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Explaining to first grader why he has an IEP
May 2010
My first grade son has an IEP related to auditory processing disorder. He's very bright and in terms of class participation apparently is a teacher's dream child except for the fact that reading, spelling and anything involving rote memorization are extremely difficult for him.
Just this month, he's beginning to talk about how easily other kids read, ask why his spelling test is differently than everyone else's, and call himself stupid when he can't read at home. I think it's time to talk with him about how his brain works differently and the methods and tools his teachers, dad and I are building to allow him to be successful in doing whatever he wishes to do. But I'm not sure what to say or how much detail to give him. Spoken words are problematic, too. He learns so well through visual input like DVDs or books with pictures.
Have you had an IEP talk with your kid? Do you know of resources to make it visual? What do you do if your kid feels stupid--especially when it's obvious that he struggles to learn what other kids (who are his friends) absorb without effort? (From what I see and what the teachers say, he's not being teased or put down by kids in his class.)
I particularly would appreciate advice from someone who's been through this. Time to talk
My daughter also started to notice that she was the only one not learning to read in first grade, that others were ahead of her academically, and that things came slower to her than her peers. Second grade was worse. She was in a 1/2 split, even though I requested that the school NOT do this, and she quickly noticed that the first graders were learning to read better than she was. She used to cry and say that she could never become a mom, because she could not read.
My daughter is now in the 6th grade, and is aware that her brain works differently, and even though she is incredibly bright and gifted, she takes more time to process than others do. She still sometimes asks why she is different, but we talk about it a lot, and I point out her strengths often (she is an excellent writer, although still spells most words phonetically), is an amazing artist, and is beyond kind and gentle. I tend to shrug off her learning differences, and simply say, ''Your brain works differently. It is neither good nor bad, just different.''
Check out the following book: All Kinds Of Minds, by Mel Levine. It is written FOR kids, about learning differences. A must have for any child with an IEP. Life Long Learner
My son also has auditory processing disorder, aggravated by ADD. I think you are right to have a conversation with him about this; soon after my son's evaluation, we explained to him that he learned differently from other kids, and also that he sometimes has difficulty understanding what someone says the first time (or second or third...) because of a kind of little glitch in his system, like a filter that won't let some things through easily. Trying to make it concrete was helpful -- but what was really helpful in my son's case was giving him the label, something he could point to and use to explain to people. Not long after our conversation, we were traveling and needed to check into a hotel. My son went up to the desk clerk (he has utterly no social inhibitions) and wanted to know if our room had a jacuzzi (Californian kid). She responded, but he didn't get it. ''Can you say that again slowly? I have an auditory processing disorder.'' It was funny, but also touching -- he understood what the problem was and he also had the tools to help other people understand and fix it. Giving your son the tools to explain his situation and also the confidence not to be ashamed of it are invaluable gifts. Point out the things he can learn well and easily, make sure he understands that his glitch applies only to certain situations, and that he can take measures to repair the problem himself. My son is a gifted musician -- yours has gifts as well, and these can be highlighted. My son's ability to understand has actually improved, mostly because I think he has learned coping mechanisms and allows himself to be patient with himself. Good luck in growing your son! can you say that again? slower?
Other parents will have great advice, but I wanted to chime in with a teacher perspective. As a high-school teacher, I applaud you for starting to talk to your kid about his IEP when he's young--many of my 15- and 16-year-olds still don't know how to discuss their identified learning needs.
My main advice is to help him identify when he feels confused. Is it when the teacher is talking but there's no visual component to the instruction? Is it when there are words scattered all over the board? Is it when students are supposed to remember and follow a whole string of instructions? Then talk about what he can ask for in each of those situations.
My most successful students with learning differences know how to politely assert their needs. They will check in with me privately with requests like, ''Can you please give me my own copy of the instructions?'' because they get confused looking at the crowded board at the front of the room, or, ''Can you always call on me second or third so that I have time to think about the question first?'' Best of luck!
