As we all scramble to adjust to a new way of living and working amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, telecommuting or teleworking has become the “new normal” for many. Not to be confused with the buzzing topic for early interventionists of tele-intervention or tele-health (that’s a topic for another blog, perhaps), Merriam-Webster simply defines telecommuting as,” to work at home by the use of an electronic linkup with a central office.”

Schools, agencies and businesses are struggling to support educators, students, and employees to adapt to an entirely new way of distance working. As a professional telecommuter for the past 18 years, I am paying close attention to concerns voiced by colleagues via emails, social media posts, and conference calls.  As I have listened and observed, this blog sort of began to “write itself” in my head and I decided to put “fingers to keyboard” to provide some perspective and tips.

When I was offered the opportunity to telecommute, it was a scary consideration. Naturally an extrovert, I wondered how I would cope with far fewer personal interactions. I also had to combat (for myself and others) telecommuting misperceptions. Oh, the questions and comments I’ve received or heard:

Question 1: “Do you roll out of bed and work in your jammies?”

Answer: Nope

Definitely not a morning person, I decided almost immediately that I could not afford to ease into my day differently than when I went into the office. When my alarm goes off at a set daily time, I shower, dress, and yes, I also “do my hair” every morning. While I don’t wear the kind of clothes I would wear for an in-person meeting, I’m always dressed in appropriate clothes if my video camera is ever on, which it frequently is! My girls used to laugh at this and asked why I went to the trouble when I wasn’t seeing people. Why? Because I’m a professional.

Question 2: “Do you watch TV or Netflix?”

Answer: Never

It actually never crossed my mind to have the TV on during the day. I wouldn’t watch TV if I was in the office so why would I ever do that while at work, even from home. Overtime I created a home office space that is really my designated work area. I go to my “office” just as I would go to my agency office. There is no TV anywhere close. Why? Because I’m a professional.

Question 3: “Aren’t you tempted to eat all the time?”

Answer: No

While my kitchen is very close to my home office, I quickly decided that I would adhere to a typical work meal schedule. I eat breakfast before I go to my office. Most days I take a lunch break and go to my kitchen or sit on my porch for a change of scenario. Just like in an office job, I do spend probably far too many days eating lunch at my desk. I’ve never really been tempted to add a lot more snacking or eat more. Why? Because I’m a professional.

Question 4: “I would be on social media all day. Are you?”

Answer: Again, nope

We are all using probably far more social media to stay connected during these uncertain times. I am, too. One thing I caution is to be very careful what you are posting during your typical office hours. People are watching. Your supervisor may be watching as well. It may be a good time to think about what you are posting during business hours. Are the posts job related? If not, might be a good idea to hold off posting until after work hours. I am NOT discouraging posts that uplift your colleagues. I just have seen some posts about what folks are “binge watching” while I know their agency has required telecommuting. This kind of post, unfortunately, supports telecommunicating misperceptions and diminishes the effectiveness of distance working.

So basic questions answered, I want to take a moment to think about the great things regarding telecommuting. I am fortunate to have a job, one that is allowing or promoting my telecommunication. I have great “officemates” with my two dogs. I am able to practice social distancing. I have great technology to connect with colleagues via web-conferencing tools and phone calls. I am contributing to the well-being of friends, colleagues, and larger communities.

Has your agency modified your working situation or required telecommuting? What has been difficult? What is going well?

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Access the new module on the VA eLearning Center site: Child Development

Have you heard the good news? An all new, highly interactive Child Development module was recently launched through the VEIPD team. The module follows two children, Alejandro and Lydia, as they grow and develop from birth to thirty-six months. With a particular emphasis on the importance of relationships, routines and activities, and natural learning opportunities, learners see Lydia and Alejandro within the context of their families. The interrelatedness of nature, nurture, genetics, and environment is fully explored. Recognition of the importance of the children and their families within their support systems and communities is also emphasized.

