Transcription of COVID and Special Ed webinar Welcome to the Special Education and COVID–19 webinar Support Encourage Provide. During a time of ever changing information and confusion, we find ourselves as parents wondering how the systems and agencies will manage Special Education Services. There's so much information! There are so many different agencies that work within different systems, and each must communicate with the other. It takes time for decisions to be made and for solutions to be created. Different state agencies offer accurate information, mainly through the state designated website http://www.nd.gov. On this website, you can find a lot of accurate information released by the governor, the ND Department of Human Services, and the ND Department of Public Instruction. We are your one-stop-shop! As a parent, our time and energy is limited, so Pathfinder Services of ND has made going through the information even easier for you. We have created a one-stop-shop of information which contains everything you need to know from both federal and state sources. Simply go to http://www.pathfinder-nd.org/covid19. Our COVID-19 page organized resources into 5 different topic areas: Information for Parents Education & State Information for Parents Information for Youth & Young Adults Resources for Kids Education & State Information for Professionals So what happens to my child's services? Both Federal and State have offered guidance for schools. It is very clear that if they are providing educational opportunities for general education students, they are required to do the same for students with special needs. NDDPI Guidance States: "It is important to emphasize that federal disability law, including IDEA and 504, allows for flexibility in determining how to meet the individual needs of students with disabilities. The determination of how Free Appropriate Public Education, also known as FAPE, is to be provided may need to be addressed on an individual basis. Although federal law requires distance instruction to be accessible to students with disabilities, it does not mandate specific methodologies." What if virtual learning is not a fit? Virtual Schooling is not for every child, if this is the case, connect with your school's IEP or 504 team and have a meeting to set up accommodations and talk about learning strategies that would work for your individual child. You do not have to have a face to face meeting. NDDPI Guidance States: "During exceptional circumstances, districts may consider a virtual IEP team meeting. However, the determination must be made on a case-by-case basis, must include the parent and other required IEP team members, and cannot be the only meeting format considered. The decision must be clearly documented in a Prior Written Notice. Parents must be presented with their procedural safeguards." What is tele-practice and does it really work? As some service providers move toward remote work offices and programs during this time, tele-practice may be a method of delivery for your child's services. Tele-Intervention and tele-practices have been and continue to be a successful way of delivering services. It has been typically used for individuals who live in remote areas. If this is a service method being offered by your school, it is definitely worth a try. There will be some bumps in the road as many people are just beginning to learn how to use the tools of tele-practice. So remember to be understanding and to offer compassion at this time to both your service provider and yourselves. This is a learning experience for both of you! This could be a seamless change in delivery of services and allow for little, if any, adjustment time for your child. Communication is Key! It is especially important now. Communication has always been an essential part of creating and maintaining services. Talk to your team, let them know your concerns and keep communicating to make sure that your child's needs are being met. What can you do as a parent? There are many things that you can do for your child at this time. What can you do as a parent? Remember you are your child's first teacher, you play an important part in their lives and you are completely qualified to help your child at this time. Here are a few reminders: Talk to Your Child Teach Healthy Practices Set Up A Workspace Develop a Routine and a Schedule Have Patience Talk to your child. Stress, Anxiety, and Fear are all normal responses during times of change. Stress, anxiety, and fear are all normal responses during any type of change, especially one as impactful as the current pandemic related to COVID-19. It is not only a stressful time for you as a parent, but it is also a stressful time for your child. The CDC recommends the following: Remain calm and reassuring. Remember that children will react to both what you say and how you say it. They will pick up on cues from the conversations you have with them and with others. Make yourself available to listen and to talk. Make time to talk. Be sure children know they can come to you when they have questions. Pay attention to what children see or hear on television, radio, or online. Consider reducing the amount of screen time focused on COVID-19. Too much information on one topic can lead to anxiety. Provide information that is honest and accurate. Give children information that is truthful and appropriate for the age and developmental level of the child. Talk to children about how some stories on COVID-19 on the internet and social media may be based on rumors and inaccurate information. Fred Rogers said it best, "In times of stress, the best thing we can do for one each other is to listen with our ears and our hearts and to be assured that our questions are just as important as our answers." Lean on your family, friends, and other support systems during this time. Remember we have support specialists that are here for you, and are only a phone call away. Teach Healthy Practices. Teach/remind your child the importance of healthy hand washing practices. Teach or remind your child everyday actions to reduce the spread of germs. Remind your child to stay away from