Special Education Inner Circle

In today's episode, we're going to dive into an ever-changing aspect of our children's development—communication, and listening skills. It's easy to assume that the challenges children face in our noisy world are just a part of life, but what if we could find simple solutions to help children overcome the additional listening and communication struggles happening every day? If you've ever had listening fatigue, this episode is for you, too! BONUS: Save 30% off FORBRAIN with code MASTERIEP or use this link: http://www.forbrain.com/?utm_id=MasterIEP Links Mentioned In This Episode: Master IEP Coach® Certificate Program https://www.masteriepcoach.com/course FAST TRACK: Start Your Own IEP Coaching Practice https://www.masteriepcoach.com/mentorship Download 12 IEP Questions You Need to Ask https://www.masteriepcoach.com/masterclass Find All the Special Education Inner Circle Podcast Episodes https://www.catherinewhitcher.com/blog

I'm bringing back one of our most listened episodes from the Summer of 2022. The strategies in this episode need to be used over and over to build better IEPs... let's see where you're at this year compared to last year. Home to School Communication: Daily sheets are cool, but are they giving you the juicy details you need? Let's customize and make it meaningful, so everyone's on board. Service Minutes Received: Are the services actually happening? Who's delivering them, and what data is being collected? Don't overhaul the whole thing until you know what's going on. Accommodations and Modifications: Are they being received? Who's in charge, and what's the scoop on data collection? Oh, and let's not forget about those awesome sensory breaks—track 'em and see if they're working their magic. Streamlined IEP Goals: Are they being worked on? How are they being delivered? Let's dig deep and find out what's working on not working inside of the IEP goals. Remember, it's all about consistency, follow-through, and good communication. If things are going smoothly, great! Use this info for your next IEP meeting. If not, no worries! Start making changes without destroying the entire document. You got this! Links Mentioned In This Episode: Master IEP Coach® Certificate Program https://www.masteriepcoach.com/course FAST TRACK: Start Your Own IEP Coaching Practice https://www.masteriepcoach.com/mentorship Download 12 IEP Questions You Need to Ask https://www.masteriepcoach.com/masterclass Find All the Special Education Inner Circle Podcast Episodes https://www.catherinewhitcher.com/blog

Ready to create positive waves of change in Special Education? You can be the one your IEP team turns to for the best of the best IEP answers. I watched my parents navigate special education for my brother. I've navigated special education as a teacher. For 25+ years I've been helping IEP teams build better IEPs, but I can't do it alone. Want to know how you can jump on this journey to changing YOUR IEP EXPERIENCE? Listen and I'll show you how! Links Mentioned In This Episode: Master IEP Coach® Certificate Program https://www.masteriepcoach.com/course FAST TRACK: Start Your Own IEP Coaching Practice https://www.masteriepcoach.com/mentorship Download 12 IEP Questions You Need to Ask https://www.masteriepcoach.com/masterclass Find All the Special Education Inner Circle Podcast Episodes https://www.catherinewhitcher.com/blog

Let's tackle the issue of strangers at the IEP table and explore strategies to ensure a collaborative and effective IEP process. As special education teachers and parents, we've all encountered situations where unfamiliar faces show up unexpectedly, causing confusion and disrupting decision-making. I'll share with you the two types of strangers that can appear at IEP meetings and what to do if this happens to you! Free IEP Coaching Webinar: https://www.masteriepcoach.com/coachwebinar Additional Links Mentioned In This Episode: Master IEP Coach® Certificate Program https://www.masteriepcoach.com/course Master IEP Coach® Mentorship: Start Your Own IEP Coaching Practice https://www.masteriepcoach.com/mentorship Download 12 IEP Questions You Need to Ask https://www.masteriepcoach.com/masterclass Find All the Special Education Inner Circle Podcast Episodes https://www.catherinewhitcher.com/blog

Let's debunk the myth that academic pace alone should determine a student's participation in general education classes. It's time to champion the principles of the Least Restrictive Environment, explore the multifaceted purpose of inclusion, and harness the power of accommodations, modifications, supports, adapted materials, assistive technology, and specialized instruction. Free IEP Coaching Webinar: https://www.masteriepcoach.com/coachwebinar Additional Links Mentioned In This Episode: Master IEP Coach® Certificate Program https://www.masteriepcoach.com/course Start Your Own IEP Coaching Practice https://www.masteriepcoach.com/mentorship Download 12 IEP Questions You Need to Ask https://www.masteriepcoach.com/masterclass Find All the Special Education Inner Circle Podcast Episodes https://www.catherinewhitcher.com/blog

