Intensive Programming for Students with Autism

I'm doing a paper on the above for an Early Intervention class I'm taking right now. If anyone has a child on the autism spectrum and would be interested in providing input about the various therapies their child has received, please let me know.

You can email me directly if you prefer: npeace414(AT)gmail(DOT)com

Thanks!!

Spring Semester

Two days ago I was slightly dismayed to realize that there was only a week left to my Winter break. Now that I've gotten over the initial shock, I'm getting excited for my classes. It seems that, aside from a lab science, all the courses I need yet are my major requirements, which makes it much more interesting for me.

I'm not crazy about the schedule, as I'll be out of the house Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday evenings until almost 9pm, but I'm excited about the classes:

SPED 318: Special Education for Infants, Toddlers and Preschoolers with Developmental Disabilities
Examines the implications of federal mandates for providing educational and supportive services for infants/toddlers/preschoolers with disabilities and their families. Includes identification of, and leadership responsibilities of, personnel involved with infant and early intervention programs and assessing, analyzing and interpreting data from formal and informal sources to be utilized in developing the Individualized Family Service Plans (IFSPs) are discussed.

SPED 328: Formal and Informal Assessment in Special Education
The administration, scoring and interpretation of assessment devices typically used in psychometric evaluations are stressed. Critical evaluation of such devices in terms of reliability, validity and norming groups is also developed. The integration of the interpretive results of psychometric evaluation with behavioral observation, task analysis and other assessments developed in prerequisite courses is demonstrated.

EDUC 433: Gender & Race Issues in Children’s Literature
(No description in the catalog)

I'm FINALLY starting to see the light at the end of this tunnel... and so excited to get out of the office and into a classroom!

Counting My Blessings

1. My husband amazes me. He loves me just as I am, makes me laugh every day, and is incredibly helpful around the house. If it weren't for the financial aspect, I could totally get used to him being at home. He does all the cleaning I hate to do!
2. Speaking of my husband... he found a job yesterday! It's only part time, but lots of people are having to take part time work right now because there's such a shortage of full time jobs. It's not enough to solve all our problems, but it'll do for now, and we're grateful for it.
3. Fall semester is almost over and I'm soooo ready for Winter break. Finals tomorrow and Friday, then I'm off til mid-January!
4. I have a job that pays well. I've been here for almost 11 years and I'm ready to move on (graduation can't get here fast enough), but in these hard economic times, when so many are out of work, I'm grateful to be employed.
5. I have great parents, stepparents, siblings, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins, all of whom I love very much, even if I don't call or visit often enough.
6. I have wonderful friends who have been there for me over so many years, and through so much junk, and love me even through my little quirks and scattered nature.
   
7. I am thankful that T is still with us. She is still in the ICU, had a trach tube inserted today to continue helping her breathe, and unfortunately had her right leg amputated a few inches below the knee today as well. But she is alive and we all love her and miss her and will continue to pray for her recovery.
8. I am thankful that my stepson is happy and healthy, and that we're making progress with the bedtime battles, even if it is just baby steps.
9. I am thankful for Facebook. Sound weird? I've reconnected with so many people through there and found an additional support system of other women - other moms - who can share their experiences and advice.
10. I am thankful that we have a home... a warm place and a roof over our heads. Not everyone has a place to sleep tonight.
11. I am thankful for my church and the wonderful people in it.
12. I am thankful for God, who loves me, forgives me, and amazes me more every day.

LCBC Worship - King of Heaven from Matt Goss on Vimeo.

Blue Wednesday

Once in a while, even though I have Jesus and Prozac, I still have one of those days where I just feel kind of down. Today is one of those days. Now that I think of it, yesterday was one of those days too.

Yesterday I think I would have given anything to just stay home with my husband, even though my husband is only home because he's still out of work. I ran out of vacation time in September, mostly because of school projects in the Spring that I had to take time off for. I really look forward to having options again on days like that.

Today... I think it's a combination of things. I'm tired. The holidays are coming. Christmas is coming and we only have one income. This isn't the best semester I've had.

I met with my adviser at school this morning and it hit me just a little harder that, in just over a year, I'll have to quit my job (yay!) and finish my last two semesters of school - professional block, then student teaching. Normally thinking about that makes me happy. So we're back to the one-income issue. I guess I'm scared to death that Larry won't find something that supports us well enough in that last year of school. I'm afraid something will happen (or WON'T happen) that keeps me from graduating.

And we have Lucas tonight. Thinking about the recent bedtime drama makes me dread going home, for fear of what tonight's bedtime might bring. So, again, I pray for peace...