Fun Ways to Motivate Readers

    It is my steadfast belief that reading everyday improves literacy. I began reading to my own children as soon as we were home from the hospital! Crazy, maybe, but my children were solid readers well before kindergarten. Not all children are born natural readers. Some children really have to work hard at learning how to read, for multiple reasons. As an educator, I take reading very seriously, as I should! As a special education teacher in a 12:1:1 classroom, I can tell you that most of my students struggle with reading in one way or another. Some with decoding, others with comprehension, some with both. I can also tell you that these kids work hard everyday to improve their skill at reading. They also all love reading!
   I love coming up with creative ways to help children become motivated readers. Some kids are intrinsically motivated, others need a little push. I guess I am the reading pusher! Sounds scary but it's all good fun! Over the years I've developed many ways to motivate children to read, even children who like to read enjoy a new "gimmick" every now and then! So, here are a few ways to make reading fun!

1) The Reading Chain Challenge:  The reading chain challenge begins on the very first day of school! Everyone in the classroom including the aides, students, and me are invited to participate. It's an honor system so all books read count, even those read at home! After a book is completed the reader needs to fill out a pre-cut strip 

 of paper that includes their name, the date, the book title, and the author. If the children are young or unable to write, a note from Mom, Dad, or their guardian works too. Each strip is then added to a chain that we attempt to get all the way around the classroom. This year we made it about half-way around the room. As a class we read 233 books this year! On the last day of school the strips are tallied and the person who read the most books wins a  sizable prize! This year's winner read 35 books. The runner-up read 34 books! The race was so close! This strategy can be adapted at home. Imagine the great chain that could adorn your den or child's bedroom.

2) The New Year Challenge...read fifteen books in 2015: Just in cast the Reading Chain Challenge didn't give out a reward quickly enough, there is the 15 in 15 New Year Challenge! This challenge begins on the first day back to school after the holiday school break. The goal: To read 15 books before the last day of school in June. The Prize: A  BIG "Symphony" with a round of applause!  A big symphony is a large size chocolate bar from Hershey. Some students earned more than one Symphony with a round of applause! In this challenge, for each book read, the students had to write a short book report and draw an illustration. I keep track of the number of books read in a wall display (shown in the picture) with big numbers to remind everyone to read! I also use this challenge for "early finishers" who need a task to do to fill-in time while their classmates finish work they have all ready completed. This challenge is easily adaptable for home use as well.

3) Balloon Pop:  Balloon Pop is a motivational reading strategy that I enjoy using in the summertime but it can be used anytime during the year! I write the names of all of my kids favorite books on to tiny strips of paper (cut up sticky notes work well); I fold the paper and place it into a balloon. I then blow the balloon up and place the balloons into a basket or bucket. When reading time comes the child chooses a balloon and pops it! They can pop-it any way that's safe, stomping on it, sitting on it or with a fork or pin. Never ever let a child pop a balloon with their teeth because this can be a chocking hazard. I would of course suggest adult supervision, especially with younger children. This is a fun, memorable way to enjoy reading time!

     
In the end, the only thing that matters is to keep reading! It's fun to motivate readers. Reading provides a valuable hobby that promotes literacy. When done at home with the parent reading together creates a bond that lasts a lifetime. A child that reads will be an adult who reads. Have fun reading!

Book Review:

Diary of a Wimpy Villager by: Cube Kid. This is a self-published book for Kindle.  It is a diary of a twelve year old minecraft villager, named Runt.  Runt wants to be a warrior.  The characters in this story are engaging. Kids think it's funny.  In the end kids want more because Diary of a Wimpy Villager is a cliffhanger!  In my opinion this is always good, because it keeps kids reading! 

