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The Self-Determined Learning Model of Instruction (SDLMI) Teacher’s Guide

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Additional Resources for Families and Students - California focused for Sacramento and Yolo Counties

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Additional Resources for Families and Students - California focused for Sacramento and Yolo Counties

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Provided here is a list of additional resources for parents, caregivers and students that might be residing in California, Sacramento or Yolo county regions. It also includes additional local agencies and parent blogs for additional support.

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In summary, as we look forward, how does this translate for students that are transitioning after high school? 

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In summary, as we look forward, how does this translate for students that are transitioning after high school? 

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As our students transition to post-high school as self-determined individuals, we want them to be able to answer the following questions:

Can I analyze what happened to determine what led to the  outcome?

What was my role in it?

What worked best?

What would I do differently?

In order to promote self-determination, and be able to embrace and experience what they’ve learned and build on those experiences, teachers and family members can focus on encouraging reflection and processing (2BSD, 2022). This means that some students may need time to process the information and then come back to a conversation. Some may need to write it down and others may require instantaneous conversation. Likely a more difficult way for some of us is to step back and let students act on their own (even when they may make a mistake so long they can learn from it). This part of the model is especially tied to the environment part of the model. Having an intentional space, support team members, respect, and opportunities for honest reflection, creates a fertile ground for effective reflection, learning and capacity building towards self-determination.

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What can teachers, families and other service providers do to champion and support self-determination in students?

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What can teachers, families and other service providers do to champion and support self-determination in students?

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Students that are self-determined are much more equipped to be able to review and analyze differences between their actual outcome (end goal achievement, completion, or performance) and the expected outcome (their goals in the planning process). In addition, self-determined students are able to celebrate successes, or as commonly noted as “small wins” and are also able to absorb constructive feedback and criticism in life. This process can be learned through direct instruction, but much like we’ve all experienced, some of the best learned aspects are those that are learned through our own mistakes. Being able  to experience challenges and at times defeats, as well as successes allows the students to recognize the patterns and as such actively reflect on them and their wins or defeats. When combined together, students may gain a deeper understanding of themselves and those around them and learn more (Transition Coalition, 2015).

Self-determination is at the core of transitional planning. As teachers, we need to identify what our students need to be successful in postsecondary education, training, civic engagement, meaningful employment, meaningful adult life experiences. To that end, the element of experiencing outcomes and learning includes various educational strategies and goals in addressing the diverse needs of youth.  These strategies and goals must also include youth from diverse multicultural backgrounds, low-income families,  at-risk, English language learners, and others (NASET, 2016). Students who plan to attend college, workforce development courses or training, need to be introduced to the university or college environment, disability accommodation system and academic environment in high school.  To compensate for this transition,  as teachers we can educate students about the college support services academic expectations by helping students become knowledgeable of their learning needs for this new environment and develop their learning profile and compensatory strategies.  The Individualized Education Plan (IEP)  team members need to be able to educate students with disabilities about the legal and disability services at college. With this knowledge in order to know how to best approach their work at college, students and their families can apply for accommodations and make appropriate choices through self-awareness and self-monitoring skills needed for success in college and future careers (Hamblet, 2014).

In addition, in California Community Colleges, the Universal Design for Instruction is a new paradigm for college students with learning disabilities. It  fosters self-determination by offering students productive opportunities for learning. As such, being able to build on their self-determination skills in high school, will allow students to be resilient and successful in moving forward during their transitionary period.

Activities & Standards for 12th grade activity:

Reading Standards for Literacy in History/Social Studies 6–12: Analyze how an author's choices concerning how to structure specific parts of a text (e.g., the choice of where to begin or end a story, the choice to provide a comedic or tragic resolution) contribute to its overall structure and meaning as well as its aesthetic impact.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.11-12.5

Students read short stories and biographies about influential people, discussing their situations together and how they overcame adversity because they didn’t give up. Rosa Parks, Beethoven, and JK Rowling. In addition, reflect on their own presentations that detailed their abilities, goals and plans and what challenges they encountered along the way of building their presentation and what successes (wins) they had. Reflection the assigned reading and how their struggles (the journey) prepared them to be self-determined individuals.

Assistive Technologies:

Voice Text to Speech recognition, Chromebooks, iPads, Electronic Spelling software, Electronic Resources and E-Books. All educational technology can be utilized for in class instruction.

Elements of Self-Determination: Experience outcomes and learn; reflection: what did you learn, successes and the overall journey of preparing the presentation.

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Self Determination: Tips for Including Students in their Education and Transition Planning

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Hoffman and Field (2005) focus on the following four core activities found in this element of self-determination:

Compare outcome to expected outcome

Compare performance to expected performance

Realize success

Make adjustments

While planning and acting elements of self-determination directly support students in moving towards achieving their goals, the ability and practice of reflecting on their experiences provides them with an ongoing capacity for self-determination.

We might ask ourselves why this is really important. The answer can be found in the simple notion of lifelong learning. Because at this stage, students are learning. They are learning to reflect upon their experiences: the good, the bad, the ugly, the amazing – and it provides an opportunity to celebrate successes, no matter how small or trivial (Transition Coalition, 2015). This is accomplished by completing the four activities Hoffman and Field noted as essential. Starting with the comparison of outcomes and performance, we want students to compare what actually transpired vs. our desired state or outcome. Inquiry questions may include the following: “Did we like the outcomes we obtained from our efforts, whether or not it was what we set out to attain? As we took action to achieve what we set out to do, what worked for us and what didn’t” (2BSD, 2022).

It’s important to recognize that even when we reach a set goal, from reflection we may realize that perhaps it wasn’t such a great goal, or conversely, we might learn that the outcome we reached was better than the planned. All aspects are fine in this stage because combined, such reflection is building on students’ self awareness. This stage also offers an opportunity to refer students back to the planning and acting process in particular.  Finally, students should ask themselves, “How should my plans and actions be adjusted? (2BSD, 2022).

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National Standards & Quality Indicators for secondary education and transition. (2010).

National Alliance for Secondary Education and Transition. http://www.nasetalliance.org/index.htm

Friend, M., & Cook, L. (2017). Interactions: Collaboration skills for school professionals (8th edition). Boston, MA: Pearson.

National Technical Assistance Center on Transition. (2016). Age appropriate transition assessment toolkit (4th ed.). University of North Carolina at Charlotte. https://transitionta.org/system/files/toolkitassessment/AgeAppropriateTransitionAssessmentToolkit2016_COMPLETE_11_21_16.pdf

Transition Coalition. (2015, June 26). Definitions of Self-Determination. https://transitioncoalition.org/module-2/definitions-of-self-determination/

Hamblet, E. C. (2014). Nine strategies to improve college transition planning for students with disabilities. Teaching Exceptional Children, 46(3), 53-59. https://nu.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/01NATIONAL_INST/1gmol9r/cdi_proquest_journals_1492549585

Floyd, K., Galyon, C. L., & Floyd-Norris, K. (2020). Overcoming barriers: Use of assistive technology to access curriculum. Teaching Exceptional Children, 52(6), 436-439. https://nu.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/01NATIONAL_INST/1gmol9r/cdi_crossref_primary_10_1177_0040059920936135

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The Restorative Justice model is intended for students to actively participate in a practice that actively acknowledges school and community relationships. The practice is intended for all to have a voice heard and a great way for students to actively speak up and listen to concerns and dialogue with peers, community members, and staff.

