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jennifer <pixie21619@...> wrote:
I was wondering if anyone could offer me some advice about my son
and school.
Tanner is almost 10years old….in 4th grade and we are starting to
have a bit of problems this year with the school.
Last year… (3rd grade) in May we had our last IEP for the year….that
was meanly so we would be on the "same boat" going into 4th grade…we
talked about the shorten assignments with fill in the blanks and
multiple choice things…Tanner has fine motor skill delays…writing
for him is a struggle and trying to understand what he has wrote is
even a bigger problem…he gets very angry at himself when he can't
write as fast or neat as he wants so he just stops all
together….this was causing failing grades in 3rd grade and the OT
finally realized after me telling her for a year that the more you
push him the worst he gets…so…after speaking with Tanner's doc…Dr
Pinit from Kennedy Krieger here in MD…he was to get a Alpha Smart or
some one to write his answer for him during class work though still
work on his writing.
This year started off slow…I had to fight for the Alpha Smart…I
noticed papers he was bring home was not completed because he hadn't
finished sentence so after speaking to his teacher about Tanner NOT
being graded on penmanship and having someone help him with writing
out answers until the Alpha Smart came…he made the honor roll for
the 1st time and we rewarded him with his choice of toys
(educational of course).
Going into the second marking period was another struggle…I felt all
that was mention during the 1st had been over looked….grades were
failing once again though this time was mainly because of home
work….he then received a homework folder which would have his
homework wrote down… wasn't a issue him remembering what was to be
done. After a while his grades went back up though his teacher
stopped writing his home work down…expecting him to…he would get
home…couldn't read what he had wrote and neither could I so of
course the phone call to his teacher came and she started writing it
down once again but has now stopped.
I then had a meeting…I thought this was an IEP until I got there…I
met the Aid who was in Tanners class room and worked with him daily
she stated…she was the one in charge of the IEP's now but had
never "done" one before…it was the worst I had ever been to! Nothing
about Asperger's was wrote down…nothing about the assignments issues
or Alpha Smart…nothing…she made notes and said she would send home a
note once the IEP was scheduled…I left that day angry…of course I
always bite my tongue so I said nothing….keeping in mind that the
IEP would come soon…this was in Jan.
Well…that same day I spoke to his teacher…she told me she knew
nothing about Asperger's and had saw a show on Dr Phil…he had a boy
on there with Asperger's but he has a lot of angry issues something
Tanner does not have…so I am guessing this teacher has never read
anything about Asperger's and knows nothing about what should be
done in her class room for him.
To make a longggg story shorter then what I have already done…It's
March and still no IEP….Tanner once again has failing grades…
Tanner's step-dad and I both told them the last time to LET US KNOW
before his grades go below 70%...I got a note last week that his
grades are at a 54% and lower…not homework this time but class work…
he isn't finishing it. His teacher wanted me in for a conference…I
couldn't make it so Tanner's step-dad when in…I did send a VERY
longggg and NOT nice email to his teacher…I copied info that I had
found on the internet about Asperger's students in class rooms
http://www.udel.edu/bkirby/asperger/karen_williams_guidelines.html
I took Tanner to see Dr Pinit the day before the conference and
wrote to his teacher the response Dr Pinit had gave me that it
seemed to her Tanner was not be allowed the extra time, shorter
assignments nor the Aid that is suppose to be available to Tanner
when ever he needs help.
I am at my end of the rope…I am no longer willing to work with this
teacher when I can't understand her problem…Tanner has a folder,…
this is available to her to look through the IEP's …he comes home
and make comments that his teacher is younger then his step-dad and
I so I can only think she is not being firm with him….I mean if he
thinks/knows she is younger I am sure he sees her as someone who
will let him get away with things. His teacher mentioned at the
conference to step-dad... my email and how they added a 3rd person…
an Aid to the room….what the heck happened to the 1st Aid? She said
Tanner is being given shorter assignments and such but I saw his
work and if thats short what is the other kids getting..AND..to top
it all off...I have told teachers for the pass 2 years I HAVE
PROBLEMS GETTING HIM TO DO HOMEWORK!!!! This is what I read
"In the case of mainstreamed students with AS, poor concentration,
slow clerical speed and severe disorganization may make it necessary
to lessen his or her homework/class work load and/or provide time in
a resource room where a special education teacher can provide the
additional structure the child needs to complete class work and
homework (some children with AS are so unable to concentrate that it
places undue stress on parents to expect that they spend hours each
night trying to get through homework with their child)"
I'm not crazy after all!!!!
My question to everyone is…as a student with Asperger's…
what "rights" does my son have? What rights as a parent do I have?
Has other parents had to confront teachers each new school year to
talk about the last….I honestly thought teachers were told each new
year about a student with any issues being ADHD or Asperger's. What
should I do for next year…any ideas?
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