Guideposts for Success Believe in YOURSELF !! 3/5/2014

Guideposts for SuccessBelieve in YOURSELF!!

3/5/2014

You Will Face Challenges and Difficulties

The Guideposts for Success help students deal with these

challenges

Students with disabilities may face:

• More obstacles finding employment than their peers and also higher unemployment rates

• Not having the academic skills you need, which leads to weak job skills

Don’t Be a Statistic!! • Special education students are more than twice

as likely as their peers in general education to drop out of high school

• Students with disabilities are half as likely as their peers NOT to participate in postsecondary education

• Two thirds of students with learning disabilities have not been identified by the school system as having such disorders

Guideposts For Success/NCWD,

http://www.ncwd-youth.info/sites/default/files/Guideposts-for-Success-(English).pdf

Rise Above Obstacles

The Guideposts Are for ALL Students

They include:

1. School Preparation

2. Youth Development & Leadership

3. Career Preparation

4. Connecting Activities

5. Family Involvement

Guidepost #1 School Preparation

• Preparing for post- secondary life includes gaining knowledge, learning skills, and developing a plan for college, technical school and/or job experience

• Creating a safe learning environment that is supported by highly qualified staff who are supportive of your goals and dreams

What is School Preparation?

Be Prepared!

• Access technology and specific individual learning accommodations while you are in school

• Develop knowledge of reasonable accommodations that can be requested in college or other educational settings

• Develop the skills and learning strategies you need to be successful, for example:

Ask Questions !!!!!

Accommodations Allow You to Be Successful

We use Accommodations throughout our life

• When you learn to ride a bicycle you use training wheels to learn balance until you can ride on your own

• In school you may need large print, a screen reader, computer, calculator, note taker or extended time to take a test

• Your ‘extra set of wheels’ are not always available and you must learn how to be successful without them

• Assistive technology provides access to course work and the workplace

It Works Both Ways!!!

• Students need to understand the reasonable accommodations they need and how to request them

• Then teachers, professors, parents and employers can do their part

Guidepost #2Career Preparation

What is Career Preparation?

•Identifying your job/career interests through career assessments •On-the-job training experiences (paid or unpaid), including community service that matches your skills and interests•Learning how to communicate about your disability and your work support and accommodation needs

Opportunities to learn first hand on the job so you can:

Practice, Practice, Practice!

Guidepost # 3. Youth Development

and Leadership

What is Youth Development and Leadership?

A process that helps you meet the challenges of adulthood which can include:

• Developing self-advocacy skills (expressing your learning needs and style to others)

• Mentoring opportunities which will develop leadership skills

• Learning how to resolve conflict

Qualities of Leadership

Guidepost #4 Connecting Activities

What are Connecting Activities?

•Mental and physical health services •Housing and transportation support•Financial planning and management services•Post secondary supports like tutoring and assistive technology•Adult service agencies, for example:

• BRS – Bureau of Rehabilitation Services• DDS – Department of Developmental Services• DMHAS – Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services

Stay connected!

Students may want to connect with:

Guidepost #5Family Involvement and

Support

What is Family Involvement and

Support?

Parents, families and other caring adults who will:

•Have high expectations that build upon your strengths , interests and help you achieve independence•Understand you and your disability to help you be successful in your education , work and your daily life•Remain involved in your life

Guideposts were created to help you on your journey through

adulthood.

CT State Department of Education, Transition Task Force

Where can I get more information?

Patricia L. Anderson, Ph.D.Education ConsultantCT State Department of EducationBureau of Special Education

860-713-6923patricia.anderson@ct.gov

Christopher

McCray Catherine D.

Forker

A presentation for the Connecticut Transition Task

Force developed by:

Acknowledgements

Patti Clay – Bureau of Rehabilitation Services (BRS)

Cathy Felice – Tunxis Community College

Cathy Forker – State Education Resource Center (SERC)

Khampasong Khantivong – Bureau of Rehabilitation Services

(BRS)

Chris Librandi – Fairfield Public Schools

Christopher McCray – Student Representative

Beth Reel – CT Parent Advocacy Center (CPAC)

A special thank you to the members of the Guideposts for Success Subcommittee of the Connecticut Transition Task Force who developed, guided, and edited this presentation:

Acknowledgements, continued…Valerie Reyher – The Kennedy Center, Inc.

Barry Rita – Board of Education & Services for the Blind (BESB)

Dorine Russo – School Counselor

Pamela J. Starr – Eastern Connecticut State University (ECSU)

Cindy Stevenson – Department of Developmental Services (DDS)

John Van Hare – African & Caribbean American Parents of

Children with Disabilities (AFCAMP)

And, to Patricia L. Anderson, Ph.D., CT State Department of

Education, Bureau of Special Education/Bureau of Rehabilitation

Services (BRS), for her ongoing leadership and dedication to

improving the lives of students with disabilities