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Follow these easy steps to see where your ... - hawaii doe. (n.d.). Retrieved March 27, 2022, from https://www.hawaiipublicschools.org/DOE%20Forms/CTE/RIASEC.pdf

Friend, M., & Cook, L. (2016). Interactions: Collaboration Skills for School Professionals (8th Edition). Pearson Education (US). https://bookshelf.vitalsource.com/books/9780134256771

National Technical Assistance Center on Transition (2016). Age appropriate transition assessment toolkit (4th ed.). University of North Carolina at Charlotte. https://transitionta.org/system/files/toolkitassessment/AgeAppropriateTransitionAs sessmentToolkit2016_COMPLETE_11_21_16.pdf

Preparing America's students for success. Home | Common Core State Standards Initiative. (n.d.). Retrieved March 27, 2022, from http://www.corestandards.org/

Restorative justice at a glance - Los Angeles unified ... (n.d.). Retrieved March 27, 2022, from https://achieve.lausd.net/cms/lib08/CA01000043/Centricity/Domain/293/Restorative%20Justice%20Statement.pdf

(2017). YouTube. Retrieved March 27, 2022, from https://youtu.be/yjOWXsDt87Y.

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The RIASEC Test is a free assessment that allows students, 9th to 12th grade, to fill out and score their interests. This assessment will allow students to narrow the areas of interest and see which pathway they may plan for and consider for higher learning.

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Practice
Video presentation about the different types of communication is a fun and easy way for students to hear and visualize the lesson.
9th - 12th Grade Students

Students will watch a short video presentation about the forms of communication

Students will be able to see and hear the examples presented in the video

Students will be able to practice and identify the different forms of communication (aggressive, assertive, passive, and passive aggressive)

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.9-10.3
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CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.11-12.1
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Assistive Technology
Text to Speech, Speech to Text, Recording pens, Voice recognition, iPads and Tablets, Electronic Spell Checkers, Word Prediction Software, Visual Search Engines, Electronic Resources and Books

Elements of Self Determination
Choice Making, Decision Making, Problem Solving, Self-Regulation, Self-Advocacy, Internal Locus of Control, Self-Efficacy, Self-Awareness

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Practice
9th to 12th Grade

Students will learn organizational skills by using a calendar of their choice (paper printed or digital) to insert important dates, events and appointments.

Students will be able to create, write and reflect on short term goals pertaining to their life i.e. academic, college and career, and personal.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.9-10.6

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.11-12.6

Assistive Technology
Text to Speech, Speech to Text, Recording pens, Voice recognition, iPads and Tablets, Electronic Spell Checkers, Word Prediction Software, Visual Search Engines, Electronic Resources and Books

Elements of Self Determination
Goal Setting & Attainment, Choice Making, Decision Making, Problem Solving, Self-Regulation, Self-Advocacy, Internal Locus of Control, Self-Efficacy, Self-Awareness

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Have students attach a piece of paper on their backs - each student should write a positive statement about the others.

Have students write a brief, personal notes with something they like about each person

Ask students to give an animal analogy. Ask students to write down what animal they are like and why.

Regularly tell your students, individually, how much you value them

Roleplay job interview or other situations where someone needs to present their skills and qualifications. Video these and have students identify what they did well.

Take your class to an adventure challenge course at a recreational center/park

(Transition Coalition, 2015).

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Another instructional strategy that can be used to promote students' self-determination skills through valuing themselves is to have them assess their self-esteem. Self-esteem is "your general attitude toward yourself. It refers to the extent to which you approve of yourself and value yourself" ( ). Having students assess their self-esteem can provide insight into specific attitudes preventing students from valuing themselves.

Activity: Students from 9th-12th grade can take this test of 35 questions to learn more about their confidence. They can then write a reflective paper (following literacy standards for their grade level/ability) expanding on the assessment results with consideration to what this means for their ability to be self-determined.

Assistive Technology: speech-to-text and text-to-speech software

Self-determination Elements: Self-Efficacy, Self-Awareness, Internal Locus of Control

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Self-esteem is your general attitude toward yourself. Take this 5 minute assessment to learn about your level of self-esteem and what to do if it is too low.

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Remember to tell your students, or children, how much you value them (and why) whenever you can!

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This Teacher Guide by KidsHealth.Org includes standards, related links, discussion questions, and activities for 9th-12th grade students to recognize the importance of having self-esteem and valuing themselves.

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"High school is all about getting your students equipped with the tools they need to succeed in life and their careers after high school. How students learn and utilize the skills you teach them depends largely on their attitude toward their abilities." (S, 2021)

Students in high school become increasingly more aware of who they are as individuals and begin to establish attitudes about themselves and their abilities. When students have a growth mindset, they possess positive attitudes about who they are and what they can achieve. Fostering a growth mindset is an optional instructional strategy that can be used to support students as they learn to value their individual potential.

Progression: Students in grades 9-12 can be exposed to lessons on growth mindset and can engage in activities where they have opportunities to reflect on their mindset to practice valuing themselves.

Activities & Standards:

9th-grade Activity: Students engage in lessons about growth mindset. They practice identifying examples of fixed mindsets vs. growth mindsets.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.WHST.9-10.1.A

10th-grade Activity: Students are given writing prompts; such as, "Write about a time when you accomplished something that you didn't think you could" or "Many times we doubt ourselves and don’t believe in ourselves. Why do you think this is so? What can you do to believe in yourself?"
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.WHST.9-10.4

11th-grade Activity: Students construct a digital resume detailing their skills and provide explanations of how their skills are valuable. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.WHST.11-12.6

12th-grade Activity: Students create a presentation detailing their abilities, their goals, and provide examples of resources they plan to utilize to help them achieve their goals. They can use this presentation in their IEP and transition meetings.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.WHST.11-12.4

Assistive Technologies: no tech, low tech, and high tech technologies can be utilized for each activity.

Elements of Self-Determination: Self-awareness, Choice Making, Self-Advocacy

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High school is all about getting your students equipped with the tools they need to succeed in life and their careers after high school . How students learn and utilize the skills you teach them depends largely on their attitude toward their abilities.

In her groundbreaking research book, " Mindset: The New Psychology of Success ," psychologist Carol S. Dweck came up with the term growth mindset to describe an attitude present in students who realize that they can always improve on their skills with hard work. Dweck's theory took root in education.

Teachers across the globe are looking for innovative and engaging ways to implement growth mindset activities in high school.
For that reason, we have prepared an ultimate guide on growth mindset for you-what it means, why it matters, and how to incorporate it into your classroom activities.
What Is the Growth Mindset Theory?

The growth mindset theory in education has to do with your students' attitudes toward failure and their motivation to learn and improve their abilities. In broad terms, the theory differentiates between growth and fixed mindsets.

When a student has a growth mindset, they know that they can always improve their skills with learning and practice. Alternatively, when a student holds a fixed mindset, they see their skills as something finite.

Some students can have a predisposition to developing either of the two mindset categories. In reality, though, it's much more frequent that a student shifts between the two. Your student can get a low grade in an exam and focus on the failure alone one day. The next day, they can get excited about a particular assignment, put in the effort, and enjoy the process of learning.

By employing growth mindset activities in your classroom regularly, you make sure your students:

Learn to recognize and alter the belief system that holds them back from improving

Change the negative thoughts they have about their abilities into positive ones

Here are the growth and fixed mindsets in a nutshell:

Students With a Growth Mindset Students With a Fixed Mindset

Believe they will improve their skills with hard work

Welcome challenges

Perceive errors as learning opportunities

Are open to feedback

Love to make an effort when learning

Think their abilities cannot be changed with effort

Avoid challenging themselves

Hate making mistakes and see them as a personal failure

Don't accept constructive criticism

See making an effort as a chore

Why Is Teaching a Growth Mindset Essential?