Steps to Navigating the Special Education Process

     On my last day of work for the 2014-2015 school year while standing in the front office, all anyone could hear was "chirp-chirp-chirp", over and over again. No one knew where the little chirp was coming from. So a wise administrative assistant and a high school mathematics teacher searched for the source of the tiny, yet frantic chirp. They found it! In the outdoor courtyard located in the center of our school was a baby bird trapped inside a drain hole. It was trapped in a very precarious place. It wasn't possible to just reach down and guide him out. Gentle care had to be taken because this bird was so tiny and frail. The two adults put their heads together and from a coat hanger or two, and a manila folder they created two tools to gingerly guide the baby bird, a killdeer, into their manila-folder tool and into the math teacher's hands. This duo then swiftly brought the frightened bird to safety, outside under a bush near the field where the elder killdeer roam! I ran inside to grab my cellphone to take the tiny bird's picture, but by the time I came back this sweet little urchin was running and chirping on the back field just like all of the other killdeer! Can you see him in the picture above?
      Sometimes being the parent of a child who is having difficulty in school is like trying to see a tiny bird through all of those blades of grass! Where do you look? Who do you go to? Who can you trust? You hope that someone will swoop down just like the two adults in my story and will just fix everything! It's not quite that easy to remedy the problem when a child needs academic help,  but the good news is that there is all ready a plan in place to help children who are struggling in school. I've broken the process down into ten steps as a guide to help parents or guardians navigate the special education system.

1)  Talk to your child's teacher about seeing if your child needs to be identified as needing special education services:
     There are two ways that children are possibly identified as needing special education and/or related services. The first way is by the referral of a parent. The second, is by "child find", a mandate from the Individual's with Disabilities Act. (Wrightslaw: The Special Education Law) Child Find requires all school districts to locate, identify, and evaluate all children with disabilities regardless of the severity of their disability. Child Find operates in every state in the U.S.A..
     Again, their are two ways the child can be identified, first by the parents asking for a referral and second, by child find where school professionals such as the teacher or school psychologist may ask for permission for the child to be evaluated. When the parent asks for a referral, it can be done verbally but it's best to place this request in writing. Under the federal IDEA, the evaluation of the child needs to be completed within sixty days after the parent gives consent. Some states have their own time limit which is then takes precedence.


2) The Child is Evaluated:                                   
     The law mandates that the child's initial evaluation must be complete and individual. This means that the evaluation must be only for that specific child and no other. The evaluation must also assess all areas in which are believed to be included in the child's suspected disability.

3) Determination-It is decided if the child is Eligible for Special Education and/or related Services or not:
    A team of educational professionals and the parents or guardians review the child's evaluation results together. As a group, they decide if the child is defined as a "child with a disability" by IDEA. In my years as a special education teacher, I have seen decisions go both ways.  If, however, the parents or guardians do not agree with the results of the eligibility decision, they may ask for a hearing to dispute or challenge the decision.
* steps 4, 5, and 6 run concurrently.

4) When the Child is found Eligible:
     When the child is found to be eligible for special education and/or related services, The school district has thirty days to write an Individualized Education Plan commonly called the IEP.  The IEP is written by a team of professionals such as: the school psychologist, speech pathologist, teacher, CSE Director, the guidance counselor, and anyone else who will provide services for the child such as an occupational therapist or physical therapist.

5)  The IEP meeting is scheduled:
       It is the school district's responsibility to schedule and implement the IEP meeting.The school district must contact and invite all participants including the parents or guardians and depending on the child's age, the child him/herself.  The meeting must be scheduled at a time and a place (usually at the school) where the parents or guardians and professionals can all attend. The parents or guardians must be informed of the meetings purpose and who will be attending. The parents can also invite anyone that they believe has special expertise on their child such as: a family member, a pediatrician, an outside counselor...etc. The goal is that both the school and the parents are on the same page going into the meeting so that everyone involved is well informed and can make the best decisions on behalf of the child's education.

