Friday, May 26, 2017

How to Make a One Page Profile, Ellie Style

Before I outline how to create your own One Page Profile for your child, I wanted to share with you why I think this concept is so important for our children.

About 5 years ago I attended a learning session on how to create a Person Centered Plan and the One Page Profile. Roberta Dunn, the Founder of FACT was leading the session and it was so eye opening for me. Person Centered Planning is a positive, strengths-based approach to mapping out your child’s future. Your child's team comes together to create strategies to help them be their best self, as well as find solutions for support in the areas where they may be struggling. And as Ellie grows, she will be driving this process of determining her future. 

Roberta explained that this method can be used when your child enters a new grade, moves to a new school, if they are transitioning from Early Intervention into the school system, or even going to a new daycare. In any situation where you want your child's team to have a better understanding about your child this would be the time to use it.

It begins with a Vision Statement. The Vision Statement I used in Ellie's One Pager was courtesy of Laura Buckner. Laura was our keynote speaker at a DSDN Rockin' Moms retreat. I remember there wasn't a dry eye in the house, as Laura explained the vision statement she brought to all of her son's IEP meetings. Her son is now an adult who lives a happy and productive life. She is an amazing advocate and mother. She told us to get out our pens and to write it down, this is it in it's entirety:

We envision Ellie living a life of choice.
We envision her having relationships she finds meaningful.
We envision her spending her days at work and other places that she enjoys and finds productive.
We envision her living with people she chooses to live with in places she chooses to live.

A life of choice, this says a lot doesn't it? I really loved the vision statement and tweaked it a little for her One Pager, she's was only 4 when I first made it after all :) But I plan on editing it as she grows, but it will always remain that we envision Ellie living a life of choice.
I also wanted to share the link to the Person Centered Planning information from FACT. It is a wealth of information and I highly suggest reading it. I poured over many One Pagers to create Ellie's, it's so helpful to see what other parent's are doing.

Another tool that inspired me was the video We All Belong which was created by NWDSA and All Born In. I sent this video to Ellie’s teachers, therapists, and the school Principal. It’s very impactful and I believe will help to reiterate your vision for your child.

And now I will walk you through how to create a One Page Profile for your child. To create Ellie's profile I used a graphic design website called Canva. There are many other templates in there if you don't prefer the one I made. I will list below how to take the existing template I created and edit it to your child's needs. Please reach out if you get stuck or have any questions!

Step 1: Canva finally updated their system to allow for "templates" so no more worrying about making a copy first! WHEW! I have provided the template link HERE. I have also included a white version with black type to help reduce ink wastage if you'd rather have a white one! Find it HERE.

Step 2: A new template will open, you can edit this copy as you please. And every time you log in to Canva it'll be there. So each year you can make a copy and create a new profile and only update what has changed!

Step 3: You can rename your template here:


Step 4: Start with your child’s pic, their adorable face will be looking back at you as you write down all of their amazing strengths!

To add a photo into the photo area, click on the left hand side under “uploads”.

Once you click under “uploads” you’ll see a button for “upload your own images”. Click here and add your child’s photo. From here you can drag and drop the photo into place.





Step 5: Background Color. Click on the left hand side under “background” and choose a color or pattern that you like.



Step 6: If you would like to change the font, highlight the text you'd like to change, then the font box will pop up. Here you can edit the font type as well as size.



Step 7: Edit the text. If you want to change up what the template says, click on the text and a text box will appear. Here you can go in and edit as needed:



Step 8: Are you all finished? Now it’s time to save off your masterpiece so you can print it! Go up to the “download” button and save as either a png or jpg. I have printed both options and they are similar in quality!



Step 9: I always end up saving the copy to my desktop so I can find it easily. I have used a printing service (I uploaded the document directly to the printing site) to make color copies, or just printed on our home color copier.

Step 10: Now you are ready to share with your team! And as I mentioned above, in Canva your template is now saved, so next time you log in you can go to File: Make a Copy and edit your One Pager each year as your child grows! It’s fun changing it up and seeing how your child has grown.

A few helpful tips: Don't edit from a phone. A desktop is your best bet. Also, your internet browser can change the font! I prefer to use Google Chrome.

I always end every blog post with a song. There's just something about this one that fills me with all the feels, like you want to raise your hands up and close your eyes, it's one of my all time faves:
The River - Leon Bridges



Ellie's first day of school - age 3!


114 comments:

  1. I am a special education teacher in Ohio. I work with credit deficient seniors who are behind usually due to low attendance or dropping out and returning to high school!!! I am doing this for each one of them!!! I want them to see how amazing they are and believe in themselves!! THANK YOU from the bottom of my heart!!!

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    1. Leanne, this is a wonderful idea! Please let me know how it goes!

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    2. What a wonderful thing to do for your students!

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  2. This is amazing! I have not managed to learn to use it yet. The tutorial seems limited.

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    1. Please holler at me if you have any questions or need help. The Canva site is pretty easy to use, and I've had a lot of friends make their kiddos a one pager using this post and they've had no problems.

