The First Days: Starting School with an IEP
After the IEP was finalized and the services were in place, the next big step was one that every parent knows well—the first day of school. But when your child has special needs, that day carries a little more weight, a little more planning, and a whole lot more emotion. As both an educator and […]
Welcome to the New ParentTeacherPath.com!
I’m so excited to share that ParentTeacherPath.com has a brand new look—and even more ways to support you on your journey. Whether you’ve been here from the beginning or just found us today, welcome. This space was created for parents like you—navigating the world of special education, trying to do what’s best for your child, […]
How to Read and Understand Your Child’s IEP
The first time I sat down with my son’s IEP in front of me—as a parent, not an educator—I felt overwhelmed. I had seen IEPs before. I had helped write them. But reading one with my child’s name on it was something else entirely. There were pages of information—goals, services, performance levels, acronyms, legal language—and […]
The Day Everything Changed
He was just six months old. Our sweet, curious baby boy had reached that milestone where the pediatrician said it was time to start solids. “Try some rice cereal,” she told us—simple, gentle, a perfect first food. So we did. He loved it. A few tiny spoonfuls and he was all smiles. My in-laws were […]
Building the Team Around Our Son
One thing I’ve learned, both as an educator and as a parent, is this:Helping a child with special needs is never a one-person job.It takes a team. When our son was first starting out with school-based services, we knew it was important to bring everyone together—school staff, outside therapists, and of course, us as parents. […]
Progress Isn’t Always a Straight Line
When we first started this journey, I thought we’d be able to track our son’s progress in a clear, steady way. We had the evaluations. We had the plan. We had the supports in place. And for a while, it felt like everything was moving forward. Then, suddenly… it didn’t. The numbers didn’t budge. The […]
What’s the Difference Between an IEP and a 504 Plan?
If you’ve ever sat in a school meeting and heard terms like “IEP” and “504 Plan” thrown around without clear explanations—you’re not alone. As both a teacher and a parent of a child with special needs, I’ve had to explain (and learn) the difference from both sides of the table. And I’ll be honest: it’s […]
Becoming My Child’s Advocate: How I Found My Voice at the Table
When our son first started receiving services, I’ll be honest—I wasn’t always sure what to say or how to say it. I had questions, fears, and sometimes doubts. I wanted to trust the process, but I also didn’t want to sit quietly while something important was overlooked. That’s when I realized something:No one knows my […]
Finally, We Saw Progress—And It Meant Everything
There’s a moment I think every parent of a child with special needs waits for—That first time you see something click.Something you weren’t sure would happen.Something that tells you, “Okay… we’re on the right path.” For us, it came gradually—but then, all at once. ⸻ Tiny Wins That Meant the World I remember the day […]
The Evaluation: Facing the Unknown
After we made the decision to move forward, it didn’t begin with testing—it began with a meeting. We sat down with the Child Study Team to talk about what we were seeing with Michael. He was with us that day, sitting on the floor quietly playing while we spoke to the professionals gathered around the […]