6) The IEP meeting takes place turning a draft IEP into a complete IEP:
     Again, the entire team with the parent's meet to discuss the child's IEP. Often, a draft IEP has been written to guide the process. It's imperative that the parents or guardians give consent for the IEP to be implemented.  If for example, the parent does not agree with the child's new placement (class or school) the parents can further discuss options with the team before consenting to the IEP and the placement. An example of this is, perhaps the professional team feels that the student is best served in a classroom called a 12;1;1 placement. This means twelve students, to one teacher, and one classroom aide. The parents may want the student to stay in the regular education classroom. The team and the parents must then work out an agreement. Perhaps they compromise by keeping the student in the regular education classroom with a special education teacher as a direct consultant in math and English (this means the teacher goes to these classes with the child) and as an indirect consultant (The special education  teacher collaborates and oversees the the remainder of the child's classes) with resource room support for 42 minutes daily and testing accommodations for all tests and quizzes. The Special education teacher would be  the direct consultant teacher in math and English because this is where the child's disability areas are prevalent. Resource room will be a place where the child can work on his/her IEP goals which are in the areas of the child's disability. Testing accommodations are adjustments that are made to the child's testing situation to help level the playing field between the child and his non-disabled peers. When all persons involved in the child's IEP agree and sign-it, by which the parents give consent, then the IEP can be carried out. 
     If the parents still do not agree with the decisions made by the IEP team, then the parents can ask for mediation, or the school may offer mediation. If no agreement is met after mediation, then the parents can file a state complaint, or a due process complaint. This would lead to a due process hearing where mediation must be available. Most of the time the professional team and the parents leave the IEP meeting in agreement, after all everyone wants whats best for the child.

7) Finally, the IEP is complete and services, are provided for the student:
    The school must make sure that the child's IEP is carried out.  The parents are given a copy.  All of the student's teachers, and services providers must have access to the IEP and must know his/her specific responsibility to carry out his/her portion of the IEP. Everyone must sign-off that they have read and understand the IEP.  A case manager or special education will monitor all persons responsible for carrying out the IEP.

8)  Progress monitoring reports for parents:
     The special education teacher and the service providers must regularly report the child's progress on his/her IEP goals. Data of progress toward to measurable goal should be kept and included in the report. Progress reports must be sent home at least as often as the child's non-disabled peers are rated. Usually, this is four times during a school year.

9)  Yearly IEP Review
     At least, once a year, the IEP is reviewed. It's called the "yearly or annual review".  A review can be held more than once a year if the parents or the school district feels it is warranted. Step nine is very much like step six.  The profession team and the parents again meet to review the IEP, change goals, or the placement as necessary after reviewing the student's progress. Concerns and things that are going well are discussed. Sometimes additional testing or consultations are recommended. Again, if the professional team and the parents or guardians are not in agreement with the IEP, then a mediation can take place, or a due process hearing. Parents can also file a complaint with the state education agency. In most cases, however, all parties leave the IEP meeting in agreement.

10)  Reevaluation Process
     Minimally, every child with an IEP must be reevaluated every three years. More often if it is requested by the child's parents, guardian's, or teachers. It's called a triennial review. The triennials purpose is to determine if the child is still considered a child with a disability under the IDEA guidelines. Like an IEP meeting their will be a triennial review meeting to discuss any changes in programming that may need to be made on behalf of the child.

     

     In the end, like our baby killdeer, you too will navigate your way through all of the blades of grass and special education processes that will get your child the help that he or she needs. Remember, all persons involved want what's best for your child. Also remember, as the parent you always have the right to question your child's IEP and advocate for your child. Like our little killdeer your child will land on soft, yet solid ground.

A Town that Cares Makes Kids Who Care

Whitehall, New York in the United States

       Deep in the Adirondack foothills lies a small town called, Whitehall, New York.  A community of around 4000 souls.  It's a quiet town.  The town's ethics are based on family, church, school, and community. Many families have lived here for generations. Whitehall is not a wealthy town, but what it lacks in riches, it makes up for in heart. 
    So, on April 25th and again on May 12th when the children in my classroom came to school and learned about the massive earthquakes in Nepal, they wanted to know more. We looked for the tiny country located between China and India on the world map.
    

Epicenter of the earthquakes in Nepal

     We reviewed what happens in the earth when an earthquake happens. An earthquake is what happens when two plates or large blocks of earth underground slip past each other. The underground focus point of an earthquake is called the hypocenter or sometimes ground zero. The location on the surface of earth is called the epicenter and this is where the fault line is. Next we looked at images of the earthquake in Nepal on our smartboard.

Safety procedure during an earthquake.

