Yes, children are not chess pieces. Don't we universally agree it's rather abhorrent when parents in custody issues treat children in such a manner? Children, all children, are people, not pawns.

I think it is important to note, Praxis Core is different than subject tests. I did not take the Core. My understanding is that Core is typically required for admission to teacher ed programs. My experience is with the three specific Praxis Subject Assessments required by my state to add a new licensure area to my license. Those of you looking to reinstate a lapsed license may not need to take a Praxis. It depends on your license and state requirements. I had to do a couple of classes (which I was able to take online in 6 weeks) to get the required CEUs to reinstate my original license. Reinstating my license was a relatively quick and easy process and did not require a Praxis test. However, had I opted to get a job without a current license, one of our districts requires some Praxis testing as part of the probationary hiring period. Based on the replies I am reading, I think most are taking the Core. The tests I took all had a higher score range than 200 (300, I believe). I definitely needed to do some prep work for the Subject Assessment tests, despite my teaching and homeschool experience. There are new reading terms being used and while I probably could have made an educated guess on the questions, I knew I had done well on the reading because much of what I studied was directly on the test. I also knew they were looking for certain terms in the constructed response portions of the tests. *edited to add an important word

i have looked all over and cannot seem to locate his link. I will do a little more digging. I just stumbled across it, but found it very helpful.

I just took it in February to add a K-6 certification to my license. I found a link online for a guy who runs tutoring sessions. He had a list of the 100 most common phrases/definitions to know. I made notecards of those for all three tests. He also had videos of released math problems and showed how to work them. I also took practice tests I found online for each of the tests. I studied for 2-3 weeks prior to the test. I did not have to take the test to get my certification in my original licensure area current. After taking the specified numbers of CEUs and submitting the paper work to our Department of Public Education (and paying them!), my original license was reinstated.

Yeah, I may have shot myself in the foot getting my SPED certification first. I *want* to be in a general ed classroom and feel that is the best place to utilize my skills, so I added on my K-6 certification, but think I may be overlooked for general ed positions because they will want my in EC. Guess we'll see...

Ooo, all my babies (except the third, I think) had a pair of Robeez (which are very similar to Soft Stars, I believe) as their first pair of shoes. :001_wub: I saved each of their first pairs. Bonus, they have super cute designs!

I had a relative order the majority of furnishings for a vacation home last year from Wayfair, including a sofa. It is very nice, comfortable (both for sitting and sleeping on) and a great price. Honestly, I was very impressed with everything ordered from there. I think you can stop deliberating and go for it! :thumbup:

I *love* Sarah Addison Allen! The Girl Who Chased the Moon by her is lovely, as I recall and fits your criteria.

Yes, that is one of the reasons I am in favor of private evals and suggested one up thread. It is a lengthy process and you are one of many if you are going through the school. Edited to add-And in my experience, a kids who is not disruptive and has average to above average grades/classroom performance is not going to be high on the school's priority list. Kids like that get services because their parents are squeaky wheels. SKL, you may find the book Bright Kids Who Can't Keep Up: Help Your Child Overcome Slow Processing Speed and Succeed in a Fast Paced World a helpful read.

Last thing I will add, I promise! As far as identifying students and the potential stigma, I just want to say it is very common for students to have various plans these days. My kid came home just this week talking about so and so who also has a 504. It has been empowering for my kid to know that there is a brain processing issue that makes learning and focusing difficult. I struggled mightily in high school and always thought I was dumb. I was embarrassed by teachers for my horrendous spelling and inability to use correct subject-verb agreement. I left the ACT and SAT tests shell shocked and demoralized. I am almost certain I have a brain based learning difference (highly likely given my kid's diagnosis and the difficulties presented by a couple other kids of mine, strong genetic component). It took me a long time and a very successful college career to realize I am indeed of at least average intelligence. Maturing and learning strategies helped, but it may have been even better to have been actively working on those strategies in high school with someone in my corner. I do not know your child's school at all, but the schools I have worked in and the schools my children have attended have all had kids with a wide range of abilities. A good classroom culture nurtures each student and recognizes we are all different. And really, getting your daughter supports in place before heading to high school can make a word of difference AND you will absolutely need documentation for ANY requests for accommodations from the standardized test giants and college.

Right. You as a parent have a right to request an evaluation and IDEA requires students who qualify for services be located under "Child Find", but the school multi-disciplinary team will meet to review the data and determine if there is evidence to move forward with an evaluation. Also, just because this year's teachers are willing to accommodate, does not mean next year's will be. At some point, she will run into a teacher who will not accommodate or the district will not legally be allowed to because the student does not have a documented disability (I am thinking state administered tests with time limits). Having legal protection (an IEP or 504 plan) means the school/teachers must provide those accommodations.

