Money saved by children can help in funding emergency requirements or can also be a good support for meeting the expenses of college education. No matter whatever amount one earns, at least a little should be saved.

Saving secures the future. Children in some way or another should start taking interest in money and investment plans. They should be made acquainted with the children savings plan and education investment plan for supporting their studies.

A young child may not have the complete knowledge of the increasing cost of education but he should be made familiar with the basics of it and should be motivated to save money for his future.

There are three most important ways in which children in their growing years demanding money from their elders to buy stuffs they want, can be taught the importance of spending wisely and saving money at the same time.

Recognizing Wishes, Wants and Needs

First and foremost, children should be made to realize the differences that exist between wants, wishes and needs. Wishes and wants can be kept for a while during slightly tough times so that their genuine needs can be fulfilled. Moreover, they should learn how to spend buy things of need in a well-planned manner.

They should be taken to stores and shops where they can see how their parents plan their purchase. Unplanned purchase or buying things without proper knowledge can just mean wasting money. Also parents should avoid giving credit cards or excess money to their child as young children may not be able to spend money in a calculated way, if they get excess cash.

Encourage To Save From Pocket Money

Secondly, saving can be encouraged while giving allowance to children. The money can be given in denominations and they should be told to save at least some part of it every day. This will teach them the way to save money right from a young age.

You can open a student’s account for him and make him deposit the money. In this way, he will also be able to earn some extra money as interest and will soon gain the habit of saving money.

Get A Piggy Bank for Your Young One

Finally, another common way to teach children save money is by using piggy banks. These are especially meant for young kids so that they develop the willingness to save right from the beginning. But, for this, parents themselves should always practice saving and set a good example. Once they observe their parents regularly, they will easily learn to follow it because children always learn from their elders.

The problem is that many parents have no clue about how to save money for their kids’ college education. These tips can give you a head start in the process.

- Research on the various college saving plans. Currently, in the market there are so many different types of college saving plans that offer different advantages. Study them and select the best one that suits your requirements. These plans offer attractive tax benefits which you can ask a financial advisor to help you if you do not understand how it works.

- Choose a prepaid college tuition plan instead. These plans give you the option to lock in the current college tuition costs which you do not have to deal with the increasing cost later. Furthermore, you do not have to select any college first at this stage. As the plans are managed by the states, the student is only allowed to choose any public college within that state which his tuition plan indicates. However, if he wants to go another college of a different state or private college, he has to pay more.

- Start early. When your kid is still a baby, it is the best time to get started. This allows you to put money into the children college saving fund every month but a lesser amount compared to parents whose children are in grade school and they have to put in a bigger amount to save for the kids. You have a head start and by the time your kid is ready for college, you have a healthy college fund for him or her.

- Put regular savings into your kids’ college education fund. Every month, you can put aside a fixed amount of money from your paycheck to your kid’s college education fund which you set up for them. When you get a bonus or money incentives, you should put some of them into that saving accounts. Bear in mind to keep within the annual contribution limit to avoid any unnecessary penalties.

A draft IEP is an individual education plan that is filled out in
advance, of the IEP meeting, for your child. Many parents wonder
if it is legal for special education personnel to do this. The Individuals
with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), is silent on draft IEP’s.

The Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP), which is part of the
Department of Education stated in the Federal Register Vol 71 August
12, 2006 “We do not encourage public agencies to prepare a draft IEP
prior to the IEP team meeting. . .”

So, draft IEP’s are not illegal, but are discouraged by OSEP. The
Federal Register also states “. . .if a public agency develops a draft
IEP prior to the IEP meeting, the agency should make it clear to the
parents at the outset of the meeting, that the services proposed by
the agency are preliminary recommendations for review and discussion
with parents.” Special education personnel rarely state this, at the
beginning of a meeting, so you may have to bring it up. The Federal
Register goes on to say “It is not permissible for an agency to have
the final IEP completed before an IEP Team meeting begins.”