    When my students saw the students in Nepal going to class in tents, they wanted to drop everything, and help their peers across the world. They wanted to find a way to help the Nepalese children get new schools to cover them and supplies so that once again they had a place to hold on to.  They were amazed that children went to school right after this devastating earthquake so that there parents were free to help others. They worried about the kids who may have lost family members or been injured themselves. So, we all put on our thinking hats, and devised a plan. First we had to get approval from our Principal who gave us a resounding "yes"! Next, I contacted my friend, in Kathmandu, Nepal  to get the information of where to send our donation. He thanks our children everyday.

      Finally, we decided to use symbolism to represent our emotions and concern for the Nepalese children and build them a paper school which would represent the building of a new school life for them. How did we do this?

1)  We first made bricks from paper.

2)  Next we made posters, flyers, and sent letters home to our parents.

3) We made  morning announcements to tell everyone in the school about our efforts to raise funds by donations to help schools devastated by the earthquakes in Nepal.

4)  We set up a station to take donations during lunch.

5) Our classroom aide, Mrs. Faryniarz outlined our symbolic paper school on the wall outside of our classroom. Our art teacher, Miss Badger made a door, windows and a bell for our paper school. My students and I carefully lay the bricks every afternoon. It's fun watching the Nepalese School grow!

6) Finally, in our life skills/math lesson. We counted

our donations. The students had never put coins in wrappers before. They loved doing this!

7) Now we repeat step 3-7 everyday, hoping to fill-in and complete our symbolic paper school for Nepal. We are a bit worried because we only have two and one-half weeks before school is over! We however are not quitters and will find a way!

    There is a beautiful part to our saga. We visibly saw hearts grow! Our paper school started out slow, even though a donation was a personal choice of one cent or more! The kids  and teachers in our school wanted to know more. So we shared stories from Nepal and explained to those who didn't know where Nepal was, where it is. We saw hearts grow even bigger. Kids came from every corner in our 6th-12th grade school to make a donation. Teachers, aides, custodians, secretaries, administration, bus drivers and board members gave donations. Then we saw hearts grow again! A grandmother from town sent in $20.00 for a brick! Other towns people heard of our endeavor and sent in donations! Still, just when we thought our project couldn't gain any more supporters, it did! We gained support from friends in: New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Ohio,  and other towns in New York!  This is project based learning (PBL) at it's finest.

     Whitehall, New York is a town that cares. Our children are becoming global citizens. Children who want to help other children learn from the adults in their lives who help others everyday. We can't fix all of the damage from the earthquake in Nepal or fix broken hearts, but just maybe we can use our donation to Nepal as a kind of BIG HUG from the students, staff, townspeople, and friends of those  in Whitehall Jr. Sr. High School to say we care.

* The paper school is for symbolism as a visual for the students to see their efforts grow. The donation sent to Nepal will go for school system supplies but will only be a portion of what a new school costs.

* Our "thinking" hats are part of our WCSD group the "helping hats", which is from our work with the "Not Perfect Hat Club" and author, Jena Ball.

P.S.

Good-news We finished our paper school on our last day of school. Here we are quite proud of our efforts. We were very worried that we might not finish before the end of the school year! Thank you so much to our contributors from Whitehall and from far away! 

Life Skills with a Humanitarian Twist

Grocery shopping for our Autumn Feast

    Don't ask me why, but sometimes, the course name "Life Skills" is associated with a negative connotation. I don't know why exactly. I mean personally, I think most of us could have probably benefited from a life skills course in high school. I mean how many of us actually properly knew how to handle money, do laundry, cook, grocery shop, bargain shop, sew, coexist with others,...etc. when we first graduated from high school? My first frantic phone call from my daughter during her freshman year of college was, "Mom what buttons do I push on the washing machine? I don't want to ruin my clothes?" I took shear enjoyment in this. She didn't see the humor in her crisis but I was certainly relieved that this was the worst of her problems!  

