Home Learning: What About IEP Goals?

IEP goals very specifically identify areas of ELA, math, functional living activities, and sometimes behavior issues. Your special education student will experience a more holistic approach to learning at home. The aim of special education is to develop skills for your student for life, and the remote learning, or homeschool time, can contribute to the development of your student. 

Executive function is a set of mental skills that include working memory, flexible thinking, and self-control. We use these skills every day to learn, work, and manage daily life. Your student's experience at home during quarantine can include academic work, as well  

Here are suggestions for documenting your student's learning experience during quarantine and remote learning.
You will be meeting IEP goals not only as you do academic work suggested by your Special education teacher.

• Learning is living. Create an informal schedule of your student's activities. How are they helping? Cleaning? Cooking? Involved with siblings? Have your student list personal hygiene habits. 
• Life is organized. Your student can help with setting up for meals and clean up-that's learning the sequence of a project (even if the project is lunch!) Your students can help organize the knives, forks, and spoons, the pantry, fold clothes, so many helpful things to do at home. And that is functional learning. Keep a record.
• Nature-naturally. Every day observe nature-going outside, hopefully, or just through a window. What's the weather? Clouds? Temperature? Can you hear birds? See them?  Are there butterflies? Bugs? Is there wind? How are the leaves on the trees changing? (In the spring they change every day.) Keep a nature journal.
• Keep track of conversations. Choose a few to document. Does your student have questions? Document the Q and A. As you go through your day, choose to discuss the activities, have your student share thoughts and feelings.
• Communicate feelings.  All feelings are real and valid. Let your student appropriately express their feelings. Reassure. Have you student draw, sing, dance, have quiet time apart. Read together-poetry, fiction.

Keep your days simple. Relax. Look to the positive. Always communicate with your student's teacher if you have questions.