The Federal Register comments from OSEP also state “The public
agency also should provide the parents with a copy of its draft
proposals if the agency has developed them, prior to the IEP
meeting. . .” You should request this in writing, and I would
also quote the comments from the Federal Register. The
request should include timelines; for Example “I will expect
to receive a copy of the Draft IEP at the same time as my
10 day written notice of the IEP meeting.”

The Federal Register also has OSEP stating “so as to give the
parents an opportunity to review the recommendations of the public
agency prior to the IEP team meeting, and be better able to engage in
a full discussion of the proposals for the IEP.”

One way to use Draft IEP’s to help your child, is to develop your own
draft IEP. Go to your state board of education’s Website, go to
special education and then download an IEP form (Most states have an
IEP form available for downloading). Fill out the form, with everything
that you believe your child needs.

Take the form with you to your child’s IEP meeting, and cross out each
section as it is discussed. This will allow you to not only be an
active participant in your child’s IEP, but also to have your input
heard. Also, special education personnel cannot leave out important
parts of the IEP, as they do on occasion. Also by having your own
Draft IEP filled out, you can advocate for your child when special
education personnel want to change or decrease their educational
services.

You can use Draft IEP’s to help your child. By requesting the school’s
Draft IEP in advance, you will be able to be an active participant in
the IEP process. By bringing your own Draft IEP, you can have your
opinions heard. Good luck!

In this article, I will discuss:

What is an IEP

Give tips for having an effective IEP that meets your child’s educational needs

An IEP is a document that details the special needs services for special needs students. The IEP includes any modifications that are required in the classroom and any additional special programs or services. In the USA an IEP is mandated by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA 2004). The IEP will address your child’s educational needs, and contain specific, measurable short term and annual goals for each of those needs.

This written statement is developed by your child’s teachers, and is reviewed and agreed to by your child’s special needs education funding organization and you, the parents. The IEP describes the goals the team sets for your child during the school year, as well as any special support needed to help your child achieve his or her educational goals.

In our case with our deaf son, Larry, we lived in Marlboro, MA and Larry attended school at The Learning Center for Deaf Children in Framingham, MA. The town of Marlboro funded the cost of his education. So we dealt with the special needs education supervisor in Marlboro and Larry’s teachers in Framingham.

The IEP meeting is usually attended by the child’s classroom teacher, the child’s department supervisor, the funding special needs education supervisor and the parents.

The IEP document can be very daunting lots of pages with a lot of official sounding documentation.

Here are tips based on our experience on ensuring your child has an effective IEP that meets his or her educational needs:

Tip#1: You as parents need to be proactive and take an active role in developing the goals for your child’s IEP. You need to have regular interactions with your child’s teachers and school supervisors to understand what your child is being taught, how your child is progressing and what your child will be taught next. This will help you in 2 ways: firstly you will be able to understand what is being stated in your child’s IEP and you can make sure which educational needs will receive the most attention. Secondly your child’s teacher will realize that you are interested in your child’s education and they will make extra efforts on behalf of your child. I firmly believe that it is always good to set high expectations for the people working with your child.

Tip#2: Usually your child’s special needs education funding organization will have meetings a few times a year to discuss their plans etc. Attend as many of these meetings as possible and develop a relationship with the supervisor for your child’s special needs education. This relationship will allow you to discuss and make requests suited to your child’s educational requirements.

Tip#3: We requested a copy of Larry’s IEP 2 days before the IEP meeting so my wife and I could review the IEP. Your child’s teacher is usually very busy developing IEPs so you need to give the teacher early notice that you need the IEP for review. Having a relationship with your child’s teacher and the funding special education supervisor will really help here because you will already know what level of education your child is at and what is the next level of education and services to be addressed in the IEP.