Divided into eight chapters averaging about fifteen minutes in length, the module features a foundational knowledge of child development. Each chapter contains a variety of learning aids including brief videos and short articles. Especially helpful, every chapter also includes a downloadable handout for each developmental phase that highlights typical developmental milestones across multiple domains, emphasizing the whole child.

So let’s see – how could YOU use the Child Development module?

New Early Interventionists
If you are a new (or soon-to-be) early interventionist in Virginia, this module is one of the required certification modules that you will take to receive early intervention certification. Regardless of your role as therapist, service coordinator, local system manager, etc., the foundational information will support your work with infants, toddlers, and their families. The topics will help you to think about the importance of development, potential delays, and family-centered practices when considering IFSP outcomes and service implementation.

Veteran Early Interventionists
Perhaps you are a veteran early interventionist who has observed this phenomenon—the longer you do assessments on infants and toddlers who have developmental delays, the more you think that children with ‘typical development’ are exceptionally bright, even gifted. Sometimes our perceptions become skewed. This module on typical child development could be a good refresher to help you re-align those perceptions.

Faculty
How about faculty members? We know just how crammed it can be trying to fit all of the required course content into various early childhood special education and early childhood education programs. This module could support your students with the basics, including attractive, resource handouts for quick reference and future use.

Other Agencies
And if you are joining us from a community agency such as Early Head Start, childcare agencies, or home visiting programs, this module is for you, too! We frequently get requests to provide foundational child development staff training, With a total time of approximately two hours, loads of resources, quick learning checks following each chapter, and a full module quiz with certificate of completion, staff can take the module at a convenient time at their own pace.

We are excited to share this new resource with you. It is our hope that regardless of your role supporting infants and toddlers, birth to age three, and their families, you will find the new Child Development module helpful.

Have you used the new Child Development module?

Share with us your roll and what aspects of the module you found most useful in the comments below.

Instructions to access the module: Visit the VA Early Intervention eLearning Center. Scroll down to find: Initial Certification (Required for all Virginia EI Practitioners). Look for the Child Development module in the list. You will need to create an account in order to access the module.

The post Drumroll Please: Introducing the All New Child Development Module appeared first on Early Intervention Strategies for Success.

Valentine’s Day is right around the corner. So how does that pertain to your job as an early interventionist?

The life of an early interventionist is packed with conducting assessments and developing IFSPs, managing lots of paperwork, and traveling here and yon all over the countryside for visits with children and families. PHEW! It makes me tired thinking about it!

In all this busyness how often do you step back and consider the importance of your job? Do you really think about the impact that you have on a daily basis in the lives of children and families?

A Foundation that Lasts a Lifetime

Frequently early intervention providers are so focused on the day in and day out routines, just trying to keep their noses above water, that they fail to recognize what amazing services and supports they provide.  Even more importantly, with the narrowed emphasis on those first three years of life, there is limited time to pause to consider that early intervention is building a foundation that lasts a lifetime!

When I provided direct services it infrequently crossed my mind about the longterm implications of my interactions with families. Sure, I wanted to provide the best supports as possible but I was more focused on the present: the child’s IFSP outcomes and progress, providing good information to help families make good decisions, etc.  Rarely did I reflect on how my work on that Tuesday morning might impact some Tuesday morning later in life when the child was in elementary school or even in high school.

Recently, however, in my current job as a professional development specialist, our team has focused on producing videos that will support early interventionists in their work. I had the opportunity to spend several wonderful days with a young man who was in the early intervention program that I served as the director many years ago. Brandon, now fourteen years old, and his family shared where their lives have taken them since they transitioned out of early intervention. Brandon’s mother, Rhonda, discussed the impact of those early services that laid the framework for lifelong inclusive practices and advocacy.

I am proud to say that I am an early interventionist. Even more importantly, Brandon and Rhonda reminded me that I LOVE MY JOB! Honestly, no words I write could speak the volumes that this video provides.  I encourage you to grab a cup of coffee or a colleague and take a moment to watch. I know you will remember why you love your job.

