at all concerned.
Tell children the truth. Don’t try to pretend the event has not occurred or that it is not serious. Children are smart. They will be more worried if they think you are too afraid to tell them what is happening.
Stick to the facts. Don’t embellish or speculate about what has happened and what might happen. Don’t dwell on the scale or scope of the tragedy, particularly with young children.
Keep your explanations developmentally appropriate. Early elementary school children need brief, simple information that should be balanced with reassurances that the daily structures of their lives will not change. Upper elementary and early middle school children will be more vocal in asking questions about whether they truly are safe and what is being done at their school. They may need assistance separating reality from fantasy. Upper middle school and high school students will have strong and varying opinions about the causes of violence and threats to safety in schools and society. They will share concrete suggestions about how to make school safer and how to prevent tragedies in society. They will be more committed to doing something to help the victims and affected community. For all children, encourage them to verbalize their thoughts and feelings. Be a good listener!
Monitor your own stress level. Don’t ignore your own feelings of anxiety, grief, and anger. Talking to friends, family members, religious leaders, and mental health counselors can help. It is okay to let your children know that you are sad, but that you believe things will get better. You will be better able to support your children if you can express your own emotions in a productive manner. Get appropriate sleep, nutrition, and exercise.

What Parents Can Do:

Focus on your children over the week following the tragedy. Tell them you love them and everything will be okay. Try to help them understand what has happened, keeping in mind their developmental level.
Make time to talk with your children. Remember if you do not talk to your children about this incident someone else will. Take some time and determine what you wish to say.
Stay close to your children. Your physical presence will reassure them and give you the opportunity to monitor their reaction. Many children will want actual physical contact. Give plenty of hugs. Let them sit close to you, and make sure to take extra time at bedtime to cuddle and to reassure them that they are loved and safe.
Limit your child’s television viewing of these events. If they must watch, watch with them for a brief time; then turn the set off. Don’t sit mesmerized re-watching the same events over and over again.
Maintain a “normal” routine. To the extent possible stick to your family’s normal routine for dinner, homework, chores, bedtime, etc., but don’t be inflexible. Children may have a hard time concentrating on schoolwork or falling asleep at night.
Spend extra time reading or playing quiet games with your children before bed. These activities are calming, foster a sense of closeness and security, and reinforce a sense of normalcy. Spend more time tucking them in. Let them sleep with a light on if they ask for it.
Safeguard your children’s physical health. Stress can take a physical toll on children as well as adults. Make sure your children get appropriate sleep, exercise, and nutrition.
Consider praying or thinking hopeful thoughts for the victims and their families. It may be a good time to take your children to your place of worship, write a poem, or draw a picture to help your child express their feelings and feel that they are somehow supporting the victims and their families.
Find out what resources your school has in place to help children cope. Most schools are likely to be open and often are a good place for children to regain a sense of normalcy. Being with their friends and teachers can help. Schools should also have a plan for making counseling available to children and adults who need it.

What Schools Can Do:

Assure children that they are safe and that schools are well prepared to take care of all children at all times.
Maintain structure and stability within the schools. It would be best, however, not to have tests or major projects within the next few days.
Have a plan for the first few days back at school. Include school psychologists, counselors, and crisis team members in planning the school’s response.
Provide teachers and parents with information about what to say and do for children in school and at home.
Have teachers provide information directly to their students, not during the public address announcements.
Have school psychologists and counselors available to talk to students and staff who may need or want extra support.
Be aware of students who may have recently experienced a personal tragedy or a have personal connection to victims or their families. Even a child who has merely visited the affected area or community may have a strong reaction. Provide these students extra support and leniency if necessary.
Know what community resources are available for children who may need extra counseling. School psychologists can be very helpful in directing families to the right community resources.
Allow time for age appropriate classroom discussion and activities. Do not expect teachers to provide all of the answers. They should ask questions and guide the discussion, but not dominate it. Other activities can include art and writing projects, play acting, and physical games.
Be careful not to stereotype people or countries that might be associated with the tragedy. Children can easily generalize negative statements and develop prejudice. Talk about tolerance and justice versus vengeance. Stop any bullying or teasing of students immediately.
Refer children who exhibit extreme anxiety, fear or anger to mental health counselors in the school. Inform their parents.
Provide an outlet for students’ desire to help. Consider making get well cards or sending letters to the families and survivors of the tragedy, or writing thank you letters to doctors, nurses, and other health care professionals as well as emergency rescue workers, firefighters and police.
Monitor or restrict viewing scenes of the event as well as the aftermath.

