The Choice Group

     Today is "Give Kids a Smile" Day, you know, one of those random holidays you never knew existed, like "Talk Like a Pirate" day and "Eat Ice Cream for Breakfast" Day!  Well, in honor of today's holiday AND tomorrow's "Take Your Child to the Library" Day, we thought we'd share this thoughtful article with tips on how to help make learning fun for children with learning disabilities.  It can seem hopeless and disappointing to any child who isn't given the proper attention when trying to learn in school, which can make them give up altogether.  With just a little bit of knowledge in part of the educator, learning can be fun again for students with learning disabilities.   3 Tips to Make Learning More Fun for the Child with Learning Disabilities  By Heather Gilmore, MSW, LLMSW, BCBA  Academic tasks can be challenging for kids with learning disabilities and related disorders (such as dyslexia, ADHD, Autism, et...

     This year marks the 10th anniversary of a Choice Group client at her present employer, U-Haul. For the purpose of this story, we will call her Laura.      Laura is in her early fifties, and while U-Haul is not her first job, it is where she’s found a home. To mark the occasion, she is receiving a ring engraved with the words “Virtuous, Valiant, Victorious,” and in another 5 years can receive a stone to be placed in the ring.  This is a wonderful honor for Laura and has been accomplished in a joint effort between her and her counselor at The Choice Group, Pam.      Pam has been involved with Laura during 10 years of her employment at U-Haul.  Having worked with The Choice Group for so long, many members of The Choice Group staff has interacted with the client and are recipients of annual Christmas cards from Laura.  She loves staying in contact with everyone that’s been involved with her success.   ...

There are many ways to remove stigmas and eliminate barriers for the employment of people with disabilities.  Many people with disabilities actually avoid seeking employment in fear of losing their disability financial assistance.  The Choice Group has Benefit Counselors to help those seeking more independence through employment understand exactly what it means for their Medicare or Medicaid. Many of our clients have been able to find work while keeping the assistance they currently receive.  Not only do we make sure our clients get the financial assistance that they need, we provide ongoing support to make sure they continue to be successful in their jobs.  Whether you want part-time work, or want to eventually become a full-time financially independent employee, The Choice Group will help you find the path that’s best for you. This story is about a woman living in the U.K. with a learning disability, how she finally reached her goal of full-time employm...

Just in time for school to start, we thought we'd share with educators some advice and requests from parents of children with disabilities.  Numbers 8, 11, 12, 15, 16, 20 to be particularly inspiring! Article written by Melissa McGlensey from TheMighty.com 22 Things Parents Want Special Educators to Know Before School Starts As back-to-school time draws near, we know parents have a lot on their minds (and to-do lists). Jumping into a new school year with a new special educator can be daunting for moms and dads. So  we asked our parent readers what they wanted their children’s special educators to know . Here’s what they had to say: 1. “Read the IEP and, as my special educator, please tell the inclusions teachers to read it, too. I do appreciate you… But I am still the parent and we need to be a team.” —  Doreen Duran 2. “A lways communicate with parents. We want to know everything going on — improvements, failures, what they’re doing, are they making f...