Brandon’s Story, A Mother’s Voice

Happy Valentine’s Day! 

To brighten your day even further, check out the Virginia Early Intervention Professional Development Center’s Resources and Info for Families page for three more success stories from Virginia families!

The post Fall in Love with Your Job All Over Again appeared first on Early Intervention Strategies for Success.

How many of you remember the TV sitcom, “Who’s the Boss?” that aired in the mid-80’s? The basic premise was a role reversal of common stereotypes when a former National League baseball player moves with his daughter to an upscale Connecticut community to become a housekeeper to a high-powered executive and her son.  Typical television drama ensues as the woman and the man recognize that traditional roles including “man as the breadwinner/woman as the homemaker” and “boss/employee” relationships cannot always be so clearly delineated.

In my work with families, I frequently considered, “Who’s the boss?” As an early interventionist, it became clear to me early in my career that learning HOW a family functions provided critical information that impacted my interactions with that family. Identifying that key decision-maker in each family helped to guide me as I established rapport, worked to build the family’s trust, and enhanced my ability to support the families confidence and competence.

Consider these real-life scenarios:

Scenario 1

A Kurdish family immigrated to the United States after being religiously and politically persecuted in their country of origin. Recently after their arrival, the doctor informed the family that their 12 month old daughter was showing some signs of developmental delays and referred the family to early intervention.  With the assistance of an interpreter, an IFSP was developed and services began. During one of my earliest visits as the developmental specialist, the family informed me that we were going to call the maternal grandmother in Kurdistan to talk about what I was doing.(Oh, and by the way, the grandmother spoke no English and the family had very limited English.) With lots of gestures, creativity, and good humor, the family and I connected to the grandmother across the world and discussed the child’s early intervention outcomes and services. The child’s mother eagerly waited for the grandmother to approve the plan they had put in place for this child and their family. “Who’s the Boss?”

Scenario 2

I had visited this family’s home for approximately three months to provide developmental services and service coordination for “Sammy.” On every visit, a woman (not the mother) sat on the sofa and observed our sessions.  I tried my best to figure just who she was. I introduced myself at the start of each visit hoping she would reciprocate. I even tried, “I don’t believe I got your name.” It was not that she was unfriendly. She often just jumped in the conversation and never quite answered my question. AWKWARD! Finally one day I arrived for a visit and the “sofa lady” was not there. I took the opportunity to ask the mother her name. It turned out that this woman was the next-door-neighbor.  As the mother talked, it quickly became clear to me how important this neighbor was to this family. She was a friend and confidant to this mother. She often played an aunt-like role to Sammy. She helped the family with managing their household and their budget. “Who’s the Boss?”

Do you have a story when you identified an unsuspected key decision-maker?

How did this new information impact your interactions with that family and with “the boss?”

The post Who’s the Boss? appeared first on Early Intervention Strategies for Success.

Transition (noun): The process of change from one form, state, style or place to another.

Summer is quickly drawing to a close and in your community, if it hasn’t already happened, soon a big transition will occur for many families. The new school year will begin with new teachers, new classrooms, and new friends. But what does this transition look like for families who have been in early intervention? Many of them may be making a big transitional leap from supports and services for infants and toddlers to early childhood special education through the public schools.

Some families eagerly await this new journey.

They look forward that their child will have opportunities to interact with other children close in age. Other families are excited that their child will be exposed to new learning and activities. Some families find that the consistency and predictability that school offers is a good match for their child and their family.

How about those families for whom this transition is emotionally challenging?

For some, this is the first time in their young child’s life that the parent will be separated from the child for a more extended time. Parents often share their fears and anxieties about who will feed their child or read his cues because he is not yet speaking. Safety is also a concern if a child has limited mobility. What if another child steps on him? Transportation can be anxiety producing.

