Category: School Psychology

Mission POSSIBLE – How to help a child become more flexible with their daily routine

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NO! NO! NO! yells a child as he is flailing on his first-grade classroom floor!  The teacher is bewildered as all she did was ask the child to come to the reading circle. Instead, of compliance, her request was met with this volatile reaction.  Yesterday, the same child ran around the classroom to avoid participating in a group activity. Clearly, change does not come easy to this student.

These scenarios are real – taken from just a few of the many, many, many  accounts I have heard from teachers (and parents) of their students and children who  have major challenges with transitioning from a preferred to a non-preferred activity.  Routine schedules are essential for many of these kiddos and any alteration is met with objection.

To offer support to the adults who are faced with the monumental task of helping a child in their midst how  to learn to pivot in the course of their day – I am offering this article as a kind of  “roadmap”. Included are directions on how to create a few strategies to help calm or  prevent the seismic behavioral eruptions that can occur when a child with an atypical response to change or flexing their schedule is expected to comply.  

Keep in mind that this child is not intentionally being bad, but, perhaps doesn’t have the tools to easily negotiate from activity to activity. 

The techniques you will find below are not difficult to implement if used consistently. 

Here are the steps to how to create and activate a visual chart system that offers  signals for  transitions within a child’s daily schedule.

  1. Create a list of your child’s or student’s daily activities. This will be important as you will assemble a deck of cards with each activity on a card. 
  2. Step 2 is to create a DAILY   ACTIVITY CHART that communicates to the child their daily routine.  For a younger child or one who cannot handle a board with a schedule of more than one or two activities – you can use a simpler alternative version -the  CHOICES chart. 
  3. When you decide on which DAILY ACTIVITY CHART   is best for your child / student then you can assemble it. Be sure to chat with the child/student that this chart is to help them feel understood and that you know that change is difficult.  Validate that they have “big feelings”. Allow them the time and space to process that there will be modifications to their regular routine.  Be sure to let them actively participate in the process by having them help to create their Daily Activity Chart.  Listen to their concerns and apprehensions. Assure them they are not being punished.
  4. Next, once the chart has been created,  introduce the child/student to the  variety of activity cards that will fill their schedule. Demonstrate how the cards can be positioned and are in the order of events for the day.  Then show them the transition cards and how they can be used to to help  as a signal that a change will happen. If  possible, practice with the chart and cards before using them in “real time.” Consider doing role play – where the child can be the “teacher”. 
  5. Note, also there are charts and cards that can be used to communicate FEELINGS and NEEDS.  These are additional to the DAILY ACTIVITY CHART– and  very helpful for a child to use when they don’t have the ability to express themselves fully.  (Or they want to be stealth about signaling their needs – such as a request for a 3-minute “brain break”)
  6.  Also you can invite the child / student to suggest any activities, needs, or feelings that are not part of the “deck”.  (Especially older students.) 
  7. Next there are cards for the adults to communicate to the class or an individual- such a QUIET or 1-2-3-TIME
  8. Data Collection is the last step. This is when you can determine if there were positive outcomes as a result to implementing these “tools”.

MATERIALS  NEEDED

  •  Poster board or paper
  • Tape or velcro.  
  • The cards can be copied and printed or laminated.  I sent mine out as jpegs and made into 4 x6 inch photo quality pictures.  
  • Below you will find copies of the charts and samples of the cards I have created (thanks to Canva). You may download them for free.  

If you wish to download the entire set of templates and cards- scroll to the bottom of the article and press the DOWNLOAD  ALL CHART TEMPLATES button and  the DOWNLOAD ALL CARDS button. 

Lastly, let me know if these techniques/ charts/ cards work and if you have anything to add? 

STEP 1- CREATE A LIST OF ACTIVITES

STEP 2 - CREATE THE DAILY ACTIVITY CHART

Once you identified the activities that your child / student will encounter during the day – create their visual schedule. I have created some examples for you in this blog.

This schedule template is blank  with two columns and several rows. You will see that the columns are named USUAL SCHEDULE and CHANGE TO SCHEDULE.  You can name your columns anything you wish – I just happened to use these titles. 

 

NEED A SMALLER CHART?

Sometimes a full-day schedule may be overwhelming for a child to handle. If this is the case we can modify the presentation to a smaller sized chart.  

