Good IEP mtg for us

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Registered: 12-24-2004
Good IEP mtg for us
Sat, 06-11-2005 - 2:48pm

Well, we at least had a pretty good IEP meeting. We have actually had to have 2, one for revisions to the regular plan and one for a behavior plan to help next year's people work with Cassian on tantruming behavior. I really felt good about the Vice Principle from our neighborhood school (not the one he's going to now) and the Autism program director. They are both very positive ladies with a good basic understanding about sensory issues, autism, etc. They didn't balk at my brief discussion of neurological underpinnings of his disorder and treatments we were doing at home. I suppose they are getting used to having an ex-psych prof on board at the meetings.

I think Cassian's current teacher, who has no autism training, actually felt a little intimidated because we were really revamping his current program. She kept saying timidly that she thought they were already doing what they suggested for accommodations, but I know she is not really doing as much as could be done. For example, we included social stories in Cassian's behavior plan. He has had exposure to only one social story this year, which was written by me. He could certainly benefit from other social stories to help him with sharing, turn-taking in conversation, participating in fine motor activities, understanding contingencies that have been set up, etc. We also included things like written prompts posted around the room in strategic locations to remind him of rules, contingencies, and procedures. I think that being a preschool teacher, who has never worked with a hyperlexic child, his current teacher just finds it hard to believe that her auditory instruction is going in one ear and out the other with Cassian most of the time. She thinks it is entirely his autism or some kind of manipulative tendency that cause him to not follow directives.

We also included accommodations that were geared toward providing a sensory program. His current teacher thought he already got those in her classroom, but again he could have more than he is getting. I mentioned that at home, we have soft places to "crash" on every floor of our house, a therapy swing, a mini tramp, a large ballpit, a pile of beanbag chairs, and many other things that allow Cassian to release energy. One of his main modes of coping when frustrated is to seek this sort of stimulation. In his preschool classroom, he is seeking similar outlets, but he ends up kicking the walls, body slamming the teachers, and throwing himself on the hard floor. His current teacher views these behaviors as "misbehavior," but if you see him do these things on soft surfaces, you can clearly see that he is seeking stimulation, NOT trying to hurt people or damage property. He just crashes, rolls around, and covers himself in most cases.

Perhaps, the most rewarding part of the meeting was when Cassian was brought in because school had ended. He was very quiet and happily occupied himself drawing on the chalkboard with some encouragement from me. He drew pictures of himself and of me. I kind of wondered what the others thought of this, especially his current teacher, who told me several months ago that he could not even draw a person. She has also had serious problems getting him to do fine motor work, and he occupied himself with me drawing on the blackboard for at least 10 minutes that day. When we left, Cassian spontaneously said "Good bye. I'll see you later!" (directed mostly toward his teacher, I think). He was in "sweet, cute, charming mode" for that brief period, and I was glad they got to see him like that, since we were really hashing out a plan to control his worst behaviors.

Anyway, that's all for us. I just wanted to report on what was going on. I can't say much about the program Cassian will attend next year because I don't know any of the teachers who will be teaching in it. They are also moving the program to a different school, again not our neighborhood school, but Cassian will ride the bus next fall.

Suzi