Help

I have been wondering on and off what to include in my talk with the teachers at Hannah's school - the principal (and I agree - in theory!!! yelp!!) thinks I should be present as well as someone from our EI provider - to talk to the whole staff about DS and Hannah in particular - so my contribution is to 'make it personal'. I was thinking powerpoint - hoping their staff meetings are in a place where this is possible. But I also want it to be informal. I want the staff to feel comfortable to coment and ask questions. I know some of them will no doubt already have experience with down syndrome.

Anyhow - I was thinking of starting with a lovely comment Sue left here (but I haven't found yet!!) about how I'd find a teacher who loved Hannah as much as I did - then maybe what sort of questions they might have that I hoped to answer in my presentation. The last bit I think could be about our expectations and dreams - for an inclusive education and for Hannah in particular. Maybe mentioning our 'inspiration' - people like Sarah who have graduated (Class of 2008) and a local girl who got her HSC this year. In the resources I thought I'd mention a few - like DSA NSW, our EI providers who support us as a family and in doing so the school, the CEO who support the teachers and school and in doing so us as a family, internet resources (yes Amanda I'm putting it out there a little!!) like Downsed and Teacher's Space and Learning to be Buddies etc and of course - them - or 'you' as professionals and the ones with experience. Is that too twee? I hope not cos what i'd like to leave them with is the quote "When a child is born with DS, the most important thing that has happened is that a child has been born." - Hence they are our greatest resource because although Hannah has 'special needs' she is first and foremost a child just like all the many and varied others they deal with on a daily basis.

Any alternative ideas or suggestions of how I could approach it - please!! I'll no doubt be pondering it all January - lucky I'm a teacher myself so I can view it a bit like my own lesson prep - imagining I am in class as usual - talking with my students and developing a conversation - which is how i usually operate. If I stuff one up there though - there is always a second chance - this one is so important to me.