Tip#4: You need to remember that you as parents can bring with you to the IEP meeting others involved with your child that you feel are important for the IEP team to hear, such as, your child’s psychologist or tutor. I would recommend keeping surprises for the IEP team to a minimum and again your working relationship with your child’s education team should help you resolve issues and have agreements on your child’s educational needs before the IEP meeting.

Does the special education class teach what your child needs? If the class is taught in the same way that the regular classes are taught, chances are your child will not benefit from this type of special education. Make sure that there is an individualized plan as well as a group plan to teach and enhance learning. If not, have a meeting with the teacher to determine if there is anything you can work out between the two of you.

Do the teacher and assistant display enough patience and compassion to deal with the different attitudes and situations with each child? You can determine that by sitting in on one or two classes to monitor the way the class is taught and how they respond to each child’s needs. If a child does not understand something, you need to know how quickly they respond and how do they help. It’s important to feel comfortable knowing that when you child goes to school he or she will get the help they need. You also want to know if there is enough assistance when the teacher needs it the most.

Are there volunteers in the school that can pull in when necessary? Can you volunteer as well? Schools should never turn down any type of assistance they can get when it comes to making school safe, running effectively, and appreciating all parents and guardians that want the best for their child.

Are there special programs that assist the special education classes? There should be community assistance in order to give the students hands on visuals in order to understand the classroom lessons. Sometimes children learn more when they actually see it. For example, a fireman wears the gear, drives the truck, and helps to contain a fire but having a fireman come to the class room dressed in gear and tell stories of their jobs is much more effective for some students. This is sometimes easier for children to learn while others can learn strictly by studying it in a book.

A study on 100 urban school districts published by Dr. Wilma Gillespie in 1982 revealed that achievement scores, teacher recommendations and grades were the three most prevalent criteria employed in selecting students for gifted programs. All three of these criteria, however, can only identify the gifted auditory-sequential learner – a child who can think primarily in words, has auditory strengths and a step-by-step learner.

But not all children are auditory-sequential learners.

Linda Kreger Silverman is a Colorado-based educational psychologist who extensively studied child development. Silverman’s research revealed the presence of visual-spatial leaners – the “picture thinkers”.

“The visual-spatial learner model is based on the newest discoveries in brain research about the different functions of the hemispheres. The left hemisphere is sequential, analytical, and time-oriented. The right hemisphere perceives the whole, synthesizes, and apprehends movement in space. We only have two hemispheres, and we are doing an excellent job teaching one of them. We need only become more aware of how to reach the other, and we will have happier students, learning more effectively,” she said.

Identifying a visual-spatial learner:

So how do you know if your child is a visual-spatial learner?

There are some behavioral signs that will indicate that your child is more of a visual than auditory learner.

Her lecture notes are full of colored highlight markers, charts or diagrams. She can read body language easier than others, then she’s a visual learner. Any action that takes place in her mind appears with color, texture and shape, her dreams are colored and she knows the trends.

Any flicker of an eye, slight raising of an eyebrow or faded hint of a smile will be noticed by a visual leaner. She doesn’t need words, because any sign from the other person helps her make her move from there. Sign language is her second method of interaction.

When she reads something, a visual learner makes detailed and vivid movie in her mind concerning the information she’s reading. She can also remember where the information was located on a page. When she meets someone news, she might forget that person’s name, but she will remember what that person looked and wore.

A visual learner observes every detail of a painting, examine how photographs are displayed in a book and pause before a mural.

She will never get lost in a city or anywhere else, because she will easily remember how they got in that place. She can also visit a city or find a given place just by looking at a map.

How to help a visual learner:

If your child is a visual learner, here are some things you can do to enhance her learning process:

*Ask your child’s tutor to include PowerPoint presentations – which include illustrations, charts, diagrams, maps, etc. – when helping her to do her homework.

*Teach her to encircle or highlight every important keyword in a book or article.

*When she is studying, it is better to keep her away from windows, as this distracts her.

