Homework/schoolwork issues

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Registered: 03-27-2003
Homework/schoolwork issues
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Tue, 10-25-2005 - 8:39am

Okay the calls from the teacher continue...My son is not getting his work in on time, or to at least not up to expectatons on time. So when the teacher called and told me that he was behind and wanted him to stay after to catch up and that he appeared to lack motivation, I mentioned (why I did it in this way Im not sure) that he does require extra time and can have difficulty organizing his things/remebering to hand them in, and the he was diagnosed with Aspergers. He said yes, I know he does need the extra time and he has Aspergers but he's worked with many AS kids and getting work done is usually a strength and not a problem.
So of course that left me question the diagnosis (I dont think I'll ever stop that) However I'm reading a book right now, A Parents Guide to Asperger Syndrome and there is a whole section that says how common it is for children to have difficulty with schoolwork, staying organized,long term projects, lack self motivation, not concerned whether or not they will get in trouble. It was alot, and sounded like a complete description of my ds.
The school just always makes me feel like Im looking for excuses...Last year at the PPT ( before diagnosis) they basically agreed he needed more time and that his grades were good, test scores high, that it sounded like I just needed to get him some help outside of school socially. It irritates me because he does well usually in school, one teacher described it as he doesn't finish his work/ or appear to even be paying attention yet he'll get an A on the test. So his grades usually come out okay they have ranged from A's to D's but usually balance out to a B/C average. Yet every year I get cals from teachers, comments like -lacks motivation, qualtiy of work uneven.
UGGGGHHHH! I'm babbling I know, I'm just frusrated part of me doesn't even care about his grades. I just want him to take pride in what he does and make friends, learn life skills.

Amanda

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Registered: 03-26-2003
Tue, 10-25-2005 - 11:00am

We are dealing with a similar issue now. I will tell you that kids with AS can tend to have HORRIBLE executive function problems which are that organization, internal motivation thing. This teacher was full of malarky. In fact I would say it is more common for kids with AS to have trouble turning in work than not. And it is well noted that typical punishment just does not work. They need things broken down into smaller steps and taught in a way they understand.

I just had a way ugly IEP meeting last week about this. Cait is in a program that is supposed to understand this and yet they think that if they punish her and make her more responsible that she will magically be able to begin turning in the work. Cause I guess I have never given consequences before.

However, last year Cait spent more time in study hall than at recess (5th grade). Got bad grades on some papers, scolded by the teacher, pinkslips, even sent to the principals office on occasion and still she didn't miraculously get organized.

Ya know, I think schools like to either think AS is just a quirk or just a social thing. They don't realize that it can be a very real disabling condition. That if they just make the kids more responsible somehow their neurology will some how normalize. That they should all be einstein with fabulous academic skills.

Honest, these kids are smart but they need things taught and broken down in a way that is meaningful for them. They need checklists and strategies to help them. I equate the idea of punishment with not giving a parapalegic a wheel chair in the hopes to motivate him to walk.

Renee(can you tell I am frustrated at this one?)

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Registered: 02-24-2004
Tue, 10-25-2005 - 1:17pm

Amanda,

Well, Nathan is only in 1st grade, but I'm starting to understand the homework problems. I have to go thru everything with him. He seems to have some sort of organization going on in his head, but it's different from what I see as being organized!! LOL I'm a bit concerned about what the next few years will be like, but only time will tell. He has changed since last year, as far as schoolwork is concerned. He seems to have a better clue as to what's going on and what's expected of him to do. Being a quick learner really helps too. He still looks for and needs direction. But I'm hoping he'll get better with this as he gets older.

Michelle

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Registered: 06-25-2003
Tue, 10-25-2005 - 2:39pm

Amanda,

Well it sound like this teacher has only ever met kids with AS who don't have problems with executive function. Or maybe he was too stupid to see it, which would be my guess, althought I am biased. I have had EF problems all my life, and have been berated and belittled for it all my life. It is very very unfunny problem, and that teacher needs to sort himself out, because these skills:

A) have nothing to do with intelligence,
and
B) need to be TAUGHT (so teacher: Teach.)

Did some searching on Google and I found a reference to this articel (didn't find the atricle)

Ozonoff, S., Pennington, B., & Rogers, S. (1991). Executive function deficits in high-functioning autistic children: relationship to theory of mind. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 32, 1081-1106.

I also found this:

http://richcenter.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=18&Itemid=29

I HTH. Sorry, but you're getting the raw end of another frustrated person here. I am having problems in my own life now due to these selfsame issues, and I wish someone had fought my corner 30 years ago. My life might be easier now.

-Paula

-Paula

visit my blog at www.onesickmother.com
iVillage Member
Registered: 04-11-2003
Tue, 10-25-2005 - 4:18pm

I could of written Renee's post word for word. We are dealing with the same thing here. I got fed up with the school and started playing hardball with them. If I'd only known to do that all along.... I've been doing all communications with the school in writing, some of it return reciept. Now their suddenly on their toes and very willing to help. But unforturately right now the speds teachers idea of helping ds with executive function is to just do it for him. They've swung to the complete other side. That doesn't help either. I want him to learn.