An alternate is the chart called – CHOICES. Let us suppose that a student doesn’t want to do math or reading.  They are both nonpreferred activities.  But, by giving them a choice of which one to do first – they may feel empowered and will more likely complete the tasks. 

You also can have a “deck” of activities and have the student pick two of the cards.  All the cards in the deck are tasks that need to completed, but the student will feel that they get to determine their destiny by opting their top two choices.  

ALTERNATE CHART:: CHOICES

The student is handed a CHOICES chart. They are asked to select two cards from a deck of four options. You can add preferred and nonpreferred activities to the deck or all of one kind (preferred or nonpreferred.) You can opt to have less or more options, as well.

Here is an example of a blank CHOICES CHART.

STEP 3: Be sure to include the child / student as part of the process.

STEP 4: Introduce the DAILY ACTIVITY and TRANSITION CARDS

SAMPLE ACTIVITY CARDS

About the Activity Cards:

These cards are of common actinides and SIGNALS for TRANSITIONS.

Here are some of the cards I constructed, but you are more than welcome to create your own!

REMINDER: The full deck is available at the bottom of this article.

STEP 5: ADDITIONAL "ADD-ONS"

“ADD – ONs ” include charts and cards that allow the child/ student to convey their FEELINGS and/or NEEDS.

Communication is key to helping a child cope

with change. 

SIGNAL CARDS for the GROWN-UPS to USE

There may be times when an adult (parent or teacher) needs to use a cue card to relay information. Such as giving a three-minute “warning” that an activity is about to change.

LAST STEP: DATA COLLECTION

How do you know if these techniques are working?

Whenever you start a new “strategy” to help modify and/or regulate behaviors – you probably want to keep track of the effectiveness of the program.  Realize, however, that you can expect an “uptick” of negative behaviors after you start.  Why?  Think of it this way.  Have you ever wanted to start a good behavior – such as exercising daily -and then you realize after the first day  it is HARD work! So, you want to quit!  That is what may happen for a short time here, too. 

To combat some of that “backsliding”, consider using praise (lots of it) for any attempts the child makes to comply with following the system (transition).  Also, a token economy (tangible incentives like stickers, privileges, etc.) can be very helpful with a child “buying in” to this new system. 

Be sure to document each day so you and your child can see the changes- hopefully for the better.  An easy way is to just use /// marks as a way of tabulation each time that the child uses a chart successfully.  And an XXX mark for when the chart was “in play”, but the child did not respond as expected. Use the chart below to help collect data and see if progress is being made or if you need different strategies or interventions.

Negative behaviors can be considered as 1)Non-compliant,2)Aggressive, or 3)Disruptive.  Examples of these could be: 1) No, I won’t do it, 2) No I won’t do it and I will rip up the chart, 3) No I won’t do it and I’ll yell and have a major meltdown to disrupt the classroom environment and have everyone stop and pay attention to me. 

DATA COLLECTION CHART to DOWNLOAD and an EXAMPLE.

THE CARDS IN THE DECK

SAMPLE ACTIVITY CARDS

SAMPLE TRANSITION CARDS

SAMPLE CARDS for the I FEEL CHART

SAMPLE "NEED" CARDS

 DOWNLOAD FOR THE DECK OF CARDS

DOWNLOAD CHART TEMPLATES

CLOSING THOUGHTS

I hope that the content of this article helps families and educators who are looking for techniques and actual hands-on tools which calmly allow a child to adapt to transitions.  

I welcome any of your suggestions or feedback on these. Also, I am always curious if you enjoy the information and articles on this blog.

Which are your favorites? 

What would you like to see more of here on LouiseSattler.com?

Use the comment section below to let me know your thoughts!

Thank you-

~Louise

 

 

 

Special thanks to Ava Parnass

Dear Rookie School Psychologist – This is some “Stuff” They Didn’t Teach You in Graduate School

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Dear Rookie School Psychologist,

Congratulations! You made it through graduate school and now it is time for you to use all your knowledge to help children, school staff, and families. Bravo! However, despite all your new found professional skills, you still have so much more to learn! In fact, here is a secret – there is “stuff” that they didn’t teach you in graduate school that I like to call the “inside scoop” of this profession. Curious? Well, keep on reading…

I am a seasoned School Psychologist. I graduated way back with the dinosaurs in 1984 from Penn State. The program was arduous and the competition to get in and stay in was fierce. But, I managed and here I am nearly 40 years later still working with students, teachers, administrators, and families.