Hi, my son is in third grade and uses a wheelchair. He has had an IEP since Kindergarten. I think you have answered your own question quite well. Tell him a little bit about ''how his brain works differently and the methods and tools his teachers, dad and I are building to allow him to be successful in doing whatever he wishes to do'', in kid terms of course, and adjusted for whatever his processing issues are. I think kids KNOW something is up and are much more comfortable talking about their life than we parents are. But we love them so much. We have all this baggage that drives us to protect them but kids are durable. Looking in at our child with a disability, we see the 'dis-'of that word so clearly and in a heighten fashion because of the emotional impact for us personally, but for our kids, this IS their normal. Just like having a special needs kid is now OUR normal. Talk as much as he would like. Or if he doesn't want to, let him know he can come to you anytime with questions. And truly address the core of the emotional meat for him. He doesn't need to know about meetings or IEPs per se, but just to know you and his whole support system are there for him. Everyone is different, in some way, and we all need help, in some way. It's important for our kids (and their classmates) to know that this is what makes us a community. Rebecca
I have not been through this personally but have worked with many parents in situations similar to yours as both a Resource Teacher and a private tutor. I highly recommend you get Dr. Mel Levine's book All Kinds of Minds. Your son should be aware of his strengths and his weaknesses and I think this book will be a great help. Dr. Levine has other books as well but do start with this one. Sharon
My son has an IEP for difficulties with writing, and we had the same problem in kindergarten (he could clearly see that the other kids could draw and write much better than he could, and had concluded that he was stupid). First, I sat down and talked with my son about how everyone had some things that were easy for them, and some things that were hard. I told him that I found things like climbing hard, and reading easy; his dad found writing hard just as he did, but they both found math easy, and so on. We had him talk about a few of his friends -- what was easy, what was hard for them. We had talks like this many times. I'm not sure how I would make this visual, though. Maybe cut out a bunch of pictures representing things to do (a book, some numbers, a basketball, a paintbrush, a musical instrument), and sort them into ''hard'' and ''easy'' for different people? Your school psychologist may have some ideas you could use -- these folks are often amazing. We didn't worry too much about the resource time; many kids left the classroom for many reasons, and it never seemed to be a problem. We do keep in close contact with his teachers, though, to make sure that nothing about this shifts without us knowing. I also suggest you read ''A mind at a time'' by Mel Levine. it contained more detail than I needed, but the philosophy was very helpful. anonymous
I completely understand some of the complexities of explaining to a child how he/she is different than his peers. In our situation, our son was actually relieved to know what it was that made him see the world differently( Aspergers). He was imagining way worse! We have worked from a strengths perspective rather than saying that he's somehow ''deficient'' or defective. He excels at math, science & computers but not as strong in social pragmatics. Keep it positive. These are some places to get some good support:Google if I got the sites wrong (sorry). - PHP- Parents Helping Parents in Santa Clara, great website with all kids of info. on all kinds of LDs, you can talk to someone. www.php.org. - PEN- Parents Education Network same as above but more education oriented. www.parentseducationnetwork.org. HTH BTDT
It sounds like you and your son are already having excellent conversations! I shall be interested in knowing how other parents respond. My perspective is that of a retired special education teacher and administrator, and as a doting grandparent of a little boy headed for his own IEP. First of all, your son should know that his IEP is a special plan for the way he learns, something all children deserve, but he has a legal right to it. Everybody's brain works differently, but he gets to have a program that acknowledges this.(I went into special ed because it mandated that I teach to the individuality of each learner. ) It will be very important for you and your son to have ongoing conversations about what is working and what is not. I suggest that you encourage your son to use toy figures to role play what has happened each school day. And when IEP meetings come up, use toy figures to role play all of the people who will participate--including him--and how he would like the meeting to go. Let the IEP participants know beforehand the IEP interactions you and your son are roleplaying, and ask what else you might anticipate. I just did a google and found nothing about helping children understand their IEP! You are breaking ground. Best wishes! I look forward, as I said, to others' responses, and I especially would appreciate learning how things are going for you and your son. Pearl
Are there issues based on the IEP category?
March 2007
Has anyone had experience with an IEP when their child has issues that cross many categories but doesn't really qualify under one particular category (i.e. speech, emotional disturbance, autism...).
My son is in kindergarten. He has ADHD and speech delays and currently has an aide. His school is in the process of assessing him & it looks like the category that most clearly fits him (by the school's rules) is ''emotional disturbance''. This shocks me since in all our years of doctors & assessments this has never been mentioned. But, looking at the schools definition of ''emotional disturbance'' he does seem to qualify.