School psychologists must administer an IQ test (typically the WISC, but districts have options) and an achievement test (often the Woodcock-Johnson, but again there are options and it does not have to be administered by a psychologist). Yes, the school is free. You will save a bunch of money having testing done through the school. I am sharing my experience that you will typically have a much more detailed report of strengths and weaknesses with a private eval and a much more detailed picture of your child's learning. School's do not have accept private testing. I am not trying to dissuade anyone from using the school's services, it is just my experience that sometimes you have a kid who you know is struggling, school tests, student doesn't qualify for services and you don't really have anything to move forward with. Schools aren't generally looking at executive function skills, working memory and processing speed because they don't get you services (although they can be markers of ADHD), but those areas can have a tremendous impact on a student's performance. **It is important to note (just general, not to Laurie4b directly), services are not automatically provided because a disability is identified. The disability must adversely impact the child's educational performance and their ability to perform in the general ed curriculum. Students who are making adequate progress in the general ed curriculum do not need specialized instruction, thus (likely) wouldn't receive services. The law mandates a free and appropriate education, but does not mandate an ideal education.

This explains the change in definition in the DSM-V diagnosis criteria: https://dyslexiaida.org/dsm-5-changes-in-diagnostic-criteria-for-specific-learning-disabilities-sld1-what-are-the-implications/ My state is still using the discrepancy model, but my understanding is that it should be phasing out. The focus now is on MTSS (Multi-Tiered System of Support) and RTI (response to intervention), at least in my state. https://www.asha.org/Advocacy/federal/idea/IDEA-Part-B-Issue-Brief-Identification-of-Specific-Learning-Disabilities/ This explains my understanding of the changes to Part B of IDEA. States have always had leeway in how they interpreted the law and qualified students for a SLD because the verbage was vague (I can't remember the exact wording, but IDEA didn't specifically define the criteria), but in 2008 only two states were using an alternative method that was not discrepancy based to identify students with SLD. When I was teaching we straight up used the "15 points between IQ and achievement qualifies a student for services" benchmark. I believe the shift away from the discrepancy model is due to the disproportionality in identification in SLD.

So, here’s the thing. IDEA is changing the way students with specific learning disabilities (SLD) are identified and placed. In 2020 schools can no longer use the discrepancy model to place students for services. We had private testing done for our oldest several years ago and due to the new requirements in the DSM-V, our child did not qualify for very much despite having a huge discrepancy. The reason being that performance was within the “normalâ€/“grade level†range. So despite a large discrepancy in both reading and writing (less with math) and the psych saying this child had the classic markers of dyslexia, she could not give our child that label. However, testing was useful in identifying major executive function issues (namely working the memory and processing speed). We have been able to get accommodations for ACT and the SAT (after appealing for one of them) with our diagnosis. The school provides accommodations through a 504, but our child really needs them on standardized tests, not so much on school administered tests (and a 504 is a joke at our school as far as I am concerned). We are also creating a paper trail which will be necessary for our child to receive accommodations in college. I have been out of the field for quite some time, but when I was teaching it was understood private evals were far more thorough than the standard battery provided at school. You will get much better feedback and concrete information/strategies with the right private eval. The school does not have to use a private assessment in providing services. If you want to pursue testing, you should start ASAP, as the school has 90 days from the referral to complete the testing; that is half a school year in my state. It seems you are not interested in going the private route, but in our district a kid that is performing at grade level or slightly below is very unlikely to be referred for testing, even if the parent requests it. They will likely take your request, look at their data and say they do not recommend your child for testing. If you make enough of a fuss, they will probably do it rather than deal with due process. I cannot remember what the law says about parental requests when the school does not feel testing is warranted. That was ramble and probably choke full o’ typos, as I am on my phone at the trampoline park on a Friday night. (I need a wig out smiley here!)

We're having this for dinner tonight: http://www.cookingandbeer.com/2017/04/roasted-pork-chops-and-smashed-potato-sheet-pan-dinner/ ( easy to leave off the sour cream, which is what I am doing) Check out a paleo cook book from the library. We have found some amazing paleo recipes that have become family faves. They will satisfy your food requirements quite easily. We like the Paleo Grubs turkey burger recipe (I cook them in the oven), sheet pan chicken fajitas with guac instead of sour cream, buffalo chicken bake (I make a vegetarian version of this that rocks and is chock full of veggies), chicken wild rice soup, Minimalist Baker has some vegan recipes we enjoy, chili, Nom Nom Paleo meatballs are a huge hit with my family (even my veggie avoiding 17 year old will gulp these down and they have cauliflower!), and salmon cakes also come to mind. You can do it! It is exhausting when you have to make changes to your eating habits. I used to be so stymied and every week it was exhausting to come up with brand new food to eat, but it has gotten easier.

