Catherine Whitcher, M.Ed

Special Education Teamwork! It’s possible!

These 3 women live across the country from me and flew into Chicago a few weeks ago to work together on creating a legacy of change in special education through the Master IEP Coach mentorship + network.

Change for parents. Change for teachers. Most of all, change for students!

We don’t have to wait for legislation to improve. We can improve ourselves, our strategies, our solutions and we can help others improve. Making special education “better” doesn’t have to happen through the law. It can happen through you.

If you feel like special education is stuck in the dark ages, you’re right, but it doesn’t have to be.

You and I both have a choice to find the creative solutions, inside of a broken school system, to make sure every child is prepared for further education, employment and independent living.

If you’re tired of IEP goals that don’t have a...

Back to School IEP tips for Parents and Teachers to help make this the best school year ever!

Special Needs Parents & Special Education Teams, find the IEP help you are looking for at www.specialedinnercircle.com

Connect with a Master IEP Coach at www.myiepcoach.com

Become a Master IEP Coach at www.masteriepcoach.com

If I asked you to tell me 3 things you don't like in Special Education, I bet you could tell me immediately what's been on your mind. Especially with back to school season right around the corner (ok, it's actually here for some). You're probably even losing sleep over school schedules, support services, safety, IEP goals and so much more.

Whether you're a parent, teacher, therapist or admin, the negative in special education is super easy to find. 

So let's flip things, for just a minute. Can you tell me ONE thing you love about Special Education. Yep. Just one. C'mon, you can do it. I'm serious, you can send me an email right here and I'm going to read it and smile and know that you are the exception to the rule.

You are the person who knows the solution for special education being all that we need it to be for kids isn't hiding inside of a negative Facebook group. You know that the strategies we need to create aren't built over a venting session on a group chat. And you...

Master IEP Coach registration is open for a LIMITED TIME with EARLY BIRD bonuses, just for you!

SIGN UP & GET EVERYTHING HERE

After whirlwind weekend with Master IEP Coaches flying into Chicago for our FIRST EVER LIVE Mastermind... I had to give you the chance to get in on the fun and awesomeness of working together to change special education!

Important Things to Know:

• The Master IEP Coach Mentorship is 100% Online, you can learn at your own pace and you don't need a degree to get started.
  
  
• Registration will close in 48 hours and the Early Bird bonuses will be gone! You have to click this link to get all the good stuff, including swag! 
  
  
• Master IEP Coaches are special needs parents, teachers, therapists and team members who want to learn how to build better IEPs, help people in their own community, work from home, and believe that special education struggles can be solved without fighting. (I'll teach you how!)

BONUSES: 

LIFETIME Access to over...

Did you receive your full IEP agenda before your last meeting?

Parents, Teachers & Therapists... did you know what to expect when you walked into your last IEP meeting?

I've sat in on over a thousand IEP meetings in the past decade and one thing I can tell you for certain, there is no "standard" IEP format for meetings. 

Every school, every district, every state will run their meetings just a little bit different.

This can be intimidating or confusing to ANYONE at the IEP table!

It's time to eliminate UNNECESSARY stress at your next IEP meeting.

Ask for an IEP meeting agenda.

No matter what your role is on the IEP team, you should know what is being talked about and in what order, when you show up to the IEP table.

We can't serve children well if we aren't all aware of what is happening BEFORE we sit down at the table.

IEP Truth: There's no law that says there needs to be an agenda. There's no rule that says everyone needs to know what is happening before the meeting....

You can become a Master IEP Coach! 

ENROLLMENT IS CLOSING TONIGHT - GET IN HERE

There are two F's that happen all the time in Special Education... watch the video and hear them loud and clear. (Sorry, I got a little fired up with everyone who was watching on FB when I was teaching. You might need to turn your volume down.)

Are you ready to take the two F's out of YOUR special education experience?

Say yes to one of these next steps and make it happen!

1. Become a Master IEP Coach - Parents, Teachers, Therapists, Admins... you are ALL welcome here. Learn More
   
   
2. Parents - Focus on your own child's education and get everything you need to build the best IEP from the comfort of your home. You'll get your own special education video library and 24/7 access to our private community. JOIN NOW

I can't wait to work with you!

-Catherine

Special Needs Parents & Teachers, It's time to stop drowning in IEP stress. Take these steps and FEEL better in your next IEP meeting!

We all know there are hundreds of things that seem to need to be done before the meeting. Even just thinking about it can cause sleepless nights, high anxiety at home and overwhelm that just keeps building until meeting day.

Here's how I lower stress when prepping for IEP meeting after IEP meeting after IEP meeting... some of these might seem like they are "feely", but they work!

1. Get all your IEP papers in one place. Physical papers in one place. All emails organized into folders inside of your email account. You don't have to go through all of it right now, just get it together.
   
   
2. Write your parent input statement. (Teachers, help your parents build this statement.) It builds desired outcomes BEFORE the meeting. Not sure what I'm talking about? Parents, I teach you exactly how to do this, here. Teachers, you can get the tools,...

Right after this pic, I dropped my vanilla lavender latte and just stood there looking at it splashed all over my shoes and the sidewalk.

My first thought was “ugh, I can’t believe I wasted my money”. (I’ve always been frugal.)

My second thought was “The barista told me to have an awesome Monday. Well, that’s not happening”. 

My third thought was “I’m not going to let this ruin my day and start my week off wrong. I’m going back inside and I’m ordering another one.” (Pssst... this should’ve been my first thought, not third.)

I returned to the coffee shop and the barista had already seen what happened. He had my second drink almost ready by the time he asked me “did you have a little spill”.

His kindness of helping me through a little bump in my Monday turned my entire day around. Kindness is a superpower.

I thanked him several times, probably too many times. (Awkward!) I bet he still has know...

I love this pic of Berny & her mamma bear mug! She recently finished the IEP Coach mentorship and is helping special needs parents in her community. Find out how, here.

Raise your hand if you've ever felt your "mamma bear" instincts when you've been sitting at an IEP meeting!

A little secret... I know teachers and therapists feel that way too. They take the responsibility of their students seriously and often get protective during IEP discussions.  

I know because I was a teacher and I am a mom. It happens in both situations. I see it everyday when I'm helping parents and schools. 

When a district or a parent brings me into an IEP "situation", it's usually because many of the team members are in "mamma bear" mode. 

If you find yourself stuck in an IEP conversation that seems to be going nowhere, try this: 

• Write down the end result that you are looking for, such as, "more inclusion time".
• Write down 3 ways that more inclusion could be...