How do you spell Swatzeneggar?

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
How do you spell Swatzeneggar?
11
Fri, 01-13-2006 - 4:50pm

See I can't even do it, LOL.

This week Mike went to the mainstream class and was there for the spelling test, which he does every week. The teacher gives 20 regular words, a few challenge words and then a silly challenge word that is very hard to spell. This weeks word was swatzenagger(sp?)

Well, I guess Mike has never missed a spelling word but when they switched papers he realized that he mispelled that one and BAM, explosion. He insisted on getting his paper back so he could fix it. All the kids were trying to tell him it was just a silly word and didn't count toward the grade. Mike didn't care, he had to have that paper back. Well, they kept trying to explain and of course his ears were no longer functional. He ended up ripping the kids paper he was grading, throwing a pencil at the mainstream teacher and being carted out of class by his 1:1 back to the SDC class.

He stayed in SDC with his teacher during recess and she got him to calm down which is major improvement from last year. Then he came home and was way off for hours because he thought he would be in trouble. He had gotten a citizenship report, only his 2nd this year. He kept running away, hiding and stimming even if I was trying to find him for something else. I finally was able to debrief with him a little (ie "What can we do different next time") but he really wasn't able to do that. We did go for a nice long walk and he did calm down.

On the one hand, it is great he is making progress on calming back down. On the other it was a HUGE bummer that he is having behavior problems again. He had gone from mid august to the end of november without one. It really reinforces the point that he probably won't be able to go back to mainstream full time and will end up in a special school. yuck.

Renee

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iVillage Member
Registered: 10-03-2004
Fri, 01-13-2006 - 10:04pm

Dear Renee,

Here's feeling for you, esp. with a dirth of wine. I can imagine Malcolm getting that upset possibly, esp. if he were actually in sensory overload or other things earlier had set him up for the explosion. And yes, it's great he is calming faster, that certainly IS progress. Plus, it has been a long time that he has been able to hold it together.

I just think inclusion and mainstreaming need to be done with smaller numbers of kids (15 at most) and expert teachers on how to teach our kids, which seems not to be a possibility. And of course, I am here to say that special schools can be the best anyways! All those nice spectrum kids with no icky ulterior motives.

Let's build a school. I do do this in my mind, I figure if the gay kids in NYC can get a Harvey Milk school, we should be able to get an Autistic Spectrum/NT bright, sensitive kid inclusion school with smaller class sizes and sensory-relief centers set up somewhere and it can become a role model school for educating our kids.

But then, I always remember what our evaluator said, that it doesn't matter HOW he gets there in terms of being a responsible, happy, balanced person (and who is that, actually). Different drummers? They don't do anything the "normal" way. Ben Franklin only had one year of formal education, then he was apprenticed at a printing press, and he came out OK...

Let's see ... Schwartzeneggar?

yours,

Sara

iVillage Member
Registered: 06-25-2003
Sat, 01-14-2006 - 8:30am

I can spell it:

I D I O T

easy!

(I guess Mike wouldn't have gotten points for that tho...)

-Paula

-Paula

visit my blog at www.onesickmother.com
iVillage Member
Registered: 10-03-2004
Sat, 01-14-2006 - 11:46am

Dear Paula,

Ha ha, funny!!!! I bust out laughing at that one...

And a much better way of spelling his name, I must say.

Sara

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Sun, 01-15-2006 - 5:27pm
Schwarzenegger. It is schwarzen and eg(g)er and it means black acre, i.e. rich soil.
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Mon, 01-16-2006 - 2:34pm
my coffee just shot out of my nose....thanks for the laugh!
LOL,
Christie
iVillage Member
Registered: 06-25-2003
Mon, 01-16-2006 - 4:33pm

oops sorry! I hope you didn't get coffee into your keyboard.

-Paula

-Paula

visit my blog at www.onesickmother.com
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Mon, 01-16-2006 - 4:39pm

I suppose he would have gotten more points for I D I O T then he did for throwing a pencil at the teacher.

2 mainstream tantrums in a week. Any bets on how long he gets to stay in mainstream or when I will be going to a meeting to sign off on pulling him out again? Wonder if the principal got any calls yet on the choking the girls thing.

Oh well. maybe someday I will laugh about it but it aint yet. Any ideas when?

He went to the therapist with his buddy this morning for his play therapy. She was supposed to work on this too. Mike doesn't even remember what went on it the session. All he remembers is his friend talking too much about his trip to a museum on Saturday. "He was talking to much and I couldn't focus". I heard some comments about Sea World and stuff through the door so I asked about that. No memory what so ever of those comments. No memory of talking about school. So lots of good that did too. He came out all stressed and in a sulky, quiet mood too so that means I will be paying tonight. GREAT.

Renee

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Registered: 06-25-2003
Mon, 01-16-2006 - 5:34pm

OK Sorry. I'll try to be a bit more constructive this time.

So this change, do you think it's triggered or indicative of a trend? It sounds triggered to me, and therefore you need to look back at the last few weeks and find out what has changed?

