When Justin was eight or nine months old, his pediatrician noticed he had low muscle tone and recommended I become involved with the infants and toddlers program. I thought once Justin learned how to walk, he would no longer need their services. I did not want my baby labeled due to the fact I felt the teachers would automatically judge him. The team working with Justin did not explain to me the level of need Justin would require once he made it to school. They used the term "global delay" which I did not understand as delayed in all areas meaning he would require special education services in order to reach his full potential. After going through this experience with my son, I became very passionate about helping families with young children understand special education does not mean the end of the world, just requires a unique way of looking at the world.
I hope to learn how to become a responsible risk taker to provide better opportunities for children and families. I would like to establish techniques in order to communicate effectively with individuals from various backgrounds and cultures. I need to learn how to set goals which are realistic. I would like to also build stamina in order to overcome obstacles which seem impossible to tackle (Kieff, 2009).
Reference
Kieff, J. (2009). Informed advocacy in early childhood care and education: Making a difference for young children and families. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education, Inc.
"It takes a village to raise a child." -African Proverb-
You did a wonderful thing taking it upon yourself to help your child. So many times parents do not know where to start when it comes to a child with special needs. It is sad that these doctor's donot tell the parents everything they need to know, so it is up to us educators to educate the parents and give them all the resources they need. I use to work with children with special needs and their parents was very appreciative when they saw their child progress.
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