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 Amy Vickrey, MSE 

At first glance, we might seem like a typical American family. My husband is a veteran and we have 2 busy, active boys. However, we have challenges that range from food allergies to special needs and even health issues. Traveling can be tricky. Flying? No thanks, the suitcases aren’t big enough! Here are some ways we have found to make traveling and vacationing a little easier.


Packing Snacks
The first thing we plan for is snacks for the trip and any food products that might not be available where we are headed (I have one child who can only eat 1 brand of waffles and they are from a local grocery chain so we always stock up before a trip). While we might buy some snacks or drinks on the road at places we stop, this ensures that there is safe food for those of us with food allergies on the road.

Having a Space of Our Own
This past October, we traveled to beautiful New Mexico to see family and enjoy the sights. We opted to rent a house for those 4 nights we would be in Las Cruces through Airbnb. This gave us several advantages:

  • We paid a lot less for the large space we had
  • We had a full kitchen and could cook meals to save money and ensure food safety
  • We could keep a regular routine for my son who has Autism

Overall, the ability to have a space of our own and keep our own schedule was wonderful!



Visiting Tourist Spots During the Off-season

While we were there, we took advantage of the fact that most of the other children were in school and visited some cool museums and zoos. There were few crowds which meant my oldest didn’t get so overwhelmed. It was also nice weather so while we had to watch out for too much sun, it wasn’t so hot that we couldn’t enjoy ourselves.The animals at the zoo were active and playing in the cooler weather too.

 

Using Internet Resources
There are many internet resources for finding allergy-friendly places to eat these days. With cell phones, it is easy to check for allergy-friendly restaurants on apps such as Find Me Gluten Free and to check for reviews. There are also chains that are working hard to train their employees nationwide in allergy-safe practices that we follow. However, before I go to a restaurant I am not familiar with, we call and ask questions about what kinds of things are on the menu, the handling practices, etc. 

One way I know a place is training their employees well is when the person who answers the phone (usually a hostess or cashier) can answer my questions confidently or be willing to ask questions when they are not sure. 

I also try to pack a quick snack just in case we have to make a last-minute decision not to eat someplace as I have gotten to a restaurant that passed the phone call only to discover I was misled on the phone. 

Calling Ahead
One really cool thing we did was to attend the International Balloon Fiesta in Albuquerque. It was my oldest son’s sixth birthday, so we went all out and bought tickets for one of their breakfast service areas. This was great because it included a shuttle from the parking lot and to the shopping areas (my husband has issues with walking distances). 

When we first started planning, I called and talked to the head caterer to let them know we were coming and to see what accommodations could be made for food. They were great and we were even able to take our own allergy-free brownies in with us to celebrate the event! Also, the quieter, calmer atmosphere that was offered to us allowed my son to enjoy the balloon fiesta without getting overwhelmed.

 

While a lot of planning went into this trip and parts of it were a lot of work, it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to build family memories. My boys still talk about the balloons and the time with Grandma and their uncle. 

While we hope to do it again, I know the memories we built will last them a lifetime and since NO ONE GOT SICK it was even better!!

 

 


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This is Fred. 

When he first joined our family he looked like this, which is good, because he was a terror. His beginnings with our family are catalogued in an  earlier article.

This post talks about Fred’s work as a service dog with our family, how we all changed because of him, and steps to take if you think a service dog might help you or those you love.

 

Training and a Different Life
Fred’s work with Corrina, our trainer, proceeded quickly. First, Corrina taught Fred basic obedience and good citizenship skills. Fred obtained the AKC Good Citizenship Certification before we took him into public for training. From there, he learned scenting and tracking skills, how to provide deep and calming pressure on demand, and how to walk Jonathan through public places and traffic safely.

Fred developed keen scenting/tracking skills easily. Learning to calm Jonathan safely and on demand proved more difficult, but Fred picked it up fairly well too. Training Jonathan to stay with Fred in traffic and public places proved more difficult than training Fred to navigate traffic.

