My First IEP Meeting

 

About a million years ago...give or take...I was a brand new fresh out of college bright eyed and bushy tailed first year teacher ready to change the lives of her students.  I absolutely loved going to work everyday, I had won the lottery in the form of my dream job.  As much as I loved it, the fear of failure was right there front and center.  I wasn't necessarily worried about losing my job, but failing my students, not teaching them effectively and in turn they wouldn't be set up for success. If I didn't do my job teaching first grade skills they wouldn't be ready for the second grade skills and basically their whole lives would be ruined...right?  

Thankfully I had an amazing support system of teachers around me to help me and encourage me.  I knew that I was working with the best of the best and knew I would be supported.  

Anyway...my first IEP meeting took place as a brand new fresh 21 year old baby teacher.  I was the regular education teacher on the team for a child who came to me for centers and socialization.  My role was very minor as far as the IEP process (not saying it was minor to the student just the process).  I still remember the feeling of sitting at that table with this amazing team of teachers and service providers.  I was intimidated, they were throwing around words that I didn't know (more on that in a future post) and writing everything down then restating it a different way and writing it down (back when everything was hand written).  I don't remember much of the content, but I do remember watching the mother.  As everyone talked about the students strengths and struggles I felt cringy like we were discussing this person that wasn't there and saying things to a parent that seemed improper to talk about in a group.  I kept looking at mom wondering what she was thinking, how she was feeling.  Her face looked sad and tired and overwhelmed.  This wasn't her first rodeo and she likely knew that she had a top notch team of people (seriously this was an all star team) working with her child, but now from the other side of the table I can tell you it's a lot.

I left realizing I had so much to learn and how I would NEVER be able to be on the parent side.

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