Students with a growth mindset have an advantage over their peers who have a fixed one.

By encouraging your students to develop a growth mindset, you help them grow into able and confident individuals. Students with growth mindsets are prepared to take on any challenges and choose a career for themselves. They are also willing to gain experiences-for instance, an internship -they need to succeed in their chosen careers.

In the classroom, students who have a growth mindset are:

Prone to self-reflection

Motivated to complete assignments

Able to learn independently

Willing to ask for help when they can't find a solution themselves

Unafraid of making mistakes

Do Growth Mindset Activities in the Classroom Work?

If you have doubts regarding the efficiency of growth mindset activities in the classroom, feel free to dispel them. Committing to teaching a growth mindset through activities, you reshape your students' underlying beliefs toward learning and improvement.
The Impact of a Growth Mindset Intervention
Employing Growth Mindset Activities in High School

Here are some ideas for the activities you can use in your classroom:
The growth mindset theory supports praising students' work rather than their results. This means that you need to encourage your students to feel good about the process of learning itself. You can accomplish this by incorporating growth mindset activities in your lessons consistently.

1. Devote a lesson on teaching the growth mindset theory

2. Let students explore different thinking patterns characteristic of the two mindsets

3. Tell your students to keep an attitude journal

4. Encourage your students to open up about their negative thoughts

5. Have students review their journals

6. Make sure your students learn from their mistakes

7. Strengthen the motivation for learning

8. Have students make growth mindset posters

9. Assign a growth mindset project

The best way to have your students change their perceptions of their abilities is to tell them about the growth mindset first. Devote a lesson to teaching students that their intelligence isn't fixed but can evolve through learning and experience.

When you introduce your students to the theory of growth and fixed mindsets, allow them to make connections between the theory and their own lives. Ask them whether they could read or write when they were born. Did they know how to speak, or did they learn it by practicing consistently?

Having your students reflect on how they learned everything they can do now at some point in their lives could sober them up to the fact that nothing is impossible to achieve.

As homework, your students can explore the growth mindset by doing the following assignments:

Name five skills you learned in the last several years

Pick one learning experience in your life and describe it in several sentences

Write what you think of the growth mindset and how it can help you

Name a skill you would like to have or improve on

Explain how possessing this skill enriches your life

To encourage students to nurture a growth mindset, you need to remind them of it constantly. Following your lesson on the growth mindset, assign an activity for which your students need to explore the differences between growth and fixed mindsets. Here's how you can do it:

1. Divide students into growth mindset and fixed mindset groups

2. Tell them to put themselves in the shoes of a person who has a growth or fixed mindset, according to the group they're in

3. Have students write down five sentences that exemplify the growth and fixed mindset thought patterns

4. Let student groups exchange their sentences and write down five more thoughts from the opposite group

5. Have students read the sentences they've written, discuss them together as a class, and ask your students whether they can relate to any of the thoughts

In line with the activity your students did in class, they can begin to pay attention to their own thinking patterns. Assign homework for which they have to write down what they're going through in a thought journal.

Tell your students you will be the only one who gets to read their thoughts, so they won't be embarrassed in front of their peers. If they don't have time, students can jot down a single thought per day. Instruct them that these thoughts should reflect their attitude toward:

Besides having students keep a thought journal, you should also encourage them to share their thoughts with the class. Your students can't nurture a growth mindset if they don't pay attention to how they are feeling. Before starting a lesson on any given day, ask your students to tell you how they feel about learning a new concept.

When your students open up, instruct them to think differently about learning a new skill. Remind them that changing their thoughts actively will go a long way in developing a growth mindset.

When several weeks of nurturing a growth mindset culture in your classroom have passed, have your students review their thought journals. They should identify whether some of their attitudes toward learning have changed.

Tell your students to notice a pattern in their thoughts and emotions. For example, if there were days when they felt particularly sad or anxious, they can track down a reason why that was the case. Maybe they had more work to do and were generally tired and didn't get enough sleep.

Your students should also look for the cause behind the thoughts and emotions they experience frequently. If there is a particular subject in school that gives your students a headache, they should be aware of that. They can then set a goal in their thought journal to try to change their attitude toward that subject. For every negative thought they have, they can write the positive alternative next to it and, in that way, shift their attitude over time.

This activity teaches your students that their perception of learning and their abilities matter greatly. It also demonstrates that they are the ones who have to take control of their improvement.

A growth mindset classroom is a classroom in which mistakes are welcomed and encouraged. Too many times, your students will shy away from an activity or raising a hand because they believe their contribution would be futile or their answers wrong.

Your students might know that they can only learn from making mistakes, but they need to be able to apply this knowledge by participating in their classroom activities. You can also make errors yourself in front of your students to show them how mistakes are only the steps toward improvement.

Show your students how they can deal with their frustration when they make a mistake. You can hang a poster in your classroom that displays positive and negative attitudes toward mistakes. It could look like a table below:

The left column could be black and white, while the right column could be colorful. You can also have an activity for which students will work on making the table themselves. They will reflect on their attitude toward making mistakes and learn the importance of changing them into positive ones.

If you want to motivate your students to nurture a growth mindset actively, you must teach them the importance of a positive attitude toward learning.

When they know why they need to track their thoughts and change them into positive ones, your students will be more motivated to work on the activities.

If you are teaching a subject related to IT, this is the perfect opportunity to have your students design a growth mindset poster using software. Of course, the activity can also be done traditionally in an arts and crafts class.

Your students can work on posters you will hang in your classroom or the school halls. They can write their original thoughts, copy inspirational messages from the internet, or dig up growth mindset quotes to put on a poster. You can also give them a set of quotes and assign your students to research where the quotes come from for homework.

An alternative to designing a poster is having a growth mindset bulletin board in your classroom. Your students can pin positive messages on it and change them as weeks go by. They can also pin negative messages if they're going through a rough patch and have their peers write positive alternatives below them. This way, everyone works toward nurturing a growth mindset and transforming the school culture for the better.

If a few months have passed since you introduced the practice of growth mindset to your classes, your students should reflect on their progress on a larger scale. Assign a writing project that consists of three parts:
Your students can work on this activity over several days-or weeks, if they want to-to see how far they've come with transforming their mindsets.

1. Growth mindset questions-your students can start by answering growth mindset questions. It will help them identify the areas for improvement, as well as the hurdles they have already overcome in their path toward developing a growth mindset

2. Why I can do this-this Understood activity helps your students reflect on a specific challenge they're facing. They can do it multiple times for every obstacle they're dealing with, such as learning a skill or completing a particular school assignment

3. Growth mindset action plan-whenever your students experience a setback, they can use this growth mindset action plan to deal with it efficiently. The nine questions help your students analyze the setback and explore how they can move on rather than blame themselves for their mistakes

Let's Create a Growth Mindset Culture Together

Dale Carnegie wrote that "most of the important things in the world have been accomplished by people who have kept on trying when there seemed no hope at all." Here's an example of a quote you can inspire your students with, but you can learn from it too.

It can be challenging to incorporate growth mindset activities in your classroom consistently when you are already dealing with your teacher workload. For your own sake and that of your students, you need to build a positive mindset toward growth. Not a single one of your students should be held back by underlying beliefs that they cannot do better.