In this episode of the Special Education Inner Circle podcast, we explore the world of building your own IEP coaching practice. It's easier than you think! Catherine breaks it down into three essential pillars: IEP Development - Find your niche by specializing in helping specific families. This will attract the right clients and establish you as an expert in the field. Personal Development - Become a leader by developing leadership skills and setting personal boundaries to enjoy your "work from anywhere" lifestyle without burnout. Business Development - Technology doesn't have to be intimidating. Learn how to create a simple one-page website and build your online presence without overwhelming yourself. Tune in to discover actionable strategies to start your own IEP coaching practice. Get ready to make a real impact in the special education community. Let's dive in! Free IEP Coaching Webinar: https://www.masteriepcoach.com/coachwebinar Additional Links Mentioned In This Episode: Master IEP Coach® Certificate Program https://www.masteriepcoach.com/course Start Your Own IEP Coaching Practice https://www.masteriepcoach.com/mentorship Download 12 IEP Questions You Need to Ask https://www.masteriepcoach.com/masterclass Find All the Special Education Inner Circle Podcast Episodes https://www.catherinewhitcher.com/blog

Our staff shortages in special education are not short-term or temporary. They are here to stay for a long time and that means we need to get serious about how staff shortages are impacting individual children and what we can do to move forward without playing the waiting game of "when we get staff, this will be better". Exploring the Consequences of Staff Shortages: Remember, staff shortages impact each child's education differently and it's important to figure out which of these 4 areas have been impacted most before we seek solutions. Limited Individualized Attention Delayed Progress Increased Workload for Existing Staff Impacted Collaborative Efforts We need to stop writing IEPs the same way we did just a few years ago. It's time for us to figure out what has worked in the past, what tools we have available today, and how can we design an IEP for the future. Recommended Resource for Speech and Language Therapy for Young Learners Visit PenquinSmart: https://www.mypenguinsmart.com/ Additional Links Mentioned In This Episode: Master IEP Coach® Certificate Program https://www.masteriepcoach.com/course FAST TRACK: Start Your Own IEP Coaching Practice https://www.masteriepcoach.com/mentorship Download 12 IEP Questions You Need to Ask https://www.masteriepcoach.com/masterclass Find All the Special Education Inner Circle Podcast Episodeshttps://www.catherinewhitcher.com/blog

Summertime is the perfect opportunity for all children to thrive through experiential learning. Beyond traditional academics, hands-on experiences provide invaluable growth and development. Immersive activities like outdoor adventures, arts programs, and specialized educational programs create a diverse learning environment, everyone can benefit from. Experiential learning helps children to gain self-understanding and essential life skills such as problem-solving and collaboration, boosting confidence and resilience. Plus, it helps learners break free from academic pressures, allowing the exploration of passions and talents while fostering self-identity. It's critical for all of us to work together to find inclusive programs that align with IEP goals, offer individualized support, and trained staff who can ensure a safe and empowering environment. ⛵️Visit Brendan Sailing to Find Out More! https://www.brendansailing.org/ Additional Links Mentioned In This Episode: Master IEP Coach® Certificate Program https://www.masteriepcoach.com/course Start Your Own IEP Coaching Practice https://www.masteriepcoach.com/mentorship Download 12 IEP Questions You Need to Ask https://www.masteriepcoach.com/masterclass Find All the Special Education Inner Circle Podcast Episodes https://www.catherinewhitcher.com/blog

Meet A.J., creator of Tracked Learning. Tracked Learning was conceived out of necessity. As a Special Education instructor, he spent years frustrated with the lack of tools to track the progress of his students in a timely manner. The redundancy and inefficiency of quarterly progress reports minimized his time to instruct his students, which was not only inconvenient for him, but more importantly, it was a disservice to his students. Tracked Learning helps you maximize your time as an educator. Get ready to spend less time tracking and assessing student progress. Tracked Learning takes the headache out of evaluating and tracking student progress. Tracked Learning is designed to remove busy work and eliminate long nights in the classroom. Psssst, Parents… you should listen to this episode and tell your child's teacher that you found something that might help lighten their workload! Your Next Step: Visit Tracked Learning https://www.trackedlearning.com/home/ Additional Links Mentioned In This Episode: Master IEP Coach® Certificate Program https://www.masteriepcoach.com/course Start Your Own IEP Coaching Practice https://www.masteriepcoach.com/mentorship Download 12 IEP Questions You Need to Ask https://www.masteriepcoach.com/masterclass Find All the Special Education Inner Circle Podcast Episodes https://www.catherinewhitcher.com/blog

Woah, this episode was difficult to record! It brought up emotions that I didn't know I still had about my daughter's experience with receiving support for reading in elementary school. As a parent, I remember I initially agreed to the services, but later I had to sign my daughter out of some of them due to the stress it was causing her. It broke my heart to see my daughter feeling like she was being punished for needing extra help in reading. Support services should never feel like a punishment to a child, and it is crucial to ensure that our children feel supported and empowered in their educational journey. Master IEP Coach® Resources: Become a Master IEP Coach®Hire a Master IEP Coach®Earn Your Master IEP Coach® Certificate