July 2020 Innovation: LifeCourse in Education
July’s Innovation Strand focuses on how the LifeCourse Framework has successfully supported education for individuals, family members and professionals.
Explore how LifeCourse is being used in school settings, starting in early childhood through high school and beyond. Learn how teachers and other educational specialists are integrating into classroom curriculum and lesson plans, to facilitate transition planning, and enhancing school-wide initiatives.
This month’s content sponsored by Aetna.
We Need Your Help
We would love to hear what you think, and welcome all comments, suggestions, and ideas for improvement. We want this to be a tool that teachers, families and students can use to plan their school journey and ultimately a path to their good life. I have included some questions in red where I am especially looking for feedback. Please direct all feedback to Jane St John – stjohnj@umkc.edu
Showcase Live
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July 2020 Showcase LIVE Event
July 30, 2020
The July Showcase LIVE event features three of the July Friday Feature presenters sharing more about how they implemented the principles and framework of Charting the LifeCourse in educational settings and practices. Our three panelists share their successes and challenges, as well as the impact of their work on families, students, and educators. Find out how they plan to keep the momentum going and scale up their particular innovative practices. Don’t forget to check out the amazing Showcase 2020 sponsors!
Showcase Spotlights
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Integrating LifeCourse Tools with Other Essential Elements of School to Adult Transition
Presented By: Linda Rammler
July 2, 2020
In this Friday Feature, Linda Rammler describes a 4-session intensive learning opportunity developed at the UConn UCEDD for families that incorporates LifeCourse principles and tools with information about exciting initiatives in their state and evidence-based practices concerning school to adult transition. Participants will learn about the non-negotiable realities and values underlying the training, the LifeCourse tools they used to help families create multi-purpose transition portfolios, and how other transition information can be integrated with LifeCourse.
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Educational "System Change" with CtLC: How They Integrated CtLC Across Districts, with Teachers, with Administration, etc.
Presented By: Deborah Richards, CREC, Director of Student Services
July 10, 2020
In this Friday Feature, Deborah Richards describes the steps taken in the State of Connecticut to use the Life Course process to impact student-led decision making and choice in multiple state agencies, most recently by the State Department of Education, and local school districts.
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How a Community of Pre- and In- Service Teachers Learned to Use CtLC in Practice
Presented By: Kelley Flodder
July 17, 2020
In this Friday Feature, Kelley Flodder presents an inspirational story of how she and Celia Schloemer from Cincinnati Children’s Hospital’s UCCEDD partnered in a Pilot Program across the Sycamore Community School District with families and teachers to discover together the power of CtLC.
Preschool through transition age families and teachers participated in a year long pilot program collaboratively. This has led to significant changes throughout the school district and the tools are being used in every building of the district. I will share the strategic yet simple process we used throughout one school district and how that is causing a shift in the area.
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Professional Development for Educators
Presented By: Greg Knollman, PhD, Assistant Professor and Mary Anne Kane Breschi, Parent/Director of Family Supports, Developmental Disability Administration
July 24, 2020
Our presenters share details on how a teacher education team are working to further explore how CtLC principles and tools can be incorporated into educational and transition planning for youth and families through in-service and pre-service teacher preparation.
Watch an overview of the exploration that the teacher education program is taking and some results from a workshop evaluation conducted to introduce a community of graduate students, preservice teachers, teacher’s ed faculty, and community members to the framework.
Our July 2020 Innovation Award Winner
Kelley Flodder
Special Education Teacher
Sycamore Community Schools in Cincinnati, OH
Kelley Flodder is recognized for her passion and dedication to her students and as a Charting the LifeCourse champion for innovation in education, transition, and employment. She grew that passion from an individual to a grassroots effort and finally into a pilot program in her school district. One colleague said, “Kelley’s passion for all people to actively pursue the “good life” shines through in all aspects of her role as an educator”. Another colleague shares that Kelley leads with authenticity and determination, and has given a voice to students who previously didn’t have a voice, and an outlet to advocate for themselves.
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