Our team (Sue, Corrina, and myself) brainstormed variations of harness and handle operations to find something that finally worked to keep Jonathan at Fred’s side in public. Using a service vest with D-Rings, I attached a clip-on handle for Jonathan to hold as needed. We avoided a harness for him because of the social stigma and safety concerns. When Jonathan understood what we wanted, he easily chose to stay connected to Fred. Staying with Fred was a much more desirable option than enduring mom’s death grip on his wrist!

Fred became adept at the following: finding Jonathan if he ran away, sensing and calming meltdowns, and aiding Jonathan by calming and navigating for him in public places. Children with ASD often run to escape stressful or overwhelming situations. Every outing came with risk. Here is a great article detailing this challenge. 

 

Even in the training phase, Fred’s help began improving our lives. I could grocery shop with much less stress and hypervigilance as Jonathan and Fred walked and waited together. I could give attention to my younger son and know that Fred was helping me watch Jonathan too. Jonathan was much less restless in the store because he could interact with Fred. Parking lots no longer terrorized me because Fred and I shared the load of getting both boys safely into our vehicle. Fred appeared to love the tasks we gave him as it allowed him to accompany our family everywhere, but the focus and work the outings required would tire him after a few hours. I could empathize; outings with two energetic boys wore me out too!

The greatest gift Fred has given us was not the additional safety or help even as life-changing as they were: It was his ability to “bridge the gap” for Jonathan to the community. People love Fred. They are drawn to him. Each outing brought people into our lives because Fred was with us. We went from being stared at in public for meltdowns or odd behavior to attracting people for positive interactions.

Fred’s service vest said, “Service Animal. Please ask before petting me.” People did…by the hundreds. Suddenly social interactions came to us rather than me chasing them down and facilitating them. People’s curiosity drew questions that I would direct to Jonathan because Fred worked for him. Jonathan couldn’t discuss many things easily, but he could talk about Fred all day long…and he did. His language and confidence grew as he had a topic he loved to share with others. His pride in Fred and great love for him showed. The hope that Gross’ book had stirred in my heart a couple of years before became reality.

 

Fred’s Accomplishments and Retirement
Here are a few career highlights from Fred’s work with our family:
· finding Jonathan after he got lost on a state park trail
· helping save a young friend who got stuck in sand during a high tide
· preventing myriad public meltdowns
· reducing the family’s stress
· helping Jonathan grow into independence in the community
· expanding his work to help my younger son as well

I’d love to tell you many stories about Fred. He is much more than a dog or pet to me. For several years he was a lifeline, an ally, and a dependable friend to us in a world that was often lonely.

The time came that Jonathan’s skills and abilities had grown to no longer require Fred’s assistance. He developed self-calming and regulatory strategies. He could process my directions and understand the dangers around him. My husband said it was time to let Jonathan stand alone and he was right. It hurt and scared me a bit to leave Fred at home, but we did fine. Fred adjusted after time to being our pet and friend though we still take him with us everywhere we can. He still guards Jonathan at night, greets him with joy each morning, and acts as a bridge to the community when he goes out with us.

One memory to end our story: Jonathan was competing in a cross country meet and I brought Fred along to encourage him. As we walked at the park, people from our team and competing teams came over to see Fred.

Teenagers disengaged from their phones to come meet and pet Fred. Many wonderful introductions and conversations were exchanged. One man came running with a glass full of water for Fred just in case he needed it. I’ve never seen anything like the attention and love Fred inspires; many other dogs were around the park, but Fred was the star. He will always be a star to me.

 

Is a Service Animal Right for Your Family?
While our story might inspire hope in you, I also want to impress upon readers the great work and responsibility that a service animal requires. Here are my tips for assessing if a service animal might be a good option for your family.

1. You must love animals. If you cannot commit to sharing all your day with an animal companion and caring for their needs, find another option.

2. Commit to the investment. Training and care for a service animal is costly. They provide great assistance to your family and it will cost you time, money, and energy in return.

