Conferences & Workshops
DSAWM hosts workshops and conferences throughout the year intended to educate on a variety of topics related to Down syndrome. Visit the DSAWM calendar for details on upcoming engagements. For information and handouts from past engagements, please visit the links below. Recordings of some of these engagements are also available our YouTube channel.
Early Stages
Toilet Training for Every Child
Alice Belgrade, M.S.Ed., LCPC, BCBA of The Potty People (A Division of Chicago Behavior Consultants, Inc.) provided a crowd of eager parents with the knowledge and skills they need to help their children navigate this critical step in their development.
School Age
From Defiance to Compliance
Alice Belgrade, M.S.Ed., LCPC, BCBA, of Chicago Behavior Consultants presented a number of parents, educators, and childcare providers from across the state with information and strategies to help them better understand and deal with behavior issues in children who have Down syndrome.
Sibling Issues
Brian Skotko, MD, MPP, co-author of Fasten Your Seatbelts: A Crash Course on Down Syndrome for Brothers and Sisters, led a large number of parents, educators, and service providers through a series of interactive exercises that explored the questions, needs, and concerns commonly raised by siblings of children with special needs.
Raising Your Other Children
La Ducación de los Otros Hijos
Teen & Adult
Protect Young Eyes
Chris McKenna, national speaker and founder of Protect Young Eyes, led a seminar for parents and educators focused on how to better promote internet safety for young web users. Participants learned the problematic realities of digital engagement and strategies they could employ to keep children and teens safe online.
Presentation Notes
Protect Young Eyes website
Parent Support
Don’t We Already Do Inclusion?
Dr. Paula Kluth – consultant, author, advocate, special educator, scholar, and inclusion facilitator – shared with educators and parents how those concerned about inclusion can create change even when they are not in positions of power. The activities, examples, and illustrations in this workshop helped participants refine their vision and their skills when it comes to inclusion. The ideas are no or low cost, and many can be achieved by any number of stakeholders—including students and families.
Paula’s website
More Than Shared Classrooms
At the 2010 DSAWM Educator Conference, a number of educators from all over West Michigan learned about topics relevant to the inclusion of persons with disabilities in the general education classroom from former Special Education Director for the State of Kansas, Michael Remus.
Great Expectations
How to Write IEPs
Road to Inclusive Practices
Real Students/Real Solutions
