The IncRETTibles – a Column by Jacqueline Babiarz

Since stepping back into teaching recently after staying home for 14 years to raise my two daughters, I tend to think about them often while I’m working. I work with students at various grade levels, from preschool to eighth grade, in adapted physical education. I’ll picture my 13-year-old…

Each year, about 40,000 people train for the Chicago Marathon, one of the city’s most popular events. Following a rigorous training schedule for months to run 26.2 miles through Chicago’s amazing neighborhoods is a unique experience. It always intrigued me, but I didn’t think it was an experience…

Dressing a child with special needs can be a huge challenge. The child might have sensory sensitivities, low muscle tone, or a feeding tube, which can create challenges for parents since there are limited clothes made for such needs. These parents can’t just walk into a store and purchase…

I was recently reflecting on the moments when my oldest daughter, Cammy, who has Rett syndrome, transitioned to each of her new schools — first from early intervention to an early childhood center when she turned 3, then to a new building for kindergarten through fifth…

Teachers often spend their own money to purchase items their students need to flourish. According to a survey conducted by the nonprofit organization AdoptAClassroom.org, teachers spend an average of $750 of their own money each year for classroom supplies. As a physical education teacher, I can personally attest to…

When our oldest daughter, Cammy, was diagnosed with Rett syndrome in 2011, we knew that the only thing we could control was raising money for research, care, and a cure. So we hit the ground running, literally and figuratively, turning anything we could into a fundraising opportunity.

Many people with Rett syndrome have issues with regulating their temperature, circulation, mood, breathing, and heart rate, which can also cause problems of anxiety, sleep, and fine and gross motor skills. My teenage daughter with Rett syndrome, Cammy, has many of these regulation issues. Some have been obstacles…

Before this school year began, I attended a nonviolent crisis intervention training session, held by the Crisis Prevention Institute, for the school district where I’m teaching adapted physical education. This annual training for educators and staff covers physical intervention, verbal de-escalation, behavior management strategies, trauma-informed care, and restorative…

I have two middle schoolers. My oldest daughter, Cammy, is in eighth grade. My younger daughter, Ryan, is in sixth grade. They’re in separate schools because Cammy, who has Rett syndrome, requires more services for her education than our home school provides. Cammy’s condition affects her entire body.

While growing up, I remember my dad mentioning a few times that he always wanted to be a teacher. He was a wonderful electrical engineer, and he also would have made an excellent teacher and coach. He could have taught science or math, but I think his niche would’ve…