I Didn’t Think Personalized Learning Would Be Right For My Classroom But I’m So Glad I Was Wrong

In my first year of teaching I had the opportunity to teach in a school that was piloting personalized learning. As I got more comfortable…

I’m So Focused on What My Daughter With Autism Needs That I Sometimes Forget About Her Wants

When I realized my younger daughter was disabled, my belief in what was possible for her life changed. As her parent, I had to focus…

Yes, We Can Meet the Needs of Every Student in the Classroom Even When Their Needs Are So Different

Imagine teaching a classroom of 25 students. It’s an English class. You have to assign an essay based upon a grade-level text and are planning…

Even as a Disability Advocate I Still Did Everything Wrong When My Daughter Was Diagnosed With Autism

November 6, 2018, is the day my daughter was officially diagnosed with autism. That’s the day my world collapsed. For the first hour of her…

Here’s What Happens When You Incorporate Equity Into Every Part of a School

In 2015, I co-founded Kingsman Academy Public Charter School. We welcome all high school students and center those who are overage and under-credited, who have…

‘Twas the Night Before the IEP Meeting

November is IEP (Individualized Education Plan) meeting time for most parents. This is dedicated to all of the parents preparing for their yearly IEP meetings.…

It’s Not ‘Inclusion’ If You Leave Out Kids With Special Needs

Way back in 1990 on this day, then-President George H.W. Bush signed into law the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, or IDEA. The law’s provisions…

Your Neighborhood School May Not Make the Rankings But That Doesn’t Mean It Isn’t Right for Your Kid

When moving into my neighborhood, my husband and I never considered our neighborhood school a viable option for our children. It wasn’t “good” based on…

Our Private School Didn’t Fight For My Son or Daughter, But Chicago Public Schools Did

Come January 2018, Illinois parents will have the chance to apply for tax credits when they donate to scholarship funds for private schools. But I…

Here’s Everything You Need to Know When You’re Done Denying Your Kid Has Special Needs

Before I had my younger daughter, I had no idea about special education. I had never heard of an IEP (Individualized Education Plan). And if…