Cheri Kay Sessions
HSLDA Special Needs Educational Specialist
Cheri Kay Sessions (PT, DPT) has 17+ years of experience as a pediatric physical therapist, special needs advocate, educational consultant, and homeschooling mom. Cheri Kay’s four amazing children were all adopted and have a variety of unique needs.
She received her bachelor’s degree from Michigan State University in Athletic Training, a Master’s Degree from the University of Rhode Island in Physical Therapy, and a Doctor of Physical Therapy Degree, with an emphasis on pediatrics from Southern California.
Along with her training as a Physical Therapist, she is also trained to provide trauma-informed care and is fluent in American Sign Language. She has experience in navigating the school system, the community mental health system, and the health care systems as both a parent and a professional. With her unique understanding of how these systems work, she is equipped to advocate for families that also need to access these services. She has a unique perspective of the needs and desires of homeschooling families with her variety of experiences as both a parent and a professional.
Cheri Kay enjoys traveling and has spent three years living overseas in the beautiful country of Haiti, serving the Haitian people through various medical and therapy clinics. Along with parenting the children who have stolen her heart, Cheri Kay’s passion is to come alongside other families with resources and encouragement to help them soar into their own success.
Session Titles & Descriptions
Tricky Highschool Issues: Homeschooling Teens with Special Needs
This workshop addresses some of the challenges associated with teaching struggling or atypical learners at home in the high school years. Do you have questions such as “How do I award my teen with special needs a diploma?” or “What do I do when my teen with dyslexia can’t read high school-level material?” Cheri Kay discusses alternative coursework, specialized curricula and learning materials, assistive technology, transcript options, possible graduation guidelines, high school programs for special learners, and post-high school options. She also offers tips for navigating the process of applying for testing accommodations for College Board tests.
Teaching Struggling Learners at Home: Nuts & Bolts for Success
This workshop offers practical resources, lists of materials, and curricula ideas to equip you as you homeschool a struggling learner. Cheri Kay presents ideas for designing a unique home instruction program tailored to your child’s specific challenges. She also addresses homeschooling while working, teaching multiple ages, scheduling the day, and practical teaching strategies you can use regardless of your curriculum program. Finally, Cheri Kay explains multi-sensory teaching methods, direct instruction, and modeled teaching
Play, Learn, Grow: Teaching Preschoolers and Early Learners
Do you want to start building the foundation of educational readiness for your littlest learner? If so, this is the perfect workshop for you! Cheri Kay will teach you about the stages of development, the importance of learning through play, and the foundations for lifelong learning. She will share tips and tricks for making learning fun and engaging for you and your child, while sparking their curiosity about the world around them.