For information on helping children and youth with this crisis, contact NASP at (301) 657-0270 or visit NASP’s website atwww.nasponline.org.

Modified from material posted on the NASP website in September 2001.

Coping with Crisis—Helping Children With Special Needs

Tips for School Personnel and Parents

National Association of School Psychologists

When a crisis event occurs—in school, in the community or at the national level—it can cause strong and deeply felt reactions in adults and children, especially those children with special needs. Many of the available crisis response resources are appropriate for use with students with disabilities, provided that individual consideration is given to the child’s developmental and emotional maturity. Acts of healing such as making drawings, writing letters, attending memorial ceremonies and sending money to relief charities are important for all children.

How adults express their emotions will influence the reactions of children and youth. Further, children with disabilities (e.g., emotional, cognitive, physical, etc.) will react to the trauma and stress based on their past experience and awareness of the current situation. Caregivers and school personnel who know a child well can best predict his or her reactions and behaviors because they have observed the child’s response to stress in the past.

Triggers and Cues: Children with disabilities generally have specific “triggers”—words, images, sounds, etc.-- that signal danger or disruption to their feelings of safety and security. Again, these are specific to each child but come from past experiences, association with traumas, seeing fear in adults, etc. Children tend to develop their own “cues” in response to these trigger events, warning signals that adults can “read” to understand that the child is having difficulty. These cues may include facial expressions or nervous tics, changes in speech patterns, sweating, feeling ill, becoming quiet or withdrawn, complaining or getting irritable, exhibiting a fear or avoidance response, etc.

When adults anticipate these triggers or observe these cues, they should provide assurance, support and attention as quickly as possible. If adults miss these cues, children may escalate their behavior to a point where they completely lose control. If this occurs, adults need to remove the child to the safest place available, allow the child to calm down, and then talk to the child about the triggering fears or situation.

Because parents and teachers see children in different situations, it is essential that they work together to share information about triggers and cues. This is best done on a regular basis, such as during the IEP meeting or a periodic review meeting, rather than in response to a crisis. However, when a crisis occurs, parents, case managers and others who work with the child should meet to briefly discuss specific concerns and how to best address the child’s needs in the current situation.

In the context of prevention and the development of effective IEPs, some children need specific training and interventions to help them to develop self-control and self-management skills and strategies. During the teaching process, these skills and strategies should be taught so they can be demonstrated successfully under stressful conditions (e.g., school crises, terrorism, tornado) so that children can respond appropriately and effectively. Adults should still expect that children will demonstrate their self-control skills with less efficiency when confronted by highly unusual or stressful situations.

Tips for Special Populations

All children benefit from concrete information presented at the proper level of understanding,and maturity. Helping all children to stop and think about their reactions and behavior, especially with regard to anger and fear, is recommended and often necessary in order for them to make “good choices.” For some students with behavioral disorders, training in anger management, coping and conflict resolution skills are important additions to a comprehensive intervention program. The following information addresses specific, additional considerations for children with special needs.

Autism: Children with autism pose very difficult challenges to caregivers. It is difficult to know how much information a nonverbal child is absorbing from television and conversations. It is important to pay close attention to the cues they may provide regarding their fears and feelings and provide them with ways to communicate. Remember that any change in routine may result in additional emotional or behavioral upset. If the child’s environment must be changed (e.g., an evacuation, the absence of a parent), try to maintain as much of the normal routine (e.g., meals, play, bedtime) as possible—even in the new environment. In addition, try to bring concrete elements from the child’s more routine environment (e.g., a toy, blanket, doll, eating utensils) into the new environment to maintain some degree of “sameness” or constancy.

Many students with autism can be helped to comprehend behavior they observe but poorly understand through the use of “social stories.” The parent or teacher’s explanation of what is happening can be reduced to a social story. A storybook can then be kept by the child to help reinforce the information on a concrete, basic level. For further information on the use of social stories visit the Autism Homepage at http://members.spree.com/autism/socialstories.htm.

Verbal children with autism may state a phrase repeatedly, such as, “we are all going to die.” This type of statement will serve to isolate the child socially from his peers and other adults. To help the child avoid such statements, it will be necessary to provide very concrete information about the situation and appropriate ways to react and respond that are within the child’s skill level.