In early intervention, we continually strive for seamless transitions but how do we support the family? Here are a few tips:

Allow ample time on early intervention visits to give the parent time to share concerns – Listen for subtle cues that the parent provides about what is producing the most anxiety. Once I heard a mother talking very excitedly about her child going to school but she repeatedly brought up that she was worried about him choking during lunch. After we addressed that specific concern, she planned to follow up with her son’s soon-to-be classroom teacher to share her questions and fears.

Suggest a “field trip” to the new school – With school authority permission, the parent and child can play on the playground or walk around the school grounds. One parent asked the principal’s permission and she and her child visited the older sibling during lunch. This served a dual purpose in that the older sibling had special lunch visitors but the child who would soon be transitioning had the opportunity to “practice” being at school.

Try some coaching! – Ask the parent to imagine a really good transition for her child. What would that look like? What would work well? What might be some challenges to anticipate? Develop a joint plan to start addressing some of those successes and barriers.

Are you preparing to help a child and family transition to early childhood special education in the near future? What suggestions or tips can you share with colleagues?

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How many of you have ever walked into the family’s den where all the fun is going on and you happily plop down in the midst of everything and suddenly feel wetness soaking through you pants? The mother quickly explains that the new puppy is having some trouble getting the hang of house training. UGH!

Ever been to a home where the father keeps snakes and other creepy crawlers for fun? He joyfully dips his hand into the glass tank and pulls out a slithery ‘thing’ with a darting tongue and suspicious eyes and wants to know if you want to touch it! Ummm….no thanks! UGH!

Or what about the trailer waaaayyyy out on some county road where you knock on the door and hear ferocious barking while the beast of the dog inside slams his body against the screen door? As the grandfather opens the door to let you in, he warns you not to make eye contact with ‘Shredder’ but not to be too worried since he is such a good dog! UGH!

On one visit the child was nowhere to be found but I could hear scratching and scampering upstairs. When I asked the mother where “Johnny” was, she quickly informed me that he was upstairs playing with the rats. I was sure I’d misunderstood and asked if she meant mice as I used my thumb and forefinger to approximate a little critter about three to four inches in length. The mother, imitating my measurement system, used both of her hands to indicate that the critters she was talking about were more along the lines of ten to twelve inches and they were indeed RATS (and not the family pets!) UGH!

Another time a sibling asked if I wanted to hold “Marshmallow.” Before I could even react, ‘Marshmallow’ was sort of tossed in my hands. I wasn’t even sure what a “Marshmallow” was until the little fellow turned out NOT to be soft and squishy but rather a hedgehog with quills and all! UGH!

As early interventionists, we interact with families in their natural environments. This includes their family pets that can be a wonderful source of everyday learning opportunities. A snuggly cat can be strong motivation to move across the floor to get some furry loving. A funny piglet or goat on the family farm can be an endless source of language opportunities. A faithful old dog can teach compassion and the joy of unconditional love. I bet even goldfish have a trick or two up their….fin!

What experiences have you had with pets on your visits?

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Balloons, cake, friends…who doesn’t like a party? And how many invitations to a child’s birthday party have you received?

In early intervention, we constantly walk that thin line between establishing rapport and maintaining professional boundaries with families. It is important that a collaborative, trusting relationship between family members and early interventionists is established and nurtured. This parent-provider partnership is a key element in effective coaching.

Learning to differentiate between that rapport building and professional boundaries is often challenging, especially for new providers.  You want to form a bond with the child and the family. You want to be friendly and engaging. You want to support them, especially when they are facing struggles or challenges. Let’s face it, most of us got into this line of work because we really like being good “help givers.”

On the flip side, should you be the mother’s closest friend? Should you share intimate details of your personal life? Should you run errands for the family, or fold the laundry while you are chatting OR go to the child’s birthday party?

Consider a few tips to help keep those professional boundaries “in check.”

Learn your agency’s policies related to professional boundaries.

Many agencies have policies or regulations that specifically address professional boundaries. These written guidelines may come in handy when a parent asks you to do something that feels like you are crossing that proverbial line. “I’m sorry. I’m not allowed to give you my personal cell phone number. It’s against our agency policies.”

