One Simple Way to Start the School Year Strong
As I scroll through social media and see all the back-to-school pictures, I’ll admit I’m a little sad not to be in the classroom this year. But I also feel incredibly lucky to be helping so many families navigate special education and advocate for their children.
First year teaching- first day of school
The first day of school can be nerve-wracking for everyone—parents, students, and even teachers. I still remember my first day of teaching and how desperately I wanted to know everything I could about my future students.
Because let’s be honest: the IEP only tells you so much.
I read every student’s IEP before the first day of school. I knew their educational strengths, their goals, and how much time they were scheduled to receive services like speech, OT, or PT.
But the IEP often leaves out some of the most important information: Who is this child as a human being?
On my first day of school, one parent handed me a simple piece of paper titled: “Our Vision for Joey”
It shared the pieces of Joey that his IEP couldn’t capture—what he loved, what made him laugh, information about his family, his personality, and most importantly, his family’s vision for his future.
Because of that one page, I walked into the school year knowing more about Joey, not just as a student, but as a person. I was excited to get to know him and help make his family’s vision a reality.
And that’s something every teacher deserves to know about their students.
So, this back-to-school season, I’m sharing a free template to help you create your own vision for your child to share with your child’s teacher, case manager, IEP team, or other members of their support team.
FREE See the Whole Child- Parent VISION SHEET
Inside, you'll find:
- "See the Whole Child- Parent Vision Sheet" printable PDF
- Digital, editable copy via Google Slides
- Parent-friendly prompts to help families share:
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