Cognitive Limitations: Children with developmental or cognitive impairments may not understand events or their own reactions to events and images. Teachers and caregivers need to determine the extent to which the child understands and relates to the traumatic event. Some lower functioning children will not be able to understand enough about the event to experience any stress, while some higher functioning children with cognitive impairments may understand the event but respond to it like a younger child without disabilities.

Overall, children with cognitive limitations may respond to traumatic events based more on their observations of adult and peer emotions rather than the verbal explanations that they may receive. Discussions with them need to be specific, concrete and basic; it may be necessary to use pictures in explaining events and images. These children will need concrete information to help them understand that images of suffering and destruction are in the past, far away (if true) and that they are not going to hurt them. A parent may offer words of reassurance such as, “We are lucky to have the Red Cross in our community to help all the families who were hurt by the flood;” “The boys who brought the guns to school are in jail, they can’t hurt anyone else now.”

Learning Disabilities: Students with learning disabilities (LD) may or may not need supports that are different from students without disabilities, depending upon their level of emotional maturity and ability to understand the concepts discussed. Many students with LD are able to process language and apply abstract concepts without difficulty, while others have specific deficits in these skills. In particular, some students with LD interpret very literally; therefore teachers and parents need to choose their words carefully to insure the child will not misinterpret. For example, even referring to terrorism as “acts of war” may confuse some children who interpret language literally; they may envision foreign soldiers, tanks and fighter planes attacking America.

If your child or student appears to have difficulty following the news reports and class discussions of the traumatic events and their aftermath, reinforce verbal explanations with visual materials; use concrete terms in discussion; check for understanding of key vocabulary. Remember that some students with LD have difficulty with time and space concepts, and may be confused by what they see on television-- they may have difficulty understanding what happened when, what is likely to happen next, etc. They may also be uncertain as to where these events took place and might benefit from looking at simple maps.

Some students with LD have difficulties with social skills and self-management, and may need additional instruction in anger control, tolerance of individual differences and self-monitoring. Additionally, some of the tips listed for children with cognitive impairments may be applicable to some students with LD who, despite their higher cognitive ability, have similar difficulties with verbal learning, memory and communication.

Visual, Hearing or Physical Limitations: Children who do not possess developmental or cognitive impairments but who arevisually impaired, hearing impaired or physically challenged will understand, at their level of development, what is happening and may become frightened by the limitations their disability poses on them. In your explanations, be honest but reassuring. Safety and mobility are major concerns for students challenged by visual, hearing and physical impairments. As with all children, they need to know that they are going to be safe and that they can find a safe place in an emergency. Review safety plans and measures with them, provide lots of reassurance, and practice with them, if necessary. When explaining plans that may take them into unfamiliar territory, provide very simple and explicit explanations. Students with visual impairments will need to have the area carefully described to them, while the students challenged by physical or hearing impairments may need visual aids as to what they have to do and where they have to go.

Vision-impaired: The child with a visual impairment cannot pick up on visual cues such as facial expressions. Use verbal cues to reinforce what you are feeling and seeing. Many children have seen video clips of the disaster or traumatic event and are talking about them. The vision-impaired child may need a verbal description to reinforce what they have heard about the events. Ask questions to clarify their understanding of what has happened. Children with visual impairments may have extraordinary concerns about their mobility and ability to move to safety during a crisis. Ask questions and give additional orientation and mobility training if needed.
Hearing Impaired: Children who are hearing impaired will generally not be able to keep up with the fast talking of adults during traumatic events. Caregivers will need to be aware of the child’s frustration when trying to keep up with the conversation, if the child has sufficient hearing to participate. Children who are unable to hear or lip-read will need interpretation. Not being able to understand will result in greater fear reactions. Children who are hearing impaired may not be familiar with all the new terminology used in describing or explaining the events that are occurring. Be aware of the language you use, be very concrete and check for understanding. Use visual materials in conjunction with any verbal or signed explanations.
For total communication students it is important to have a signer near them. They need to know that someone will be there for them. For oral communicators distance may be an issue as they may experience difficulty with lip reading. Darkness such as blackouts or disaster drills in areas with poor lighting, presents problems for total and oral communicators. In helping them understand that they are safe, that you are going to keep them safe, be sure and show them a flashlight and let them know where they are going to be kept and that they are a part of the safety plan and available for them in darkness.