We believe that the most important step toward shaping school culture that it's positive and equitable for all is collaboration . To that end, we invite you to share your ideas with us on how you think a growth mindset can be incorporated into schools across the country. We'll find a place for your ideas on our blog.

Let's join forces and rethink education!

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Inspiring Growth Mindset Activities for High School Students

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High school is all about getting your students equipped with the tools they need to succeed in life and their careers after high school . How students learn and utilize the skills you teach them depends largely on their attitude toward their abilities.

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Below are CA Common Core State Standards (CA-CCSS) that apply to all sections above regarding "Know Yourself Instructional Strategies" and "Environment" that your high school child transitioning will learn between 9-12 grades.

Applicable CA-CCSS:
- California’s Social and Emotional Learning Guiding Principles (CDE, 2018): https://www.cde.ca.gov/eo/in/socialemotionallearning.asp. https://www.cde.ca.gov/eo/in/documents/selguidingprincipleswb.pdf.
- Career Technical Education Anchor Standards: all subject areas (CDE, 2014).
- English Language Arts Standards: grades 9-12 Career Readiness component of each standard (CCCSSI, 2021).

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Another key feature of teaching self-determination skills includes nurturing and supporting students as they learn to value themselves.

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Collaboration between the following IEP stakeholders is important in all successful transitions for high school students (Levenson, 2021) (SEIS.org, 2022) (VDOE, 2022):
-Parents/Guardians
-Family Members
-Close Friends
-General Education Teachers
-Special Education Teachers
-Career/Academic Counselors
-School Psychologist
-School/Local Social Worker
-School Administrative Staff
-SPED Third Party Providers for: Speech, Occupational/Vocational Therapy, and Physical Therapy
-Local SELPA and County Office of Education Transition Personnel
-School Workability Program Manager
-Third Party Organizations
-Local Community Businesses

Review the three resources below for further transition support resources.

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Martin Solis          RSP/Math Teacher        Esparto Unified School District

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Martin Solis          RSP/Math Teacher        Esparto Unified School District

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My name is Mr. Solis and I am a Special Education and Mathematics Teacher currently working at Esparto High School. I am a creative and dedicated to the art of teaching and committed to empowering students to learn. My passion for Mathematics is also rooted in my belief that we need to continue teaching mathematics in order to empower the disadvantaged and underrepresented communities and our students. I take great pride in teaching and hope this Padlet information page proves helpful to all looking to learn more about the importance of Self-Determination in our high school students.

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750 million+ members | Manage your professional identity. Build and engage with your professional network. Access knowledge, insights and opportunities.

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Attached is a collection of blogs and websites where parents/guardians just like you have told their stories in hopes of helping others with transitions.

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Support Organizations by Disability Type

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Support Organizations by Disability Type

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Attached are multiple organizations that support parents/guardians, your family, and transitioning high school students by disability type under IDEA.

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Attached are several different Local, State, and Federal organizations/agencies that can support you, your child with disabilities and family with the process of transitioning from high school to adulthood. Some of the attached resources are specific to certain disabilities, while others are general and provide transitional supports to all IEP stakeholders.

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How can parents help their child to be self-determined? 

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How can parents help their child to be self-determined? 

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The website imdetermined.org provides numerous helpful resources. The link above will direct you to a module that details the key ideas of self-determination and how a parent can support their child in their journey to be self-determined at school, home and in the community. (Parent Path to Success - I'm Determined, 2022)

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Parents and caregivers have certain goals in mind when their children go to school. In order for your child to achieve these goals, there are certain decisions that you, as a parent, will have to make along the way.

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Parents and caregivers have certain goals in mind when their children go to school. In order for your child to achieve these goals, there are certain decisions that you, as a parent, will have to make along the way.

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About IDEA. (2022, February 15). Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. https://sites.ed.gov/idea/about-idea/

California Common Core State Standards Initiative (CCCSSI) (2022). Common Core State Standards Initiative: Preparing America’s Students for College and Career: “English Language Arts Standards Reading: Literature Grade 9-10”. http:// www.corestandards.org/ELA-Literacy/RL/9-10/.

Parent Path to Success - I'm Determined. (2022, February 22). I’m Determined. https://www.imdetermined.org/resource/parent-path-to-success/

S, G. (2021, January 15). Inspiring Growth Mindset Activities for High School Students. Unify High School. https://unifyhighschool.org/growth-mindset-activities-for-high-school/

Self-determination and self-advocacy for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. (2015, December 16). YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h5-T1fFN5SA

Self-Esteem (for Kids) - Nemours KidsHealth. (2018). Kidshealth.Org. https://kidshealth.org/en/kids/self-esteem.html

SOAR Learning, Inc. (2022). Self-Esteem Assessment. Www.How-to-Study.Com. https://www.how-to-study.com/self-esteem-assessment/

Transition Coalition. (2015, June 26). Definitions of Self-Determination. https://transitioncoalition.org/module-2/definitions-of-self-determination/

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The I'm Determined project, a state directed project funded by the Virginia Department of Education, focuses on providing direct instruction, models, and opportunities to practice skills associated with self-determined behavior.

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Self-determination can be defined as "an individual’s awareness of personal strengths and weaknesses, the ability to set goals and make choices, to be assertive at appropriate times, and to interact with others in a socially component manner” (Transition Coalition, 2015).

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California Common Core State Standards Initiative (CCCSSI) (2022). Common Core State Standards Initiative: Preparing America’s Students for College and Career: “English Language Arts Standards Reading: Literature Grade 9-10”. http:// www.corestandards.org/ELA-Literacy/RL/9-10/.

California Department of Education (2014). California Common Core State Standards for Mathematics. https://www.cde.ca.gov/be/st/ss/documents/finalelaccssstandards.pdf.

California Department of Education (CDE) (2018). California’s Social and Emotional Learning Guiding Principles. https://www.cde.ca.gov/eo/in/socialemotionallearn ing.asp. https://www.cde.ca.gov/eo/in/documents/selguidingprinci pleswb.pdf.

Collaborative for Academic Social and Emotional Learning (CASEL) (2019). CASEL Website. https://casel.org/.

Friend, M., & Cook, L. (2016). Interactions (8th Edition). Pearson Education, US. https://bookshelf.vitalsource.com/books/9780134256771.

Heick, T. (2012, October 19). “Integrating the 16 Habits of Mind: A quick tour of Costa and Kallick’s 16 Habits of Mind, along with suggestions for implementing them as classroom

best practices”. Edutopia by George Lucas Educational Foundation, 2021. https://www.edutopia.org/blog/habits-of-mind-terrell-heick.

Lencioni, P. (2002). The Five Dysfunctions of a Team. Jossey-Bass, 1st edition (April 11, 2002). ISBN-10: 0787960756.

Levenson, N. (2021). ”10 Best Practices for Improving Special Education”. District Management Group. https://www.dmgroupk12.com/blog/10-best-practices-for-improving-special-education.

Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (MDESE) & Novak, K. (2019, January 9). “Multi-tiered System of Supports”. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IysduZw7v_Y&feature=youtu.be.

McLeskey, J., Barringer, M.D., Billingsley, B., Brownell, M., Jackson, D., Kennedy, M., Lewis,T., Maheady, L., Rodriguez, J., Scheler, M.C., Winn, J., & Ziegler, D. (2017, January). “High-leverage practices in special education”. Collaboration. Arlington, VA: Council for Exceptional Children & CEEDAR Center. https://highleveragepractices.org/collaboration/.

