because you don't have to do this alone
IEP, 504, OHI, BIP, SLP...
Are you struggling to navigate all of the acronyms and assessment reports that your child’s teachers are using? Is reading an IEP like reading in another language?
I am here to help quiet that chaos and interpret the jargon into information you can understand and use to advocate for your child.
I know. It sucks. Let's figure it out together. <3
look...
and I don’t pretend to know what it's like to have children of my own.
What I do know is how the brain develops and learns. I know how to teach with my heart and see the value in all students–and I’m not afraid to be a squeaky wheel to make sure your learner gets the accommodations and support they need and deserve.
You know your child best, and you have the power to influence and shape their educational experiences within the school system. My role as an advocate is to help you speak the same language so you can keep up with the IEP meeting as it happens, rather than having to follow up with someone at the school days later to clarify something.
Education isn’t just for the school day. It’s up to all of us to raise the next generation of thinkers and doers—which means families support learning as much as schools do.
I have a little giftie for you for taking this step toward better understanding and supporting your child's education. Check it out below :)
With just a few changes, your child's confidence, literacy, and bond with you will soar! You'll kiss your brain when you see what you can do to improve their relationship with reading, why not to help with homework, and more in this helpful freesource!
Sooo...
Your child is entitled to accommodations and legal protections, but navigating the process can be confusing. From free resources to in-person IEP support, I’m here to help families advocate for their student’s needs in a way that’s clear and kind with the best interests of the student in mind.
Or, maybe your child doesn't qualify for an IEP or 504 plan, but they need a little extra, at school or at home. I would love to talk to you about what's going on and how I can help you be kind to yourself while you do that parenting thing.
I am SO HAPPY to offer my IEP and 504 services on a sliding scale. There will be a unique coupon code on each eligible product page so you can choose your price.
a cute lil community
For $11/month, get:
A community of caregivers to celebrate with, vent to, and get advice from;
Early access to resources and products; AND
Monthly reflections to give you a chance to work on your inner beliefs about yourself and your child
one-time session
A forty-five minute session where I will walk you through my comments and suggestions for each section of your child's plan and answer any questions you might have.
Within 48 hours of our meeting, I’ll send you my written notes and feedback on the document as well as a recording of our conversation for you to go back to.
you can do this
prep & interpreting
For starters, I do not provide language interpretation services no matter how well I think I can speak Spanish.
"Interpreting" means that I will take all the lingo and acronyms that the teachers are using in the meeting and turn them into meaningful info for you to use when advocating for your child's rights.
let that sink in for a minute
Desks in rows facing the front of the classroom are still the default across the nation, despite all we have learned about children, brains, and learning environments.
so why are schools still operating like they were back then?
There are a lot of reasons why (*ahem* capitalism) but it boils down to:
meaning they are where kids go to learn the rules of society.
which means part of their success is measured by how well they can comply with authority.
Unfortunately, funding for education is not only lacking, it’s also racist. Government funding for US Schools is not equitable and real harm is done to Black and brown students, especially those in the Special Education system.
I promise I tried to make this part as short as possible 🫠
All of the points above have ripple effects across the board that 100% impact your child.
Most of us follow the rules, or norms, of society without it being a conscious choice. We hold the door open for people walking behind us, and they do the polite little jog to show they appreciate our gesture and our time.
These are norms that are considered polite and don't tend to cause any damage. But there are other things that society can teach us, like “always listen to adults” which can sound good in theory, but what if one of those adults is a stranger who means harm? Would you want your child listening, then?
I share this extreme example to show that we need to consider the nuance of how there are slight differences to certain rules in certain circumstances when we talk to kids about politeness, respect, or authority.
and where social hierarchies are taught.
This means most public schools operate similar to the average workplace, where there is a boss (the teacher) and their employees (the students). Students are taught to sit in one place for a long time and to follow all directions from their teachers, just like an office worker would need to do for their boss.
Another belief in our capitalist society is that productivity is a moral good, meaning that people who work are better than people who don’t or can’t work. This can make us believe that working makes you a good person and that we, as humans, exist to labor and produce. This takes value away from the very life we live and places it instead on how much we can contribute to society.
This affects your child because they are often being taught about authority and who to trust while at school, as well as what they should want for their futures. This is big stuff.
It's all in the actions.
It's in grading classwork instead of using it as a neutral opportunity to give feedback on learning in progress. It's in how we ask kids all the time what they want to be when they grow up* as coded language for what job they want to have. The things we do and say have a massive impact on how children think and what they believe to be true about themselves and the world.
*Nuance! Some educators have started to advocate that we ask children what impact they want to have on the world. This takes labor out of the discussion, centers our global community, and gives kids reason to believe they can choose how to live their future, instead of needing to fit into a box called a career.
I am an educator at heart, and I think part of my responsibility in supporting you and your child is explaining why our school system is a little bit messed up and how it can impact your kiddo.
There are things within our own personal control that we can do to improve children's learning. THAT is what I want us to focus on. I give such a long-winded explanation on here as optional reading to let you know why I have chosen to do this work and why I am so deeply committed to supporting the people involved in your child's education.
Let's talk about it. How can I help you and your learner navigate public schooling? Book a FREE consult!