Beyond Academics

1. Beyond Academics Pam Humphrey – Parent Coordination Lead and Transition Specialist Region 9 ESC Pam.Humphrey@esc9.net Jeanine Pinner Texas Parent to Parent JEANINE@txp2p.org

2. Transition Services Transition Services - The term `transition services' means a coordinated set of activities for a child with a disability that-(A) is designed to be a results-oriented process, that is focused on improving the academic and functional achievement of the child with a disability to facilitate the child's movement from school to post-school activities, including post-secondary education, vocational education, integrated employment (including supported employment), continuing and adult education, adult services, independent living, or community participation;(B) is based on the individual child’s needs, taking into account the child's strengths, preferences, and interests;

3. Transition Services C) includes instruction, related services, community experiences, the development of employment and other post-school adult living objectives, and, when appropriate, acquisition of daily living skills and functional vocational evaluation.

4. Transition Planning • Present Level of Academic and Functional Performance (PLAAFP) = Effective Transition Planning • Appropriate Measurable Postsecondary Goals • Age appropriate transitions assessments • Students’ strengths and needs • More focus is placed on the student’s academic performance than functional. The exception are the students with more cognitive disabilities.

5. Annual Goals • A statement of measurable annual goals, including academic and functional goals designed to —          (A) Meet the child ’ s needs that result from the child ’ s disability to enable the child to be involved in and make progress in the general education curriculum; and          (B) Meet each of the child ’s other educational needs that result from the child ’s disability;  CFR § 300.320

6. What about Functional Performance ? • The PLAAPF should address the students’ functional skills? • Organizational skills • Time management • Complete tasks • Answer appropriately • Ask for clarification • Initiate conversations • Function independently The hidden curriculum for success

7. Executive Functions The term executive function describes a set of cognitive abilities that control and regulate other abilities and behaviors. Executive functions are necessary for goal-directed behavior. They include the ability to initiate and stop actions, to monitor and change behavior as needed, and to plan future

8. Examples of Executive Functions Inhibition - The ability to stop one's own behavior at the appropriate time, including stopping actions and thoughts. The flip side of inhibition is impulsivity. Shift - The ability to move freely from one situation to another and to think flexibly in order to respond appropriately to the situation

9. Examples of Executive Functions Emotional Control - The ability to modulate emotional responses by bringing rational thought to bear on feelings. Initiation - The ability to begin a task or activity and to independently generate ideas, responses, or problem-solving strategies

10. Examples of Executive Functions Working memory - The capacity to hold information in mind for the purpose of completing a task. Planning/Organization - The ability to manage current and future-oriented task demands. Organization of Materials - The ability to impose order on work, play, and storage spaces

11. Examples of Executive Functions Self-Monitoring - The ability to monitor one's own performance and to measure it against some standard of what is needed or expected. The executive functions are a diverse, but related and overlapping, set of skills. In order to understand a person, it is important to look at which executive skills are problematic and to what degree. Source LD Online

12. Critical Competencies for College and Workforce Readiness College Readiness Workforce Readiness High Expectations Self Management Communication Skills Social Competence Problem Solving Skills Reasoning Critical Thinking Social Support High Expectations Self-Esteem Resilience, flexibility Self Management Decision Making Good Work Ethics Communication Skills (0ral) Listening skills Social Competence A Developmental Perspective on Workplace Readiness - Lippman and Keith

13. An Educator and Parent’s Thoughts “ You can be truly smart and still struggle in life if you lack the ability to plan, organize time and space, initiate projects and see them to completion, and cannot resist immediate temptations in favor of later better rewards.” “His learning problems were not regarded as serious because he tested in the upper third of his class in I.Q. and reading.” Lacks Direction? Evaluate Your Brain's CEO

14. What Parents Want School Personnel to Know

15. What Can Schools Do? Ensure transition assessments target functional skills as well academic.

16. Transition Assessment Resources • Quickbook of Transition Assessments • Assessment Tools • Employment • Adult Living • Postsecondary education • Situational assessment • Functional Skills • Employment • Vocational Training • Skill Inventory • College

17. What Can Schools and Parents Do? • Identify relevant annual goals that address deficit areas that interfere with the student being successful. • Example: • Using a daily organizer Jayne will turn in her assignment on time 70% time without weekly reminders from her teachers. Areas of concerns: • Organization • Time management • Completing tasks

18. Model and assist with structuring the skills the student needs. Is it common sense or common experiences, taught skills, or innate abilities? Avoid throw away phrases that doesn’t provide a clear picture of the student’s abilities or needs. Common Sense

19. What Can Schools and Parents Do? • Teach students how to create a blueprint, map, or process for completing complicated tasks. • Within the first minutes of assignment students determine whether or not if they are going to be successful or not.

20. What Can Schools and Parents Do? • Encourage student advocacy • Ask the student which accommodation(s) he/she needs to be successful. • Identify possible choices or answers prior to receiving a response. • Best possible • The in between • Worst possible

21. Resources • A Developmental Perspective on College and Workplace Readiness – Laura Lippman and Julie Keith • http//www.childtrends.org • LD Online – Executive Function Fact Sheet • http://www.ldonline.org/article/24880 • Quickbook of Transition Assessments • http://www.tslp.org/docs/QuickbookIEPChecklistFinal091407.pdf