3. Research before you jump. Just because a service animal has helped others, does not mean one will work for your family. Learn and know what you can reasonably expect the dog to do and whether it matches with what you need, can provide for the animal, and the law.

4. Do NOT skimp on training or fake service training for your pet. A disturbing trend has emerged where people get a vest for their pet and call them a service animal. Those of us who have trained and worked with service animals can spot them quickly. They behave like a family pet who has gone out for the day, not as a trained service animal whose focus is on their job. It may be comforting to have your pet with you, but that is not a benefit that rises to federal and state laws. Please don’t jeopardize the reputation and freedom of those benefiting from service animals to perform daily necessities.

5. Recognize that the dog will retire. The day will come when the strenuous work becomes too great for the animal. Compassion and love dictate that you respect the animal’s limitations. Some dogs work longer than others. When it is time for the animal to retire, return the love and support it has provided to you; they have earned it. 

 


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By Peggy Ployhar

When our family started our special education homeschooling journey almost 15 years ago, the homeschooling landscape was very different than it is today. From my experience homeschooling and graduating two children with learning challenges, and a decade helping other parents, I have seen changes in different areas of homeschooling dramatically affect the special education homeschooling movement.

These changes are neither good nor bad but can create problems if a family does not understand how to navigate them. Thus, I want to share with you a picture of before and after in each of these areas and how families who homeschool children with special educational needs can achieve positive results in their own homeschools.

Resources
Fifteen years ago, there was no such thing as a homeschool curriculum written for a struggling learner. There were few curriculum choices for parents in general. Parents used whatever books or curriculum they could find and made them work. It was not perfect by any stretch of the imagination, but teaching resources were looked upon as catalysts to impart wisdom into children’s lives.

Today, there are so many homeschooling curriculum options for parents of struggling learners that narrowing down the choices can be daunting. Parents can find more options than they know what to do with, not only books, but also from online teaching resources, apps, and mainstream curriculum providers who are now catering to the special education homeschooling community.

Support
Homeschool support systems of the past were comprised of local families who were trying to find ways to connect with other homeschooling families. These groups were about community and building relationships so that every family, and each member of the family, could find a way to connect and feel involved. Families who had children with special educational needs were welcomed along with the rest because these groups focused on relationships and commonalities.

Over the years, homeschooling groups have evolved into structured programs to allow parents to share their teaching load. There still are some meet-up groups that focus on playdates and field trips, but these groups are harder to find. In general, though, academics have become the driving factor behind most groups that bring homeschoolers together. And, unfortunately, as part of this trend, parents of children who struggle with academics or working/learning in a classroom environment, have found less support for their families within these groups.

Foundational Basis
The homeschooling movement in the United States was initiated by parents who desired to instill in their Christian faith into their children. Faith in God and His call to “train up [children] in the way they should go,”  (Proverb 22:6) was the main reason most people homeschooled. This commonality joined homeschoolers together and it was almost assumed that if you were homeschooling your children, you were doing so because you had been called by God to this way of schooling.

If you were to ask twenty different homeschooling parents now why they homeschool, you will probably get twenty different answers. Families not only homeschool because of their faith, but also because of school violence, travel opportunities, the ability to teach towards their child’s gifts, or because the school was failing to teach to their child’s specific needs. Rather than homeschooling being a choice based on spiritual conviction, it is becoming a reaction to external forces that parents want to avoid.

Information
It is hard to believe that just fifteen short years ago, the Internet was in its infancy. Smartphones were not around. Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and most of the other places we frequent daily to get information and stay connected had not gained prominence. Our world is changing quickly, as are the jobs we are preparing our children for as we homeschool them.

The days of spending a homeschooling afternoon at the library seem almost antiquated. As parents, we are bombarded with information, and for parents, with struggling children the information can be smothering. Special education research, on what causes children to struggle with learning as well as the latest methods to help them conquer their deficiencies, are everywhere.

