SPECIAL NEEDS NJ
Is booking now for summer tutoring
Academics, Social Skills, Behavior Management, Executive Functioning SkillsABA etc….
Call (973) 534-3402 or email to specialneedsnj@hotmail.com
for intake interview
reading
Pathways for Exceptional Children
A number of our students have been plugging in to the Pathways for Kids programs!!
Below is their mission statement.
Click here to go to their home page
Vision and Mission
Our Vision:
To create a future for children of all abilities where they are included, valued, and empowered to redefine the world.
Our Mission:
To encourage children of all abilities to find their passions, maximize their potential, and experience the empowerment that comes from diversity.
Values:
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The Importance of Community and Inclusion:
It is essential that children develop a sense of belonging and a strong foundation of value and self-worth. Pathways is devoted to helping communities gain the knowledge and understanding to appropriately include and embrace children of all abilities and provide experiences and opportunities for children with varying needs to grow, learn, and discover their passions together.
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All Children must be given every opportunity to realize their passions and maximize their giftedness:
Outcomes in learning and achieving success dramatically improve when children are allowed to realize their passions and maximize their giftedness. It is our goal to help children of all abilities find their own unique genius and to learn to cultivate that same potential in those around them.
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Children Teaching Children:
Pathways believes children need to realize the power of ONE to make a difference and has adopted the “children teaching children” or “peer to peer” model as one of the biggest priorities. Pathways considers the ideas and passions of children to be our most valuable resource. If a child is passionate about something and is willing to teach and share it with another child, the value given to both children is priceless. Children no matter what their ability need to be included with their peers and taught to work collaboratively to build, take ownership of, and lead the future they will inherit.
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Providing Intensive Early Intervention and a Continuum of Services:
Pathways believes all children should be given the opportunity to reach their maximum potential. Those at highest risk for exclusion and failure remain children with disabilities and other more vulnerable populations. The national employment rates for people with disabilities remain at a dismal 37%. This is the worst form of exclusion is the inability to work which then causes a complete dependency on government funding and others to live. Pathways is passionate about obtaining the long-term meaningful outcomes that will give these children a life of independence, the ability to pursue the work they love, and obtain a life of dignity and fulfillment.
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Creating a Spirit of Collaboration, Innovation, and Leadership:
Pathways actively seeks to build partnerships and to collaboratively invest in initiatives that are designed to produce positive and measurable outcomes aimed at helping all children to lead themselves and others toward success and redefining the world around them. We are particularly passionate about investing in programs and ideas initiated, owned, and led by children.
About “Include ME!”
The “Include ME!” program is the initial training Pathways provides to get you started with our programs in your area. It provides training for professionals, parents, students, and anyone else that wants to begin to develop a more inclusive world. “Include ME!” trains people not to just accept diversity or tolerate it but to become empowered by it! It begins by getting away from a consequence or legally based system like what we see in anti-bullying campaigns. There is nothing motivating about constantly threatening children by what they “can’t do” or the consequences of poor behavior and bullying. The program begins with “Include ME!” assemblies and/or workshops that inspire children with the steps they can take to become more inclusive. After the “Include ME!” assemblies, children volunteer to become mentors and go through the mentor training. Adults help to facilitate programs in areas that the mentors are passionate about and are designed to include children with special needs and others at high risk of being excluded. Once this is underway, the ONE to 1,000 program can begin. This program greatly expands the “Include ME!” program from the initial phase into a youth leadership model where children take genuine ownership and begin to run an entire array of programs from sports and recreation, academics, life skills, and employment training. To read more about “Include ME!” download the brochure below.
click here for the home page and more information on Pathways for Kids!
Federal Dyslexia Resolution 456:
Federal Dyslexia Resolution 456:
TIME TO ACTIVATE!
Res. 456, “Resolution on Dyslexia” presented by Rep.Bill Cassidy (R-LA) needs the support of at least 100 U.S. Congress members to bring it to a vote in the House
Education and the Workforce committee.
Please contact your representative and tell him or her to sign on to the
Resolution on Dyslexia, now!
Find your representative here: http://www.house.gov/representatives/find/
Sample letter here:
Dear Rep. ————
Rep. Bill Cassidy (R-LA) needs the support of at least 100 U.S. Congress members to bring to a vote H.Res.456 in the House Education and the Workforce committee. As one of your constituents concerned with the education of all of our children, I am counting on you to support this resolution.
(Insert your personal story here, if you have one that you’d like to share.)
Rep. Cassidy’s Resolution recognizes each major element of dyslexia: its prevalence (1 in 5); the cognitive and neurobiological bases; its unexpected nature and persistence; its profound impact on education and the critical need for action by schools.
Rep. Cassidy gets it and I hope that you do too. The Bipartisan Dyslexia Caucus which he co-founded was a major step forward and now the Dyslexia Resolution brings light and understanding, and hopefully action, to ensuring that children who are dyslexic receive the understanding and evidence-based programs and accommodations that they deserve. Please act now to support Resolution #456 –
Executive Functioning difficulties/disorder/disability? What?
Executive function is a set of mental processes that helps connect past experience with present action. People use it to perform activities such as planning, organizing, strategizing, paying attention to and remembering details, and managing time and space.
In school, at home or at work, we use executive functioning to:
- Make plans
- Keep track of time and finish work on time
- Keep track of more than one thing at once
- Meaningfully include past knowledge in discussions
- Evaluate ideas and reflect on our work
- Change our minds and make mid-course corrections while thinking, reading and writing
- Ask for help or seek more information when we need it
- Engage in group dynamics
- Wait to speak until we’re called on
A student may have problems with executive function when he or she has trouble:
- Planning projects
- Comprehending how much time a project will take to complete
- Telling stories (verbally or in writing), struggling to communicate details in an organized, sequential manner
- Memorizing and retrieving information from memory
- Initiating activities or tasks, or generating ideas independently
- Retaining information while doing something with it, for example, remembering a phone number while dialing
What to do if you suspect you or your child is having executive functioning problems:
There are many effective strategies to help with executive function challenges:
General Strategies
- Take step-by-step approaches to work; rely on visual organizational aids.
- Use tools like time organizers, computers or watches with alarms.
- Prepare visual schedules and review them several times a day.
- Ask for written directions with oral instructions whenever possible.
- Plan and structure transition times and shifts in activities.
Managing Time
- Create checklists and “to do” lists, estimating how long tasks will take.
- Break long assignments into chunks and assign time frames for completing each chunk.
- Use visual calendars at to keep track of long-term assignments, due dates, chores and activities.
- Use management software such as the Franklin Day Planner, Palm Pilot or Lotus Organizer.
- Be sure to write the due date on top of each assignment.
Managing Space and Materials
- Organize work space.
- Minimize clutter.
- Consider having separate work areas with complete sets of supplies for different activities.
- Schedule a weekly time to clean and organize the work space.
Managing Work
- Make a checklist for getting through assignments. For example, a student’s checklist could include such items as: get out pencil and paper; put name on paper; put due date on paper; read directions; etc.
- Meet with a teacher or supervisor on a regular basis to review work; troubleshoot problems.
For specific help for your family member suffering from Executive functioning disorders/problems, contact Special Needs NJ (973) 534-3402
Special Needs IEP Coach 