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    2. Thank you, I figured it out. I thought it would be great for my students who are transitioning.

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    3. Oh great! I'm glad you were able to make it work for you! :)

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  3. Great idea! Hope you don't mind if I pinned it.

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  4. I'm an SLP - wouldn't it be amazing if this is what IEPs actually looked like? I might have to tweak this a little to be my summary form for teachers at the beginning of the school year.

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  5. Love this! Thank you for sharing! I'm a sped teacher and will be using this!

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  7. Facilitate ... seniors can do this themselves. Empower them ....

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    1. Love the idea of students working on this themselves when they are older! I'm going to remember this as Ellie grows up!! Thank you :)

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  12. Hello,
    I can not figure out how to upload a picture. Any tips?
    Thanks!

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    1. Are you editing from a computer? If you hover over the photo area you can add image there! I’ve had a lot of people try from a phone which is why I mentioned that!

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  13. Oh my goodness. A facebook page posted by a friend this morning of your one page description led me here. I thought "wow, that vision statement sounds so familiar! I wonder..." and now I see...yes, you were in the audience that day. I am humbled to learn how my simple words have impacted your vision for your precious daughter. Rock on!

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  14. Thank you so much. I hope you don't mind i have shared this on our website for 22q11.2DS . This is great and an upgraade from our usual one page info sheet. Thanks for sharing. No need to re-invent the wheel. https://www.22q.org.au/school-education we gave tyou credit on our site.

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    1. Maria this is really awesome! I’m so glad you guys could use it!!❤️

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  15. Looks like Nico's profile is up for the internet to see. . . any chance you can resave again?

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    1. I update it every day and try to keep up! Sorry about that Lorraine!

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  17. I'm so sorry, I messed up your beautiful template, but I went in and deleted most of my son's identifying info so I hope it's okay! Thanks for making this available!

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    1. It’s ok I fix it every day, you’re not the only one! I wish I had a better way but Canva won’t make it a “template” so I’ll just keep updating it :-) I hope you were able to get one made for your son!!❤️

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    2. I did make one for my son and sent it to the team - and I did copy it for myself into my own Canva account so I don't need to mess up yours again. Thanks again so much!

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    3. Oh awesome!!! I’m so happy to hear it worked!

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  18. Could you please repost the blank all about me template on Canvas? It appears someone overwrote it and I like the original version much better and would like to use that one. Thanks!

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    1. Hello! I apologize as I haven't been near my computer this weekend to be able to do the daily fix to the overridden file! I fixed it again. Let me know if you have any questions. :)

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  19. Hello - Could you please repost the blank template on Canva. I am trying to use the one that is one there and I cannot change the picture, I am assuming that is because someone overwrote the original. Thanks!!

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    1. Hello! It's fixed (again)... this is wild! I really wish people would save a copy first it would make it so much easier!
      Thanks so much!!! :) Let me know if you have any questions OK?

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  23. This is such a helpful post and the one-pager will be a very useful tool for sharing my son's needs and strengths with his school. Thank you so much for making the template available.

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  24. Hey there! I wanted to let you know ho much I appreciated this template. I used it for my daughter, Olivia, and her teachers LOVE IT. I've also used it in my classwork (I'm getting my masters in SPED). My professor would like to showcase my daughter's profile during a conference, but I wanted to get your permission before doing so, since it's your design. If you're okay with it, please let me know how you'd like to be credited. Thank you!

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    1. Hey there! How awesome! I’m really happy to hear that you have had great feedback and that your professor wants to show the profile in a conference. If you want to just link my blog or mention that other parents can feel free to use the template that would be great. I’d love to hear how it goes!

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    2. FANTASTIC, thank you so much! I passed this along, and I know it will be much appreciated.

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  27. Hello! This is such an awesome tool! As everyone wants to share, this kiddo’s parents have given permission, correct? Just checking.

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    1. Yes! Thank you for checking. Ellie is my girl and I’m ok with you sharing :-)

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  28. I shared this on my Facebook page two years ago and today, it came up in Memories. Now that I'm more familiar with Canva, I have downloaded your template (thank you for providing it!) and plan on working with my parents to create a student profile wall in my classroom.

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    1. A student profile wall sounds awesome!!!! What a great idea!!

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  29. Thank you!!! I shared this on my special needs mom page and we used this as one of our monthly meet ups. Thank you!!

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    1. No way that is really awesome!! Thank you so much for sharing and I'm so glad you liked it!! :)

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  30. I'm not seeing your daughter's info but someone else's template I believe.

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    1. I'm sorry, I've fixed it. It gets overridden every day :(

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  31. I got half way through, had a power surge and everything crashed.. now Im not finding the same template :( can you help please?

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    1. Hello! Try going into www.canva.com, usually Canva auto-saves your work as you are in there. If you went in and did File: Make A Copy when you first started the one page profile, then you should have it in your Canva account- at least the latest version that Canva saved.