Padlet.com (2022). “Self-Determination”. https://padlet.com/shylher/yfbeb01v2wq9mqus.

Parsons, F. (2017, n/a). “An Intervention for the Intervention: Integrating Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports with Culturally Responsive Practices.” Delta Kappa Gamma Bulletin; Austin Vol. 83, 3: pp.52-57. https://search-proquest-com.nuls.idm.oclc.org/docview/1929677482.

PBIS Rewards (2021). "What is MTSS?”. Motivating Systems LLC. https://www.pbisrewards.com/blog/what-is-mtss/.

PREP Educational Products, Inc. and Army Community Service Reintegration and Communication (2022). “Speaker-Listener-Technique”. https://carson.armymwr.com/application/files/6315/3815/2578/ACS_RIT_COMPLETE_slides_online_rit.pdf.

Sioux Falls Schools (2017, August 24). “Special Education and Regular Education: Working Together”. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jlc1ZU-P8jc.

Toastmasters.org (2022). Home Page. https://www.toastmasters.org.

Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) (2022). TTAC Online: “Self-Determination Essentials”. https://ttaconline.org/index.

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In this short 10 minute video, Karrie Shogren (2015) discusses the role that self-determination and self-advocacy play for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Through teaching self-determination, we can "enable the people to be the people" (8:40). In other words, we can enable students to share their own experiences, wants, and needs to make effective choices when we empower them through self-determination instruction.

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Self-determination and self-advocacy for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities

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Currently enrolled at National University pursuing a Master Degree in Special Education with a Mild to Moderate Credential in Special Education. Currently, employed as a Resource Specialist Teacher servicing students with specific learning disabilities, emotional disturbance, and other health impairments at a public high school. I have more than 10 years of service in special education.

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Regina Jaso - Special Education Teacher - Los Angeles Unified School District | LinkedIn

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Currently enrolled at National University pursuing a Master Degree in Special Education with a Mild to Moderate Credential in Special Education. Currently, employed as a Resource Specialist Teacher servicing students with specific learning disabilities, emotional disturbance, and other health impairments at a public high school.

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Taking ACTion
This step of the Self Determination Model is where the action happens and risks should be taken. Keep in mind there are different forms of "taking risks" and risks come in different forms and levels  that vary per individual (Transition Coalition).
Progression

IDEA requires formal transition planning for students with disabilities beginning at age 16, and in some states this process may begin at an even earlier age, Friend and Cook (2016).

Key Points to Teach Students on How to Act:
By Hoffman and Fields (2005)
Using Good Communication Skills

Learn good communication skills to express  themselves, their needs and preferences

learn about what types communication styles that include: assertive, passive, and aggressive communication styles

Negotiating and Dealing with Conflict and Criticism

Learning to negotiate is a skill that helps students work things out when things do not turn out according to plan

Learning to deal with conflict and criticism teaches students to make the choice about when to confront and when to avoid issues and critics

Accessing Resources and Support

Teaching students to seek resources, people, services, or agencies that help students meet their goals

Prompting students to creating a "safety-net" to help with people and resources to practice with their planning

Interview people with and without disabilities to reveal positive relationships and see people with self-determination skills (Fields, Hoffman & Sawilowsky, 1993)

Being Focused and Persistent

Students should learn to be persistent so that will not easily give up and rely on others to make decisions for them

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Progression
Planning  and learning to plan is a skill that students need to learn and practice especially those students in their high school years (9th to 12th grade) and planning for their young adult life. Once students learn to create small goals and accomplish those attainable goals they can plan for more complex goals. Educators, both teachers and paraprofessionals should plan, teach and practice goal planning and ways to accomplish those goals.

Setting Goals
According to Hoffman and Field (2005) identify key elements of setting a plan:

Setting Goals

set small or short term goals

identify the steps needed to achieve the goals

practice how i identify the steps of a short term goal

Being creative

Teach students a creative ways to identify different courses of action, identify different people who might be involved in completing the actions/steps, as well as other resources that would be helpful

Identify new strategies to get around barriers to meet goals.

Practicing

Visual and physical rehearsal to gain confidence in the steps that students plan to implement

Review their minds or imagine how students  will implement their plan what it will be like when they meet their goal

Physical rehearsal to practice different case scenarios

Have student lead their IEP (only is allowed by district)

Have students develop and  share their knowledge of themselves

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Hi there!

I am an educator working to achieve my Master's of Education in Special Education with a mild/moderate credential. I am enthusiastic about learning new ways to assist people according to their unique needs, dreams, and interests. I possess an excellent ability to motivate others, coupled with the ability to communicate comfortably at all levels. I am an open-minded, patient, creative, productive, and supportive person who loves to empower people through the field of education. I am seeking a full-time position and am open to different grade levels. Thank you for taking the time to review my profile and please feel free to contact me with any questions.

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Shyla Hernandez - Masters Student - National University | LinkedIn

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Hi there! I am an educator working to achieve my Master's of Education in Special Education with a mild/moderate credential. I am enthusiastic about learning new ways to assist people according to their unique needs, dreams, and interests. I possess an excellent ability to motivate others, coupled with the ability to communicate comfortably at all levels.

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Progression: Once a student with an IEP has learned of their disability they can enter different settings such as a classroom, gym, cafeteria, or work space with a better feeling of confidence (CASEL, 2019) (CDE, 2018) (VDOE, 2022). Each of these environments comes with their own set of expectations, supports, and resources. For high school students, even through the burden should not be on the student to request help/supports, this burden often falls to the student. This is not a bad in thing in one way, because students who enter any environment and advocate for themselves and their needs, tend to be more successful beyond high school. Students with disabilities, in order to have the highest level of success in any environment, not only need to know themselves, but need to be able to ask for help as needed anywhere anytime (CASEL, 2019) (CDE, 2018) (VDOE, 2022). Entering a gym, a student who uses a wheel chair may need to ask for the best place to park to watch a game. A student with a Specific Learning Disability such as an Auditory Processing disorder may need to ask a teacher to provide a visual diagram of a concept being taught in a classroom.

Activity: Have your teenager complete a Career Profile quiz using one of the links below to identify what type of work environment aligns with their needs, personality, and goals: https://www.123test.com/career-test/ OR https://www.opencolleges.edu.au/careers/career-quiz.

Assistive Technology: Personal Computer or Smart Device with text to speech software and access to a gmail account with a Google Drive, so they can save their results and access them anywhere anytime.

Self-Determination Areas: Goal Setting, Decision Making, Problem Solving, Internal Locus of Control, Self-Advocacy, Self-Regulation, and Self-Awareness.

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What career best fits your personality? This free career aptitude test can give you insight into your job personality. Based on a characterization of your personality in terms of Holland Code personality types, you will learn what kind of work environments, occupations and skills suit you best. The results of this career assessment test provide you with a list of professions and occupations that fit your career personality and will guide you on your career path.

Choose a career that matches your skills and preferences. You will increase your chances of being successful! Take this career quiz and get your results right now!
(We also offer practice aptitude tests for assessment training if that's what you are looking for.)
Career test instructions

It takes five to ten minutes to complete this free career test. You will see fifteen sets of four pictures that show specific work activities. You must choose only one work activity that appeals to you the most and one that appeals to you the least.

Do not choose a work activity based on the status or money associated with it. Do not make your choice based on gender or race. Just imagine yourself performing the task shown and decide if you would like to do it or not.

