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.…

A Back-to-School Love Letter to Parents of Kids With Special Needs and Disabilities

Dear Fellow Parent Warriors, While every parent has strong feelings as a new school year approaches—excitement, nerves, even a little worry—our special tribe of parents…

Stop Teaching Like Technology and the Internet Don’t Exist

It’s tough to take an individualized approach to teaching by using technology in the classroom. Even when the technology is there—which it often isn’t—the teacher…

My Mom Went to War to Get Me Into a School That Believes a Kid With Autism Kid Can Thrive

I have always been extremely anxious about change. Sometimes that change would lead to various levels of panic, sometimes in public. And that panic would…

Coffee Break: PowerMyLearning’s Elisabeth Stock on How Personalized Learning Involves the Whole Family

Elisabeth Stock has been at the education game for decades as the head of PowerMyLearning, a nonprofit focused on personalized learning. I recently chatted with…

My Son Has Autism and This School Taught Him to Say ‘Mom’

At 5, my son, Niko, was still in diapers. He didn’t know how to communicate. He wouldn’t let anyone touch him. I was afraid for…