Do you think they'll do it?
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| Sun, 01-06-2008 - 10:20pm |
So, all year long Weston (11, 6th grade, middle school, fully mainstreamed except for pullouts for S&L, OT, and holding it all together, in honors classes for math and language arts, Dx w/ autism considered 'high functioning') has had huge sensory problems in his language arts classroom. He also has hit a wall when it comes to being able to understanding and interpreting what he's read in Language Arts. He's had some teasing and bullying going on in that same class (all boys, 28+ students in the class, last period of a very stressful day). Last Wednesday they started a 5 point scale to try to get him to work on being able to stay in class and do his work. The 3 school days last week were AWFUL! He was falling apart and doing worse than ever.
in an email from his special ed teacher she states:
"did not have a good week at all. Thursday he came to me and we discussed expectations and such for school and then I sent him back to Mrs. X's class to do his academic assistance. He left saying ok. However, he went to class and shut down. I told Mrs. X to send him to TLC to do his work. He shut down, refused to go into the class and I was called. He cried and I told him to go to lunch and I got him later and we talked and shot some basketball in the gym. I am not sure what to do with Weston. He is shutting down more and more and isn't letting me know what is bothering him. He shuts down almost every time he has computer with Mrs. Q and Mrs. Z's class daily."
Mrs. Z is the language arts teacher, he's been at a 4 or 5 (not good at all or shut down) all 3 days last week and most of the time between Thanksgiving and Christmas break. The Computer teacher called me 2x very upset because he won't do the work in her class and acts "VERY autistic" (not the words she used but what she meant-- and it upsets her).
So, I'm going to call tomorrow and ask that he be taken out of the Language Arts class. I'm not sure about the computer class (it's basic keyboarding and general Word stuff). AT least w/ the LA class he could do it in the resource room w/ a teacher and small group. I'm sure they don't have a class that's doing work at his level but currently he's not doing ANY work in the regular classroom and he's basically failing the class.
Do you think I'll get any push back from them??? I'm a little afraid to ask, but I've got to do something for him, he's miserable!
Betsy

They'll likely balk but push. Something has got to change and what they have tried isn't working. It would be better for him to do independent work in the resource room than to spend 3-5 days a week shut down in LA.
But expect them to balk at least some. They are going to have to be creative to make something work for him. Typically particularly in middle school, they have classes similar to mainstream ones in the resource room with the difference being the kids academic ability. They need to accommodate for him and his needs but our kids are kind of an inigma in special education where academically able doesn't necessarily equal able to work in a regular academic class.
Good luck but you do need to do it. Just keep to the facts and bring all the evidence with you that what they are doing is not working. They have been trying to make somethign work in this LA class all year and it sounds like things are getting worse, not better. It is time to get creative.
Renee
Yep, they'll balk but don't let it stop you. Keep pushing for what your son needs. I'm about to do the same thing actually. Different situation but the teachers are likely going to argue with me. Never be afraid to demand what you think is best.
Haley shut down over vocabulary last Friday. She refused to do the work and just got all upset. Not the first time. Anyway, the school has this yoga program or something for the kids apparently and she wanted to go to that. She thought it would help calm her down. It was HALEY'S solution to the problem and I'm so proud of her for coming up with it. She remembered that the gym teacher said that yoga is a great stress reliever.
But the special ed teacher said no. She has to do the work. I understand that they don't want her to make excuses but if she was honestly stressed and unable, for whatever reason, to function... let her have that break, you know?
Teachers may have their best interests at heart but sometimes the don't always "get it". So I will be talking to them about that today.
Good luck getting your situation fixed. I'm sure it won't be too difficult once you get past their arguments about the idea.
Mom to Erin (19) and Haley (10yo Aspie)
Mom to Erin (19) and Haley (10yo Asp