If you like doing the activity, click the on the picture. If you do not like doing the activity, click the on the picture. You must choose a like and dislike for each set.

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Career test (2023) - Free online aptitude test - 123test.com

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This career test will help you find out what professions fit your personality. Take this free online test right now at 123test.com and work on your career!

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Progression: IDEA requires students of 16 or older to work on a transition plan and ideally be included in their own IEP meetings (IDEA, 2004) (VDOE, 2022). Often students are included in the IEP process much earlier than this so they can begin to understand their own disability. Part of the process of learning about one's disability is to figure out how to work with one's limitations and adapt. The more a student understands their disability, the more they are able to accept it as a super power of uniqueness and thrive. Does your child know how their disability affects them on a daily basis? Do those around them accept their disability and support them with normalizing the impact the disability has on their daily living? Does your teenager with a disability know what supports/tools/skills they need in the classroom, at home, or at a job to function with success on their own?

Activity: Have your high school child complete the above form, or at least ask them the above questions and see how they respond (VDOE, 2022). This will provide a good idea of whether they can functionally express their disability and corresponding needs to anyone they may encounter throughout their lives.

Assistive Technology: Print out the above worksheet to help them, and discuss the questions and their answers with them. Text to Speech software may also be helpful as well as visually cues or helping them diagram details like their accommodations. Remember, a picture is worth a thousand words.

Self-Determination Areas: Problem Solving, Internal Locus of Control, Self-Efficacy, Self-Regulation, and Self-Awareness.

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Progression: There are many ways students can figure out their needs and preferences, and as they learn, grow, and age their needs will change (Heick, 2012). In some cases they can simply ask medical or educational staff what their needs are related to their disability, or learn about their special needs through IEP service sessions such as Occupational Therapy (CASEL, 2019) (VDOE, 2022). Some 9th graders may not be mature enough to desire to know what their needs are, while some 12th graders will feel offended if a parent, teacher, or instructional aid tries to help them with school work without asking if they need it first. Practical needs such as a specific writing tool can be a need they require to be successful in college, or taking classes in a certain way like online may be their preference as there are less distractions than a physical classroom with 30 students. Always ask your high school child what supports do they feel they need or want first.

Activity: Encourage your high school child to complete their own Accommodations Survey and/or Student Interest Survey (see above Google Survey link), and discuss the results with you and their IEP SPED team at school (VDOE, 2022). Another helpful quiz is: https://sdiprdwb.ku.edu/consent.php?rf=ot&sg=s.

Assistive Technology: Personal Computer or Smart Device with text to speech software and access to a gmail account with a Google Drive, so they can save their results and access them anywhere anytime.

Self-Determination Areas: Choice Making, Goal Setting, Problem Solving, Internal Locus of Control, Self-Efficacy, Self-Regulation, and Self-Awareness.

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Google Forms - create and analyze surveys, for free.

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Progression: As students grow in the education setting, they are constantly learning more and more about themselves. One of the big differences between a 6th grader and a 9th or 12th grader is their awareness of what they are good at verses what they perceive as a weakness. A 12th grader who plays football may very well know they are good at being a running back, but a 9th grader who has not taken Calculus may not know whether or not they are even good at that type of math. Every day we work with students who say: "I love math", "I hate english", or "I just come to school to see friends and play sports". All of these statements are clues into what each student perceives their strengths, weaknesses, and preferences to be (Heick, 2012). Someone who states they do not like English may struggle with reading, writing, or speaking, while someone who explains they love sports make be great at building relationships or socializing.

Activity: There are many self-assessment students can complete to identify what they are good at verses some things they struggle with or could improve upon. Some assessments are: learning style inventories, personality tests, and regular subject tests from high school classes. Sometimes the best way to find out strengths and weaknesses is to ask teachers, peers, family, and friends. Another activity that can really help a high school student identify their strengths and weaknesses is to video record them in action during a sporting event, a class presentation, or when working on a team (Parsons, 2017). Above is one Strengths/Weaknesses survey specifically designed for students with disabilities.

Assistive Technology: Print out the above worksheet to help them, and discuss the questions and their answers with them. Text to Speech software may also be helpful as well as visually cues or helping them diagram details like their accommodations. Remember, a picture is worth a thousand words.

Self-Determination Areas: Goal Setting, Problem Solving, Internal Locus of Control, Self-Efficacy, Self-Regulation, and Self-Awareness.

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Progression: Many high school students wait until their senior year, or even after they graduate, to think about their future plans. High school students often find planning for the future unsettling or unnecessary. Having some kind of plan for after high school is better than having no plan. Knowing one's self is essential to coming up with a vision for one's life beyond high school (VDOE, 2022). Typically 8th graders are excite to enter high school even though they may feel insecure their freshman year. By 10th grade students are learning and growing a great deal until 11th grade where they start to get very intense about the future and their grades. Usually, by 12th grade students are either prepared and applying to colleges, potential jobs, or struggling just to graduate. Meeting head-on their future in some way is essential for confidence and high school completion.

Activity: Have student talk about or write down their ideal day as an adult. In this activity they can answer simple questions like: What time do I want to wake up? What kind of work or activities would I like to do (include career activities, hobbies, and things they would do with others like family)? What kind of food would I like to eat? Where would I live? What wold my home look like? What style of clothes would I wear? Etc.

Assistive Technology: Personal Computer with speech to text software, grammar, spell check, and audio play back.

Self-Determination Areas: Choice Making, Decision Making, Goal Setting, Internal Locus of Control, Self-Efficacy, and Self-Awareness.

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Simple Living Tips
>>> Before I get started download your FREE worksheet to go along with this post!
For the past week or so I have been working my way through this e-course. In one of the first lessons the instructor, , talks about writing out your "ideal day." I had heard about this exercise in the past, but never really thought much about it. I thought, "that sounds cool", but never took the time to actually complete the exercise myself and thought, "nah, that sounds too difficult and not very helpful to me and my life."

After listening to Kendra talk about writing out your ideal day I thought I would at least give it a shot before turning it down...again. And I am so glad that I did.

I was actually intrigued by the idea so i did a bit of research. I wanted to know where the concept came from and how it could help me on my simple living journey.

The exercise reminds me of an interview question I had read about when I was prepping for interviews during college. The whole point of that question is to get you to think about your values and priorities, in the context of the job position you are interviewing for.

In the course, Kendra was not talking about your ideal day in terms of a job interview, rather, she was talking about your ideal day from an overall perspective. During an interview you wouldn't get into the mundane details like what pajamas you wear.

However, in the course, the instructor does recommend getting into the weeds. She recommends that you are very specific about what happens in your day, how you feel, what you wear, who you are with, and what you eat. She says the more details you provide about your ideal day, the more understanding you will have about where you want your life to go.

The purpose behind this exercise is to articulate your ambitions and your goals. What makes you tick? What gets you excited to wake up in the morning? These are all things that would make up your ideal day.

I think it's important to note that the exercise is about your ideal day, not your perfect day. There is no such thing as a perfect day. Ideal can be defined as "being complete of its kind and without defect or blemish." When we write out our ideal day we should think about how we would like the day to look, but keep in mind that no perfect day exists.

Photo by JESHOOTS.COM on Unsplash

Why write out your ideal day? Your ideal day:

Provides you with an opportunity to articulate your priorities, as long as you actually write (or type) it out. Simply thinking about your ideal day will not have the same effect.

