Erin Said:

My child has an IEP... this is what is happening... this does not seem right?

We Answered:

The legality of it is not an issue unless it states specifically in your daughter's IEP, which is something that you should suggest at your next IEP meeting. The problem that I have is that it seems an inappropriate consequence. As others have suggested, you need to know if the teacher is appropriately modifying the assignment for your daughter, because it sounds as if she is not. If it was appropriate, your daughter wouldn't be getting frustrated and coming home upset. Also, Obviously taking away recess isn't working or she would have been outside more than twice this month. What the teacher should do instead after modifying the assignments is to get a timer for her, have her work for 10 to 15 minutes, whatever YOU feel is appropriate, give her a 5 minute break to do something she enjoys, drawing, reading, etc. Then set the timer again and have her do another session. Recess and specials (music, gym, etc.) should never be taken away from a child. They need the lessons that they learn there just as much as the ones the teacher teaches in regular class. Definitely start doing your research. I have learned a lot since my child was given an IEP. I went to my local library and researched IEP writing, court cases, and ways to modify assignments. You need to learn to be your child's best advocate because, although I think they mean well, schools do not always do what they need to ensure a child with disabilities obtain success in school.
During the meeting, make sure that you let them know that your daughter hates school and comes home upset most of the time. This is something that they need to change. If she enjoyed it before, then its obvious that she is not getting the help she needs. Try to contain your anger and be very respectful, at the same time, let them know that you mean business and that you are not happy and EXPECT some changes to be made IMMEDIATELY to remedy the problems that she is having now. You really have all the power, you can refuse to sign the IEP if you are not satisfied.

Good Luck and if you need anything feel free to e-mail me.

P.S. By the way, I have seen the timer method work very well for several students. It gives them a goal to reach, a break, and then another goal. It helps to keep them focused and the break gives them a chance to rest their mind.

Kay Said:

Personality ; opinions?

We Answered:

Your are a extremely bright person, no doubt, but in my opinion, education/smartness will not get you through life fully, in the same way a person with a C average & has dealt with personal obstacles during their childhood/young adult hood.

Sometimes, being rational will not always get you through whatever.

Jordan Said:

5 year old son Teacher is saying he has the HD part of ADHD?

We Answered:

An often overlooked aspect of ADHD is a lack of impulse control. People tend to focus on the distractibility and hyperactive "can't turn the motor off" behaviors but many kids with ADHD find it nearly impossible to take a moment before acting, They have a sudden idea, or an uncontrollable emotion, and they immediately take action, which often gets them into trouble.

Your son sounds a lot like a student I taught in a Special Day Class for kids ages 5 - 7. "Donald" (not his real name) was infamous in his special ed preschool for his aggressive behaviors, refusal to comply with directions, and sometimes violent actions such as overturning tables and throwing toys or other objects. My class was chosen for his K - 2 career because we have a very strong behavior management component. Donald was really a sweet kid with a great imagination and some good early academic skills. But he honestly could not contol his impulses. He would be working quietly and suddenly erupt into a full-out temper tantrum because another child was working on the Thomas the Train puzzle and Donald wanted it, NOW! He would hit, attempt to bite, push or overturn desks, etc.

As with your son, the other kids feared Donald and avoided him. The teaching staff loved him but all of us were bruised by his lashing out, as we put our bodies between Donald and the other children.

One difference is (and this may be a misinterpretation of what you have written) that it sounds as if your son's behavior plan relies more on consequences for his inappropriate behavior (losing an activity for receiving 10 checkmarks) rather than on teaching, and rewarding, his appropriate behavior. We often have to very literally teach kids how to sit, how to stand, how to keep personal space, how to get the teacher's attention appropriately, etc. Those appropriate behaviors are incompatible with the inappropriate ones - you can't throw your shoe if you are sitting in your chair with your hands in your lap and your feet on the floor. And we do give small, immediate rewards to kids who are demonstrating appropriate behavior - a single Skittle, a sticker, a moment with a very cool toy - always paired with the verbal reinforcer ("Great job remembering to raise your hand, Donald!") Anyway, the point I am trying to make is that it is often more effective to give a child a way to EARN something that he wants, rather than to take away something when he fails.

Having said all that, though, after 1 1/2 years in our class, Donald had made significant improvements in his behavior, but it became clear that he just COULD NOT control his impulses, He would suddenly disappear from the playground because he saw the computer lab and decided that he needed to use the computer at that exact moment. Or he would keep his interactions with his classmates reasonably appropriate for several days, then punch one of them really hard because they were climbing the playground structure too slowly. We really worried about his future. (I always try to look at my students' behavior through the lens of "If he continues on this path, what will it look like when he's 10? When he's 16? When he's 21?" If the answer is that he is likely to be arrested or institutionalized, it's clear that we need to start solving the issue NOW.)