That is heartbreaking. I am so frustrated and saddened that this is a 7 year old's reality in school.

I think today's kids have a totally different perspective. We have a generation of kids raised on active shooter drills. Literally, these kids have been doing these since kindergarten. I remember crouching under our desks for tornado drills, these kids remember news stories of people being shot at schools and colleges, at concerts at churches and practicing what to do if a shooter comes into their school. Sorry, that's messed up (board rules prohibit the language I am want to use in this instance). So you have a group of kids who have this shared experience and are all connected via social media. They have watched political inaction time and again, but they also saw the first African American elected president and a woman win the popular vote (back to back!). They see action can equal change. Maybe they internalized the "Be the change you want to see" message.

I think it is great. And, I love the solidarity and action from kids in other states-Colorado, Maryland, Minnesota. I hope they keep Margaret Mead's words at heart, "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed people can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has." I am heartened by the engagement I see.

I think the circumstances of Jack's death really contribute to how he is remembered. I mean, he saves them all from this massive fire, including the dog and all the important stuff (photo albums, VHS, and Rebecca's necklace), they think they have survived this incredibly intense and terrifying incident only to have their father/husband die completely unexpectedly several hours after they think their family had made it through this horrible event. I think the ages of the kids played a huge role in how they view their father, as well. It was such a pivotal time to lose their father and I think the circumstances only compounded those emotions. Also, both Kevin and Kate have a lot of guilt over Jack's death; Kate because she feels like it is his fault and Kevin because the last conversation they had was so negative. I think the writers did a great job touching on the very issue people are bringing up with the hero view. In the show with Kevin's family therapy session, Toby and the spouses are at a bar and they discuss the whole "Saint Jack" and how nothing bad can ever be said about Jack among the Pearson nuclear family. To me that is the brilliance of the show, they are hitting on what the viewers might be feeling ("Hey guys, time to move on" or "He had flaws, he was an okay dad"), but we are also seeing how the family is shaped by their ages and circumstances of Jack's death, especially the kids. I think Rebecca is just so very sad. She had this last amazing night with her husband when they were looking to their future and the season after raising their babies. Jack saves not only her and the kids, but the precious family mementos that will be her link to her life with Jack. She thinks he's going to be okay despite this harrowing experience. Jack was her balance, a bridge between she and Kate, the enforcer of respect with Kevin. I don't really know if she holds him on the pedestal the kids do, but I certainly wouldn't blame her if she did. The future Tess storyline was hinted out a few episodes ago. The boy being placed in foster care has been shown before (maybe in the Randalls buy an apartment episode?). The creators love playing with time and our perception of when events are happening. That is an underlying strategy used throughout the show. I think because it speaks to the universalness of life (one event 20 years ago alters the Pearson family's life dramatically) and why so many people can relate to and love the show. I have more, but I have to run for now. (Also, the big 3 are 37, Jack died in 1997, so they were born in 1980)

What I managed in January: We Never Asked for Wings (by the author of The Language of Flowers) Holes (read aloud w/ my 11 year old) Waylon: Even More Awesome (read aloud w/ my 9 year old) Wild Things: Acts of Mischief in Children's Literature Lies Jane Austen Told Me The Gypsy Moth Summer I think Grocery: The Buying and Selling of Food in America may be up next. Although, Erin's recommendation of Born a Crime comes not long after a dear friend just told me it was a fantastic read, so maybe I will do that one next... Too many books...too little time!

Rain starts to fall, I think. Watching with my big kids, but we often skip the intro (thanks for that option Netflix!)

My two oldest both have debit cards and their own accounts. Like someone said upthread, it is linked to our account, so we can see activity. It useful to have it linked to our account because one of our children is saving up for something, and it is easy to transfer the money of the account into ours when milestones are reached.

The Prize: Who's In Charge of America's Schools? recently popped up somewhere on the internet recently. I am looking forward to reading it, especially in the context of this thread.

The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business has been on my list for some time. I believe one of my book club members read it and said it was very good.

I actually think she brings up some good points, BUT I definitely take issue with the question about technology. I subbed in a 3rd grade class last week, those kids spend PLENTY of time with tech. And I don't think it is just a case of having a sub, so things are different. They were on their devices a lot. My current 6th grader gave school a go the last three months or so of last year and spent an incredible amount of time on the 1:1 device issued by the school. It was obscene. And, it did not lead to quality teaching or better learning. My child decided to come home this year because school would not help "meet my academic goals". (edited to clarify, not *my* goals, but my child's goals. My child was definitely underwhelmed by school) I have thoughts on the other questions raised, but that was the big one that jumped out to me. edited to clarify