Gives you direction to work towards your goals. By writing my ideal day out I am committing to taking steps to make it a reality. I am not writing a piece of fiction here, I actually want to see this ideal day become a reality!

Encourages you to think, not just about your big goals, but about the little things in your day as well. Picturing things like when you wake up, what food you eat, etc. is using a technique called visualization. This is the same tool athletes use to help them score the winning goal. If it helps athletes play their game well, why can't it help us to live our ideal life?

How to write out your ideal day

Set aside some time where you are comfortable and won't be distracted.

Think about some general topics as you write: general schedule, health, people, creativity, long-term goals, relaxation, location, income, and priorities.

Use a list of question prompts to help you think about the various parts of the day. These help you to be more specific and really dig into the details. A few examples to get you started:

Where would you be?

Who would you be with?

When do you wake up?

What do you have for breakfast?

Do you have children?

Do you work inside the home? Outside the home?

-> For even more questions prompts consider downloading the FREE worksheet here!

Ideal day madlibs - this is a fun free tool where they have drafted the narrative for you and left blanks for you to fill in your personal information. This is great if you have never done something like this before or you have no idea where to start!

With a simple google search you will find numerous examples people have written. This article has some great examples (scroll to the bottom) and a video helping you write out your own.

Photo by Tamara Menzi on Unsplash

So what does your ideal day have to do with actually living a simpler life?

I am so glad you asked! Your ideal day has EVERYTHING to do with whether or not you are living a simple life. Your ideal day is essentially a narrative of what you prioritize in life. In other words, what you write about in your ideal day should be what you are already doing or what you hope to do in the near future.

When I wrote out my ideal day I wrote things like:

"my family relaxed and played together in an uncluttered living room"

"we ate simple, healthy meals together as a family"

"my family was not tripping over toys or shoes everywhere"

These types of statements indicate that I want a simpler home and I prioritize quality time with my family over managing stuff, cleaning stuff, and buying more stuff.

The things I wrote about in my ideal day should mirror "" behind living a simpler life. I want to live a simpler life so that I spend less time on the things in my life and spend more quality time with the people I cherish. My ideal day is full of those people.
->For more help writing your own WHY check out this post.
Your turn

Have you ever written out your ideal day? What did you learn about your priorities by writing out your ideal day? Please share in the comments below or send me an email!
>>> Before I get started download your FREE worksheet to go along with this post!
For the past week or so I have been working my way through this e-course. In one of the first lessons the instructor, , talks about writing out your "ideal day." I had heard about this exercise in the past, but never really thought much about it. I thought, "that sounds cool", but never took the time to actually complete the exercise myself and thought, "nah, that sounds too difficult and not very helpful to me and my life."

After listening to Kendra talk about writing out your ideal day I thought I would at least give it a shot before turning it down...again. And I am so glad that I did.

I was actually intrigued by the idea so i did a bit of research. I wanted to know where the concept came from and how it could help me on my simple living journey.

The exercise reminds me of an interview question I had read about when I was prepping for interviews during college. The whole point of that question is to get you to think about your values and priorities, in the context of the job position you are interviewing for.

In the course, Kendra was not talking about your ideal day in terms of a job interview, rather, she was talking about your ideal day from an overall perspective. During an interview you wouldn't get into the mundane details like what pajamas you wear.

However, in the course, the instructor does recommend getting into the weeds. She recommends that you are very specific about what happens in your day, how you feel, what you wear, who you are with, and what you eat. She says the more details you provide about your ideal day, the more understanding you will have about where you want your life to go.

The purpose behind this exercise is to articulate your ambitions and your goals. What makes you tick? What gets you excited to wake up in the morning? These are all things that would make up your ideal day.

I think it's important to note that the exercise is about your ideal day, not your perfect day. There is no such thing as a perfect day. Ideal can be defined as "being complete of its kind and without defect or blemish." When we write out our ideal day we should think about how we would like the day to look, but keep in mind that no perfect day exists.

Photo by JESHOOTS.COM on Unsplash

Why write out your ideal day? Your ideal day:

Provides you with an opportunity to articulate your priorities, as long as you actually write (or type) it out. Simply thinking about your ideal day will not have the same effect.

Gives you direction to work towards your goals. By writing my ideal day out I am committing to taking steps to make it a reality. I am not writing a piece of fiction here, I actually want to see this ideal day become a reality!

Encourages you to think, not just about your big goals, but about the little things in your day as well. Picturing things like when you wake up, what food you eat, etc. is using a technique called visualization. This is the same tool athletes use to help them score the winning goal. If it helps athletes play their game well, why can't it help us to live our ideal life?

How to write out your ideal day

Set aside some time where you are comfortable and won't be distracted.

Think about some general topics as you write: general schedule, health, people, creativity, long-term goals, relaxation, location, income, and priorities.

Use a list of question prompts to help you think about the various parts of the day. These help you to be more specific and really dig into the details. A few examples to get you started:

Where would you be?

Who would you be with?

When do you wake up?

What do you have for breakfast?

Do you have children?

Do you work inside the home? Outside the home?

-> For even more questions prompts consider downloading the FREE worksheet here!

Ideal day madlibs - this is a fun free tool where they have drafted the narrative for you and left blanks for you to fill in your personal information. This is great if you have never done something like this before or you have no idea where to start!

With a simple google search you will find numerous examples people have written. This article has some great examples (scroll to the bottom) and a video helping you write out your own.

Photo by Tamara Menzi on Unsplash

So what does your ideal day have to do with actually living a simpler life?

I am so glad you asked! Your ideal day has EVERYTHING to do with whether or not you are living a simple life. Your ideal day is essentially a narrative of what you prioritize in life. In other words, what you write about in your ideal day should be what you are already doing or what you hope to do in the near future.

When I wrote out my ideal day I wrote things like:

"my family relaxed and played together in an uncluttered living room"

"we ate simple, healthy meals together as a family"

"my family was not tripping over toys or shoes everywhere"

These types of statements indicate that I want a simpler home and I prioritize quality time with my family over managing stuff, cleaning stuff, and buying more stuff.

The things I wrote about in my ideal day should mirror "" behind living a simpler life. I want to live a simpler life so that I spend less time on the things in my life and spend more quality time with the people I cherish. My ideal day is full of those people.
->For more help writing your own WHY check out this post.
Your turn

Have you ever written out your ideal day? What did you learn about your priorities by writing out your ideal day? Please share in the comments below or send me an email!

Welcome

Hi, I'm Tara! I'm a wife and mom and we are on a journey to live a more simple life. If you'd like to come along for the ride sign up below!

FREE E-Book!

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How to Write Out Your Ideal Day and What It Has to Do With Simple Living - i Dream of Simple

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Simple Living Tips >>> Before I get started download your FREE worksheet to go along with this post! For the past week or so I have been working my way through this e-course . In one of the first lessons the instructor, , talks about writing out your "ideal day."

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Summary / Important Information for Parents

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Summary / Important Information for Parents

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This Pamphlet can be used to review the key points of Self-Determination and to further your understanding of how you can help your child or student succeed using self-determination instructional strategies.

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According to Hoffman and Field (2005), the Value Yourself element of the model focuses on "helping students to accept themselves for who they are and learning to admire their unique qualities" (Transition Coalition, 2015).

In this section, you will find various instructional strategies for teaching self-determination to 9-12 grade students. These strategies include alignment to California Common Core State Standards (CA-CCSS), assistive technologies, and the elements of self-determination.

