We are knee deep in IEP (Individualized Education Plan) planning, our first one since Lily turned three. An IEP lays out what Lily's goals and objectives will be for the next year and the services that will be provided to meet those goals. It also describes any technology the school will provide to help her meet those goals.
Last week we received all of Lily's test scores from our public school. To say she did super fabulous, would about capture the results.
Are there areas that still could use our focus? Sure. Has she built a foundation on which to grow and thrive for the future. Yes! Do I wish I could have seen this day when I spent months crying about Lily's future. Yes. Did I realize this moment would come when she was three? No.
Do I remember vividly our "CI expectation counseling appointment" when they asked us our goals for Lily and we said mainstreamed by kindergarten, secretly hoping that it would be much earlier.
Then the counselor said "Well...that is the Gold Standard" and implied that it was not very likely. Then she showed us a scale that had "All Signing" on one side and "All Auditory Learner" on the other, and implied that the chance for us to have an all auditory learner was slim.
So to her I say meet Lily, an all Auditory Learner who is busting nearly every talking and listening curve. As Carol Flexer says, "It's all about the brain." Give these kids good access to sound and they should thrive.
Don't tell parents to set your expectations low. Did I say that loud enough. Don't tell parents to set your expectations low. Tell them to set their expectations high. It's better to shoot for the moon and miss, than to shoot for the lamppost and hit it. However, we also need to tell parents 'this is what it is going to take (eg 30,000 words a day)" and "here are all the tools to help your kid achieve the unachievable."
Well done, Lily! ... and to Susan, Brian, Tom, Sharon, Diane, Gary, and Tango, etc.
Posted by: John | July 20, 2010 at 02:05 PM
LOVE this post. I feel the same way.
Posted by: Melanie | October 28, 2010 at 06:36 AM