Blurring of the lines

We went to a transition informational session earlier this week. The topic- Miles' upcoming move to a public pre-school program for children at-risk and with special needs. Quick disclaimer, I am a special education teacher. I've been through a litany of eligibility and, more so, IEP meetings. However, I've never been to one as a parent. We went for that main purpose. (I am not including IFSP meetings, which as a parent, I've been through plenty.)

As usual, our infant program provided excellent information and make the session more of a chance to meet and greet other parents who have been through the process. Brilliant approach- I am taking notes for myself. (Wouldn't this be helpful for parents of kids transitioning to high school???)

The most interesting part of the night dealt with parents' perceptions of meetings, particularly IEP meetings. One mom said she gets very anxious over them and never really knows what is going on. I then thought of some of the blog postings I've read over the past two years- where IEP meetings are rarely put into a good light, and I felt on the defensive. If I were an attorney, would I feel the same way if I heard someone crack a lawyer joke? Probably.

It was good, both personally and professionally, to hear the parents' concerns over IEP meetings. Personally, I will be ever grateful that I have entered this profession, with reasons extending far beyond the scope of this post. I couldn't imagine walking blind into an IEP meeting, not knowing all of the legal-ese that goes on in conversation and paper. Yes, it is a complicated process- but only in that it protects rights and ensures service. Perhaps I'd miss the positive aspects of the document if I didn't know it so well. Secondly, this info is good for professional reasons- I feel that bringing empathy to the IEP meeting table will help ease others' anxiety. I can honestly say, "Been there. Done that. Signed the consent line."

As for the blurring of the lines, this certainly will be an interesting transition over the summer. Our first hurdle is Miles' eligibility meeting. Though he does have a medical diagnosis of Down syndrome, he also has some pretty strong evaluation scores. I have in mind what I'd like to see happen, but I know, believe me I know, that this is truly a team process. And as we start to move away from the infant program, I will always be thankful for its compassion and excellence to service. If you live in the Williamsburg area, you might already know what a Godsend CDR is. If you don't live close by- just look at our son's progress; it speaks volumes of the program.