The goal of these instructional strategies is to provide opportunities to students to identify their unique qualities so that they can recognize their value and build upon their abilities to be self-determined. This way, they can be an active participant in the decisions being made about their education and post-secondary goals.

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Setting: A culturally diverse public high school is a whirlwind of self development and social awareness. Students entering 9th grade are the new students to a new environment, while 12th graders are the experts who have formulated a sense of self to a large degree. Most high schools, even for those in a special day class or a regular classroom with mild/moderate disabilities, provide multiple non stop periods from morning to afternoon with very tiny (5 minute) breaks between classes. Students are expected to jump from Physical Education one period to World History to Math and then English every day. For students with mild/moderate disabilities in the regular classroom, each period presents a different teacher, peer groups, and expectations. For some students with an IEP, their only constant is their Instructional Aid or the challenges they face from their disability. One teacher may readily provide a support according to the student's IEP, while another teacher may need the student with an IEP to remind the teacher to provide the correct support when needed.

IEP Services: Students with mild/moderate disabilities and in high school in the General Education classroom may receive Instructional Aid or Specialized Academic Instruction in their regular classrooms. Students may receive Accommodations, Modifications, and other hardware or software supports such as Speech to Text technology, the use of a calculator, or extended time for assignments. Additional pull-out services (supports students receive outside the General Education classroom) may included but is not limited to: Special Academic Instruction from a SPED Teacher or Instructional Aid, Speech Therapy, Occupational or Physical Therapy, Transition Planning services, Mental Health Counseling, and Career/College educational services.

Outcome: The hope of many for our parents/guardians of high school age students is that our teenagers discover enough about themselves through four years of schooling that they become functional participants in society through independent living, and applying different skills that add value to their own lives and the lives of others (VDOE, 2022). Whether our students with mild/moderate disabilities graduate high school with a diploma or a certificate, all IEP stakeholders look to support our students with learning life skills such as functional communication, occupational/vocational awareness, and independent daily living techniques unique to each persons needs. The idea that 9-12th grade high school education simply provides students with important subject matter knowledge is outdated. Casel.org provides a clear picture into the world of Social-Emotional Learning and the skills necessary for all students, including those with disabilities, to thrive as independent learners and be a productive member of society (2019).

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Overview of the Experience Outcomes and Learn: 

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Overview of the Experience Outcomes and Learn: 

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According to Hoffman and Field (2005), the  model of Self-Determination provides a clear framework for reviewing key elements for providing instruction that includes self-determination to youth with disabilities (Transition Coalition, 2015). One of the elements is experiencing outcomes and learning. This element of the model describes the importance of celebrating successes, recognizing challenges and defeats, reflecting on the skills used or knowledge gained to enhance student self determination skills (Transition Coalition, 2015). This is much aligned with a common phrase of  “it is not the end goal, but the journey that matters the most.”  While being able to achieve goals set out initially in a student plan is to be commended, it alone isn’t what leads to increased self-determination. Our students’  experiences along the way are essential contributing factors in their learning and increasing the capacity for self-determination.

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"Teachers heal society's ignorance through life long learning, experiential activities, and consistency". - Mr. T.

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MY NAME IS mr. narabemi

Welcome to my educator website! I created this site to help me connect with my students and their families. Here you can learn a little bit about me as an educator and find unique learning resources for high school students. If you need extra support, I invite you to schedule a virtual meeting with me through the Contact page. Thank you for visiting!

my TEACHING PHILOSOPHY

Recognize. Reflect. Act.

These are the 3 main skills I encourage in my classes: recognizing opportunities, reflecting on growth, and taking ethical action. When practiced consistently, these skills not only provide students with a reliable perspective for learning a wide variety of academic subjects like history, but they also empower students to become lifelong learners.

so much more than history

I believe that through practicing mindfulness, compassion, and creativity my students will become inspired to strengthen our global community in their own unique ways.

classroom resources

Click below to access my preferred teaching resources.

MY teaching strategies

Click below to find out the top 12 teaching strategies I plan to use in my classes.

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Welcome to my educator website! I created this site to help me connect with my students and their families. Here you can learn a little bit about me as an educator and find unique learning resources for high school students. If you need extra support, I invite you to schedule a virtual meeting with me through the Contact page.

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The Elements of Self-Determination table includes the essential skills necessary for increasing self-determination skills. This visual can be used as a reminder of the different elements of self-determination and their definitions.

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In this Padlet, you will be introduced to the idea of Self-Determination and how students from the 9-12 grade range can be supported using instructional strategies following Hoffman and Field's (2005) Model of Self-determination (see above).

This Padlet was created through a collaborative effort by Shyla Hernandez, Regina Jaso, Taylor NaraBemi, and Martin Solis.

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How is self-determination reflected in IDEA?

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How is self-determination reflected in IDEA?

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The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) governs how "states and public agencies provide early intervention, special education, and related services" (About IDEA, 2022). There are no specific requirements stated by IDEA that self-determination instruction must be provided; however, self-determination instruction allows for IDEA requirements regarding transition assessments to be met.

For example:

"IDEA requires that students ages 16 and older lead their IEP meetings" (Transition Coalition, 2015). Providing students with instruction to build self-determination skills empowers them to be active participants in IEP meetings.

"IDEA requires that age-appropriate transition assessments are conducted" (Transition Coalition, 2015). Providing students with instruction to build self-determination skills promotes self-awareness which is essential for students when completing transition assessments where they need to identify their preferences, interests, strengths, and needs.

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Individuals with Disabilities Education Act

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The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) is a law that makes available a free appropriate public education to eligible children with disabilities throughout the nation and ensures special education and related services to those children.

The IDEA governs how states and public agencies provide early intervention, special education, and related services to more than 8 million (as of school year 2022-23) eligible infants, toddlers, children, and youth with disabilities.

Infants and toddlers, birth through age 2, with disabilities and their families receive early intervention services under IDEA Part C. Children and youth ages 3 through 21 receive special education and related services under IDEA Part B.

Additionally, the IDEA authorizes:

Formula grants to states to support special education and related services and early intervention services.

Discretionary grants to state educational agencies, institutions of higher education, and other nonprofit organizations to support research, demonstrations, technical assistance and dissemination, technology development, personnel preparation and development, and parent-training and -information centers.

Congress reauthorized the IDEA in 2004 and most recently amended the IDEA through Public Law 114-95, the Every Student Succeeds Act, in December 2015.

In the law, Congress states:

Disability is a natural part of the human experience and in no way diminishes the right of individuals to participate in or contribute to society. Improving educational results for children with disabilities is an essential element of our national policy of ensuring equality of opportunity, full participation, independent living, and economic self-sufficiency for individuals with disabilities.

Other Laws for Children with Disabilities

The U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights (OCR) provides additional resources of interest for individuals with disabilities and their families.

OCR does not enforce the IDEA; however, OCR does enforce the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Section 504 and Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, Title II rights of IDEA-eligible students with disabilities.

To learn more, visit the OCR's Frequently Asked Questions About Section 504 and the Education of Children with Disabilities.

Visit OCR's website for additional resources.

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About IDEA - Individuals with Disabilities Education Act

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The IDEA is a law that makes available a free appropriate public education to eligible children with disabilities throughout the nation and ensures special education and related services to those children.

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Characteristics of a self-determined person 

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Characteristics of a self-determined person 

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A self-determined person has
- an awareness of personal preferences, strengths, and weaknesses
– an ability to communicate, collaborate, and network
– a capacity to set goals, make choices and use resources