We recently got an IEP for my son, which we were really unsure about. We moved forward because his preschool said without it they cannot make any special accommodations for him. At the team meeting everyone seemed really kind and helpful. I signed the IEP two days ago. One of his goals is to get his winter gear on to go outside. He technically is capable of putting his stuff on but getting himself dressed is a big issue and usually the teachers do it for him. When my husband picked him up from school (the day after I signed the IEP) he was crying. The special ed teacher stated that he would not stop being silly to put his gear on, so he got outside late and then she made him go stand by the fence for five minutes and then it was time to go in. I have a real problem with this. Isn't the point of an IEP individual empowerment? So I just realized that nowhere in the IEP does it state HOW the goals will be reached. I guess I just don't know where to start addressing this. Do I just talk to the special ed teacher and let her know that I want to know how they plan to work on reaching these goals, or do I request a meeting with the whole team or the asd specialist to come up with ways to reach his goals that are okay with me? I don't know. This year we have had five assessments and endless paperwork, and we just don't know how to deal with some of this stuff. The neurological clinic told me to read 'The Out of Sync Child' and sent us on our way. Maybe the special ed teacher knows something I don't? To me it seems like she was punishing, not empowering.
Thanks for reading,
Samantha