My journey hasn’t been a direct path – in fact, I have jumped off and on this trail many times. But, I truly wish there was a course offered among all the other requisites that provided insight and advice that could have made my rookie journey a bit smoother.

So, with that in mind, I offer to you my pearls of wisdom – the good, the bad, and hopefully the funny.

  1. In the digital age don’t forget about good old-fashioned paper. I know many of my colleagues keep their records all digitally. They also use record forms (protocols) that are electronic. I was toying with this idea and then I lost a bunch of emails due to a “glitch” with my Gmail. That convinced me – I am sticking to paper and pen! This means I have both a digital calendar and a real daytime book for appointments. We call it “organizers” in educational terms.
  2. Communicate not once, not twice, but three times with parents and staff. When I make appointments I am super diligent with setting and keeping appointments. I also expect my students and their families to do the same. So, I write notes and send emails up to three times for each meeting. And of course, my online calendars will pester me with reminders. That makes me happy.
  3. Create a ton of different templates for reports. Yes, I am a big fan of the template for writing those very long, boring, and often tedious psychoeducational reports. I found a few I liked from the Teachers Paying Teachers website, but mainly I create my own. Canva helps with graphics (who doesn’t appreciate a well-constructed bell curve graph or chart!?)
  4. Check those numbers! I use a system for tabulating the number of correct ( or incorrect) responses on my record forms. It is the THREE✓ check system. Check one means I added all the numbers of correct/incorrect responses for the first time. The second pass – through for recalculating the numbers to make sure the first and second times match will result in a second check. A third check is placed on the cover of the record booklet which means I checked one last time when I input the numbers into an online scoring system or obtained the results from a scoring manual myself. Regardless of how I score three checks mean I reviewed the results and added them THREE times! Why so redundant? I live in fear of making math errors and even more in fear of having to rescind or explain something I did wrong. Three checks = reduce stress. See the image I mocked up below.
Example of the three check system

5. This is important. Perhaps the most important thing I will share with you today. Know that your results are being received on many levels by the parent / guardian receiving the news. There is a level of understanding about intervention, assessment, and/ or therapy that you have that they don’t. No one handed this parent(s) who may be new to special education a booklet that told them about how they will feel.

Sure, these fine folks received a ton of documents about their rights, but nothing prepped them for the feeling of a dagger slicing their heart to shreds. As a School Psychologist, you need to learn how to deliver the news – whatever it is – with grace, compassion, and professionalism. Period. Remember that your roles could easily be reversed with you as the recipient of the information. I know. I have sat at ‘both sides of the table’.

Don’t make promises. You don’t have a crystal ball. After you deliver “the news” be sure to wait. Give the parents/ guardians a minute to process. Ask them if they have questions. Offer to review parts again or to meet again after they had a day or two to let “the news” sink in. Remember – the people across from you at this table are trying to listen while possibly their simultaneously experiencing a broken heart. They may have just experienced their dreams for this child bursting.

Feel free to read more here.

6. When I attended Penn State’s School Psych graduate program I had a great professor who mentored me, Dr. Jim Murphy. Gosh he was amazing and so wise! During my second year of graduate school he was my “clinical supervisor”. That’s the guy who watches you “learn” and then critiques you. One day he gave me great advice when he saw that I was struggling with talking to parents about the results of the evaluation I recently had completed. He said, “Louise – you don’t need to have all the answers. When you talk to parents or staff, it is OK to say- “I don’t know”. But, then follow-up and let them know that you will try your best to get some information to answer their questions. But, never make promises as some questions never can get answered.” Let me tell you – that was solid advice that has stuck with me for decades. Simply know – you are not a walking Google search engine. You don’t and can’t know all the answers. And that is OK.

7. I easily could add much more than seven entries on this list. But, I will close with these last three that are “related”. Keep learning, keep healthy, and keep safe.

Sure you need continuing education credits and you will fulfill this obligation every few years – but in reality, you need to keep learning beyond the world of special education and psychology. Learn about the world beyond your community. Travel. Paint. Go learn to salsa dance. Watch cartoons so you can relate to the first graders in your school. Just keep learning.

And remember to take time to take care of YOU. Turn off the digital world and go enjoy the outdoors. Practice self-care on a daily basis while you are practicing as a psychologist. Reduce your stress in a healthy way that makes sense to you.

Lastly, be personally safe. Learn the layout of each of the schools you visit. Be vigilant with your own safety. Take a self-defense class to protect yourself.

