Ideas for class environment.
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| Mon, 09-10-2007 - 1:47am |
Tuesday is our team meeting, I have no idea what to suggest. I feel that public school may not right for him at this time, but I know I should see what they offer and then maybe I would feel different. He is in his 5th week of kinder. We just received a diagnosis of ADHD and Aspergers from our behavioral pedi. No private evaluation yet with a phycologist. We are still starting the whole process. Though I have thought he has had Aspergers for years, he was the kinda 18month old who would prefer to line toys in patterns instead of interacting with people and he never smiled and was very serious and the list can go on and on...You get the point. I just knew he was different from other kids.
Here is a list of some issues in relation to school. Maybe you guys have some ideas of what I can ask for :
1. The teacher often says she can barely teach the class or finish her lesson plan becuase he is really just into himself and on his own agenda. Not realizing the whole group thing yet. Like he often raises his hand in cirlce time to talk about his obsession ( currently Transformers). Will just get up and walk around, start transforming, running because he likes the movement of it.
2. He does make these random fake sneezes or loud shouts to interfer with an activity or when someone is trying to talk to him face to face. Like that is his way of controlling the situation and getting back onto his topic. We are use to it, but he does it at school too now.
3. Too close to other students faces. Wants to interact and be friends, but is always "on top of them," bumping etc...not in a mean way, he just wants interaction. He just doesn't know how. This causes issues though the other kids get upset.
4. He has been seen doing echolalia at school and often does this at home.
Also I don't know if this is more of a rules or echolalia thing, but the other day there was some incident at group time. I guess he was acting like a dictator to a child and repeating the exact rules he had heard earlier during circle time to him and trying to enforce them. The teachers thought it was weird becuase 1. He was repeating the rules that he had heard earlier, but the same ones didn't apply here. Like he was saying no talking since that is what he remembered earlier, but those rules did not apply to the current situation at group time. 2. That he was enforcing the rules and not letting them talk, but he was talking.
5. To me he is bored. I have observed several sessions and the stuff they are learing is way below him. He was reading before he was potty trained and it was like he just knew how to read. He doesn't care what sound the word CAT makes. He knew all that by age 2. Right now he wants to learn about parts on the body, brain, geography, parts of cars etc..
5. He has sensory issues and still sucks his thumb. When they come in the room, he complains the lights are "burning his eyes," covering his ears, resistent to lite touch, etc...
6. He can be defiant at times, but I feel there are reasons why, not like he is mean spirited.
7. He is very sweet and likes people, he just can lack that theory of mind. He is not good at reading social cues etc..
8. His fine motor skills are way below his mental capacity. Like at home he can type anything he wants to on the computer, but has trouble writing letters.
9. He is actually overexpressive now, I don't know if it is becuase we worked on facial expressions with him, but he often is overdone in his face. Sometimes he talks fine and then other times he goes from too quiet to too loud in one sentance. I didn't see this anywhere but he does do a broken record thing sometimes too when trying to talk, not sure what that means.
So I was basically wondering for a 5 year old in kinder going into the meeting with these kinda issues, what would you recommend I suggest to help him out. I figured it was better to come in with ideas I could suggest instead of just sitting there and say " I don't know."
So if any of you can relate to some of theses issues, I would appreciate tips for the class !!!! Thanks in advance. I am sorry again if my post is all over the place too, I am not very good at expressing myself...LOL...go figure.
Edited 9/10/2007 1:49 am ET by ccmommyforever


IMO, you need to print this out and give it to the school when you go to the meeting. These things written down on paper are really important for his dx.
With this list you guys can figure out how to help him. You can work from there.
BTW you can ask for an IEP anytime you need one and make changes. The most important thing for you to know is when the IEP is written up, don't sign it. Take it and think it overnight. YOu may find some changes that you didn't realize during the meeting.
Good luck
Lainie
Thank you for your advice. I actually have detailed pages about his behavior at home starting at age 18 months and then grouped with what I have observed in class. I already had put it together for the doctors appointment, so I made sure to save the files. The teacher also has a very good list as well she gave to our doctor. I hope she arrives with the same one at the meeting.
I was more wondering though about what kinda services others parents on here thought worked well for them at school. Like tips on what to ask for to help provide a better environment before I show up to the meeting. I want to be more knowledgeable.
His teacher has mentioned an aide or another class next door to his. I am not sure exaclty what it is, some kinda special needs.
Edited 9/10/2007 2:23 am ET by ccmommyforever
Edited 9/10/2007 2:27 am ET by ccmommyforever
Well as you see, I am also confused in what to ask for my son too. (I also started a thread.)
I plan to ask/demand for an aide for him. He is in 6th grade and has gone down hill since 2nd, but of course the school didn't see anything wrong.
The one thing for me to ask for is an aide. And to have the aide teach him organizational skills, help him with academics, but also ask for some social skills. But I think he also needs help with sensory issues and fine motor skills ect, thru an OT. He also has problems speaking that I plan to ask for help with the SPT.
I guess it's a hit and see kinda thing.
See what the other's in the IEP suggest. YOu have more support than I do, as his teacher's have always said he is capable....
But all I can suggest is to fight like hell. BE your childs advocate, as he can't stand up for himself.
Janine,
I am running late so I can't give you teh detailed response I woudl like to. Please see you response to Lainie (tebald)
visit my blog at www.onesickmother.com