Severe Emotional Disturbance/Behavior Disorder: Students who have serious emotional and behavioral problems are at high risk for severe stress reactions following a crisis. Typically these students have limited coping skills with which to handle “normal” daily stress; they are likely to be overwhelmed by unexpected and traumatic events such as a terrorist attack or the loss of family member. Those who suffer from depression and anxiety disorders are likely to exhibit exaggerated symptoms-- greater withdrawal, heightened agitation, increased feelings of worthlessness and despair, increase in nervous behaviors such as thumb sucking, nail biting, pacing, etc. Children with a history of suicidal thinking or behavior are especially prone to increased feelings of hopelessness and need to come to the attention of school personnel following any serious event likely to trigger these feelings. Additional information on preventing suicide in troubled children and youth may be found on the NASP website (www.nasponline.org).

Those children who experience conduct problems, noncompliance and aggression are also likely to exhibit more extreme versions of problem behaviors—higher levels of disruptive and oppositional behaviors, more frequent or more severe acts of aggression, etc. These students thrive on the consistent, predictable routines that are difficult to maintain in an emergency or crisis situation.

Summary

Staff and parents must consider how children with special needs respond to any form of stress and anticipate these and more extreme reactions following a crisis. Strategies that have been effective with these students in the past are the best strategies to implement now, understanding that steps might need to be more concrete and consequences more immediate. Consider the triggers and cues for these students and anticipate rather than react—prepare students for changes in routines; allow time for discussion of the traumatic events in a safe and familiar setting; provide choices in activities to the extent feasible to give these students some sense of control over even a small part of their lives. Some students may need to be more protected or isolated to minimize distractions and sources of agitation during the height of a crisis, and adult supervision may need to be more intense for a while. Expect some regression (increase in problem behaviors) and deal with inappropriate behaviors calmly and consistently—it helps students to understand that despite a lot of other changes and disruptions, there are some constants in class and family rules and expectations, and that they can depend on their support network to be available.

Further Information

Additional information on how children with learning differences cope with tragedy and grief may be found on the Schwab Learning website at www.schwablearning.org. For further information on crisis support and helping children manage anger and strong emotional reactions, visit the NASP website at www.nasponline.org.

Revised from materials posted on the NASP website, September 2001.

http://www.nasponline.org/resources/crisis_safety/specpop_general.aspx

Monday, December 3, 2012

Home School and Special Education Requirements

Home School and Special Education Requirements

I have received several questions recently on homeschooling and special education. Here is a nice summary letter detailing expectations (as outlined in a letter from DPI Director of Special Education to Madison Schools)

Dear Mr. Jorgensen (Executive Director of Madison Schools):

I am writing in response to your October 14, 2002, letter regarding requirements for students with disabilities in home-based private education programs and private schools. Specifically, you ask whether a local educational agency (LEA) is required to develop and annually review individualized education programs (IEPs) for such children and to conduct triennial reevaluations of them.

An LEA must locate and identify all children with disabilities within its jurisdiction. This requirement, known as “child find,” includes children in home-based private education programs and in private schools. As you point out in your letter, when such a child is referred for evaluation, the LEA must appoint an IEP team to evaluate the child to determine eligibility for special education services. If the IEP team finds the child eligible for special education and the parents make clear their intention to enroll the child in a home-based private education program or a private school and to reject a public program or placement, the LEA is not required to develop an IEP for the child. The LEA should explain to the parents the range of services available and the potential consequences for the child’s education of their decision to reject the public program. It would be a good practice for the LEA annually to inform the parents that the LEA stands ready to provide free appropriate public education to the child if the parents decide to enroll the child in the public program.

A reevaluation, as part of child find, must be conducted at least once every three years. This requirement includes children in home-based private education programs and private schools. When reevaluation is required, the LEA must contact the parents of such a child in writing and offer reevaluation. If the parents are willing to make the child available, the LEA should initiate the reevaluation by sending the parents a notice of its intent to reevaluate (DPI model form A-6). If the parents are unwilling to make the child available for reevaluation, the LEA should document this response and inform the parents that the LEA stands ready to reevaluate the child at any time and to provide free appropriate public education when the child enrolls in the public program.

I hope that this response provides the guidance that you are seeking.

Sincerely,

Stephanie J. Petska, Ph.D., Director

Special Education

Workplace Spanish for Teachers and School Administrators

Workplace Spanish for Teachers and School Administrators

We have seen an increase in the number of students and families who are English Language Learners in our schools and community. We will be offering the following class for any staff through Northcentral Technical College. Kathy Stamos will be our instructor.