This information is in a constant state of flux and parents are never quite sure who to trust or what information will help their children. This surplus of information makes parents uneasy about their decision because they are pressured to make the “right” choice to help their child best overcome their learning challenges.

Education Choices
Parents who chose to homeschool twenty years ago were pioneers. When I started homeschooling, the stories of how these pioneering families fought for our freedom to homeschool were still prevalent in homeschooling circles. For this reason, homeschooling families were diligent about record keeping and staying active in politics. They intimately knew the price paid for their freedom to homeschool and were determined to protect that freedom.

Today, many homeschooling parents seem to have an attitude of indifference towards their freedom to homeschool. Families, in general, are not as committed to the homeschooling lifestyle. Instead, many parents view homeschooling as an option that may be least restrictive, more affordable, or their current best schooling scenario but should a better school choice for their child arise, they will consider a switch.

Planning for the Future of Special Education Homeschooling
I can’t say I have all the answers, nor can I predict the future, but based on the changes I have discussed above, it is clear that special education homeschooling has not become easier over the years. But, the simplicity of homeschooling a struggling learner has diminished and the ease of homeschooling our unique children has become a more viable choice for parents who otherwise would not have considered this option.

The best advice I have to give parents who are homeschooling children with special educational needs or considering it are the following:

  • Be discerning about resources you choose
  • Find commonality in a supportive homeschooling community
  • Witness to other homeschooling families
  • Teach others what you have learned on your own homeschooling journey
  • Understand that homeschooling is a wonderful freedom that some will choose for the long-haul while others may only make this choice for a season

This article was originally written for School House Rocked but was re-edited and reprinted with the author’s permission.

     

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    By Kimberly Vogel

    Good teaching involves many different approaches to presenting information. One of my favorite good teaching practices involves questioning strategies. Often overlooked, asking the right questions encourages the student to use critical thinking and to discover information independently.

    The value of a question
    A question puts the student in an active position. It encourages them to internalize learning and formulate a response. However, not all questions provoke deep thought. Many require only simple recall, and while that’s a needed skill, it’s not moving into higher levels of thought. Bloom’s Taxonomy puts thought processes into different levels.

    Bloom’s Taxonomy is a classification system for learning objectives. It was created to help teach students higher levels of thinking and learning. There are even charts with questions for each level. It’s a good place to start to develop deeper questions, but there is one question that I love asking!

    One simple question:  How did you get that answer?
    This question takes problem-solving a step further. It guides the student through explaining their thought process. This is very difficult for some students.

    It takes time and encouragement for them to feel okay with sharing their thought processes and finding the right words to verbalize it. Many students say, “I don’t know” and they really don’t! It’s hard to follow thought processes and explain it. Keep trying. Stay patient. I often say “Think out loud” to encourage them to find the words. Model it for them so they can see how it sounds to think out loud.

    I recently wrote about my top homeschool tip: teaching your children where they are. It follows the belief that student success is based on guiding a student through problem-solving according to their potential. The guide can be an adult or another peer who has already gained knowledge on the subject.

    Guiding through problem-solving often means breaking down a lesson or problem into smaller pieces or modeling the process. When you look at a student according to their potential, you look not only where they currently are, uninhibited by grades or where others say they should be, but also where they need to be based on the time needed. Some students work faster while others have a slower pace.

    Use problem solving and questioning strategies to advance learning
    If a student keeps hitting a wall or stalls in learning, guiding them through learning takes the form of problem-solving and questioning strategies to help them advance. In order to do this, you need to put the next lesson aside and spend time discussing the current level to assess their understanding. Some great questions to achieve this are:

    • “What do you think this means?”
    • “Is there another way we can understand this (concept)?”
    • “Can you tell me what this means in your own words?”

    It might also mean that extra modeling or concept reduction is needed.

    Stay in their zone and guide them through the lesson without jumping to a new concept. Be careful not to look at the world or other homeschool families; just your student and their needs. It’s okay to take extra time on a concept. Success is the goal!

     


     

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