Creating a Vision for Your Child’s Future Facilitated by Tim Greusel

1. Creating a Vision for Your Child’s Future Facilitated by Tim Greusel Quality Enhancement Support Team In association with Temple University Institute on Disabilities

2. Envisioning the Future Means: Thinking beyond the confines and parameters of today. Focusing on the our hopes, dreams and personal aspirations.

3. Roles Role of parents as the guardian, standard bearer and nurturer of their child’s future. Role of parents in transferring ownership of the future to their child.

4. Overview of Planning Planning establishes blueprint for supports and services that are the foundation of personal growth and development. Examples of Planning The Individual Education Plan (IEP) The Individual Supports Plan (ISP) The Individual Family Services Plan (IFSP)

5. The Vision Statement The vision component of a plan is a critical but overlooked aspect of planning. A well formulated and articulated vision serves as the foundation for all aspects of planning.

6. A Vision is the Keystone of Planning All aspects of planning are built upon the foundation of a long term vision. Goals – Short term steps to achieving the child’s defined vision Objectives – Steps to attaining goals Implementation strategies and support methodology – ways in which goals and objectives are carried out.

7. What a Vision Statement Does A well constructed vision statement allows for a consensus building framework. It helps to define the parameters of what is negotiableand non-negotiable.

8. What a Vision Statement Does (cont’d.) A tightly defined vision statement provides firm criteria for judging the sanity, rationality and functionality of all other planning elements. A vision statement is an evaluation tool for determining if your child is moving in the desired direction.

9. Examples of what happens in the absence of a well defined vision statement: Goals that don’t make sense. Services that do not contribute to desired outcomes. Wasted resources and effort.

10. Five Elements of a Vision Statement Where a child is headed in terms of where, how and with who he/she will: • Live • Learn • Work • Have and build relationships • Play and spend free time

11. Exercise-Creating a Vision Statement

12. Defining a time frame for your child’s vision statement. Factors that influence the vision statement: Age Health Learning Motivation

13. What to do with the vision statement once it’s created. Packaging Sharing it with others Presenting to the planning/support team Including in the planning document

14. Real World Examples Parents’ experiences with creating a vision statement for their child. Outcomes experienced in the support planning process.

15. Our vision for David through the eyes of his parents: David is currently finishing the seventh grade. He enjoys going to school to learn and hang out with his friends! David seems to be the official greeter wherever we go. He introduces himself and encourages others to do the same and then greets them with a smile, high five or handshake. We believe he could be the next Mayor of our town because he can socially work a crowd very well. David is very active and loves most sports. He plays basketball for the Athletic Club and his team won the championship this year. He is also a member of the track and field team and swimming team with Special Olympics. David also enjoys riding his bike or scooter and playing kickball and football. This current school year for David has been very successful. All his teachers have given very positive remarks such as how mature David has become and how much they enjoy having him in their classroom. Most importantly, we can see David learning so much more and sharing what he has learned with everyone around him. Training for teachers needs to be a high priority in order to continue this successful learning environment for David. Technology is another area in David’s education that needs to be enhanced and ongoing. More opportunities for David to utilize his strength in technology needs to continue. Recently, David spoke to a college class at Temple University. He was asked, what is your favorite subject? David told them Computer class.

16. …Our Vision for David, continued This coming year will be David’s last year in Middle School. Our focus for High School transition needs to start now to prepare for success. It is important to keep in mind the strengths David has and utilize those strengths successfully. Adaptations for David need to become more aligned with the curriculum and standards. David’s peers are key to his educational success particularly as we begin to prepare for transition to High School. We believe the relationships David has with his friends, family, teachers and community will greatly enhance his quality of life. The friendships he has made over the past 7 years enhances his well-being and pride. He knows he is a successful learner and more importantly his peers and those around him believe in his success and abilities. His peers will be the ones who he will go to college with or work with in the community. They will have a better understanding of the ABILITIES people have, not disabilities. He is the teacher in a lot of ways for all of us! Our vision for David is for him to be employed competitively in the community like his peers. He will also live and spend leisure time like his peers. We want him to make his own choices, which will enhance his independence. With the help from friends family, and his community we anticipate that David will not need to depend as much on the system to gain that independence. David will continue to move forward achieving his personal goals because of the education he is receiving and all the connections within his life.

17. Sophia Madison S. My name is Sophia which is Greek for wisdom, but most people call me Sophie. My family also calls me Sister. I would like to tell you about myself. This is my vision. I have a big brother name Alexander. He is in 1st grade. I am so excited to be going to kindergarten at the same school next year. I will ride the bus with my brother, just like all the kids in our neighborhood. I also have a little sister named Helena. I call her Baby. She will be in kindergarten in 2 years. Music is really important to me. Incorporating songs into my lessons helps me to communicate with my peers, participate in class, and learn new things. I am really good at using my iPad which also helps me to learn and play. I’m a social butterfly as I enjoy being around my peers and I warm up quickly to new friends. I am funny, kind, silly, sweet, stubborn, and I care about how others are feeling.

18. …Sophia Madison S., continued I have received early intervention services since I was a baby and these special people play an important role in my learning. I am excited to have a new team next year when I become a kindergartener. I will be in a regular kindergarten class with my services pushed in. I learn best by being fully included in school and I look forward to being included throughout my time as a student. School is amazing! I am excited to participate in the social activities as well as the academic ones. I want to join Girl Scouts, play sports, and have play dates with my friends. I have a lot to give to others and it is important to me to know that I belong. I was diagnosed with Down syndrome prenatally, which brings with it some challenges, but my disability does not define me. I need help from my team to learn new skills to participate in school and outside of school so I can develop to my fullest potential. I do not need to be fixed, but accepted for who I am. My team will support me to have a full and rich school experience filled with dignity, respect, friendships, and learning to the best of my ability. As I grow up I will have the same experiences as my peers. I will become a productive member of my community in which I live, know I am loved, valued and belong.

19. Summary Questions and Answers from webinar participants.