    So then, why does the course, "Life Skills" bring up so many negative reactions? I think sometimes parents get upset because to be honest, these are the types of skills that parents can teach at home. In today's society though parents are so overwhelmed with their busy lives, some life skills have to go on the back burner! Students get upset because they look at Life Skills Courses as lower level courses which perhaps they are but they come with big benefits! Being prepared for life, allows new graduates to focus on career, technical school, the armed forces, or college. Knowing how to live independently gives the newly graduated the opportunity to devote their complete attention to the new roles they pursue as young adults. 
   So, I proposed an old course with a twist to my employer which I want to share. I am currently writing the course description and curriculum to begin teaching it in the 2015-2016 school year. I teach self-contained middle school children. The best career choice for me! I'm beyond excited to plan and teach this revamped course!
   Many students who have special needs, fall into a cycle of learned helplessness. A condition where two separate but related things can happen: 1) A person gets so used to others helping him/her that s/he no longer tries on his/her own. 2) A person gets so used to failing at controlling things in his/her life with no rewards that they no longer try. These people become dependent on others for most everything. I do not want any of my students to fall into the trap of learned helplessness! 
   So we will learn life skills in a very positive way, by helping others! It is said that those who help others, help themselves. I believe this to be true. When teaching others or helping others the skills being taught are driven home. 
     This year, my 7^th/8^th self-contained students got a taste of  helping others through the “Not Perfect Hat Club” and flourished. For a little while they had their spotlight in the sun! They designed, measured, cut, sewed, and sold not perfect hats to raise money for global literacy. They then taught others how to make hats through Skype. Look at all the life skills gained in just this one project!  This got me thinking, why can’t we do this all of the time? My kids need life skills. Organizations and regular people need help all of the time! It’s a win- win situation! Life Skills with real life purpose! 

Damien showing the Northeast Hamilton Students in Iowa how to sew a not perfect hat!

   

We are currently working on raising money to help those devastated by the earthquakes in Nepal to build new schools. We have connected with Sunny Thakral a teacher at The British School in Kathmandu. We are taking donations of any amount as low as a penny for paper bricks to build a paper school in our school! Each brick will bear the name of the contributor. The proceeds will be sent to Nepal. I can't wait until my students have to count the money and figure out the exchange for Nepalese Rupees! 

The outline of our paper school thank you to Miss Badger M. S. art teacher and Mrs. Faryniarz our classroom aide for your help!

Mrs. Aubin laying the second brick by the door!

   We have already lined up a Special Olympic project for the fall. We will lead the Icon sales Initiative for the Special Olympics. The Paper torches that we sell and the posters we make for the athletes will be hung at the Glens Falls, New York Civic Center for the October Games. I'm hoping that we'll be able to attend the games!
    The sky is the limit for teaching life skills and serving others at the same time. My students will be learning needed skills, helping others, gaining self-respect, and earning community service hours needed for graduation all at the same time. They will have the skills, achievement, and giving humanitarian heart that is needed to be a well rounded thriving adult. 

5/25/2015 Our paper school for Nepal is growing daily! We have a foundation! 

Why? (A poem)

Why you ask? 
Why? 
The answer is easy. 
Love and sensitivity. 
Caring and the ability to give back. 
The ability to find out why as if the human inside the human is living in his/her own world.
Why must everyone be the same I ask? 
Why must everyone need to participate in the world in the same way? 
Why must everyone be cared for in the same way?
Is there truly a right or wrong way to live?
Is there only one way to do each task?
If there is only one way to live...one way to do, one way to be....
         then there would only be one....
                One with different faces....?
                       One with different feelings.....?
So why is there only one instead of many?
Why?
The answer is easy.
There are many.
They are all different.
They all have different thoughts....
     different needs....
           different ways of being cared for
                  different ways of seeing their world....
                         different ways of being loved
                                different ways of accepting love.
This is why I do what I do, because to me the difference is clear, and the reason is Love.
         

High Stakes Testing Tips that Ease the Pain...Airline Method

 

   

 The hype over standardized testing has become so overwhelming all over the globe that no wonder kids fear them! Their teachers spend day after day drilling them and telling them that they must focus so that they do well on their "tests"! Day after day they learn new ways of computation in math and analyzing text that simply mind-boggles them! They go home and turn on their television and still can't get away from hearing about high stakes tests. The news commentators are talking about them, even comedians are talking about them! Then they hear their parents and guardians discussing "Do we 'opt out' or not!" Kids start to think that these tests must be awful if their parents who usually enforce the rule that they must do good in school and do all of their work are thinking about not letting them take these tests! So on testing day the kids who have to take the test timidly walk by the room where all of the "lucky" kids sit whose parents have opted them out! Those kids look like they are having fun, while the kids who have to take the test feel like they are walking into their doom!