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  32. I am seeing someone else's information I believe.

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  33. Someone didn't follow directions, and now the template has been edited over :(

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    1. I go in one time a day to fix it, I fixed it. Sorry about that :(

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    2. Some people don't read and follow directions, and it shows. LOL!!!

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  34. Yep. Someone accidentally ruined the template. If I have time, I will try to recreate it in Canva.

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    1. I fix it one time a day now, I have updated (again). Thanks and sorry about that.

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  35. This is great! Thank you so much for sharing!

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  36. Pls can you email the template to me?

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    1. The template is in the blog post :) I update it daily for those who don't make a copy before editing.

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  37. Thank you so much for sharing this!!

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  38. someone did not save before editing can you please fix it

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    1. Hi Liz, I've fixed the template. I try to fix it daily so hopefully by the time you see this it is still not edited over!!!

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  39. Hi. Just to say thank you so much for sharing this. I have a meeting with my daughters head today to prep for the school year (GCSE's here in the UK) and this is just what I need to help get the teachers on board for such an important year! Thank you xxx

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    1. I can't believe this made it to the UK, I am shocked! I hope your meeting went great- hugs and I am going through the exact same thing right now! Our meeting is next week!

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  40. The link says forbidden now! Are you able to email the template?

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    1. That's never happened before, sorry about that. Link updated. :)

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  41. The template link says forbidden. Could you please fix it? Thank you so much for all that you do!

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    1. Hi Nithya,
      I finally had a chance to log in today! I have updated it :)

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    2. I am sorry to bother you with this. I tried as soon as I saw your message but it still says "Forbidden (403) Sorry you cannot access this page". Is there a name for your template which I could search for? Or is emailing the template a possibility?

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  42. Thank you very much for fixing the template! I was able to create an awesome one pager out of it. Thanks again fr sharing your wonderful work with our community!

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    1. Hi again! I'm so happy to hear you were able to get it to work!!! :)

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  43. I was led here via a post of your one-pager who is I assume your gorgeous daughter. Would you be ok if I share this post (with the instructions) with the members of our Prader-Willi Syndrome assoc. of Victoria in Australia?
    Thanks Sarah

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  44. Hi, could you please share the template again? When I click the link, it’s totally different template. Thanks!

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  45. Hi:) Any chance you could reload template again? Looks like someone didn’t follow make copy instructions. Thanks!

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  46. The link sends you to a template of a birthday invite? Any chance you could reload again? Many Thanks!

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    1. It has been fixed... again. Sigh... Sorry about that :-P

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  47. Looks like someone didn't follow your directions. Template is now for a resume. Any chance you can reload. I have been searching and searching for an editable template and love yours.

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    1. Hi Kristin, it's been updated again. Hope you're able to get a profile made before someone overrides the file... argh.

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    2. I was able to get a copy made. Thank you so much!!!!

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  48. Unfortunately someone didn't follow your directions. Template is now for a resume again. Any chance you can reload? I used your template last year and my son's teachers and therapists loved it.

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    1. I actually found my old copy so I'm set but you may want to restore so it is your original template. Have a great day!

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  49. Template has been changed yet again. Any chance we can get the original one back?

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  50. Does anyone have the original/fillable template?
    Please help! Thank you!

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    1. I’m so sorry, I can only fix from a computer and I’m not home today. I have to fix it daily :-( Will be able to update tonight or tomorrow morning.

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  51. Hello, I am so so sorry I did not safe and messed up your original One pager on Ellie. Thank you so much for making this and please accept my apologies.

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  52. Hello all,
    This post has been viewed almost 100k times, and it feels some days like I've fixed the template that many times. PLEASE save a copy before editing. I am only going to check the template 1x a week now to update it. Please please please go to file: make a copy before you edit. As I explained in the post. Thank you!!!!!

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  53. Hi! I'm so sorry to bother you. Any chance you could fix the template? It's been changed and the boxes are all different now. You are so generous to share this with us all and I'm sorry we have to keep asking you!

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    1. It is fixed again. I am not sure how to word this in a way to help the users understand to make a copy first so I'm at a loss! Thanks for your kind words :)

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    2. You are so gracious! I would be stark raving mad by now if I were you! I wonder if people are sharing the link to the template but not to this page?

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    3. Thank you! My husband says to delete the whole post but I know it’s making it easier for parents and I believe in the concept so it’s hard to do! I’ll keep updating the $@&% template I guess LOL

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  54. Hello would you please update the template again? Looks like it got messed up :( Thank you SO MUCH!

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    1. Thank you so so much!! Meeting the teachers next week and this is so helpful.

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  55. Hi there!
    I’m a “specials” special ed art teacher. Thank you so much for sharing. This post makes my heart full. If It’s ok with, I’m going to share your “one pager” and link with ALL the teachers in the 3special ed schools I work at. Again, thank you! Best to you and your family. Be well. Gail

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  56. Thank you for this post. I created a Vision Statement for my son who has ADHD because of your post. I think it's an excellent idea!

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