people who are coughing or sneezing or sick. Remind them to cough or sneeze into a tissue or their elbow, then throw the tissue into the trash. Help your child develop proper hand washing habits. Teach them to wash their hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after blowing their nose, coughing, or sneezing; going to the bathroom, and before eating or preparing food. If soap and water are not available, teach them to use hand sanitizer. Remember that hand sanitizer should contain at least 60% alcohol. Supervise young children when they use hand sanitizer to prevent swallowing alcohol, especially in schools and childcare facilities. Set Up a Work Space. Doing work at home is different than at school, set up a designated space Set Up a Workspace. Remember that doing work from home is different than at school. For moments of learning that require your child to work specifically on school work, a designated space can help them be organized. It can also set the mood and tone of the moment. Develop a Routine and Schedule. Bring back order into their lives. Develop a Routine and Schedule. Right now children are experiencing a disruption in their typical every day routine, and as we all know routine is an essential part to a child's day. Routines can help create consistency, direction, and a sense of order. Routines can be done either in writing or visually, both can work depending on your child's needs. Schedules should allow for many activities and moments throughout the day; times to focus on specific activities and learning, breaks, snacks and meals, free choice, and of course fun! Children are not meant to be sedentary for long periods of time. They need movement, they need change, and they need options. One thing to remember is this... schedules DO NOT need to be rigid. If your child is focusing on a learning activity and you want to spend more time on it for them to explore, let them. Same said for moments that are of free choice (which can also be learning moments). Have Patience, Encourage Learning. Do not feel pressured to enforce learning HAVE PATIENCE, ENCOURAGE LEARNING Do not feel pressured to enforce learning. As a parent, you need to know that the expectation is not for you to replace your child's teacher. Remember your child needs variation throughout their day. A child should not be forced to sit and complete a pile of worksheets at one time and school tasks for hours on end without breaks and movement. So what learning areas are important to focus on with your child? There are five. Social Emotional Cognitive Language Fine Motor, and Large Motor Social Emotional Learning: What can you do Social and emotional learning (SEL) refers to the building of skills needed to recognize and manage emotions, develop care and concern for others, make responsible decisions, establish and maintain positive relationships, and handle interpersonal situations effectively. When a child is stressed and lacking control of themselves or the world around them, we tend to see unpleasant behaviors. This also tends to happen with change, frustration, feeling overwhelmed, and so on. Social Emotional learning opportunities are all around us right now. As mentioned before, it is important to talk to your child about how they are feeling and to talk about how their friends might be feeling too. Cognitive Learning: What can you do Cognitive learning focuses on more effective use of the brain. It is the mental process of gaining knowledge and understanding through the senses, experience, and thought. Designated school assignments and other activities such as putting together a puzzle, baking cookies together, and matching socks are all great ways to learn in this learning area. Language Learning: What can you do Language be it spoken, signed, or written. Depending on the age and abilities of your child, your activities will vary. Language Learning moments such as reading a book together or talking about the book your child has been assigned, playing car bingo with road signs, or letter recognition are all appropriate things to do. Fine Motor Learning: What can you do Fine Motor Skills work on the development of the hand; the strength, dexterity, and control needed to manipulate everyday items such as scissors, pencils, zippers, and buttons. Activities such as playdough, slime, cutting, lacing, are all activities that strengthen this skill. Gross Motor Learning: What can you do And finally gross motor skills. Gross motor skills are those which require whole body movement and which involve the large (core stabilizing) muscles of the body to perform everyday functions, such as standing and walking, running and jumping, and sitting upright at the table. They also include eye-hand coordination, skills such as ball skills (throwing, catching, kicking) as well as riding a bike or a scooter and swimming. Are you also working from home? Let's add another ball to juggle Some parents are working from home at the same time they are being asked to help their children with their learning. This adds some additional obstacles for success. Be prepared for disruption, but try to plan your schedule to match times that your child will be working on something that may not need your support. Balancing work and life has always been challenging as a parent, but not it seems almost impossible. Give yourself some grace. It will take time to adjust to the new normal. Are you feeling overwhelmed? It may seem like it is just too much Being the parent of a child with Special Needs can be overwhelming at times. Know that most of the same supports are still there, they may just look a little different than before. Take care of you! Self care is essential. How are you? A simple question, but an important one. As a Parent you need to take care of your needs first before other members of your family, as your health, and well-being allows you to continue as a healthy caregiver and a strong advocate for your child. Take care of yourself so you may continue to best help others. Ask if you need help. This concludes our webinar, Special Education, and COVID-19. Please remember we are only a phone call or email away.