Author: Karen Copeland There are times when we have an idea that, on the surface, seems like it will be a good fit. The expectations seem reasonable and attainable, we may even have experienced success in the past. We know to anticipate a few ups and downs but for the most part, feel confident that the day… Continue reading Embracing the Unexpected
I am re-posting this article I wrote a few years ago, sharing our experience with a public distributed learning school. While we have now returned to regular public school, it was this experience shared below that really became a catalyst for positive growth for our son and family. ~Karen Author: Karen Copeland Back in January… Continue reading Absolutely, Yes
I wrote this piece a few years ago now and am re-publishing it on the blog. By no means am I any kind of expert, however, these are the tips that worked best for our family. A critical piece of the preparation for back to school is being very clear with the school team about the… Continue reading Tips for School Anxiety
Author: Karen Copeland How many of you are looking forward to back to school right now?!? One of the things I always felt uneasy about with back to school was trying to let my child's teacher know some key things about him, right at the start of the year. We were often encouraged to wait… Continue reading Back to School Cheat Sheet
I came across this post about Family Engagement this morning, written by Parent Engagement Advocate and Activist, Nancy Angevin-Sands. In the post, Nancy explores the often uncomfortable feelings between teachers and parents, and provides three thoughts on how to move beyond these to embracing family engagement. I encourage you… Continue reading Link: It’s Okay – They Come in Peace
Author: Karen Copeland A few years ago I had the opportunity to take surfing lessons. Now, surfing isn't really ever something I aspired to do, but my sister pulled me outside of my comfort zone and off we went. It helped that the instructors were all Hawaiian Firefighters! We were given a quick lesson on… Continue reading Learning to Surf
Author: Karen Copeland Let's talk about self-care. As caregivers, we are often encouraged to make sure we take time for ourselves, to replenish our own reserves; because if we are struggling, how will we be able to help our children? Sometimes though, this idea of self-care seems easier said than done. We become so caught… Continue reading Tips for Self Care
Author: Karen Copeland Trust. As we work our way through life, we come across multiple instances where we simply need to trust ... in processes, in people, in our kids. Parents and caregivers who have kids who require accommodations and support are tasked with trusting others on a much larger scale. Sometimes it feels like… Continue reading Trust
There is a quote from Jane Goodall that says: "You cannot get through a single day without having an impact on the world around you. What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make." At the beginning of May, I was invited to speak to… Continue reading Guest Post: The Power of A School Wide Experience
Author: Karen Copeland Fair warning: I'm not sure what the intent of this post is, other than a bit of rambling about where I am at right now and some of the ways I am trying to move forward. Thanks for reading. There are times when I feel like I just think too much. I… Continue reading Contemplation
Author: Karen Copeland [with much inspiration and guidance from BC Educator, Tracy Cramer] Buy In. I can't even begin to count how many times I have heard these two words over the years -- in many different circles. It seems to be the 'go to' phrase that is used when a new (or re-designed) idea is being… Continue reading Believe In
Champions for Community Mental Wellness 