Here are two links to safety tips that we all can use (and I am sure there are many more!)

SAFETY TIPS BY UCLA

Adapt this list to your local and personal needs

Grief? Anger? Relief? Bewilderment? Welcome to the special-education emotional roller-coaster. (Part 4 of the From Both Sides of the Table series)

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Determination of Special Education Eligibility: From the School Psychologist’s perspective:

There is no band-aid big enough to cover the broken heart of parents when they find out that their child has a serious learning or developmental disorder. As a school psychologist, I would rehearse the words that needed to be delivered to the parents waiting for me – across “the table”.

I knew that “Bad” or unexpected news needs to be carefully and eloquently given versus blurted out like guesses for Jeopardy.  You owe them that much.  They trusted you with their child.  

I gave hundreds, perhaps thousands, of parents “the news”.  Usually starting my “spiel” with some glowing remarks about their child – “Such a great worker”, “Really motivated and tried so hard”, or “Fabulous ability to stay on task”. Then came the description of what transpired over hours of one-on-one evaluations, observations, interviews, and discussions with staff.   Finally, arrives the moment that many await – the results.

“As you know “your child” and I worked together for many hours over a course of several days. He was alert, responded to my requests without any problems, and seemed to enjoy most of our activities. He was very good at ___ (fill in the blank) and a joy to get to know. With that said… based on the findings from this comprehensive psychoeducational evaluation your seven-year-old child currently has the developmental level of a child younger than himself. That means that his cognitive (intellectual) ability to complete tasks combined with his academic skills, and skills for his daily living – appear also to be delayed for his age and grade. (This is where I pull out a chart that shows visually what I mean – such as the one below

I stop. I look the parents in the eye. And then ask if it is OK to continue with the meeting or if they have any questions about the evaluation process.

I then continue as if I am doing a “big reveal” – but without the cheering and happy faces … “I need you to know that these results allow for our team to discuss options for eligibility and possible programming within special education as I am recommending that your son meets the eligibility qualifications as a child with Intellectual Disabilities. “

This is where a few parents will ask me to repeat – EXACTLY – what I just said. They need to hear it twice as to help with the understanding. It is not uncommon for people to ask questions that seem “basic” but are very important. One parent asked a question that would seem very politically incorrect by today’s standards – “Is my son retarded?”

I respond, “Yes, that is a much older term but the definition probably is the same.  However, I need you to know that he is young and we use strategies and programs that have not been introduced to him yet.  So, please know that these results may change by the next time we re-evaluate him.  We need to keep an eye on your son’s educational programming – monthly – school year by year. We do not have a crystal ball – but I am very hopeful that consistent intervention and programming can only help him to developmentally and academically grow”  

THEN I WAIT. With this news or any other “heavy news” I wait. I need to press pause right here and now as I just dropped a potential “heart bomb” and I owe it to the parent(s) to have a moment to process it. I ask if there are any questions. And, if they need a moment to privately discuss or regroup?

By the way… This is where some psychologists fail parents. They simply drop “the news” and then move on because they are thinking of their next appointment, meeting, or even lunch. They fail because they don’t know what it is like to sit at the other side of the table and the immense need for that moment of allowing the messaging they just received to sink in.

“Are you surprised by what I just said?”, I will ask. 

Sometimes the response is “not really”.  Other times the parents go through the Kubler-Ross stages of grief at record speed with ANGER being where they stop.  “NO WAY, he is just like me and I learned just fine!”, announced one very demonstrative father to me.  (How do I respond to THAT?) 

Or the sobbing begins.  This is so hard.  I almost rather have the anger.  Sobbing means that the dreams they had for their son are now being reformulated as we sit in this too formal setting. News like this should happen on comfy chairs over tea and with boxes of tissues.  Not in a room of strangers who just altered your world in a blink. 

So, begins most parents’ initial journey into special education. 

Please keep in mind that I am using this scenario as one of my scenarios that could happened – just as an example. But, as I have mentioned in prior blogs – special education encompasses a large number of eligibility categories – from needing speech therapy to those with multiple impairments who may need intensive services. The process is almost the same with each category – meetings, reviews, possible evaluations, and/or eligibility meetings and perhaps writing of an IEP.