I would start at the regular class (constituents, seating arrangements, schedule, environment etc) and work back through the SDC, the school, home (particularly around sleeping) etc.

Have you spoken to his teacher about changing his sensory diet, and maybe adding some extra before he goes to the mainstream class? I know Mike usually responds to sensory interventions, and that may help. Does chewing gum calm him down? It may be a bad idea *in* the mainstream class, but maybe before...? I'm not sure.

If you think it may be a trend then you may need to re-think the mainstream class, but I think it is too early to call it is trend, it may just be a blip or a dip, and I would treat it accordingly until proven otherwise.

-Paula

-Paula

visit my blog at www.onesickmother.com
iVillage Member
Registered: 10-03-2004
Mon, 01-16-2006 - 7:28pm

Ditto what Paula said.

Also, is the school creating a step-by-step program to help Mike back into the mainstream classes, as it didn't work well for him to be there before? Is the current mainstream teacher well versed in all things Mike, is there a behavioral assistance program in place to help him succeed in the mainstream? Is there a prevailing reason for Mike to have some of his classes in the mainstream and what is he to get out of being there? Will he learn better with certain subjects there? What is the longterm goal?

I know Mike is very, very smart and is probably academically lightyears ahead of the kids in his day class. So I can understand people wanting him to be among peers educationally. And as the ONLY way this seems to be allowed to happen in public school is in a bigger class (this isn't an inclusion class even, right, is there only one teacher?), I am assuming that that is why this attempt for Mike to be back there, so he can work with kids who are more at his level. I just think it is sad that there isn't a third alternative, to create a small group, a "Mike" study group, for Mike to work with... Less stress in a smaller group, more ability on Mike's part to cope and learn and even cooperate in a small group.

And as Paula says, all assistance to helping Mike do well should be explored again if it really is a good idea for his education and growth to be in the mainstream class. I can't see why Mike shouldn't be allowed gum or other sensory assistance if it will help him in the class, using your previous analogy, should a child with a wheelchair not use his wheelchair just because other kids don't get to come to class in their rollerblades?

But, as Malcolm's evaluator said, the only time we are required to be all day long learning and cooperating and interacting with so many people is in a classroom, this says NOTHING about how one will do as a grownup nor prepare us for life as one, as we are never again REQUIRED to operate like this 5 days a week!!!

I do believe that some kids shouldn't be educated in a big class. When Malcolm was in 1st grade in a room of 10 with 2 teachers, he was way ahead academically but could not participate well in classroom discussions and it was hard for him to attend and follow lectures by the teacher. He has learned how now, and it'a a thrill watching him participate and learn so interactively. But we feel that he would retreat, get frustrated, even explode in a room larger than 12 - 15 kids... And in NYC the smallest inclusion room seems to often be 25 - 29 (with kids transferring out of failing programs constantly).

I am pretty sure we will be keeping Malcolm in small classes as long as feasible and MAYBE a more mainstream class for middle and high school, but in a private school where classes are very small. And then possibly even homeschooling him for middle school, as that is a tough enough time as it is and the main goal seems to be getting them through those ages alive...

yours,

Sara
ilovemalcolm

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Registered: 03-26-2003
Mon, 01-16-2006 - 10:13pm

I think it is both triggered and a trend.

I typically starts as something small. Misunderstandings and frustration with a given situation and eventually he has a small meltdown, then it escalates. The fact that he has not had a single major meltdown in mainstream this year and then 2 in one week is indicative of a trend for Mike.

It may not, but in the past once a behavior has occured in a certain place it kind of can escalate from there. It is hard to explain but it seems 2 fold. First, it happened there so it is easier to do it again. And second, he will now be very embarrassed to go to the class, which will increase his anxiety which will increase behavior. And if he is really anxious about it he will have behavior problems just to get out of going at all, or he will flat out refuse to go.

Fortunately, his teacher is awesome and if she sees any antecedents she will come up with some excuse to keep Mike in her class so he won't feel like a failure and she can keep him in his safe zone.

As for switching, this has been a very slow process during this school year. At his last meeting at the end of November the teacher mentioned that sometimes Mike would shut down in class (about 2 times a week on average) and growled once or twice but mostly had done well. They were moving really slowly with mainstreaming.

The hope was to get him mainstreamed successfully enough that he could spend the majority of his day in 5th grade there, but I don't see it happening. There are few options unfortunately for him as he gets older. Like I said, his teacher is awesome but the class continues to get further and further behind where he is and he is struggling more with academics and not keeping up with the typical peers.

He doesnt do change well and I am beginning to fear he will need to switch to the special needs school next year. Then he will miss 5th grade camp. 5th grade graduation and all the things he saw his sister do last year plus changing schools and having to take the bus.

And here is the kicker. The special needs school won't take kids with severe behavior problems. Mike was doing well enough that they would take him now, but if he slips back to where he was last year the only option will be day treatment with ED kids. They would eat him alive.

Thanks guys, sorry. I am feeling moody and broody today. And I recently realized I think I am beginning premature menapause. I guess it can be brought on by stress. So now I color my graying hair and am officially getting old and I will only be 37 in a few weeks.

Renee

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