1. A New Way of Thinking A guide for Middle School Transition
Developed by Steve Gilles and Pam Jenson

2. Purpose of the Guide To assist students in
developing self accepting attitudes,
combat negative thinking and
rediscover themselves while developing self advocacy and
self empowerment skills.

3. Credits
Michael Stoehr from Educational Consultant, The Pennsylvania Training and Technical Assistance Network
Pennsylvania youth: Secondary Transition Toolkit
Daniel G. Amen of the Amen Clinic
Nicole Spang - Edgerton School District
Michelle Uetz – Riverfalls School District

4. Introduction
This guide was created to provide teachers with a tool to assist students with disabilities in learning about themselves.
Middle school is a tough time for all students. This guide is meant to assist students with how to accept themselves and their disability, understand how to combat automatic negative thoughts, change what students think about themselves, learn how to have a voice and gain personal empowerment all to build a strong Transition outcome.
This is a working guide and we hope you will share your thoughts and idea’s with us as you use the guide in your schools.

5. Wisconsin Student Survey Results
How did you feel about yourself as a person with a disability while you were in middle school and high school?
Students in high school and college were asked
37 students responded
Here are the top results

6. Survey Results
*I’m stupid *I’m not normal *My teachers don’t understand me *I will never go to college *Life is not fair, it’s hard *I wish I was smart *I will never amount to anything *There is no point *I read too slow to be smart *I am a loser *Everyone thinks I’m dumb, why try *I am a disappointment *I’m not as important as my peers *I am not meant for school *Life sucks, why me *Just let me be *I can’t do anything right, I’m stupid *I won’t have friends because of my disability *I’ll never be popular and no one will ever like me *Everyone is looking at me because of my disability
This was just the most common responses. Several of the students were able to report 7-15 results in a matter of minutes. Parents were surprised as they thought their child had more confidence than they had reported. We realized at this point, and have for a long time, that this needs to change. College students still had simuliar thoughts even though they were successful in school and many of them working!

7. Chapter 1 Guess what, you have a disability!
Definition of disability
Types of disabilities
Who am I?
What does my disability mean to me?
Who do I talk to about my disability?
Jeremiahs and Kelly’s stories
Let’s take a look at chapter one. Chapter 1 is meant for students to understand their disability. The chapter begins with stories of other individuals with disabilities. Discussion questions are at the end of each story, but please feel free to create your own as well.

8. Chapter 1-Definition of Disability
Physical
Sensory
Cognitive
Psychiatric and emotional
Health related
Autism
Activity 1.1-Define your Disability
Most disabilities fall into one of these six groups. Discuss each group with the students and through Activity 1 have them identify what group they are in.

9. Guess What…you have a disability
This is about accepting your disability and understanding what it means. Making good choices for yourself and your future Activity 1.2 – Getting to know yourself
Many students understand they have a disability, but truly do not understand what it is and how it affects them. The getting to know yourself activity is meant to assist students in getting to know themselves. Starting to think more about their education and what they need to succeed.
Let’s take a look at activity 1.2.

10. Research, Reflect and Interview
Researching their disability –Activity 1.4
Reflect on your disability – Activity 1.5
Interview - Activity 1.5
Interview & learn about your disability
Activity 1.4 is all about researching your disability. Activity 1.5 is reflecting on your disability. Interview others regarding no your disability.
Share that resources listed in the guide Provide more information regarding special education and determining eligibility through the Department of Public Instruction.

11. Questions
Discuss chapter one and how it impacts your work.

12. Chapter II- Automatic Negative Thought’s (ANT’s)
ANT Principles
ANT Species
ANT Therapy-Combat your Negative Thoughts through feeding good thoughts to your anteater
The ANT’s Concept was created by Dr. Amen of the Amen Clinic
To get a good understanding of the ANT’s concept, it may be helpful to view the session 8 dvd on Dr. Amen discussing ANTs.
The purpose behind this chapter, is to assist in assuring students that their disability is only a piece of how they are. To get them thinking positively and not continuely having negative thoughts about who they are and how their disability effects them.
ANTs have been done in different areas, but never specific to disabilities
Check previous notes
Let’s start with a little bit about your brain.

13. Know Your Brain
Activity 2.1, assists students to understand the basics of the brain and why we have the thoughts we do.
Parietal lobe
Occipital lobe
Prefrontal cortex
Cerebellum
Temporal lobe
Knowing your brain, makes a big difference in how you understand the way we think.