I guess I'm wondering if there are any issues with having him qualify for resources based on the category of ''emotional disturbance''. With all his other issues I never saw these behaviors as a problem, I thought they were just a result of him being immature & hopefully would eventually resolve themselves - it's a shock to learn differently.
I've always been comfortable with him qualifying for an IEP under speech & just want to understand if anything changes or gets limited by us changing categories. The problem really is that althought it's acknowledged that he has serious issues & needs support no one has been able to successfully determine a solution for all his issues.
Thanks for the help. Upset & Confused
I don't live where you live, but I do live with a special education teacher, and from what I understand you should be looking at the additional resources that are available to you under that classification. I know it is difficult to think of your child having an ''emotional disturbance'' but so much of these labels are based on somewhat gross generalizations. Having this label attached to your kid is not going to change your relationship to him or his behavior, but it may give you access to more support that he might actually need like behavior therapy to help him find ways moderate his actions in a positive way. I would ask your teacher what the benefits are of switching his IEP and what the costs are, and then make a decision. You are in charge, ultimately, so if it really doesn't sit well with you, demand that he not be changed over to that grouping. Also, see if you can connect with any other parents in your school/district to get advice on resource follow through. just a thought
The short answer is that a child who qualifies should receive intervention in all areas of need, though qualifying for speech alone probably has the most limitations. The school may be considering mental health services from the county in its recommendation for ED. Your situation sounds too complicated to answer here in a general way - please feel free to contact me with more information and we can talk about what your child's options might be. Dana
Negotiating the Maze Special Education Advocacy, Research, Support www.negotiatingthemaze.org
Dear Upset, 1) What school district are you? 2)I don't know if there is a downside, other than not receiving services. If you need/want psych services as part of the IEP services, then I think SED is a good fit. We were in the same boat that you were at the end of kindergarten, and the team wavered between SED and OHI. They ended up going with OHI (Other Health Impaired) which is so vague that is could cover anything.
Have a look at the rewrite of the Oakland forms if you are in Oakland; they were revised last summer, and there is explanatory material. http://public.ousd.k12.ca.us/docs/1553.pdf (I searched ''serious emotional disturbance iep services oakland'' to find that one. No quotes when you do the search, though.)
Remember that your child is so young that it may be hard for anyone to diagnose authoritatively. Our son went from PDD-NOS to NVLD over the course of 4 years as therapies helped and he aged and grew into his brain and body. You may have one handicapping condition this year and a new one at the next triannual.
So if you want the psych services, be open to it. But as I have said: I don't know if there is a downside. Let's see if there is another answer out there in BPN land. good luck! - Nancy
I used to work with kids with special needs in a Bay Area school district -- consider hiring an advocate. Sure, it's not cheap, but it's been my experience that the district will give you more of what you want when you have outside help on your side. It doesn't have to be confrontational... ask around for good advocates. k
Hi! My understanding that as a teacher and parent of two special ed kids is that they have to qualify for one of the 13 categories in order to have an IEP and receive services. It sounds like the school is trying to help you keep the services you have, which is good. I played up my youngest son's issues in order to receive the services he desperately needed, as he was borderline and would have been an easy target to deny.
It feels totally unnatural as a parent, but yields the result you want in the end.
ADHD alone generally only means a Sec. 504, but not special ed, and therefore, no IEP. anon
Emotionally Disturbed is such a charged category, that unless your child really fits that medical (not school) profile, avoid it. It depends on your school district, but there's a tendency to segregate such children into a special day classroom rather than providing support to learn in a general classroom.
A child can qualify under multiple categories as well as OHI -- Otherwise Health Impaired. It would be very helpful to consult a special education advocate who understands the process.