*A quiet place to study is recommended, with no pictures or posters on the walls. Any TV or music player must be out of sight or turned off.

*Her cell phone should be in silent mode or switched off.

*Encouraging her to make lists helps develop her visual sense.

*Train her to make use of mind-mapping methods.

*Use colored pens to highlight a section in a book. They are best for stimulating her mind and help her think better.

*Place a white board or cork board on a wall so she can post reminders and mini notes.

First of all, what is an RESP? Similar to an RRSP (Registered Retirement Savings Plan) with which most of us are familiar, the Registered Education Savings Plan is a tax-sheltered education saving account that can be used for a child’s post-secondary education. However, unlike an RRSP, RESP contributions are not tax deductible, and while there is no annual contribution limit, you can contribute a maximum of $50,000 per child. As contributions to the plan were not tax deductible, only investment returns are taxed to the beneficiary when the money is withdrawn from the plan.

A parent, friend or family member can contribute, and, with the help of the Canada Education Savings Grant and the Canada Learning Bond, the savings can grow even faster. Yes, that’s right, free money from the government, but we’ll get to that in a minute.

While RESPs can be a great way to save for a child’s education, according to the government of Canada website there are a few things to be aware of when investing in an RESP:

There are different types of plans offered at different financial institutions such as banks, credit unions, mutual fund companies, and investment dealers. Be sure you understand the different options offered by each RESP provider.
There may be sales or other associated costs involved in opening and/or holding the plan. Shop around for the best plan that fits your needs.
Most plans will let you decide when and how much to contribute, though some may require you follow a set schedule with consequences of missed payments. Be sure to read the fine print.
Programs eligible for the RESP are offered by colleges, universities, trade schools and other certified establishments.
If the student does not go on to post-secondary education or does not complete the program, the contributions will be returned to you. Accumulated earnings are usually also returned, though sometimes may be redistributed among the remaining members. Again, read the details of your plan.
When and how you receive payments from the plan may vary. While students must show proof of enrollment in a qualifying program, some plans may make payments on a set schedule and others may let you chose when to receive payment.

As with any investment, don’t put your money into anything you don’t understand, and be sure to read the details of the plan before investing. Be sure you understand the risks and potential returns involved.

Now that you know what to watch out for, opening an RESP is rather simple. You will need a Social Insurance Number (SIN), as well one for the child, choose the RESP provider that best suits your needs based on the above information, and choose one of three types of RESPs available. Your first option is the Family RESP, where you can put aside money for one or more related (biological or adopted) children within one RESP. The advantage of this plan is that if one child does not use the plan, the money can be used by other children in the family. Individual RESPs allow you to save for one child whether they are related to you or not. And finally, Group RESPs combine your savings with those of other people and the earnings are shared. Regular payments may be required but each plan has its own rules.

Now back to the free money part…

The Government of Canada may add to your RESP savings in two ways through the Canada Education Savings Grant. First, the Basic CESG will give you 20% on every dollar of the first $2500 you save in your child’s RESP each year. That means up to an additional $500 could be added to the account, regardless of your family income. The Additional CESG is dependent on family income, and you could receive an additional 10% or 20% on every dollar of the first $500 you contribute to your child’s RESP each year. Be sure to apply for both parts of this grant. Unused grants will accumulate and can be used for future contributions up to the maximum grant of $1000 in any given year. The lifetime maximum CESG that a child can receive is $7200, up to and including the year in which he or she turns 17 years of age.

The Canada Learning Bond is where the Government of Canada offers $500 to help you start saving for your child’s education, with an additional $100 per year until he or she turns 15, to a maximum of $2000. Your child is eligible if he or she was born after December 31st, 2003 and you receive the National Child Benefit Supplement under the Canada Child Tax Benefit.

I have some tips for how to get a job as a Special Education Teacher.