14. The power of human thought
ANT Principles
The power of human thought

15. Principles #1 Your Thoughts Are Powerful
#2 Thoughts Influence How We Feel
#3 Fight or Flight Response
#4 Bad Thoughts Make Us Feel Bad
#5 Good Thoughts Make Us Feel Good
#1 Every thought you have affects you and the way you think about yourself or situations around you
#2 Your thoughts can be hopeful or you can allow them to be negative and upset you. It is your choice. #3
#4 Read Slide
#5 Read Slide

16. Principles Con’t. #6 How Do We Know #7 Thoughts are Automatic
#8 Thoughts Lie
#9 You Do Not Have to Believe Every Thought You Have
#10 You Can Learn How to Correct Your Thoughts and Feel Good
#6 How do we know our feelings are good or bad? By our reaction to them.
#7 Thoughts just happen. This means they are not always right. Example- I do badly on a test. I must be stupid? Is this true?
NO-maybe I didn’t study, maybe I was not feeling good, maybe I do not test well. There could be all sorts of reasons
#8 IQ test example
#9 You decide what you believe and do not believe, Challenge your thoughts and determine what is right.
#10 Notice your thoughts and talk back to them until they are positive-If you correct negative thoughts, you can take away their power!

17. Automatic Negative Thoughts
ANT’s ~
Automatic Negative Thoughts
Automatic negative thoughts infest your mind
Like ants in your kitchen or at your picnic
They ruin how you feel
There are 9 different ANT species
1 or 2 ANTS are okay, 2 to 5 are annoying, but when you reach 5, 10, 15, 20 it is a problem, just like at a picnic!

18. NINE ANT SPECIES All or nothing Always thinking Focus on negative
Fortune Telling
Mind Reading
Thinking w/feelings
Guilt beating
Labeling
Blame
Notice the RED ants, they are the ones that get us into trouble!
Let’s talk more.

19. I am the worst student in school!
All or Nothing ANT’s
When you make something out to be all good or all bad
I am the worst student in school!

20. I will never go to college
Always Thinking ANT’s
Think with words like always, never, every time, everyone
I will never go to college

21. Focus on the Negative ANT’s
Only sees the negative aspects of situations, even when there are plenty of positives.
I know I passed my test, but I only got a “C”

22. I will never graduate, so why bother!
Fortune Telling ANT’s
Predicts the worst, even though you don’t really know what will happen
I will never graduate, so why bother!

23. Mind Reading ANT’s
Believe you know what someone is thinking even though they haven’t told you.
Everyone thinks I’m stupid because I have to go to the special ed. room

24. Thinking with Your Feelings ANT’s
Assuming that how you feel about something is actually how it really is. Feelings can lie too.
I feel like you don’t care

25. You MUST try harder and quit being lazy!
Guilt Beating ANT’s
Use excessive guilt to control behavior and think in words like should, must, ought, or have to.
You MUST try harder and quit being lazy!

26. Labeling ANT’s
Call yourself or someone else names or use negative terms to describe them
I am a disappointment

27. It’s your fault I failed again
Blame ANT’s
Blame others for the problems in your life and have no personal power or responsibility
It’s your fault I failed again

28. Summary of ANT Species
All or Nothing Thinking – When you make something out to be all good or all bad.
Always thinking – think in words like always, never, every time, everyone
Focus on negative – only see bad in situations
Fortune Telling – predict the worst

29. Summary of ANT Species
Mind Reading – believe you know what someone is thinking without knowledge
Thinking w/feelings – believe negative feelings without questioning them
Guilt beating – think in guilt words (should’s)
Labeling – use negative terms
Blame – someone else for your problems
Give the students the Definition’s of ANT’s handout. Have them review it. Next talk about ANT Therapy

30. Find your internal Anteater and make it run!!!!
Get together the ANT’s CD and ACTIVITY 2 - Getting rid of the ANTS activity. Follow the directions and have the students first listen to the ANT’s song. Then work in groups to identify ANT’s, the species, and how to get rid of them.
Introduce the Never give up activitiy-building a wall
Activity 5 read after the wall scenrio
ACTIVITY 2.2, 2.3, & 2.4

31. NEVER GIVE UP
Obstacles don’t have to stop you. If you run into a wall, don’t turn around and give up. Figure out how to climb it, go through it or work around it. Michael Jordon And it that doesn’t work, KNOCK IT DOWN! Pam Jenson

32. Thought
If you replace negative thoughts with positive ones, you will have great results for your future!!!!!!!!
Stoop the ANTS!!!!!!

33. Remember
If you want to feel good, think good thoughts!

34. Questions

35. Chapter III - Assessment
What is assessment?
What is the difference between formal and informal assessment?
What are the different types of assessment?
What is an Accommodation?
This chapter is all about understanding the purpose of assessment and getting to know yourself better as well as the ability to give educators the needed transition assesment for the I-8.