At this point, the smart thing to do is to get your child a private, professional neuropsych evaluation. It is money will spent to understand exactly what his disabilities are, how they mask his intelligence, and a roadmap for helping him grow. Children don't grow out of behavior; they learn with the help of parents & teachers, and when needed, therapists. -- Been There
My kid does not have ADHD, so I can't help with specific advice, but this website might be of interest and help: http://www.wrightslaw.com/info/iep.index.htm You could also sign up for the specialneedsnetwork[at]yahoogroups, and post there. good luck
I have a son who had an IEP with no clear cut 'diagnosis' but issues that went across the spectrum. I would be careful about relying on the school's testing and assessment as much as you are. If you haven't I would highly recommend getting a private neuropsych assessment done. It will cost you $3,500 but if you go to the right person it will be the best money you ever spent. Make sure they are a true neuropsych like Kristin Gross or Carina Grandison in Oakland. You will have all the answers you need including what he needs from his IEP. anon
I teach at a non-public school for children with special needs. I know the term emotional disturbance is very unsavory and some may feel a stigma attached to it. However, do not despair! I have several points to make: 1. Emotional disturbance (ED) is an educational term and not from the DSM-IV, the manual which psychiatrists use. 2. It is not necessarily a permanent label. I have had students whose ''qualifying condition'' for special education has changed even if the services haven't. 3. the most important thing is getting the right services for your son and support for your family. The ED label may get you more intensive services which may be what is needed at this time. Honestly, I do not think of my students as their labels but as the individuals they are. A good program and teacher will too. 4. Finally as a parent of a student in special education you have alot of rights. Contact CASE, an advocacy group to educate yourself and get support at future IEPs and with services and placement decisions. I hope this helps! a Special Ed teacher
Obviously each diagnosis carries with it a certain bias toward certain kinds of support and away from others. For instance, a child with a physical disability wouldn't be offered speech therapy if his/her speech were unaffected. But in principle, the IEP is just that: an INDIVIDUALIZED education plan, which thus offers your child whatever services are required to meet the goals set in the IEP, regardless of which box is checked as the qualifying diagnosis. The only thing I'd say about a speech qualification is that it is contingent on the opinon of speech therapists who may, in theory, one day decide your child no longer needs services. Other diagnoses, such as autism, are life-long diagnoses, so there's no danger of the special ed designation being pulled by the district. The labels are always disturbing at first, but I learned pretty fast that they are fairly irrelevent, since no child is a textbook case of anything. I no longer see my child's label as a curse, but rather as a means to an end: by accepting the label, I entitle my child to the help and support he needs to be successful in school. I have no interest in showing the district all the ways my son does not conform to the symptoms of his label--I see it as a tool that helps, rather than hurts us. As for the label affecting his social situation or how he is treated by the teacher, my feeling has been that people were going to know my child was different whether he came with a label or not, so there wasn't much harm in putting a name on how he was different, esp. because teachers are often too overworked to even read IEP's (not that that's a good thing), and no one else--not other students or other teachers--is allowed to see anything about your child or his or her diagnosis. I guess I'm saying that I wouldn't worry so much about whether or not your child really looks like the ''typical'' version of any particular label, but rather ask yourself what will get your child the most support and services that he/she needs for the period of time you think he'll need it.
By the way, among my friends with children with special needs, the common opinion is that the label you want least is actually that of ADHD, since it's probably the one the teacher has heard of, and about which the teacher probably already has a bunch of preconceived notions, which affects how he/she approaches and deals with your child. I've yet to meet a teacher who knew the first thing about Aspergers, for instance, so seeing that on an IEP doesn't really prejudice them, since they have no idea what it looks like. Also, it's not that easy to get an IEP for ADHD--you are often offered the accomodation route instead (I think it's called a 504). Good luck! been there
I have lots of IEP experience but no answer for your specific question. I just wanted to write in case nobody else on BPN knows- and even if you do get other answers, I wouldn't trust most internet posters for accuracy on such a vital question for your son's educational future. Maybe you could get a legal advocate, or even consult with an attorney about this question. Also, you can learn a lot at wrightslaw.org or maybe call Protection and Advocacy (PAI) 510-267-1200 good luck
IEP for 5th grader with mental health issues
March 2006
I've been advised that I should advocate for an IEP (individual education plan) for my fifth grader, who has been out of school for more than three weeks now with psychiatric issues. She is currently doing independent study using work from her teacher at home.