The Parent Perspective:

It hurts. Hearing any words of concern and describing the most precious and beloved person in my life as less than perfect – hurts so much! But, I recognize that our son needs support with his learning – his talking – his muscles – etc. He is perfect to us- but in the “eyes” of the special education process – he is another “qualifier”. This means special classes and therapies as a child under the age of 3. He will have home visits and I will need to bring him to special centers for infants and toddlers. I will meet other parents and we will share our ‘war stories”. This is helpful to some degree. To others it is not. We decide to supplement his structured learning by placing our little fella also in “regular” daycare. He doesn’t do well the first go-around. He cries too much. Seems a bit lost until recess. Doesn’t want to sit or follow-directions. He is a “handful”. But, in time – with both special and regular preschool – he “graduates” from all of the services except for speech. He can’t pronounce correctly a few sounds and speaks very fast. That seems “do-able”. But, our time in special education isn’t over – we are just “on hiatus”.

When Dreams are Altered.

Dr. Ken Moses is quoted in an article saying these wise words which helped me as a parent:

Parents attach to children through core-level dreams, fantasies, illusions, and projections into the future. Disability dashes these cherished dreams. The impairment, not the child, irreversibly spoils a parent’s fundamental. heart-felt yearning. Disability shatters the dreams, fantasies, illusions, and projections into the future that parents generate as pan of their struggle to accomplish basic life missions. Parents of impaired children grieve for the loss of dreams that are key to the meaning of their existence, to their sense of being. Recovering from such a loss depends on one’s ability to separate from the lost dream, and to generate new. more attainable, dreams.

Dr. Ken Moses, Childhood Disability: A Parent’s Struggle (read more)

I recall going to a conference when our son was young with Dr. Ken Moses as the key presenter. Gosh, it was great! But, I was emotionally drained by the first break. He started the session by having us do an exercise that brought us all to tears. We were to envision our child – before they were born. And then we were to think of our hopes for this child. What we dreamed for their future. These thoughts were to be mentally placed in “thought bubbles”. Then Dr. Moses asked us to reflect on our reality of the challenges this child has endured. Which bubbles are now burst? Which remained? He then went on to discuss how we can make new and attainable dreams with our child – and that hope is a good emotion.

Break out the tissues. This life lesson was extremely powerful.

But, it taught me a huge lesson as a parent. And a psychologist. Dreams are only dreams that sometimes can become reality – or just need adjustments. Regardless, you can DO this!

Being a parent in the digital age

I have learned as a parent and professional to be careful of what information I read and absorb on the internet. And yes, I am keenly aware that my website is chocked full of “suggested resources”. But, please note that when I offer an article or video I do with this caveat – please use your due diligence to be sure to check the content for accuracy and application to your life. With that said, here is a resource that I found helpful on this topic:

PARENT COMPANION

From Both Sides of the Table: Special Education and the Psychoeducational Process – Parent Perspective (Part 3, continued)

Published on by Louise Masin Sattler1 Comment

From Both Sides of the Table is my chronicle of what special education may look like through the lens of the School Psychologist and the parents of the child referred. I have been in both roles. So, please feel free to refer to the last few blogs if you missed them.

So we continue…

The process of psychoeducational evaluation is very overwhelming. Shorthand seems to be the norm and for many parents – this is just too much. As a parent, you may feel like you need a translator for all the terms. Then there is the time spent on the part of the parents – mostly completing forms and attending meetings. The forms seem quite personal, too.

questions answers signage
Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

ASK QUESTIONS!

You also may be wondering about these questions/topics, too!...

Why do they need to know about my pregnancy on the survey I received? And any health and mental health issues with MY parents or siblings. Isn’t it enough to get information about hubby and me?

Why do they need to know about what we eat at home? If we have a consistent work history? If there are “stressors” within our home – doesn’t every family have their own share of stress?

Why am I asked to complete questionnaires that seem redundant? The speech and language evaluator is asking me the same or similar questions as the psychologist – don’t they share documents?

My child seems worried about this testing- but no one seems to give me any advice on how to prepare her for the evaluation. I would like to have some clue as to what to expect to help her feel better about “what is to come”.

How come it takes FOREVER to get the results? I am feeling anxious and would like my child to start getting help pronto! But, it appears that we are in a holding pattern for at least another MONTH or MORE!

And now I am in a meeting getting the results and it sounds like a foreign language is being spoken. The professionals are talking so fast and even though I am asked if I have questions it seems like we are too rushed to really get answers. Plus, I would like to make some clarification of what I wrote or said during a survey- can they amend the reports?