36. What is Assessment? Get concrete ideas about what you want to do
Plan what your next steps are
Learn about yourself
Challenge you to think about yourself
Assist in understanding your interests
Assist in knowing your strengths
Learn about your needs and accommodations
Plan for your future goals
Give the students a basic idea of why we give assessments.

37. Formal and Informal Assessments
Formal assessments are tests that are scored and help you understand where you stand compared to others.
Informal assessments can be done by a variety of people like your teacher, counselor, family member, your boss, or yourself.

38. What are Accommodations?
Accommodations are an alteration of something.
The purpose of an accommodation is to assist in succeeding at the skills the student is working on.
An accommodation is given to a student because we all learn differently.

39. What Assessment Accommodations may a student receive?
Some accommodations a student may receive may include, but are not limited to?
extra time on a test,
using a calculator,
having a reader or note taker,
having an accessible work areas.
Add your own and discuss this with the class, ask them what are some accomodations that have been helpful to them or some they may need.

40. Transition Assessment Activities
Transition Assessments, Activity 3.1 & 3.2
Understanding your weaknesses, Activity 3.3
Portfolio’s, Activity 3.4
After these questions have been discussed, hopefully the student will understand the importance of completing a Transition Assessment. Complete activity 1 & 2

41. Dirties Jobs

42. Knowing your Weaknesses
It is as important for students to understand their needs as well as their strengths. Explain to the students why this is important.
Activity 4 – Understanding your weaknesses and the supports you need.
Knowing your weaknesses will assist students in finding the right accomodations. Their weakness can become a strength when developing aan accomodation plan. Weaknesses can be a good thing. It can give you a strong ability in another area.
Complete activity 4.
Then go onto Activity 5 – more assessment, but take into consideration accomodations

43. Summary Begin to pull it all together through a portfolio.
What should a portfolio include at this point:
A picture of the student
Name, grade, age
What interests they have
Samples of their work
Interest Inventories
Anything else that gives a “picture” of who the student is
Let them be creative!
What is your lifelong career journey going to look like?
Portfolio’s can be a great way for student’s to show the Big Picture of who they are. Make sure the important info. Is in their portfolio, but then let them be creative. This can be done as a scrap book, video, podcast, e-portfolio, whatever works.

44. Chapter IV Self Advocacy-Finding Your Way
Speak up for yourself
4 keys to being a good self advocate
Health care advocacy
Self advocacy Do’s and Don’ts
How to find supports
Help in school-IEP’s
Transition Planning in the IEP
Here are the learning points for Chapter 4 Self Advocacy. As many of you know, self advocacy is one of the most important tools needed for students to become independent and productive memebers of their communities. Do you agree, Why?
Read Cassie’s story with the students or have them read it on their own. Answer the discussion points and feel free to add your own questions.

45. Self Advocacy Opening doors to self determination
Self Advocacy is the process of speaking for yourself.
Cassie’s Story learning to be an advocate
What’s your story going to be?
Opening doors to self determination is a great guide in building skills with even more ideas for actitivities. I strongly urge you to use this guide as an activity with this guide.
Speaking up for yourself means students need to be educated on their rights and responsibilities as a student with a disability. If they do not have this information, they can not advocate.

46. Being a good self advocate
Do Research
Communication
Compromise
Teamwork
4 keys
See guide for details

47. Self Advocacy Do’s and Don’t’s
Be polite
Yell or demand
Ask questions
Be shy
Know your information
Come to a meeting unprepared
Keep a record of important papers, phone numbers and names: Be organized
Lose your records, phone numbers, names of people who helped and hindered you
Send thank you notes and show your appreciation
Be ungrateful for people’s time and effort
Give your contact information, and also remember to get theirs too!
Don’t network
Be confident
Be a push-over or arrogant (overconfident)
Go over slide - Barriers and sterotypes

48. How to Find Supports Anyone can be a source of support
Supportive people need to be someone who believes in the student and their abilities.
Someone who can help generate ideas
Supports may be
family,
friends,
teachers,
counselors
adult service agencies,
church leaders,

49. Pulling it all together to be a self advocate
Complete Activity 4.1 – List of Supporters Activity 4.2- My Disability Is! Activity 4.3 – Post Secondary Goals Activity 4.4 – Review Questions Activity Portfolio
Walk students through each activity to pull together the 4 keys to being a good self advocate. This will help them build a strong foundation for themselves to complete more research if needed, communicate their goals, have the knowleage to comprimise and develop a team of support to complete their future goals.

