BY JOANNE DESIMONE As the outreach coordinator for the Alliance of Private Special Education Schools of North Jersey, I help parents and district case managers find appropriate placement options for their students. As a special educator and parent of two children with disabilities, I use the knowledge I’ve acquired, sitting on both sides of the table. When parents call me for placement options, I especially lean on the experience I had with my younger son […]
In order to integrate a specialized academic focus to learners with dyslexia and other reading differences, it is essential to understand and integrate the six strategies noted in this article to increase support, understanding, and communication that is essential to a collaborative team of educational caregivers. BY ANGELA SHAW The International Dyslexia Association (IDA) suggests that as many as 15% to 20% of the general population could have some degree of dyslexia (2017). Dyslexia, a […]
“Cultivating a love of service and selflessness opens the window to a world that I want to live in, and one that provides experiences and memories of a lifetime for campers of every ability.” BY LAURA WHITAKER As an eager freshman at the University of Georgia, I sought out opportunities to volunteer for organizations whose purposes were meaningful to me. Extra Special People (ESP) immediately caught my eye as a nonprofit serving youth and adults […]
BY JEFFREY GIORGI AND AMELIA MULFORD Summer camp can be a profound and transformative experience for children of all ages. Camp challenges us to interact with people we don’t know, perform feats we didn’t think we were capable of, and develop a stronger sense of self-reliance. But when the very act of moving around is a labored chore, summer camp experience can become less carefree and more stress-inducing, as in the case of five-year-old James. […]
It’s all about putting the pieces together to build strong systems of support. BY ANGELA SHAW AND REANNA SHAW The implicit theme of the military family is one that tackles challenges head-on, thrives upon flexible thinking, and builds resiliency and independence, but the military life is packed with more than perseverance and adventure-filled moments. Though the military life is a fulfilling and exciting one, it is also a life that is in a constant state […]
