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
Category: Champions
Re-Thinking the Iceberg
Author: Karen Copeland Most of us are familiar with icebergs, and that you really only see a small piece of an iceberg above the surface; there is so much more underneath. In the human services realm, the iceberg has become a metaphor for exploring deeper below the surface instead of relying solely on what we… Continue reading Re-Thinking the Iceberg
I’m Not Comfortable {and why that’s a good thing}
Author: Karen Copeland It's been a busy few weeks around here with our family finally being reunited after many months apart, getting our son back to school [sort of] and a number of commitments that have simply happened mostly all at the same time. It's been ... exhausting but exhilarating. I finally hosted my first… Continue reading I’m Not Comfortable {and why that’s a good thing}
I Am the Lucky One
Author: Karen Copeland Every once in awhile someone will say to me that my life must be so difficult, so hard. I've often said that I consider myself to be the lucky one because I have a child who does not fit this preconceived idea our culture has of what children should be like. If… Continue reading I Am the Lucky One
Guest Post: One Youth’s Thoughts on Acceptance and Inclusion
I am proud to share this post, which has been written my daughter. It is comprised of a series of paragraphs she wrote for her English class. She is a teenager and presents her perspectives on how we sometimes view kids who behave unexpectedly, as well as how we "do" inclusion. I believe her voice is… Continue reading Guest Post: One Youth’s Thoughts on Acceptance and Inclusion
The Importance of Preaching to the Choir
Author: Karen Copeland I had the honour of attending the PEAK Parent Center Inclusive Education Conference in Denver, Colorado at the end of February. This conference was two full days packed with inspiration, hope, ideas and community; attracting student advocates, parents, community advocates, teachers, administrators and more from across the United States. As often happens at conferences… Continue reading The Importance of Preaching to the Choir
Let’s Be Blunt: The Illusion of Inclusion
Author: Karen Copeland This is a post I have been wanting to write for a long time now. Most of you will not be surprised this post is about the challenges families face with their children who have special needs being included in the public education system. How we are simply dropping our kids into regular classrooms… Continue reading Let’s Be Blunt: The Illusion of Inclusion
#StartwithStrengths
Author: Karen Copeland Last night it finally happened! I have been collaborating with Chris Wejr for months to prepare a presentation called Start with Strengths: Change the Lens, Change the Story. We were building on the previous presentations Chris has created on this important topic. For this session, we wanted to include the parent voice… Continue reading #StartwithStrengths
Do You Know Her?
Author: Karen Copeland She sits quietly in your classroom. Completes her work. Not always on time, but mostly. She might be hesitant to raise her hand to answer a question. She likes school, but doesn't love school and would rather learn about things that matter to her. She might not be the one to readily… Continue reading Do You Know Her?
The Power of #EdCamp35
Author: Karen Copeland Ahhhh #EdCamp35 2015. This amazing day of learning, connecting, sharing and laughing. Meeting new friends and re-connecting with people I met at last year's unconference. The feeling really is indescribable. I originally was not going to be able to attend this day because of another commitment, but when my plans changed, I… Continue reading The Power of #EdCamp35
Champions for Community Mental Wellness 