"Fast 15" with Champions of Special Education

Welcome to another episode of The FAST 15 podcast, where we deliver transformative tips and motivation for special educators in just 15 minutes. Sponsored by Specially Designed Education Services, publishers of The Functional Academics Program, this episode features Suzanne Fitzgerald, President and CEO of Specially Designed Education Services and author of the Functional Academics Program.

Key Points:

• Suzanne brings 30 years of diverse experience in special education to the conversation.
• The discussion is split into two parts, focusing on writing meaningful IEP goals in this episode and progressing to the benefits and challenges of progress monitoring in the next.

Guest Introduction:

• Suzanne's journey began as a peer tutor, evolving into a camp counselor for children with disabilities, eventually leading to roles in recreational, residential, and vocational settings.
• Her decision to teach was confirmed during a year as a paraeducator in the Seattle School District. She later earned her teaching certification and master's in special education from the University of Washington.

Four Pillars of Meaningful Goals:

1. Social Connections: Suzanne emphasizes the need to prepare students for active social lives beyond school.
2. Service Opportunities: Advocating for purpose, Suzanne questions the impact of a lifetime where everything is done for a person. She stresses the importance of preparing students for jobs or customized volunteer opportunities.
3. Independence: Suzanne reflects on the significance of independence and autonomy in students' lives, irrespective of ability level.
4. Collaboration: Drawing from her experiences, Suzanne underscores the importance of a support network and collaboration, especially for families with fewer resources.

Goal-Setting Process:

• Suzanne's process involves developing a lesson or activity related to critical aspects of life and formulating a goal based on that. She follows personal teaching guidelines, ensuring goals are functional, meaningful, age-appropriate, and designed to improve students' quality of life.
• The guidelines include asking critical questions such as "Why am I doing this?" and ensuring goals are SMART.

Family Involvement:

• Suzanne collaborates with families to ensure goals align with their perspectives and are reinforced across

Support the show

Barbara Beck is the host of the FAST 15 Podcast. She is a highly dedicated Disability Advocate and Special Education Consultant specializing in IEP Transition Services. Barbara has an extensive background as a special education teacher spanning nearly 30 years. She has dedicated her career to empowering transition-age youth and fostering positive post-school outcomes.

Barbara's expertise lies in providing comprehensive support and guidance to students with disabilities, ensuring their successful transition from school to adult life. She possesses a deep understanding of secondary services and possesses the skills to develop tailored strategies that maximize individual potential.

For more information and resources on special education school-to-adulthood transition planning and independent living, visit www.mykeyplans.com. Join us on social media for updates, behind-the-scenes content, and discussions about special education, inclusion, and disability advocacy. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn and use #IEPLaunchpadPodcast to join the conversation. Thank you for tuning in to the IEP Launchpad Podcast! 🎧🎙️#IDD #teaching #specialed #specialneeds #InclusionMatters #DisabilityAdvocacy #EmpowerVoices #edtech, #education #edtech, #teachers

Are you ready to transform the world of special education with just 15 minutes of your time? Join me, Barb Beck, in this new and exciting journey, called "Fast 15 with Champions of Special Education", where we aim to provide you with quick tools, effective strategies, and an incredible community of educators. This podcast promises to be your ultimate go-to resource for impactful strategies, no matter if you're teaching elementary, secondary, or 18-21 transition programs.
Imagine if 15 minutes could bring about a revolution in your teaching approach, wouldn't you want to give it a shot? That's what "Fast 15" offers. This game-changing podcast is designed to bring a powerful shift in the way you teach, stirring innovation in classrooms and creating engaging learning environments for your students. Let's link arms together in this transformative journey, and show our students that every single moment counts. Thank you, dear listeners and subscribers, for your unwavering support. Fasten your seatbelts as together, we fast-track our journey in supporting young adults with disabilities, all under 15 minutes! See you on the "Fast 15" journey.

Support the show

Barbara Beck is the host of the FAST 15 Podcast. She is a highly dedicated Disability Advocate and Special Education Consultant specializing in IEP Transition Services. Barbara has an extensive background as a special education teacher spanning nearly 30 years. She has dedicated her career to empowering transition-age youth and fostering positive post-school outcomes.

Barbara's expertise lies in providing comprehensive support and guidance to students with disabilities, ensuring their successful transition from school to adult life. She possesses a deep understanding of secondary services and possesses the skills to develop tailored strategies that maximize individual potential.

For more information and resources on special education school-to-adulthood transition planning and independent living, visit www.mykeyplans.com. Join us on social media for updates, behind-the-scenes content, and discussions about special education, inclusion, and disability advocacy. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn and use #IEPLaunchpadPodcast to join the conversation. Thank you for tuning in to the IEP Launchpad Podcast! 🎧🎙️#IDD #teaching #specialed #specialneeds #InclusionMatters #DisabilityAdvocacy #EmpowerVoices #edtech, #education #edtech, #teachers

We had an incredible conversation with Suzanne Fitzgerald, CEO and founder of SDES and the creator of the comprehensive Functional Academics curriculum. Her curriculum has made a significant impact on students with disabilities nationwide. Suzanne shares her journey from working with children and adults with disabilities to becoming a special education teacher, and eventually developing a comprehensive assessment system and curriculum for both elementary and secondary special education settings.
Join us as Suzanne discusses the importance of staying connected with educators, parents, students, and administrators to ensure their program remains relevant and useful in today's ever-changing educational landscape. The community-driven approach taken by Specially Designed Education Services (SDES) sets them apart, as they continually gather feedback and make adjustments based on real classroom experiences. Don't miss this insightful conversation with Suzanne Fitzgerald, where you'll learn more about her passion for helping students with disabilities achieve independence and success from school to adulthood.