Has anyone from BPN gone through the process of getting an IEP for mental health issues? I'm particularly interested in knowing how long the process might take. We're near the end of March now, and come June, she'll be done with her school for good(they stop at fifth grade). We might get the IEP too late to really do anything at this current school, if it takes a while to get. anon, please
I don't have experience with this exact issue but I do have experience with IEP's. It seems to me you should be forming now the IEP team she will have at her new school, in 6th grade. I recommend meeting with the program specialist & psychologist soon before this school term ends. They will need to review her reports and with you, formulate her plan. I assume you would have her personal psychiatrist involved in those meetings as well. Depending on her issues, it might be nice for her to start touring the school, meeting some of her teachers, or what not. If you wait until next fall you may not be able to meet until October, then changes don't get implemented until November, and you've lost 2 or 3 months. Plus I think if is possible her problems may flare up during school hours, there needs to be some teacher education about her issues and also a specific plan for what to do when this happens. Good luck, stay aggressive in advocating for your daughter. You have the legal right to have an enviroment for her that works. anon
You can definitely get an IEP for a child based on emotional/psychiatric issues. Many districts have classes for children who are SED/ED (severely emotionally disturbed or Emotionally Disturbed. What you need to do is write a formal letter asking that your daughter be assessed. If she has a diagnosis from a pyschiatrist I would also include this information in the letter as well. Tell them you are concerned that she is missing school due to these issues and that you would like her to be evaluated for special education services. This is a good site to reference and you can call them for help as well. http://www.pai-ca.org/pubs/Index.htm
I saw your post on the IEP process and I am SPED teacher at a school that deals with Emotionally Disturbed students of all ages. Although I primarily work with the middle and high schoolers. As far as the timing of the IEP process, if you have not had any prior assessments done (usually by the school/district) then it could be somewhat lengthy. However, the process is supposed to be as quick as possible legally and you can push for immediacy. With most distrcits, ou get what you ask for and I recommend asking for everything you think would help your child. First of all, based on the info you gave, it sound like your child may be eligible for placement in a therapeutically intesive school setting such as a non public school (an NPS) as opposed to being secluded at home with no direct educational teaching forma teacher. MY recommendation is to intervene as early as possible so that your fifth grader can get the services and the help that he/she needs to get back to his/her life in a mainstream public school environment. Additionally, as far as your concern about the end of the academic year coming to a close quite quickly, you might consider that should your child be eligble for a NPS placement, most of them are year round schools and your child could be getting individual. group and art therapy during the summer as well. Good Luck!
Both my chidren have had problems attending school, they have 504 plans, the next step would be a IEP. It depends on how severe your problem is and how long your child will be out of school. The IEP is a more formal process. For instance if your child may be able to attend school for long periods and be out of school for for only weeks at a time, I recommend the 504 plan as being more flexible. The IEP is, in my opinion, for long term issues of High frequency. When you ask for an IEP do it in writing. The school is obligated to reply to your request in two weeks to a month after evaluation and a plan must be put in place. Schools do not like the IEP due to the restrictive nature and the councilers may try to persuade you that this is not the way to go. That could be possible but check out all the options. I always opted for the 504 plan over the IEP. I heald the IEP as an incentive for the teaching staff to comply with whatever program we had in place. The Curves Lady
Need help writing an IEP for my son
April 2004
I was told by my son's Pediatrician that I need to get my son an IEP pronto. I am looking for help in creating and tracking of same. Does anyone know if there is software or an interactive website that would be beneficial? Thank you. worried mom
The best book I've seen on this - esp. for the first-time IEP writer - is Lawrence Siegel's book ''The Complete IEP Guide'' which was last updated I believe in March 2001. I used this before my 1st IEP and have used it for reference since. It's a great workbook approach and has a ton of sample letters, documents etc. for correspondence - all very useful. It's a Nolo press book, so you can check at their outlet and other stores; it's also carried at major chains and Amazon. And we got precisely what we needed at the IEP, so I think the track record supports the book. Regards Nancy
Besides the Nolo Press book already recommended (''The Complete IEP Guide''), you might give FRN (Family Resource Network 510-547- 7322) a call. They have a newsletter and workshops on IEPs from time to time. Good luck. Many IEPs Later
An excellent source of information about IEPs can be found at a website called Wrightslaw.com. They have publications for sale about special education issues and send out an online newsletter every couple weeks with updates about seminars, training classes, etc. They have a book titled, ''Special Education Law: from Emotion to Advocacy'', that was extremely useful. Another source of information here in Berkeley is a group called DREDF(Disability Rights Education & Defense Fund). They put on training seminars and can provide one-on-one assistance with preparing for IEPs etc. They are very busy so don't expect a call back the next day. Hang in there. Don't be afraid to insist on what your child needs. matheny
IEP for Private School Student?