 
    I had eight brave special education students bravely walk into my classroom on all six days of testing to face their biggest demon..."The state test!".  I'm pretty sure that my heart strings and those of my aides invisibly wrapped themselves around these kids to let them know that they were not alone and no matter what these tests would not hurt them. Did I lie to them? No! I told them straight up that these tests are hard but we will do our best with all of the skills that we know. We do know a lot, just not everything! We are not quitters so we will strive for perfection! I also told them that these tests can absolutely not hurt them. they will not affect their grades. They will absolutely go on to the next grade as long as their classroom grades are passing.To ease their fear and pain, these are my tips. They are not for everybody because different schools and states have different policies. 

Mitt Aubin's Tips for High Stake Testing:

1) Prepare: Preparing for the state tests eases the students pain.  To practice for the ELA test we read a lot and add lots of new vocabulary words. We also learn who to use a graphic organizer to organize text into essays. We use a very basic top down web adapted from "Keys to Literacy"  It's simple and easy to follow. 

   For my students, I make it one step simpler. I tell them to write a topic sentence using words from the question itself. this goes in the place of the main topic as they have a blank graphic organizer. Next I ask them to find three details that support their topic sentence from the text. These go into the main idea spots. In the sub-topic area they write corresponding ideas that add depth to their supporting details. Then on the bottom of their web, I have added a rectangle for their conclusion sentence. I ask them to write their conclusion sentence like their topic sentence using synonyms or closely related word. My 6th-8th graders read on various levels from pre-primer to 5th grade. They struggle, but using this method, they have learned to write a decent essay. This builds their confidence in high stakes test where the reading contains many words that they are unable to decode. Given the words they do know, they are able to kind of get the gist of the passages.

   Math is difficult. I have students who can barely add and subtract who must take their grade level state test. I of course want them to do well, but more importantly I want them to feel confident during the test and leave it feeling like they did okay. Two out of three days of testing they can use a calculator. So this year we learned how to use calculators! Throughout the year we have "Big Group Days" where I teach and reinforce the "BIG Skills" that will be on their state tests. I don't want them to get to the test and think, "What is that"!!! So everything on the test they have seen and practiced! They often can do it in class with guidance but on test day they get confused and struggle. However, since they have seen it before, they think "maybe I can do this." I also have skill building days in my math class where each child has his or her own folder to work on IEP goals, and on areas of weakness. I also usually give them a page or two of the "Big Skills" as review. This system seems to work out well. 

     I'd love high scores on the state tests as do all teachers. I however believe that the kids come first and keeping them interested and confident during difficult testing times is what I value most for them.

2) Feed them!:  Who wants to take a test on an empty belly! There will be "No Hungry Kids" in my class during state testing! The classroom aide and I feed them. Mrs. Faryniarz, a former baker, made homemade banana bread on day one, melt in your mouth cinnamon rolls on day two, and a cheesy, vegetable filled omelet on day three! Each day they had a choice of milk, apple juice, orange juice, or water. Delicious! 

 

With full, happy, bellies, my students were ready to rock and roll the state tests!

3) Testing Treat Bags: Included in the "Testing Treat Bags: are spearmint candies, gum, and smarties! Did you know that spearmint is known to help people think? Spearmint has manganese in it which promotes healthy brain function and energy! Plus, the action of chewing gum gets blood pumping to the head! Lastly Smarties! Everyone knows that Smarties make you smarter, right?

4) Materials:  Make sure that everyone has all of the materials needed to be successful during the test, especially #2 pencils and a sturdy eraser! Highlighters are beneficial too! For the math test, when allowed a calculator, ruler, and protractor may also be necessary! 

Our classroom aide, Mrs. Faryniraz. Doesn't she look at ease on our testing day?

There is nothing like a good working calculator and smiling kids right before the test!

5)  Finally clear directions:  Mrs. Faryniarz and I use the "airline method"! As the pilot, I carefully read all of the directions to my silent, engaged students. My classroom aide, Mrs. Faryniarz acts as the airline attendant by demonstrating each step. Our airline method engages our "passengers" and eases their anxiety. When I say "begin" without hesitation, they begin.