This NTC class is developed specifically to help elementary, middle, and high school teachers and staff communicate, on a basic level, with Spanish-speaking students and parents. Content emphasizes daily class activities, speaking with parents, and handling problems or emergencies. Simplicity is key and there are no grammar or rules to memorize, and no prior Spanish experience is necessary.

Duration: 12 hours (6 X 2-hour sessions)
CEUs: 1.2 units (12 non-credit hours)

The course will be held for 6 weeks starting on Thursday nights starting January 3rd. It would be held from 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm at Medford Area Elementary School in the media room. Dates of the class will be January 3, 10, 17, 24, 31, and February 7.

There will be a light dinner served for those in attendance at each training.

** Please pre-register with me by December 20 if you will be attending.

DSM V Manual Revisions

DSM V Manual Revisions

Here is an article on the most significant revisions to the DSM-IV manual in over 20 years. This includes the elimination of Asperger Syndrome as a separate category. It will now fall under the Autism Spectrum Disorder classification.

There is also a new category on Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder - severe recurrent temper tantrums (ultimately designed to replace the earlier and incorrect diagnosis of Bipolar Disorder in younger children.

bigstory.ap.org/article/psychiatrists-ok-vast-changes-diagnosis-manual

DSM IV criteria does not automatically make students eligible or ineligible for special education services. However, these diagnoses are regularly used by doctors and psychiatrists in their evaluations of children and adults.

ACCESS for ELL Testing Window

ACCESS for ELL Testing Window

This is our annual English Language Learning proficiency testing assessment.

Testing window dates: December 3 to January 31

Special Education and Student Services Newsletter for December 3, 2012

Special Education and Student Services Newsletter for December 3, 2012

Prayers and sympathy for our staff who have lost family members in the past week.

Best wishes to Paul and Sara Boettcher on the arrival of Owen this week (hopefully)!

1. IEP Meeting Expectations

For an Annual IEP meeting - teachers should bring along a draft copy of an IEP, old IEP to review, and/or framework of what you want to discuss/include in the upcoming IEP. This will help generate discussion for each of the required parts of the IEP.

District expectation is that IEPs are turned in 10 days after an IEP meeting. If you need extended time, please contact me.

2. ACCESS for ELL Testing Window

This is our annual English Language Learning proficiency testing assessment.

Testing window dates: December 3 to January 31

SES = Lucia Albrecht

MAES Grade K-1 = Lucia Albrecht

MAES Grade 2-4 = Will Gomez

MAMS = Oralee Dittrich

MASH = Oralee Dittrich (replacing Sara Boettcher due to maternity leave)

Testing materials can be picked up at the District Office starting on Wednesday.

3. Autism Resource Team

Thursday December 6 from 3:45 to 5:00 pm in the MAES Computer Lab.

Agenda

1. Christmas Surprise

2. IEP at a Glance - Brenda Ann

3. Review of FBA materials from Autism Training held at CESA 10

4. Review of Basic Level for DPI Autism Training materials and conference

5. Visual Supports

6. Special Olympics update

7. CESA 7 Autism Consultant Mandy Reinke and Autism Expert Dr. Benson updates

8. Staffing needs

9. Staff consultation/curriculum work time

10. Sharing of resources time

4. Wilson Reading Steps 7-12

Wednesday December 5 from 3:45 to 5:30 in the MAES Computer Lab.

5. Core Assistive Technology Team

On December 6 I will be meeting with the CATT Team (Speech Language, OT, and PT) to review our Child Development Day screening model for 13-14 and proposed Birth-Three Contract for Services through the school district.

6. School Based Mental Health Counseling

We currently have a contract with Northwest Directions to provide School Based Mental Health Counseling in our schools. Starting with this year Northwest Directions needs to have at least 4 students who will be receiving these services prior to coming. We do not currently have 4 students who have been approved for these services. There are currently 2 students.

Kelly Schultz from Counseling Connection has approached us about providing School Based Mental Health Counseling Services.

There will be further discussion with administration and student services/special education staff about this area. We will need to decide whether to continue with Northwest Directions, switch to Counseling Connection, and/or have both provide services.

7. Postsecondary Transition Planning

All special education teachers of students 14 and older are now registered as Super Users (replacing as District Users). You will be able to submit/lock the information into DPI upon completion of the IEP meeting. You will not need another person (Shari G, Oralee D, myself) to review the transition components unless you want us to prior to submitting the information.

8. BrainPop

www.brainpop.com

Username: Medford

Password: sped

9. DSM V Manual Revisions