So for Donald, at 6 1/2, his mother finally agreed to take him for a complete physical exam and an appointment with a pediatric neurologist who specialized in developmental issues. Donald's mom had been completely against medication, but when we looked at what his future might be if he didn't get more help, she agreed to try it. The first medication tried was not effective, but the second one really made a difference. Donald was not sleepy or "drugged out," and his personality didn't change - he was as funny and imaginative as ever. But for the first time, he was able to stop himself from an instantaneous reaction and try to "make a good choice." Several months after he started the medication, I said, "Donald, you must be so proud of yourself. You are making good choices and you are earning computer time, Friday fun time, and all the good stuff. I bet that makes you feel really good." He said, "Yeah, sometimes my body still wants to kill people but I make my eyes look up and I can stop my body from making a bad choice." I was a bit taken aback that he still (or ever!) felt that he wanted to "kill people," but the fact that he could usually get his body to stop was a huge improvement.

I know that medications are a frightening concept, but there are many more options than there were when your son's half-sibling had a bad experience. Very often, as was the case with Donald, the first medication tried is not effective, but a 2nd or 3rd one is. It really sounds as if your son may have some biochemical issues that are making it impossible for him to manage his behavior, and if that's the case, it's roughly similar to a diabetic needing insulin or a hypothyroid person such as myself needing thyroid medication. Our behavior and emotions are functions of our body chemistry, and when there is an imbalance, it makes it impossible to function at our best.

I am happy that you are making an appointment for your son, and I hope that you will consider medication as an option. Good luck to you.

Tammy Said:

Pre-IEP Outline?? Please help. I'm so lost?

We Answered:

These might not help you a 100%, but should get you going in the right direction.

Try this link out, it's to the Guide to the Individualized Education
Program which was developed by the U.S. Department of Education, with the assistance of the National Information Center for Children and Youth with Disabilities (NICHCY).
http://www.ed.gov/parents/needs/speced/i…

I would read the guide first, it will give you a better understanding of developing an IEP, towards the bottom their is a sample form which is more like an outline, it explains the different parts of an IEP & what has to be on it, IDEA (individuals with disabilities education act) tells you what information must be included in the IEP, but it does not specify what the IEP should look like, so from state to state the form itself can look different.

Another link to look at would be the Tool Kit on Teaching and Assessing Students With Disabilities: Accommodations http://www.osepideasthatwork.org/toolkit… , in this they have a variety of accommodations that can be used depending on the student's needs. For example a part you stated was :
"The teacher tried the following pre-referral strategies with agreement from the mother before a formal request for testing was made.

• Special seating in classroom
• Giving directions one-step at a time
• Giving her more time on tests and assignments
• Giving her fewer problems per page
• Fewer spelling words each week"

These were some accommodations the teacher tried which you'll find in the Tool Kit , even though those didn't work there may be other accommodations that would be useful to the student, in the Tool Kit they explain the different types of accommodations, documenting accommodations on an IEP, selecting accommodations from the type of accommodation it is or selecting accommodations according to the student's characteristics, they have the do's and don'ts of selecting accommodations and more.

Jamie Said:

Anyone's child with ADHD, Tic disorder, and learning disability?

We Answered:

Its so important to have a formal diagnoses to insure he gets the best educational supports, the sooner these are in place the better the outcome.

Also is he receiving any classroom support e.g teachers aide etc, and does he have a Individualized Education Plans (IEPs)?


My daughter has ADHD, ODD (Oppositional Defiant Disorder) and Dyslexia, all diagnosed in grade 3 over a space of 6 months. I had to push after a teacher said my daughter needed a bomb lit under her, we eventually moved her to another smaller school, they were wonderful in organizing for further testing, and trying to get some sort of support for put in place for her, if some what limited.

She was on Ritalin, which we found very helpful in her being able to focus a little better, and sit still for more than two minutes. In her words to the pediatrician after being on Ritalin for a two weeks "I can think better, all the noise in my head has gone".

We also used diet and behavioural management to help control her, because we would only give her the Ritalin through the school term, (Dr's suggestion), as she is a very tiny, and Ritalin affected her wanting to eat.

As a young teen she refused to take the medication, as it was not cool to take medication at school, (school policy was students had to go to the school nurse to take their medication). We agreed to let her not take it, but under an agreement that if she started struggle with focusing etc, then she would have to start taking the Ritalin again.
Thankfully she did not have to take the medication again.

We also made sure the high school focused on the dyslexia, after year 7 (first year of high school) I rarely told the teachers she had ADHD, ODD, because of the way some teachers treated her, (they made assumptions she was very naughty, disruptive etc), when and if they did find out they were stunned, as she was a polite, caring and diligent student.

She learnt a lot from the teachers who were prepared to support and help her, and they learnt a lot about dyslexia and how to support a student with dyslexia.

Something we noted as she started puberty and still on the Ritalin, she developed a few tics, which stopped when she stopped taking the Ritalin.

She is a young adult woman (a very petite woman), she is now qualified Disability support worker, she has a uncanny knack of being able to work well with children with disabilities, they just love her. She choose this field, because "she felt as if she fitted in", and had started as a volunteer at 15, working along side me.