"No cell phones or electronic devices"

"You may use...

     Final word...students come to school tense and worried on "testing day" this is not optimal for top performance. The airline method is simple: Be prepared to avoid disaster, treat the students (passengers) with respect and kindness, the same way we all want to be treated, and since everyone all ready knows that testing is serious business, keep it lighthearted! I promise your students will do their very best work! Good-luck! #Globalsped 

The First Cry is Life Itself..Champion Kids With Hero Parents

   

     The last push and then stillness as a child is born. Anticipation of a hearty cry, a cry that signifies good health and vitality. Not every mother hears a hearty cry from their infant. When this happens, the cry comes from the mother deep from her soul itself due to the despair of broken dreams and helplessness. She knows intuitively that something is not right with her child. That cry whether from the infant or the mother symbolizes that they are one.

   Their are many cries after a delivery. The first cry, usually the infant's followed by it's parents and down the line as each family member and friend meets the child for the first time.  The first cry is life itself. When something goes wrong either during pregnancy or during delivery, parental affection does not end.  A parent's job from the moment of conception or adoption is to be that child's protector and guardian. Heartstrings are quickly attached, so strong that no one can sever them. From that last push to that baby's first cry the mother is bound by eternal love for her child. Healthy or not, that baby is a part of the mother and of course the father too. Parent's want what is best for their child.
        Parent's dream of idyllic children who effortlessly pass through each phase of life, filled with accomplishments and many friends. If you read Facebook or letters included in holiday cards, pages are filled with joy and accolades of how well the children and grandchildren have done and how beautiful they are. Every child is a gift to be cherished.
     However, in reality, at any stage in life, learning issues, illness or accidents can strike.  Then what? Are these children any less accomplished or lovely? Absolutely not. These children become champions who should be marveled for their for their strength, endurance, and tenacity. They are the ones who should be showcased for setting the standards that we should all follow. These kids are the ones with a strong work ethic because each day is a struggle and instead of giving up they forge ahead just to make through another day.  The parents who step up to the plate and stand by their child are heroes.  Having a sick or disabled child takes an enormous amount of energy. The whole world expects the parents to go on as usual when in reality their brains are racing trying to figure out the best way to help their child, while their stomachs churn from anxiety and their hearts are heavy and dark except for the one pink spot that is their child. Their child beats life into their tired hearts. It's a funny thing but no matter what else is happening in the world, when a parent sees their child, love takes over. Love is what makes that parent fight for answers. Love is

what gets the child through every day because s/he knows that at the end of it mom and dad are still going to be there to say "I love you," just like they have every day since that first cry.
   While all disabilities and illnesses test the human spirit, it's the invisible ones that come late in childhood or young adulthood that really test those heartstrings. When mental illnesses like: schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, borderline personality disorder,anorexia, bulimia, anxiety, depression with or without suicidal idealization...etc. take over the child's brain the heartstrings are really tugged on. Through no fault of their own these seemingly healthy children can become strangers. These hidden illnesses change them in ways that are out of their control. They may hurt themselves, physically or with drugs or alcohol in an attempt to soothe themselves. They may push those closest to them away. They may do things that make absolutely no sense to anybody but themselves. This is where friends and family walk away saying things to parents like, "Stop enabling", "S/he needs to knock it off, "S/he needs to grow-up," or "Let go before your life is ruined."   To these parents I say, "trust your heart and your instincts." Parents are their child's strongest advocate. They know their child better than anyone else. These parents are heroes who never stop believing in their child. They listen to the professionals but still trust their own instincts to get the best services for their child. These parents listen to their kids. These parents know that when their child's behavior changes it's not because the child is bad, it's because something is not right in the child's world. Instead of blaming the child, that parent will once again do the spectacular work that super parents do and find out why that child is behaving this way and will begin a crusade to get the child what s/he needs to bring stability to his/her world again. People forget that parents have known their children since that first cry.
     The first cry is life itself and there will hopefully be thousands more before the last. To all of the parents who advocate for their children through ever tear, this special educator cries "Thank you."


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