Standing Up for Me!

1. Standing Up for Me! Strategies for Teaching Self-Determination Skills

2. Developed for the Florida Department of Education Developed by: Elizabeth Cooper, Exceptional Student Education Supervisor Frank Roder, Behavior Specialist, Marchman Technical Education Center Debora Wichmanowski, Teacher of Trainable Mentally Handicapped, Marchman Technical Education Center Stacey Yeretzian, FDLRS Gulfcoast, Learning Resource Specialist Training Consultant: Todd Cluff, Supervisor of Staff Development District School Board of Pasco County

3. Welcome and Introductions

4. Objectives Participants will: • Identify self-determination skills • Describe strategies to encourage students to demonstrate necessary self-determination skills and participate in their IEP meetings • State advantages of the Self-Directed IEP process • Describe the key concepts introduced at each level in the Standing Up for Me curriculum • Develop an implementation plan for using the Standing Up for Me curriculum

5. Self-Determination K W L What do you want to learn? What do you already know?

6. With a partner • Describe the last IEP meeting you attended (including who was present) • Describe how input was obtained from the student

7. Teacher Assessment Scenario Activity • Read your scenario silently • Jot down your immediate reactions • When all group members are done, discuss your feelings regarding each scenario

8. Article Review Read the article and answer guiding questions Highlight important points When finished, get up and find a partner With your partner, discuss the important points that were highlighted

9. What Is Self-Determination? Taking control and making decisions that affect one’s life Self-determination helps students with disabilities: • Make their own choices • Set their own goals • Manage their own lives • Participate in decision making

10. What Is Self-Determination? By including students in meetings regarding educational decisions, we convey that they are: • Capable • Significant • Able to impact decisions through their input

11. Self-Determination K W L What new information have you learned? What do you want to learn? What do you already know?

12. Why Teach Self-Determination Skills? • To increase student involvement in planning their own education and lives • To teach students the self-advocacy skills necessary to be successful, independent adults • To teach students how to set goals and develop a plan for accomplishing those goals

13. 11 Steps of Self-Directed IEPChoiceMaker Instructional Series 1. Begin meeting by stating the purpose 2. Introduce everyone 3. Review past goals and performance 4. Ask for others’ feedback 5. State your school and transition goals 6. Ask questions if you don’t understand 7. Deal with differences in opinion 8. State what support you’ll need 9. Summarize your goals 10. Close meeting by thanking everyone 11. Work on IEP goals all year

14. Self-Directed IEP Videofrom ChoiceMaker Instructional Series • In your group, create a chart to identify: • The advantages of having students participate in the Self-Directed IEP process • Potential barriers to implementing Self-Directed IEPs with students • Strategies to overcome these barriers • (Leave blank at this time)

15. Standing Up for MeCurriculum

16. Advantages of TeachingSelf-Determination Teacher • Provides student input about interests, strengths, needs, and goals • Can be used for educational planning and development of IEPs Student • Encourages involvement and ownership in educational decision making Parent • Student involvement encourages more active parental involvement and interest

17. Parent Involvement • Parent awareness meeting • Parent letter • Ongoing home activities

18. Intermediate Parent Pages High Primary Middle 81, 83, 123 32, 44, 70 Parent letter 60, 88 20,33, 39 Parent Involvement Questionnaire - 62 104 108 - 63 105 110 Needs Survey

19. Purpose of Standing Up for Me To help students with disabilities: • Understand the IEP process • Actively participate in IEP meetings • Take an active role in the implementation of their own IEPs and educational program

20. Goals of Standing Up for Me By learning self-determination skills at a young age, students will: • Become more willing to participate in their IEP meetings • Develop a better understanding of their unique needs and skills • Be better able to stand up for themselves regarding their IEPs and other decisions

21. Major Sections of Standing Up for Me • User’s Guide (not included in draft) • Scope & Sequence (not included in draft) • Primary Lessons • Intermediate Lessons • Middle School Lessons • High School Lessons

22. Organization of Standing Up for Me • Primary • Intermediate • Middle School • High School

23. Organization of Standing Up for Me All levels include lessons that address the following: • Understanding the IEP • Self-Directed IEP Skills • Follow-Up

24. Intermediate Cover Pages High Primary Middle Understanding the IEP 1 1 1 1 Self-Directed IEP Skills 21 33 69 71 40 71 119 124 Follow-Up

25. Understanding the IEP Provides an overview of the IEP and introduces self-determination skills, including: • Understanding individual strengths and needs • Setting individual goals

