Meet me before you teach me

Shannon Sankstone

Here I am in May, writing in the hopes that my and your October is a little calmer and happier. Despite being monikered Shantober (it’s my birthday month) and ending with costumes and candy, October tends to be stressful for those of us in special education land.  

Why? 

Because it’s around the 10-week mark of the school year. Parents are discovering that their children are being disciplined for behaviors related to their disability. Accommodations are not being implemented. Teachers have been emailing that little Johnny is easily distracted and disruptive. Every. Single. October. 

You may be able to avoid this 

Some schools do not give every teacher access to a child’s learning plan. Schools are concerned with protecting your child’s privacy. On the other hand, some teachers are as overwhelmed by an Individualized Educational Program (IEP) or 504 Plan as parents, and won’t know where to look — or what to look for. 

That’s where you don your superhero cape and build that relationship bridge with one piece of paper: "The All About Me."

All about me 

The All About Me you, and hopefully your child, is similar to the annual poster every elementary teacher assigns at the beginning of the year. It will tell the teacher your child’s likes and dislikes, their birthday, and other tidbits that will help them get to know your child.  

It also focuses on your child’s learning needs, and how their disability impacts, both positively and negatively, their learning and behavior. 

Teaching the teacher 

The All About Me should be customized to your child, and usually has specific sections: 

• The vision statement: This is your hopes and dreams for your child after high school. It should include their future education, career options and independence levels. 

• My favorites: A list of motivators for your student, such as the types of rewards they like. 

• Strengths: A list of the activities and skills in which your child excels. 

• I’m learning to ... : The areas where your child is struggling, but growing. 

• Things that don’t work: A list of activities or consequences that are ineffective for your child. 

• Things that work: A list of supports to which your child responds positively. 

Advocacy strategies 

The All About Me is a great introduction to your child, especially if your child has multiple teachers.  

• As you write The All About Me, think carefully about what information will help, and what will overwhelm or stigmatize your child. It’s a fine balance. Also: The IEP at a Glance will be my next article, so stay tuned! 

• Email a PDF of The All About Me to all of your child’s teachers. In your email, encourage them to ask questions. 

• Bring copies to open house at the beginning of the year, and do make sure to share the document with the administrative and special education teams.  

Your homework 

This week, your homework is to create an All About Me one-page introduction for your child. To get started, do a quick Google search for ideas, and consider what a new teacher should know about your child. Either type up a brief introduction (bullet points), or make a shiny design on your favorite graphic design . 

 This article may be too late for this school year, but it may also allow you to focus on more important things come October, such as which neighborhoods give out chocolate. 

Next time

If you read this far, I’ve already told you. 

This column is written by Shannon Sankstone, she is an Olympia-based special education advocate and the owner of Advocacy Unlocked. She may be reached at ShannonSankstone@theJOLTnews.com.