50. Resources Terms to Know Opening Doors Series
Opening doors to self determination
Opening doors to employment
Opening doors to education and training
Opening doors to adult agencies (coming soon)

51. Questions

52. Chapter V Self-Empowerment
What is Empowerment
What is IDEA
What is an IEP
How to get involved in your IEP
What is transition planning in the IEP
Rachel Stacy
Self empowerment is all about knowleadge and understanding the language of your education and adult world.
Have the participates get into a group.
Read and discuss Rachel’s and Stacy’s stories regarding empowerment.
What other questions might you ask your students?

53. What is Empowerment? Empowerment includes:
Having decision-making knowledge and power
Having access to information and resources
Having a range of options from which you can make choices
Positive outlook on being able to make change
Increasing one's positive self-image and overcoming stereotypes or discrimination

54. Why is Empowerment Important?
To be able to make decisions about your life
To show others that you have control of your own life
To take responsibility for your own actions
To be true to yourself

55. The Individualized Education Plan (IEP) and the Secondary Transition Process
An explanation of the federal law that protects your rights
An overview of what an IEP is and why it is important for you to participate
How to use the transition process to plan for your future

56. What is IDEA?
IDEA stands for the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act.
This is a national law which determines the accommodations and supports provided to students with disabilities from ages 3 to 21.
IDEA works to ensure that all students have a Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE)
IDEA requires that students with disabilities have an IEP, or an Individualized Education Program.

57. What is an IEP?
When you have a disability, you have certain legal rights to help you succeed. The Individualized Education Program (IEP) is one of those rights.
An IEP is a form that summarizes your strenghts, needs, how your disability affects your learning, what services your school will provide, and where your learning will take place.
The accommodations you receive
Your goals for high school and after high school.
It is created by a team of people who include your teachers, your family, and most importantly, you!

58. How You Can Participate in your IEP
Do Research
Write It Down
Communicate
Be a Part of
the Team!
Do Research- Ask to know what your IEP says before the meeting and request a copy. You should try to truly understand what it says. If you do not understand, do not be afraid to ask.
Write it Down- Think about what you want to say and write it down so you don’t lose track of your thoughts. This will allow you to express yourself and let your ideas and thoughts be heard.
Communicate- Your IEP is about you! Know your strengths and weaknesses and tell people what you could use for accommodations to assist you. Tell your IEP team what you see for your future (if you don’t know, that’s ok). Use your assessment results to show how you decided on your future plans.
Be a part of the team- Get to know the people that are on your IEP team, know what they can do for you. Letting the adults know what you want is important, but also keep in mind that adults might have some good ideas and suggestions-they are “professionals. “ Remember, be polite but be willing to fight for what you need and want.

59. What can be Scary about Your IEP
Going to your first IEP meeting can be overwhelming. You will probably see:
A bunch of people wearing shirts and ties.
A couple of people you do not even know
Your principal and your parents in the same room
It can be hard to speak your mind.
Teachers use their own language that is difficult to understand. Always ask for clarification.
*Even though an IEP meeting can be scary, it is your chance to have a say in your future goals, activities, classes and accommodations school. Get involved!
Activity 5.1-Getting Involved with your IEP
Encourage students to attend. Explain to parents why it is important.
Go over Activity 1

60. What is Transition Planning in the IEP
Must begin at age 14 or earlier
Transition Page I-8 of your IEP
Developing Post Secondary Goals in the following areas:
Education or Training
Employment
Independent Living

61. How to set Post Secondary Goals
Know your strengths, preferences, interests and weaknesses.
Complete assessments and determine the results.
Develop activities you can complete in school to meet your post secondary goals.
Develop your school classes based on your post secondary goals.
Determine the services you may need.
Write a transition plan!
Complete activity 2 with your students. This will give you the information you need for the I-8

62. Goals are Set, It’s Time for the IEP Meeting
Activity 5.2 –Your Transition Plan
Teacher Talking Point – How to Participate in my IEP & how to Make Sure My IEP is going as Planned

63. Summary Get students empowered
Encourage students to get to really know themselves
Know your supporters
The IEP can be a scary thing
Continue to advocacy for students and encourage them to advocate for themselves
Empower students!
Activity 5.3, Portfolio

64. Additional Transition Resources
Pennsylvania Youth Leadership Network PLYN: Secondary Transition Toolkit
Developed by youth for youth
1st Edition July 2008 PYLN
WI Youth First
Developed by the Youth Community on Transition
Wisconsin Statewide Transition Intitive
Got Transition

65. Questions

66. Contact Information
Steve Gilles, Consultant  
Pam Jenson, CESA #2 Transition Consultant
(608)