Samantha

Samantha
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Registered: 03-26-2003
Tue, 10-25-2005 - 4:25pm

((HUGS)) to all! Dealing w/ know-it-all teachers stinks!

We have been fighting this battle w/ our oldest (8th grade,ADD-NOS but has lot of AS quirks as well)for years. We have finally decided even his resource teacher is not willing to help him organize, so it'll take some working on his part and lots of teaching on Mom and Dad's part. We've had teachers tell us he's just lazy, he "uses" his Dx as a crutch etc. yet they are totally unwilling to take an extra second of their time to back us up and reinforce any organizational scheme we put into place. Incidently, our son w/ HFA has significantly fewer organizational issues, he is so detail oriented that unless he's having a horrible sensory day where he just can't focus, he actually does very well.

We were unsuccessful in getting extra time for assignments into his IEP. But they are supposed to address the issue of breaking down long assignments into workable parts for him, helping him make plans for how he'll complete the work on time. I have yet to see them actually do this for him. I have to do the breaking down and keeping up on assignments w/him or it doesn't get done. (He has a good IEP but it's not necessarily being followed)

We have come up w/ a couple of solutions that really work for him. A zippered binder (that we took the 3-ring part out) that also has an accordian file w/ a velcro closure on the front. He keeps his assignment planner, pencils/pens, calculator, copy of his schedule to ck if he gets confused and shoves his homework into. He takes this to EVERY class. His binders for each class are marked (and color coded) so he can just reach for the right class. In his binders for each class, I have used the heavy duty dividers and put in the headings the teacher asked for, I also have a ck list for him to remember everything he needs to do (hand in homework, get out supplies, etc)taped to the inside front cover of each notebook. (except for the homework section, he doesn't acutally open the rings because he would lose more things, he puts the homework or any handouts into his zippered binder.) In the accordian file attatched to the front of his zippered binder he has a slot for each class. In this slot he shoves the completed homework. This way he's able to open it up and find the homework w/o getting all upset because he can't find it or it's stuck to the page in front of it or whatever. We also have a complete set of books at home so that he never has to remember which books he needs, they're all already here.

He's also allowed to use a computer or alphasmart to type all assignment and he's given classtime to print them out.

We also talk through and visualize how his day will go every morning. This makes him THINK about how he will react in each class, what he should do in situations (sort of a social story for every single morning of every single school day-- we liken it to an athlete/baseball player visuallizing every hit, catch, etc and making the play the best they can, planning everything for the positive in their mind and practicing it on a daily basis-- and he has lists and schedules to back it up if he forgets).

Betsy

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Registered: 03-26-2003
Tue, 10-25-2005 - 6:00pm

"But unforturately right now the speds teachers idea of helping ds with executive function is to just do it for him. They've swung to the complete other side. That doesn't help either. I want him to learn."

Isn't that the truth. For us it is that they are lowering expectations. They insisted Cait's grades were ok, and she wasn't doing that badly. Well she turned in a report that was absolutely horrible. A good portion of it was completely missing and the rest was not done well. The title page had nice artwork and the graphics were nice but the meat and potatoes of the report were attrocious. She was given an 80% on it. It was one of the biggest projects in science for this trimester.

Go figure.

Renee

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Registered: 04-11-2003
Tue, 10-25-2005 - 6:26pm

I was wondering about the lowered expectations too. At our meeting Kyle's teacher went on about how much help he needed. We ended up getting him an aide because of it. The aide started this week and caused Kyle to be so frustrated he needed to leave the classroom. But that's another post I guess. What I was going to say was last week we got Kyle's mid-term grades and he got all B and B+'s. So what do I believe, that he was doing so badly to need a one-on-one or the mid-term which says to me he was doing fine?

Samantha

Samantha
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Registered: 06-25-2003
Tue, 10-25-2005 - 8:15pm

Amanda,

I did some more google seaches on executive function, but this time paired it with ADHD, not AS. I guess EF issues are more readily recognised with ADHD kids. Anyhoo, I found some good stuff. This is a great article, which I think you could print out and give to his teacher, although the first word out of teacher's mouth will probably be "Ritalin"

http://www.chrisdendy.com/executive.htm

-Paula

-Paula

visit my blog at www.onesickmother.com
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-27-2003
Tue, 10-25-2005 - 9:47pm

Yes and I feel the frustration too Renee! I'm glad it's not just me... I was beginning to feel like a crazy lady!

Amanda

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Registered: 03-27-2003
Tue, 10-25-2005 - 10:01pm

See, this is totally what we're dealing with! I have watched Trevor in past years struggle, sit for hours at a paper or project and completely meltdown to than come up with basically the least possible for credit. Now he's doing it, not up to where he need to be but he's not melting down. Usually in the past he wouldn't be doing it so I stepped in, and he would get so frustarted (as would I). UGGGH the worst is he would ask a question then cover his ears as I tried to explain. I'm glad he's not getting all worked up over the assignment and just doing them, but it feels wrong to let him do just the minimum. I really dont know what to do or how to change things. I guess it was nieve of me to think the school would have the answers!

Amanda

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