I am not sure I like the results – don’t I get a say as to what happens in, the meeting?

Will my child get better? Improve? Be “normal”? Ever have friends? Stop biting? Start talking? and the list goes on and on…

In reality, as a parent, I found the need to and did ask questions along the whole process. When there were terms or tests being offered that I didn’t know (or hubby didn’t know) we asked. I understood the reason for all the surveys and personal questions, but other parents may be interested in knowing that many times contractors are used who are from independent companies and they don’t talk. Not usually.

I also made sure that I requested a time during the day that I knew my child would be “at his best”. I also made sure that I had the reports prior to any meeting so I could review, and take notes. And, when possible I talked to the evaluators before any meetings. I didn’t like surprises when it came to the welfare and education of my child.

As for the meetings I made sure hubby and I both attended. (Suggestion: bring along another trusted adult during the formal meetings to help you recall information or take notes.)

And yes, there were times I disagreed with the conclusions. But, in lieu of due process, we decided to work WITH the team to come together to create a plan. Being on opposite sides of the table doesn’t mean you are on opposite sides with the approach. Working together – respectfully- is something I strive for as a parent and a professional.

Terms that may be useful to know:

LRE: Least Restrictive Environment

FAPE: Offer of free and appropriate publicly provided education.

Due Process: When you disagree there is a system to have your grievances heard via a third party.

IEE: Independent Educational Evaluation – requesting another “do-over” evaluation in the event that a party on the IEP team (usually the parent) does not agree with the outcome or feels something was overlooked.

Related Services: These are services that are outside the usual- such as occupational or physical therapy. Counseling also can be a related service.

ERMHS – a California term (usually) for Educationally Related Mental Health Services. Some states refer to this as a related or adjunct service. The student must have an IEP to obtain these services and go through a process.

Educational Advocate: Someone who works with the parent to explain the IEP process and also to advocate for eligibility or services for the child via the IEP or 504 process.

See WrightsLaw.com for more terminology and about Due Process, etc.

I couldn’t do this alone…

Many parents feel very isolated when their child starts special education. it could be because their child is not included in the neighborhood or school events like the other children? That hurts – big time! Perhaps, that is when it may be a good time to seek support groups of like-minded people. Schools often have such groups as do local community centers. I remember joining the local and national chapters of CHADD (Children and Adults with Attention Deficit Disorder). Through these groups, I learned that I wasn’t the only parent not sleeping due to a child who only required four hours a night. I also felt comfort and validation. Sometimes my son’s actions were misunderstood and I was glad to see that he was “accepted” among this “group”.

I also felt the need to advocate for my child, actually children, in their classrooms. You see I have been discussing my son and his traumatic birth and infancy. But, little did I know that lurking in my home was the dyslexia gene and it was about to come for a visit in my daughter’s classroom!

So now I am the parent of two children who need special programming due to a variety of unique challenges. So, I start to recite a mantra that has stuck with me til this day…

A parent is a child’s number one advocate and resource for unconditional love, support, and guidance. Be that parent.

More from the series BOTH SIDES OF THE TABLE:

PART 1 – intro

PART 2– let us start the process

PART 3, psychologist’s perspective

Coming soon – Part 4.

Please share your experiences in the comment section below – respectfully, of course.

Thank you for reading this series and any other articles on this blog.

From Both Sides of the Table: The Psychoeducational Evaluation Process – From the Lens of the School Psychologist (Part 3 in the series)

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Your third-grade son is not reading the way your nephew who is in the first grade is reading. He seems to be “stuck” and his frustration with learning is starting to result in behavioral issues- such as making excuses to not go to school and acting out when he is there. You talk to his teacher and she recommends that you submit a written letter (or email) to the school administrator to request a meeting to express your concerns. This starts a formal “timeline” of the special education process. Typically the meeting happens and there are fifteen days to develop and submit an assessment plan if one is determined to be needed.

The assessment plan is like a roadmap as to what comes next. First, the concerns are spelled out and what is the reason for the referral? Statements may be as follows:

Jane has been demonstrating challenges with her reading on grade level – the second grade general education curriculum. Her teacher and parent have noticed her struggling and have the most difficulties with letter- sound relationships (phonics) and writing her letters correctly. She also has been interrupting other students during group instruction. Lastly, she seems easily distracted and often needs redirection to stay on task. The SST meeting members recommend that your child have a comprehensive psychoeducational evaluation to gather information about his present abilities in the areas of ____ (fill in the blank) and to see if he/she meets eligibility for services in special education. “

Then there is a whole bunch of “legal stuff” to explain the process and what laws are involved. A case manager is usually assigned to be the parents’ “point person” and will ask for signatures.

