Two little pumpkins welcoming a season of positive change.
Today we went to my niece’s annual IEP (individualized education plan) meeting. It was 3 hours long.
The team surrounding my niece’s education is exceptional. The speech therapist, the physical therapist (that she is graduating from!), the general ed teacher, the special ed teacher & the psychologist, along with my brave aunt & our family are so proud of her development. Clearly she is a spirited, capable child.
We all love her dearly. Her strengths are her social skills: always warm, glowing, & empathetic. Physically she will not be needing PT anymore. This is monumental.
Speech wise, we have a long way to go. I resolve to call at least weekly for fun discussions designed to boost her vocabulary & to assist in her verbal expression. Our family will be more conscious of outings to expose her to different places, rich with opportunity to learn.
Retention is important. Weekends, holidays, breaks & summers, we have to push for continued learning & repetition of things already mastered.
We are optimistic about this darling girl’s future. This reminds me of my roots in education, my first brush with the law. We can do a lot, perhaps more than we realize. But we must move forward.
For her, I will never give up. There are so many online resources for learning. My son is already entrenched with electronic use. It concerns me. And then I see how it can be a wonderful tool for growth. Our job as adults must be to gently guide their exposure & use of tools for their development & betterment.
After all, they are the leaders of our tomorrow. Thank you to the thoughtful & remarkable teachers & therapists of this young girl’s school. You inspire her & all of us. My sister & I are so proud to be a part of her journey. My aunt is one of the strongest & bravest people I know.
We can do better by you. And we will.