Become familiar with the code of ethics or conduct for your discipline.

Many discipline-specific associations or boards have well defined codes of ethics or conduct. For example, the American Physical Therapy Association’s Code of Ethics states that “Physical therapists shall not accept gifts or other considerations that influence or give an appearance of influencing their professional judgment.” The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association’s Code of Ethics indicates that “Individuals shall not reveal, without authorization, any professional or personal information about identified persons served professionally.”  So the next time a parent says, “I heard you were going to start seeing my neighbor’s child, Johnny,” you can politely inform the parent that you are bound by confidentiality rules to help respect the rights of all children and families.

Access your supervisor if you need guidance.

Sometimes the decisions that early interventionists have to make are not quite so clear cut. If in doubt, talk with your supervisor about the situation.  If maintaining professional boundaries is becoming difficult with a particular family, it may be necessary to consider another provider.

Have you had a dilemma with professional boundaries? How did you manage the situation?

The post You’re Invited…What Do You Do? appeared first on Early Intervention Strategies for Success.

You knock on the door, enter the family’s home and take off your coat. Maybe you take off your shoes, too. And the mother asks, “Can I get you a cup of tea, or a soda, or anything?”

What is your initial response?

Mine was always, “No, thanks. I’m fine.” Then one day I visited with a Kurdish family.  I wasn’t asked, however, if I wanted hot tea. Instead, almost as soon as I entered and sat down, the tea was placed before me as well as a slice of baklava.

I remembered that some of my colleagues had told me that they ALWAYS refused any offer of food. But this food was already served. I remember thanking them and taking the plunge. It seemed like the right thing to do and I was going by sheer “gut instinct.” By the way, the baklava was HEAVENLY!

A cup of tea became a part of each visit with this particular family. Over tea, we talked about how things had gone in the weeks between my visit and discussed what was important for this visit. It also became a time to learn more about their country of origin as well as their customs and beliefs.

Soon the child was ready to transition to early childhood special education. The ECSE teacher asked about making a joint home visit. When the teacher and I arrived at the family’s home, an ENORMOUS spread of food was laid out before us.  This was much more than tea! Soon the mother and children began carrying out more plates of different foods that I did not recognize. The father quietly served the teacher and me as the mother and children watched.

I am not vegetarian but I’m also not much of a meat eater so I had a moment’s hesitation when the father placed some unidentified meat and bones on my plate. Now, all I could hear was my mother whispering in my ear, “Be respectful. Don’t hesitate to try new things” and lots of other motherly advice. But, the truth was, I just was not sure I could eat the unidentified meat.  I began sampling the foods that clearly looked like fruits, vegetables, and starches. The father quickly noticed that I was avoiding what would later be identified as lamb and asked, “You don’t like “da sheep?”

I realized at that minute that it was ok. The family recognized my dilemma but appreciated that I was trying so many unknown foods. For over a year, we had shared tea and stories and had established a relationship built on trust. It didn’t matter that our cultures and our beliefs were very different. It didn’t matter that I didn’t eat lamb. What mattered, was that I put aside the “steadfast rules” and adapted to this family’s individuality and uniqueness.

How do you manage the “food dilemma?” Did culture or family values play a role in your decision to reject or accept the food?

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How many times has this happened to you? You arrive for your EI visit to a family’s home and find that the large screen TV is on and a favorite show is airing. Perhaps it is a beloved cartoon for the child, or maybe it is the mother’s favorite talk show host. Is the father watching the NBA playoffs?

Often a service provider’s initial response is to ask about turning the TV off to eliminate distractions. The thought is that the caregiver and the child may be better able to focus on the early intervention session and even more on the child’s IFSP outcomes. But consider what would be happening if the service provider was not in the home at this given time. Most likely, that TV would still be on. The family would be watching their favorite shows because that is their routine. This is what they do when early intervention providers are not around. Service providers, therefore, must consider how to support families in those everyday routines and activities. Expecting families to change their daily activities can lead to frustration when there is a perceived “lack of follow through.”

