I was a certified teacher in the State of Georgia for seven years including teaching middle school special education.  I stopped teaching when my daughter and I followed my husband to his military assignment in upstate New York.  While stationed there, we went on a list to foster/adopt and within hours our life completely changed.  We went from one child to six children within about six months.  We were blessed to be able to adopt four of our children and raise our oldest daughter as our own.  My oldest daughters are now 20 and 21 and both living on their own and doing well.  My husband is now retired from the Army and works for a local law enforcement agency.

My younger four children are all under fourth grade and each have disabilities and special needs.  All the letters in the diagnosis labels and acronyms used in the educational and medical communities sometimes make me feel as though I live in a world of alphabet soup.  Along the way, I have learned a lot about ADHD, Epilepsy, Autism, Dyslexia, Written Expression Disorder, Sensory Integration Dysfunction, Auditory Processing Disorder, Receptive / Expressive Language Disorders, Processing Deficits, Visual Motor Integration and so many other areas. 

I also became very aware that the school system personnel have great intentions but often do not have the training, expertise or time to develop a truly individualized and appropriate plan for my children.  As a former teacher, I understand the many expectations that teachers are expected to fulfill for a large classroom with children who all have different needs and learning styles.  I also understand the hierarchy within the school system and that often the individuals in school meetings are often operating based on their prior experiences of what has been done, worked for another child or what they have been told from someone else.

I began training as an advocate in order to combine my prior work as a part of the educational system with my current journey of working with the school system to have my children’s needs met in the school environment. I understand the “system” from both sides and I feel that allows me to assist the parents and the school to see each other’s point of view and work collaboratively for the benefit of the child.  Parents often need someone at their side to assist them with understanding the rules of the game and how to play it nicely but effectively in order to get the appropriate services for their child.

Why Use an Advocate

An advocate can reduce the "emotions" that often impede the development of an individualized education plan.  Having an objective opinion and recommendations from someone who is not paid by the school system can help you to feel more confident about the plan in place for your child.

Tiffany Moody

Special Education Advocate

PLSP Graduate, GAO