Support the show

Barbara Beck is the host of the FAST 15 Podcast. She is a highly dedicated Disability Advocate and Special Education Consultant specializing in IEP Transition Services. Barbara has an extensive background as a special education teacher spanning nearly 30 years. She has dedicated her career to empowering transition-age youth and fostering positive post-school outcomes.

Barbara's expertise lies in providing comprehensive support and guidance to students with disabilities, ensuring their successful transition from school to adult life. She possesses a deep understanding of secondary services and possesses the skills to develop tailored strategies that maximize individual potential.

For more information and resources on special education school-to-adulthood transition planning and independent living, visit www.mykeyplans.com. Join us on social media for updates, behind-the-scenes content, and discussions about special education, inclusion, and disability advocacy. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn and use #IEPLaunchpadPodcast to join the conversation. Thank you for tuning in to the IEP Launchpad Podcast! 🎧🎙️#IDD #teaching #specialed #specialneeds #InclusionMatters #DisabilityAdvocacy #EmpowerVoices #edtech, #education #edtech, #teachers

Remember how exciting and nerve-wracking it was to start your first job? Join us as we hear heartwarming stories from our amazing Launch Buddies, Koa, Jay, and others, as they share their supported employment journeys and the invaluable role of job coaches in their lives. You'll be inspired by Koa's experience as an MC for the Adults Transitioning to Independence graduation ceremony, which has helped him grow in confidence with public speaking!
In the second part of our empowering conversation, we explore the experiences of our buddies with job coaching, transportation support, and the classes and boundaries taught in the Adult Transitions to Independence program. Learn from Andrew and Sam about their journey in finding work, and don't miss the exciting dream job opportunity with the mayor for one of our buddies. This episode is not only filled with stories of self-determination and self-advocacy but also aims to foster a sense of community and understanding for those on their own supported employment journey.

Support the show

Barbara Beck is the host of the FAST 15 Podcast. She is a highly dedicated Disability Advocate and Special Education Consultant specializing in IEP Transition Services. Barbara has an extensive background as a special education teacher spanning nearly 30 years. She has dedicated her career to empowering transition-age youth and fostering positive post-school outcomes.

Barbara's expertise lies in providing comprehensive support and guidance to students with disabilities, ensuring their successful transition from school to adult life. She possesses a deep understanding of secondary services and possesses the skills to develop tailored strategies that maximize individual potential.

For more information and resources on special education school-to-adulthood transition planning and independent living, visit www.mykeyplans.com. Join us on social media for updates, behind-the-scenes content, and discussions about special education, inclusion, and disability advocacy. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn and use #IEPLaunchpadPodcast to join the conversation. Thank you for tuning in to the IEP Launchpad Podcast! 🎧🎙️#IDD #teaching #specialed #specialneeds #InclusionMatters #DisabilityAdvocacy #EmpowerVoices #edtech, #education #edtech, #teachers

In this inspiring episode of The Launch Buddies Podcast, hosts Barbara Beck, Darien Watson, and Andrew dive into the topic of dreams, aspirations, and making a positive impact in the world. They are joined by fellow Launch Buddy, Sam, who shares his recent accomplishment of securing a job and the importance of practicing interview skills. The hosts discuss their own dreams, including Andrew's desire to help the homeless and be involved in animal conservation, as well as his passion for travel and connecting with diverse cultures.

Throughout the episode, our Buddies emphasize the significance of self-advocacy, compassion, and taking one step at a time towards fulfilling one's dreams. They highlight the role of words and encouragement in lifting others up and making a positive impact in their lives. The hosts also discuss the challenges of navigating social media and the importance of using it responsibly to spread positivity and inspiration.
Our resources at: www.mykeyplans.com

"My Dream" Student Activity - Google Slides

"My Dream" Prompt Template

Check out Koa's inspiring video: “My Driving Goals” by CLICKING:
Koa: Overcoming Barriers to Getting My Driver's License - The Importance of Perseverance

• MyKeyPlans.com: A website offering tools and resources for planning and achieving personal goals.
• My Dream Student Activity - Google Slides: An interactive Google Slides activity designed to guide students in identifying and exploring their dreams as part of their Individualized Education Program (IEP) transition planning.
• My Dream Prompt Template: A customizable template for prompting and documenting personal dreams and aspirations.

Additionally, Koa shares his inspiring journey of overcoming barriers to obtaining his driver's license in a video titled "Koa: Overcoming Barriers to

Support the show

Barbara Beck is the host of the FAST 15 Podcast. She is a highly dedicated Disability Advocate and Special Education Consultant specializing in IEP Transition Services. Barbara has an extensive background as a special education teacher spanning nearly 30 years. She has dedicated her career to empowering transition-age youth and fostering positive post-school outcomes.

Barbara's expertise lies in providing comprehensive support and guidance to students with disabilities, ensuring their successful transition from school to adult life. She possesses a deep understanding of secondary services and possesses the skills to develop tailored strategies that maximize individual potential.

For more information and resources on special education school-to-adulthood transition planning and independent living, visit www.mykeyplans.com. Join us on social media for updates, behind-the-scenes content, and discussions about special education, inclusion, and disability advocacy. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn and use #IEPLaunchpadPodcast to join the conversation. Thank you for tuning in to the IEP Launchpad Podcast! 🎧🎙️#IDD #teaching #specialed #specialneeds #InclusionMatters #DisabilityAdvocacy #EmpowerVoices #edtech, #education #edtech, #teachers