26. Intermediate High Primary Middle Summary of Understanding the IEP Lessons 2 2 2 2

27. Self-Directed IEP Skills • Focuses on introducing students to their roles as active participants in the IEP process • Helps students understand and prepare for their IEP meetings • Includes summary of Self-Directed IEP process

28. Summary of Self-Directed IEP Skills Lessons 22 34 72 71 Summary of Self-Directed IEP Process 73 23 74 35 64 114 117 37 Putting It All Together High School Sequence of Lessons 70 Intermediate High Primary Middle

29. Follow-Up Activities completed after the IEP meeting include: • Evaluation • Thanking participants • Articulation

30. Transition Lesson 79 128 132 Intermediate High Primary Middle Summary of Follow-Up Lessons 41 72 120 125

31. Lesson Components • Objective • Materials – if appropriate • Procedure • Resources – if appropriate • Correlation to ChoiceMaker • (Self-Directed IEP lessons–high school only) Accompanying handouts follow each lesson

32. High School Correlations • “Self-Directed Transition IEP” lessons are designed to be used with ChoiceMaker Instructional Series: Self-Directed IEP • “Understanding the Transition IEP” lessons can be taught independently of another curriculum

33. Corner Activity • Go to your assigned corner and form groups of no more than six • Review the lessons for your level • Develop a graphic organizer that identifies key concepts introduced in the “Understanding the IEP,” “Self-Directed IEP Skills,” and “Follow-Up” sections • Post your chart on the wall when completed

34. Skill Progression Standing Up for Me Scope & Sequence

35. Examples of Skill Progression Understanding the IEP “All About Me” p. 7–14 (P) “Take a Look at Me” p. 9–13 (I) “Student Profile” p. 12–24 (MS); p.9–23 (HS) Self-Directed IEP Skills “Presenting Yourself” p. 24–28 (P); p. 36–41 (I); p. 76–84 (MS); p. 75–77 (HS) Follow-Up “Evaluation” p. 46–48 (P); p. 75–77 (I); p. 124–126 (MS); p. 128–130 (HS)

36. Similarities Differences Examples of Skill Progression Group Activity • Review the assigned series of lessons at each level • On chart paper, create a T-Chart of the similarities and differences in each level • Be prepared to report your findings

37. Variations • Some students may be able to do only a few steps at their level • Some students may be able to perform all steps at their level • Some students may be able do steps at the next level It’s all right to use lessons from different levels

38. Goal Setting • The heart of self-determination and Self-Directed IEP • Ongoing activities throughout the year • Personal goal setting • Reviewing IEP goal progress • When students write goals they: • Have a vested interest • Are more apt to achieve the goal • Are more likely to follow through

39. Intermediate High Middle Primary

40. 3-2-1 3 ways I could use the curriculum to help develop an IEP 2 ways I could incorporate lessons 1 thing I immediately plan to implement

41. Venn Diagram Activity • Pair up • Review lessons in assigned levels for either “Understanding the IEP” or “Self-Directed IEP Skills” • Complete a Venn Diagram comparing and contrasting the two levels Intermediate Middle For example:

42. Venn Diagram Activity (cont.) • Share your diagram with another pair (same level) • Compare your findings with completed sample

43. Preparing for Lesson Implementation • Develop a folder to maintain materials for each student • Send letters to parents describing the curriculum prior to initiating lessons • Convey genuine interest in student involvement and input Maintain confidentiality!

44. Lesson Implementation Suggestions • Understanding the IEP lessons can be taught any time during the school year, but prior to Self-Directed IEP Skills • Self-Directed IEP Skills should be taught close to IEP meetings so students retain concepts • Follow-Up activities regarding transition to the next level should be completed after the IEP meeting • Standing Up for Me can be integrated with existing activities and academic instruction

45. Strategies to Overcome Barriers • Brainstorm strategies to overcome barriers to implementing the Self-Directed IEP process • Include strategies regarding how Standing Up for Me lessons can be integrated with existing curriculum, courses, and delivery models • Also address strategies for students who are in full inclusion, self-contained, and pull-out settings

46. I didn’t belong as a kid and that always bothered me. If only I’d known that one day my differences would be an asset, then my early life would have been much easier. –Bette Midler

47. Action Plan

48. Thank you for your participation! Evaluation/Feedback • Reflecting on the training, use a sticky note to write any • Questions • Comments • Compliments • Post it on the way out!