Tip Number One – Excel at Student Teaching

This is my number one recommendation for landing a job as a special education teacher, because administrators want teachers who have demonstrated the ability to teach. If you don’t do well in student teaching and related field experiences, you stand a very low chance of being hired.

Administrators want teachers who know how to do two things:
1. Manage the classroom, meaning very few discipline referrals
2. Teach the children using best practice teaching strategies
3. Work as a team player, bringing good work habits, collaboration and knowledge to the table

Tip Number Two – Get great recommendations

You need recommendations from at least two cooperating teachers (the most important), one college professor, and an employer that you’ve had for at least six months. Job experience is important, particularly job experience in the area of working with children and particularly working with children who have special needs.

A good tip for getting good recommendations is to hand the recommender a copy of your current resume, highlighting special skills and job experience. When writing a recommendation, I appreciated this, because as a teacher and an elementary school administrator, time was of the essence.

Tip Number Three – Create an attention-getting, but easy to skim, cover letter and resume and deliver it in person if possible.

Administrators do not want pages of text to read or a big folder of materials. Submit a one page cover letter, an easy to skim one page resume highlighting special skills and job experience, and three letters of recommendation.

Tip Number Four – Go to as many college job fairs as you can.

Even if you don’t plan to look out of your area or state for a job, go to as many job fairs as you can. It gives you the opportunity to network and practice interview skills.

Tip Number Five – Learn as much as you can about the school district you which to apply for as possible.

Research the school districts for which you plan to apply. You can easily do this online. It will help you know who you want to work for and it will also allow you to tailor your resume and interview toward what the particular school district is looking for.

Tip Number Six – Don’t be afraid to search outside of your town or state if you need to. The move can be temporary if need be.

I had to take a job in a town two hours away from the city in which I hoped to live. It was hard but after two years I was able to get the job I wanted.

Tip Number Seven – Prepare for your interview.

This is very important and I offer two pointers:

1. Dress for the interview – Wear one step above the clothing you will be expected to wear as a teacher.

If in doubt, wear a simple suit with a jacket and a flat heeled shoe. The reason I say this is because administrators want to see people who we can imagine teaching our children and you have to be comfortable to do that. If you have the opportunity to see the principal of your prospective school ahead of time, dress in a fashion similar to what they are wearing. Administrators usually dress one step above their teachers.

2. Practice your interview skills. Write down sample questions. Answer them in writing and then orally. Be succinct. You will likely have 5-10 questions to answer in 15-20 minutes. Plan accordingly.

Tip Number Eight – Interview well.

Shake hands with the interview(ers). Talk about special skills and past job and student performance. Stress the above three things that administrators are looking for. Take a small bottle of water with you. I do not suggest taking a big binder portfolio. Instead, condense it into a five page document with colored pictures that you can leave with the interview team. Highlight activities that make you stand out as a teacher above the other candidates.

Tip Number Nine – Send a thank you note after your interview.

I can’t tell you how important this is. If you don’t get the job, it will keep you in the mind of the administrator interviewing you and when another principal calls him/her your name will be at the forefront of their mind.

Pre-referral helps to make certain that your child is provided with appropriate modifications and accommodations before being referred for special education testing. These strategies may include, but are not limited to, physical placement in the classroom, presentation and modification of materials, as well as individualized behavior plans. Often the modifications and strategies that are recommended provide your child with enough support that academic performance is improved and special education services are not required.

