Shelley Kenow

I partner with parents, caregivers, and school districts to find common ground to enhance the education of children with special needs.

I do this by providing an understanding of Special Education and the IEP document and process.

I am a certified special education teacher and have been a special educator for over 25 years. I completed the Master IEP Coach® Mentorship and am a member of the Master IEP Coach® Network. I've worked in the United States and England.

During my career I developed my own behavior modification system that worked with hundreds of students.

I authored the book, Those Who "Can't..." Teach which is about individuals and families who were told, "You can't (fill in the blank)" but who busted through those attempted limitations.

WHAT TOPICS CAN I DISCUSS?

I could share tips on how parents, caregivers and school districts can work together on developing an IEP that provides a Free Appropriate Public Education preparing the child for further education, employment, and independent living based upon their unique needs.

Specific topics for parents:

Behavior Modification Techniques-I have developed my own behavior modification program. I can discuss ways to help your child and you be friends as adults because of using great behavior strategies when they were growing up.

Inclusion– how to include a child with disabilities in play groups or as your child’s friend. The IEP document- what it is, defining the terms, how each page should be filled in.

Bias towards special education-Cognitive Bias is something every person on the planet develops. I will define cognitive bias, describe how it develops, and explain how to change it, especially when it comes to special education.

Specific Topics for experts in teaching:

Behavior Modification Techniques - I’ve developed my own behavior modification system based on years of teaching experience and training in Crisis Prevention, Applied Behavior Analysis, Discrete Trial Training, and Mental Health. This program encompasses the whole child and prepares them for school and life.

Writing and Data Collection for goals and objectives-Goals for Individualized Education Plans need to be SMART. When goals are written that way, data is easily kept by a variety of methods.

Inclusion-Ways to truly include children with disabilities into the general education classroom and life. Also, I will share “the best program our school ever had” that I developed and utilized for 7 years.

Working with Paraprofessionals (educational assistants and aides)-including them in the IEP process.

The IEP document- what it is, defining terms, how to properly complete it, the most underused sections, writing a truly individualized and appropriate IEP for every student.

Bias towards special education-Cognitive Bias is something every person on the planet develops. I will define cognitive bias, describe how it develops, and explain how to change it, especially when it comes to special education.

General Topics:

Becoming the author of Those Who "Can't..." Teach True Stories of Special Needs Families to Promote Acceptance, Inclusion, and Empathy

Leaving teaching and staring my own company

Being a person with anxiety