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
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
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
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
Author: Karen Copeland Idiom: Tough nut to crack (http://www.usingenglish.com/reference/idioms/tough+nut+to+crack.html) If something is a tough nut to crack, it is difficult to find the answer or solution. When used about a person, it means that it is difficult to get them to do or allow what you want. 'Hard nut to crack' is an alternative.… Continue reading “Tough Nut to Crack”
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
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?
Author: Karen Copeland I've been thinking a lot about awareness lately, and reflecting on how our family has moved from a place of awareness to a place of acceptance. I thought about those times when people were "aware" of the challenges we were experiencing but this did not necessarily translate into "acceptance". In one of… Continue reading Shifting from Awareness to Acceptance
This post is inspired by a recent post that has gone viral titled "Dear Parent: About THAT Kid" by an educator in Calgary, Alberta. It is a powerful post and I encourage you to read it. While I was reading the post, I thought about how easy it is to assume instead of be curious.… Continue reading I Am “that” Parent
2ex·pert noun \ˈek-ˌspərt\ : a person who has special skill or knowledge relating to a particular subject from: http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/expert Over the years I have heard the phrase "you, as the parent, are the expert on your child". Certainly, as the definition above suggests, I do have special skills and knowledge when it comes to both my… Continue reading Pondering “expert”
Champions for Community Mental Wellness 