Special Education Inner Circle

Let's jump into my inbox and discuss two key questions that came my way this week! First, we tackle what to do as a Special Education teacher when you inherit IEPs that are not up to standards. IEPs that are stuffed with unimportant goals or goals written inappropriately are not okay!

Next, If you're a single mom or a struggling teacher and you're thinking about becoming a Master IEP Coach®, but your doubt keeps creeping up - the last 6 minutes of this episode is for you!

Ask your IEP questions here:
https://www.masteriepcoach.com/questions

Earn Your Master IEP Coach® Certificate
https://www.masteriepcoach.com/course

Start Your Own IEP Coaching Practice
https://www.masteriepcoach.com/mentorship

I found a book for you to add to your Special Education resources! Inclusion game-changer "Leadership Strategies for Schoolwide Inclusion" shows you the details for making inclusion work using the STAR method. From admin leadership to Special Education and General Education collaboration, it covers everything you need to win at inclusion. In this episode, I share my top takeaways for assessing your school’s inclusion practices and overcoming challenges. If you're a parent or teacher seeking tips to create an inclusive IEP experience, this episode is for you!

Links Mentioned In This Episode:

📖 Leadership Strategies for Successful Schoolwide Inclusion
https://amzn.to/45AS0KO

Earn Your IEP Leadership Certificate Program
https://www.masteriepcoach.com/course

Start Your Own IEP Coaching Practice
https://www.masteriepcoach.com/mentorship

Schools are facing massive paraprofessional shortages, leaving Special Education support inconsistent. In this episode, I share two simple tips to help a child learn comfortably even with daily staff changes. With these strategies, a child can stay confident and access their school day despite staffing struggles.

FREE Time Saving IEP Prep Guide for Parents and Teachers
https://www.masteriepcoach.com/masterclass

Earn Your IEP Leadership Certificate Program
https://www.masteriepcoach.com/course

Start Your Own IEP Coaching Practice
https://www.masteriepcoach.com/mentorship

Accessible technology to practice social skills and explore the community, yes, please! I interviewed Vijay Ravindran, founder of Floreo, about using virtual reality to help neurodiverse children learn new skills in a creative way. Floreo provides immersive practice for real-world skills like street crossing in a safe, engaging environment. This innovative technology is already enhancing outcomes in over 50 school districts!

Links Mentioned In This Episode:

Learn More About Floreo:
https://floreovr.com/

Download Your IEP Resource Guide to Ask for Virtual Reality at Your School:
https://www.masteriepcoach.com/blog/virtual-reality-in-ieps-it-s-happening

Earn Your IEP Leadership Certificate Program
https://www.masteriepcoach.com/course

Start Your Own IEP Coaching Practice
https://www.masteriepcoach.com/mentorship

YouTube Music License: XK8LAUZNVDBWYBQA

Forget digging through IEP goal banks or guessing at goals - there's an easier way!

Learn a simple 3-step system for writing the IEP goals that have children eager to learn and Special Education teachers excited to teach.

-Learn how to recognize W.R.O.N.G. goals that may look good on paper but they are stalling a child's progress

-Easily identify the R.I.G.H.T. goals a child needs to make meaningful progress.

-Transform dead-end SMART goals into powerful, progress-driving R.I.G.H.T. goals.

Whether you're a teacher tired of tracking meaningless data or a parent overwhelmed by IEP jargon, you'll learn an easy framework for developing goals that work in the real world!

Download the Workbook:https://www.masteriepcoach.com/webinar

Earn Your Master IEP Coach® Certificate:https://www.masteriepcoach.com/course

Become a Master IEP Coach® to help others:https://www.masteriepcoach.com/mentorship

Reach Out to Catherine:https://www.masteriepcoach.com/questions

End the constant tug-of-war in IEP meetings. It's time to find compromise on inflexible goals, assistive technology needs, and ESY qualifications.

Listen and learn strategies for what to consider when you are stuck in the "I want" vs. "they want" battles.

Read the full blog post and get definitions of Assistive Technology and ESY qualifications:
https://www.masteriepcoach.com/blog/iep-tug-of-war-3-unnecessary-special-education-battles-between-schools-and-parents

Links Mentioned In This Episode:

Earn Your IEP Leadership Certificate Program
https://www.masteriepcoach.com/course

Start Your Own IEP Coaching Practice
https://www.masteriepcoach.com/mentorship

Download Your Time Saving IEP Guide
https://www.masteriepcoach.com/masterclass

YouTube Music License: EXYX2OR8CSZAKEAQ

As special education faces a teacher shortage crisis, where can we find solutions? Tune in to hear Catherine interview Jaime from BlazerWorks on innovative approaches to find, support, and retain teachers. You’ll learn how we can work collectively to weather this storm. With new mentoring programs and grassroots efforts to recruit talent, there is hope ahead!

Links Mentioned In This Episode:

Blazerworks
https://blazerworks.com/

Earn Your IEP Leadership Certificate Program
https://www.masteriepcoach.com/course

Start Your Own IEP Coaching Practice
https://www.masteriepcoach.com/mentorship

Download Your Time Saving IEP Guide
https://www.masteriepcoach.com/masterclass

YouTube Music License: OJSSP0CE0XMOWCUX

Key insights on special education I wish more people understood:

• Honest conversations are required for effective IEPs.
• ESY not just for regression; know the criteria.
• No surprises at IEP meetings.
• Inclusion is an experience, not a place.
• Special ed is a service, not a place.

Let's reshape conversations to build meaningful IEPs and inclusive schools.

Share to spread the change in Special Education!

Links Mentioned In This Episode:

Earn Your IEP Leadership Certificate Program
https://www.masteriepcoach.com/course

Start Your Own IEP Coaching Practice
https://www.masteriepcoach.com/mentorship

Download Your Time Saving IEP Guide
https://www.masteriepcoach.com/masterclass

P.S. I'm not a lawyer, but I love telling you where to look for facts in the law. Both teachers and parents need to feel firm in the WHY behind decisions like ESY!

Here's a screenshot about ESY from my favorite website that shares about all things IEPs from a legal perspective... you can read the full article here.
https://www.wrightslaw.com/info/esy.standards.barlev.htm

YouTube Music License: UAMVIZN3XWXTREIE

There's a big difference between bringing knowledge and bringing wisdom to the IEP table.

Catherine shows you how to:

• Understand the difference between leading with knowledge and leading with wisdom.
• Explore the concept of creating an inclusive experience rather than merely ticking boxes.
• Learn how wisdom bridges the gap between legal compliance and effective IEP.
• Discover actionable ways to combine your knowledge and experience to foster collaboration at the IEP table.

Take a step further in your journey by grabbing IEP resources at https://www.masteriepcoach.com/

YouTube Music License
GA7EHJ31DLBINVWH

Let's chat about an incredibly important topic: helping parents navigate the special education system. You might be wondering if you need to be a jack-of-all-trades in the world of special education to become a Master IEP Coach®. Spoiler alert: You don't have to be!

That's just one of the myths about becoming a Master IEP Coach®. Listen to all 3 Myths in this episode and find out if what's holding you back from becoming a Master IEP Coach® is actually the reason you should move forward!

Resources:

Find out more about becoming a Master IEP Coach:
https://www.masteriepcoach.com/coachwebinar

Download Your Free IEP Time Saving Guide:
https://www.masteriepcoach.com/masterclass

Ask Your IEP Question:
https://www.masteriepcoach.com/questions

YouTube License:

RYJFNMQKLTFMBTNZ