Let’s look at some strategies using our TV examples.

Child’s Favorite Show

Start with the child’s IFSP outcomes. Maybe the family is working on language and requesting and “Dora” is on TV. Prompt the child to ask for Dora by turning the TV off and responding to verbalizations or signs for “Dora.” Quickly turn the TV back on to Dora after each sound.

Mother’s Favorite Show

Start with the child’s IFSP outcomes. Perhaps the family is trying to teach the child to attend to a quiet task for a short time. Suggest that the mother find some favorite quiet toys to bring out during her TV program. Books, Playdough, and crayons are all activities that can be done while the mother is watching her program. Encourage the mom to provide direct, interactive opportunities during commercials. She could read a short story, make a Playdough snake or trace the child’s hand.

Father’s Favorite Show

Start with the child’s IFSP outcomes. Is the family trying to encourage more eye contact and social interactions? Model for the father that every time a basket is scored during the game, he calls the child’s name, makes direct eye contact and does some interactive motion such as raising the child’s arms and yelling, “WHOOSH!”

As you consider the suggested strategies, what is the consistent first step? You’ve got it! Start with the child’s IFSP outcomes. Use the family’s everyday routine of TV watching and think creatively. And…don’t turn off the TV!

What strategies do you have to incorporate TV watching as part of your EI visit? Share a time when you’ve had a successful EI visit while the TV was still on.

The post Can You Compete with Dr. Phil? appeared first on Early Intervention Strategies for Success.

In the early 80’s we used the term “family involvement.” There was an implied sense that early childhood professionals were bringing families into their inner sanctum. The alphabet soup of special education jargon was revealed; parents became members on various boards and family members began to “negotiate the special education maze.” (Anderson, Chitwood, & Hayden, 1982)

In the late 90’s we modified our terminology to reflect current best practice and we began to use ‘collaborative partnerships.” Families were viewed as equal members of the IFSP/IEP team. Parents and caregivers had invaluable information to share with other team members.

And now, it is 2012 and a new term is being utilized: family engagement. Is it all semantics or could this be the phrase that really changes our practice? Muscott et al. (2008) report that family engagement is defined when “building trusting relationships with family members; that is to say, relationships in which teachers and parents respect one another, believe in each other’s ability and willingness to fulfill their responsibilities, have high personal regard for one another, and trust each other to put children’s interests first. Relationship building is enhanced when family-centered practices that respect the uniqueness and personal circumstances of all families including those who have children with disabilities…”

So what does this look like in practice? How do early intervention providers and early childhood special educators truly collaborate with families? What is the family’s role in their child’s education?

In 2005, the Division of Early Childhood (DEC) identified four recommended practices for family-based practices.

1. Families and professionals share responsibility and work collaboratively
   Family members and professionals work together, sharing information and jointly developing appropriate family- identified outcomes that are responsive to cultural, language and other family characteristics
2. Practices strengthen family functioning
   Practices, supports and resources provide families with opportunities that strengthen decision making and choice. Information is provided and supports and services are mobilized in ways that do not disrupt family and community life.
3. Practices are individualized and flexible
   Resources and supports match each family member’s identified preferences, beliefs, and values. IFSPs and IEPs are tailored for individual children.
4. Practices are strengths- and assets-based
   Family and child strengths are used as the basis for engaging families in activities to build knowledge and strengthen parent competence and confidence. (Sandall et al., 2005)

As early childhood practitioners, we know that families are the experts on their child. They bring a wealth of knowledge and experience regarding their family and the learning opportunities on which we can build our strategies. Our job is to merge our knowledge and expertise about child development into the family’s daily routines. From this, we can develop IFSP/IEP outcomes and programming that will promote individualized activities that will truly encourage families to become fully engaged. Perhaps then, it will not just be about semantics!

What strategies do you use to engage families, build rapport, and maintain relationships?

References available upon request. Posting was adapted from original article in The T/TAC Telegram (Feb/Mar, 2009).

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