Different states refer to the child study team by different names. In some states the team is a function of general education, in others, the team is a part of the special education program. In any case, it is a school site committee whose primary function is to ensure that each child receives the most appropriate classroom support. The meetings are usually held in your child’s classroom or in an office at the school site, before or after school, allowing your child’s teacher to participate. By providing early identification and intervention for students who are experiencing difficulty in school, the child study team serves as a problem solving forum. The team works together in order to determine your child’s strengths and areas of difficulty. Your participation is very important. This is your opportunity to ask questions and provide critical information about your child. Members of the team will brainstorm in order to develop strategies and an action plan. Later the members will monitor, assess, and discuss the effectiveness of the implementation of the plan that was developed by the team. You have the right to ask questions and call additional meetings, if necessary. Team meeting notes will be taken and copies should be distributed to all members of the team. This documentation demonstrates that the school is providing your child with the legally required general education interventions. Team members vary depending on numerous factors. Often the general education teacher will be involved, as will a counselor, school psychologist, and/or an administrator. Teams may also include special education and related service providers. As the parent, you are an integral part of the team. While the school has the responsibility to invite you at a convenient time it is not absolutely required that you attend. It is however highly recommended as you have a wealth of information regarding your child’s preferred learning styles, health and educational history, behavior, personality traits, areas of difficulty, and strengths.

Typically a meeting is scheduled when there is a concern regarding behavior or academic performance. Anyone who works with a child may make this referral, frequently in written form. Often it is the classroom teacher who requests the meeting. As a parent you also have the right to request a meeting by contacting your child’s teacher or the school principal. Each team member may provide information and make suggestions. The team begins by discussing your child’s strengths and interests, information is shared, and specific concerns will be addressed. The team will review interventions that have already been implemented and how successful they have been. The team will then brainstorm possible additional interventions and will determine which strategies will be put into action. Team members will then be assigned tasks that they will help implement or research. A time-line will be determined by the team. There will be a follow up meeting in order to assess the successfulness of the strategies. The team may determine that sufficient progress has been noted and that testing for special education is not needed at this time. It may be determined that the team will reconvene in order to implement new strategies and monitor progress. If insufficient progress has been noted, a referral for special education assessment may be recommended in order to evaluate whether or not your child may have some type of learning disability.

The pre-referral process is one step in the special education process. It provides an excellent opportunity for you to collaborate with a team in order to insure that your child receive the most effective instruction designed to meet his or her unique needs. The process is most successful when it identifies and utilizes all available resources in order to appropriately support your child.

The administrator or designee supports the team by presenting the agenda, directing the meeting, answering questions, providing information, and offering support to you and other team members. The general education teacher provides up to date information regarding your child. They will listen to information, help to clarify concerns, and participate in the development of behavioral and academic interventions.

Child bonds give an investor the flexibility of contributing a very modest monthly contribution. In times where the economy may be uncertain, the option of contributing minimal amounts is attractive. Conversely, child bonds allow one to make a lump sum investment, allowing the investor may choose to pay the monthly premiums in one lump sum. This will have the same effect as if one were contributing their monthly premiums. This option is ideal for grandparents who may want to make one contribution as a gift or at birth.

Child savings plan are somewhat different. They allow investors to open the account at any time. There are two types of child savings plans. One type is designated in the investors name, and gives the investor complete control of the investment. The investor can close the account, and withdraw from it at any time. The other type is a trust account. A trust account is held by a trustee. The trustee has complete control over that account until the child reaches 18 years old. The investor in this type of account does not have the ability to withdraw funds or close the account.

Whether one chooses a savings plan or a savings bond, a child’s future financial stability is vital to their success in adulthood. Either option works toward the goal of securing long-term success.

The following useful tips and inquires will allow one to choose the investment that is most appropriate:

Determine what you are comfortable contributing to the account. Will it be a lump sum investment or monthly contributions?
Determine if access to the funds is important to you or if you are willing to relinquish access until the child reaches 18.
Be aware of any charges that may be assessed to the account. Some are assessed when changes are made to the account, and some are made on a regularly basis.
Encourage friends, and family members to contribute.
Start investing early in the child’s life. The child savings plan allows investors to withdraw funds if necessary.
Be a well-informed investor. Compare interest rates to determine which company will offer the best return on investment.
Research your options. Evaluate your individual circumstances, and make an informed decision based on your circumstances.

If you are interested in reading more information about child savings bonds and investment plans then please visit the following links: