School Issues for Your Child with Special Needs
Whether they're in special education or a regular education class, children with special needs may have particular struggles with the day-to-day school experience. Learn what to expect and how to help.
Seven Ways to Volunteer at Your Child's School
Volunteering at your child's school is an important way to build relationships with school personnel, keep an eye on things, and raise your child's profile in a positive way. It's particularly important if your child can't communicate what goes on each day, and if your only other contact with teachers and administrators is at stressful IEP meetings. It can also be hard to fit into your already ov…
Volunteering at your child's school is an important way to build relationships with school personnel, keep an eye on things, and raise your child's profile in a positive way. It's particularly important if your child can't communicate what goes on each day, and if your only other contact with teachers and administrators is at stressful IEP meetings. It can also be hard to fit into your already ov…
Opening Locks and Lockers
When your child moves up to middle school or high school, opening a lock or locker may become a necessary skill. Here's how to make that combination-working easier, or avoid the need for it in the first place.
When your child moves up to middle school or high school, opening a lock or locker may become a necessary skill. Here's how to make that combination-working easier, or avoid the need for it in the first place.
Twelve Questions to Ask About Your Child's School Bus Ride
Most special education students take the bus to their school placements, which are often outside of their home school area. You may be putting a child as young as three on one of those stubby conveyances, if special-education preschool is on the agenda. But do you know just where your child is going, who's going along, and what happens when they get there? Here are a dozen questions to ask, both …
Most special education students take the bus to their school placements, which are often outside of their home school area. You may be putting a child as young as three on one of those stubby conveyances, if special-education preschool is on the agenda. But do you know just where your child is going, who's going along, and what happens when they get there? Here are a dozen questions to ask, both …
Reviews: Books on Education
Browse reviews of parenting books on education from the Harried Parent's Book Club.
Browse reviews of parenting books on education from the Harried Parent's Book Club.
Clear Backpacks Let You See What Your Child Is Bringing to School
Whether you're concerned that your child isn't bringing things to school he's supposed to, or is bringing things home that he's not, clear backpacks provide an easy way to spy gear and discourage stowaways.
Whether you're concerned that your child isn't bringing things to school he's supposed to, or is bringing things home that he's not, clear backpacks provide an easy way to spy gear and discourage stowaways.
Five School Trouble Spots to Stay on Top Of
No matter how hard you work to ensure your child's academic success, there will always be trouble spots at school where supports and strategies fall away. Find out what to ask, and what to ask for, to help your child with recess, lunch, gym, restrooms, and the bus.
No matter how hard you work to ensure your child's academic success, there will always be trouble spots at school where supports and strategies fall away. Find out what to ask, and what to ask for, to help your child with recess, lunch, gym, restrooms, and the bus.
How Often Should I Meet With My Child's Teacher?
Meeting with your child's teacher shows you're involved and interested, and gives you a chance to ask questions and confront problems. Learn more about how often you should schedule conferences.
Meeting with your child's teacher shows you're involved and interested, and gives you a chance to ask questions and confront problems. Learn more about how often you should schedule conferences.
Should Head Lice Keep Kids Out of School?
No Nits policies aim to keep lice infestations under control, but can keep kids out of school, and parents out of work, for extended periods. This is a particular concern for kids in special education, who may miss out on needed services and therapies, suffer for lack of routine, and have a hard time tolerating head lice treatments. Is No Nits necessary, or no good?
No Nits policies aim to keep lice infestations under control, but can keep kids out of school, and parents out of work, for extended periods. This is a particular concern for kids in special education, who may miss out on needed services and therapies, suffer for lack of routine, and have a hard time tolerating head lice treatments. Is No Nits necessary, or no good?
Assembling a Teacher Information Packet
You've looked at our "Preparing the School for Your Child with Special Needs" pages. Now what? Here's how to put them together with a personalized note in a package that will get the teacher's attention.
You've looked at our "Preparing the School for Your Child with Special Needs" pages. Now what? Here's how to put them together with a personalized note in a package that will get the teacher's attention.
When You Absolutely, Positively Have to Miss Back-to-School Night
Back-to-School Night is a great way to meet your child's teachers and see their classrooms. But if you absolutely have to miss it, you can still get some of the benefits on your own schedule. Here's how.
Back-to-School Night is a great way to meet your child's teachers and see their classrooms. But if you absolutely have to miss it, you can still get some of the benefits on your own schedule. Here's how.
How Well Do You Know Your Child's School?
It's important for parents to know all about their child's school, especially when that child has special needs and may not be good at conveying that information. Rate your knowledge of your child's school personnel and routine, and resolve to be better informed this year.
It's important for parents to know all about their child's school, especially when that child has special needs and may not be good at conveying that information. Rate your knowledge of your child's school personnel and routine, and resolve to be better informed this year.
School Survival Kit
107 ways to make school days smoother, from homework techniques to head-lice remedies, social-skills secrets to behavior boosters, stress relievers and sweet respite.
107 ways to make school days smoother, from homework techniques to head-lice remedies, social-skills secrets to behavior boosters, stress relievers and sweet respite.
25 Ways to Make This the Best School Year Ever
Parents of children with special needs have a bigger influence than most in how their students make it through the school year. Here are 25 suggestions for making this the best year ever -- through organization, through advocacy, through guile and charm and bribery.
Parents of children with special needs have a bigger influence than most in how their students make it through the school year. Here are 25 suggestions for making this the best year ever -- through organization, through advocacy, through guile and charm and bribery.
Join Your School's Parent Organization
The meetings are boring, the volunteering's time-consuming, but the benefits of getting to know administrators, teachers, and fellow parents are many. Here are 10 to get you going.
The meetings are boring, the volunteering's time-consuming, but the benefits of getting to know administrators, teachers, and fellow parents are many. Here are 10 to get you going.
Volunteer at Your Child's School
Want to see what really goes on at your child's school? Volunteering at the library can be a great way to "spy" on your child's class without actually disrupting it with your presence.
Want to see what really goes on at your child's school? Volunteering at the library can be a great way to "spy" on your child's class without actually disrupting it with your presence.
Top 10 Reasons to Go to Back-to-School Night
If Back-to-School Night, that evening early in the school year when you're invited to walk through your child's schedule and meet the teachers, doesn't draw you in, you're not alone -- fewer and fewer parents are making attending a priority. But that's just one of the reasons why you should make sure to be there. Read about that and nine more.
If Back-to-School Night, that evening early in the school year when you're invited to walk through your child's schedule and meet the teachers, doesn't draw you in, you're not alone -- fewer and fewer parents are making attending a priority. But that's just one of the reasons why you should make sure to be there. Read about that and nine more.
Before You Send Your Special-Needs Child on a Field Trip
Field trips are fun outings for most schoolchildren, but can be times of stress and disruption for children with special needs. Before your child boards that bus, find out the answers to these eight questions to make sure he or she has the safest and most productive experience.
Field trips are fun outings for most schoolchildren, but can be times of stress and disruption for children with special needs. Before your child boards that bus, find out the answers to these eight questions to make sure he or she has the safest and most productive experience.
No Child Left Behind
Learn more about No Child Left Behind and how it applies to your child's special education program.
Learn more about No Child Left Behind and how it applies to your child's special education program.
Book Review: The Essential 55
Teacher Ron Clark shares the 55 rules he uses to run his class, so that other teachers and parents can help their kids be the best.
Teacher Ron Clark shares the 55 rules he uses to run his class, so that other teachers and parents can help their kids be the best.