EVALUATION TIME

A psychoeducational evaluation can take an hour to many hours or days. There are several factors. 1) The age of a child. Younger children take less time. 2) The reason for referral. This drives the number of evaluators and the depth of the evaluation. 3) The cooperation and behavior of the child – some kids are easier to test than others. Some need more breaks or shorter sessions. That is fine. I let the students drive the schedule. 4) Availability – sometimes a school can only release a child from class for short spurts of time or parents are only available for a chunk of time. Psychologist often needs to be flexible. 5) The child’s health and ability to sustain attention 6) Availability of a helper- such a personal assistant if the child is in a wheelchair or an interpreter 7) Schedule of the psychologist… to name just a few.

The testing usually starts with rapport building. A game. A fun discussion about random topics that is relaxed. Drawing. An interview comes next for me (other psychologists may have a different order to their assessments). Then comes the “meat and potatoes” – tests for ability, academics, memory, motor skills, social -emotional functioning – etc. To list the number of tests psychhologists are trained to use for assessment would be a very long list – and boring! Thus, publishing them here would not be wise. However, here is an excellent link to the evaluation process (from referral to feedback) and a list of common psychoeducational measures used.

Another article written just for parents from an association for school psychologists (NASP) NASPonline: Psychoeducational guide for parents to understand

Feedback from the testing can be very emotionally draining for the parent(s)

There is no band-aid big enough to cover the broken heart of parents when they find out that their child has a serious medical or developmental disorder. As a school psychologist, I would rehearse the words that needed to be delivered to the parent waiting for me. “Bad” or unexpected news needs to be carefully and eloquently given versus blurted out like guesses for Jeopardy.  You owe them that much.  They trusted you with their child.  

I gave hundreds, perhaps thousands, of parents “the news”.  Usually starting my “spiel” with some glowing remark about their child – “Such a great worker”, “Really motivated and tried so hard”, or “Fabulous ability to stay on task”. Then came the description of what transpired over hours of one-on-one evaluations, observations, interviews, and discussions with staff.   Finally, arrives the moment that many await – the results.

“Based on the findings from this comprehensive psychoeducational evaluation your seven-year-old child currently has the developmental level of a child much younger. That means that his cognitive (intellectual) ability to complete tasks, known as adaptive behavior, around the house, in school, on the playground, and in other places is more like a three-year-old than a boy of seven.  The results of the physical therapist, speech, and language therapist, etc. are very similar to my results.” 

 This is where I stop.  Look directly at the parent and wait. Some will start to cry. Some will look confused.  Regardless, I need to drop the next “official statement” in their lap.  

Then I continue… “I need you to know that these results allow for our team to discuss options for special education as I am recommending that your son meets the eligibility qualifications as a child with Intellectual Disabilities. “

This is where the parent usually asks EXACTLY what this means.  Some parents have not heard this terminology and then ask if I mean that their child is “retarded”.   

I usually respond, “Yes, that is a much older term.  However, I need you to know that he is young and we use strategies and programs that have not been introduced to him yet.  So, please know that these results may change the next time we re-evaluate him.   We will be reviewing your son’s progress on a regular basis.”

Now it becomes tricky.  A lot has transpired in so few sentences.  Their world is now upside down. It is awkward.  Often sad.  I continue…

“Are you surprised by what I just said?”, I will ask. 

Sometimes the response is “not really”.  Other times the parents go through the Kubler-Ross stages of grief at record speed with ANGER being where they stop.  “NO WAY, he is just like me and learns just fine!”, announced one very demonstrative father to me.  (How do I respond to THAT?) 

Or the sobbing begins.  This is so hard.  I almost rather have the anger.  Sobbing means that the dreams they had for their son are now being reformulated as we sit in this too formal setting. News like this should happen on comfy chairs over tea and with boxes of tissues.  Not in a room of strangers who just altered your world in a blink. 

So begins most parents’ initial journey into special education.  (An upcoming blog in this series will cover the special education “emotional roller coaster.”

Psychologists’ “toolbox” of resources:

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A List of Frequently Asked Questions that Psychologists Ask Parents New to the Special Education Process during their Initial Meeting

  • Birth History (and if the child was adopted or placed in foster care – any known history of the parent and child)
  • Medical History
  • Developmental Milestones (see addendum)
  • History of medical difficulties or learning disorders in the immediate family or with close relatives
  • The child’s current sleeping, eating, and toileting behaviors. 
  • Language acquisition – how does this child communicate with the parents?  Has there been a steady growth in language development or any decline?
  • Ability to be flexible with changes to food?  Environment?  Temperature? Sound?  Lights?
  • Emotional responses from the child daily basis.   Overall happy?  Responds appropriately or seems to have challenges with emotional regulation?
  • For older children, questions will center around play, sharing, and educational skills (reading, math, and written language.)

EXAMPLES:

This is an example of a bell curve with ranges reflected from a student’s evaluation. This chart helps to visually demonstrate the child’s abilities for a range of expected skills. The average is considered within the 85-115 range.

Psychoeducational Report Components – sample

From Both Sides of the Table

Part 1- intro

Part 2- starting the process

Wanted: School Psychologists

Published on by LouiseSattlerLeave a comment

I am writing this blog because within the past two days I have had five inquiries for School Psychologist job positions. They were for both part and full-time employment. Many of the agencies that reached out to me had multiple job offerings throughout California, Nevada, Arizona and other states. Some were flex-time, a few added bonuses for signing and one event mentioned moving assistance. There were “temporary full-time” placements, as well – meaning that there was a psychologist on emergency or maternity leave and they needed someone to finish a contract. All in all there must have been 25-30 positions for the remainder of this year and next year.

So, I decided that perhaps I should write about the career of School Psychology and why I believe there is such a need.

I believe there are a multitude of reasons why this profession is much needed and perhaps the need has even increased.

First, there are more children who survive premature birth. These children tend to have more complicated developmental patterns and they are at risk for learning disorders. Plus, the increase of autism identification and awareness results in an upswing of children receiving early intervention services.

Moreover, sadly we live in a complicated world. Many children have been subjected to abuse, witnessed violence, been born to drug effected parents or have other circumstances that make their lives “atypical”. Schools often have to address the needs of these children and their very heavy “baggage”. School Psychologists also are called upon to to help school staff with children who need much more than traditional teaching and curriculum.

Course of Study:

School Psychology is an “amalgam” career – a blend of many disciplines of psychology in to one position. First, a School Psychologist must know a lot about testing and measurement. They are often tasked to complete full psycho-educational batteries on students that include intellectual, educational, processing, behavioral and adaptive behavior measures. (Note: if you hate statistics don’t become a School Psychologist.) The reason for so much testing is to determine if a child with learning differences is in need of special support within the school. For example, a child may have processing challenges that qualifies them for extra services in reading or math. Or another child may need services for severe mental health issues. And, a child on the autism spectrum also may have special services availed to them. These “needs” all can fall under the umbrella of “special education’.

A psychologist in the schools needs to be up to date on behavioral programs, curriculum, administration best practices, counseling, and crisis services. More and more – crisis intervention and prevention is a skill-set that a School Psychologist must have.

Read more about special education categories.

School Psychology is a field that usually requires a doctorate or at the very least a “super -sized ” master’s degree. When you have finished your course of study, internships and thesis – you are then subjected to a multitude of state and national board exams.

Most states accept the NCSP (Nationally Certified School Psychologist certificate) – with a few exceptions. California is an exception. Once you have your NCSP you often are able to practice School Psychology in many states and the District of Columbia.

There are many plusses to this career. Obviously, there are jobs available. The pay can be substantial. There (almost) is offered a comprehensive benefit package. And, if you passed requirements in your state – you may be able to work exclusively or in addition to a school setting in a private practice.

Some “School Psych” positions allow the employee to follow teacher hours and schedules. Meaning you work school hours and have a nice summer vacation.

The biggest “perk’ is at the end of the day you have made a difference in the life of a child or several. This can be a huge reward and reason to go in to this field. It is what motivated me to get up early and stay late. Each child and their educational needs was important. Whether they were the first child I saw early in a school year or the last child before summer break. Their education mattered.

Read more about this field, expectations, experiences of others and requirements per state at NASPonline.org

If you are a School Psychologist looking for a position – please see this current listing from Linkedin.

Lastly, people have asked me why I don’t practice in schools anymore. My answer is simple. I have retired from this career and feel that I can help children and families in other ways.