March 2003
Is this an oxymoron, or can an IEP be established for a student in a private school as a way to obtain government-funded services for the child in-school or out? Who does one go to? What is the impact on the child's academic record? anonymous
Every school-aged child in California is entitled to an IEP, whether in public or private school. However, you should be aware that the district will most likely require that testing happen during school hours, at their location, not your child's, and that any services provided also happen during school hours, at their location. In our district (Piedmont), the testing team kept in contact with the private school teacher (who had asked for the assessment), and would have included her in the IEP meeting had our daughter qualified for services. Even though she didn't qualify, it was worth having gone through the process, because we brought her back to public school in middle school and they already had a record of her academic issues. Cynthia
Every child should have a right to an IEP, and it's been decentralized, so you could start with the principal of the local school that your child would go to if he or she were not in a private school. If that doesn't work, I would suggest calling the school district and seeing if they can point you in the right direction. Anon
My understanding is that local school districts are more or less required to offer testing and other assessment of kids with learning differences, but that they get to decide whether and to what extent they will offer IEP assistance and other assistance for kids with learning differences. In Oakland, the school system apparently will test but not offer actual assistance and support beyond testing. This is a very sore point for my family and in the community of the independent school our son attends because we do pay taxes to support the public school system but have no access to the public services we need to address our son's learning differences. It is a real strain on many families to pay directly for the support services needed for kids with learning differences. My understanding is that there is a substantial wait time in many districts to get access to testing and services. Our impression of Oakland was that you essentially need to imply you are putting your child in the Oakland public schools in order to get access even to testing. Good luck! Maybe you are in a city that is more open with its public services for kids with learning differences. Dave
I am a teacher in a public school and I understand that you are eligible to seek services through the public school district that your child would go to had you not opted to send him/her to a private one. I would call the district office for your area and get in touch with the Special Services department. Elaine
In order to have an IEP, you would have to contact the school nearest your home or your school district special education department and write a letter requesting a special education assessment to see if your child qualifies for services. If he/she does, then they would have to go to the nearest public school to recieve the service. To my knowledge, they do not provide service at private schools. good luck janette
Just a few more thoughts to add: put everything in writing, definitely your request for an IEP once you find the correct contact. You will have to prove that your public district cannot properly serve your child's needs; start gathering as much information, in writing, as you can about her/his issues and needs to support that. You could also contact the Family Resource Network (510-547-7322) and Nolo Press for some pamphlets or books about the IEP process. Good luck to you in this arduous process!! Anon
Private schools have no duty to accomodate students--an IEP in a private school is indeed an oxymoron. Some private schools will do informal accomodations, which you would work out through teacher(s) or the principal, or both. Some are very good at this. Some won't do it at all.
There are certainly specialized private schools who take public school students with IEP's, but that is because they contract with public schools and are essentially ''in the business'' of supplying services to them. Usually these schools have nothing BUT referred public school students, who are generally severely disabled. These students, however, start out through the public system. also anonymous
IEP for Gifted Child?
Dec 2002
In some states, IEPs are written for gifted children as well as for children with disabilities. It doesn't seem to be standard practice in California, however. Has any of you done this, or investigated it, as a means of getting a more appropriate education for a gifted child. If so, what happened? What did you learn?
Parent of very bored, good kid
You're right, there is no mandate for gifted IEPs in California. Districts decide individually whether to take money for gifted education at all and how to use it. Though it is supposed to serve gifted kids in a different way than non-gifted kids, it doesn't always operate that way, because there's an attitude that addressing gifted kids' needs is somehow elitist or undemocratic. Unless you find a class or school that serves gifted kids specifically (I think there's at least one in LA or San Diego), you can forget your kid being served by the public school system in any systematic way. You may occasionally find a teacher willing to work with you, but who may still need educating; in that case, I recommend Susan Winebrenner's Teaching Gifted Kids in the Regular Classroom. The rest is up to you to find outside of school - Stanford's EPGY program, Hopkins' Center for Talented Youth (though I think they've changed the name), Berkeley's ATDP - all very expensive, though there are scholarships. We moved from a place with a very good gifted pull-out class where most kids were pretty anti- intellectual to one where learning is respected, so our experience with public school is to live where your kid will go to school with other kids who want to learn and will challenge, support, and compete with your kid. Dana
Last year our son was totally bored in kindergarten. He had started public school after two years in Montessori preschool and was reading at a 5th grade level, doing simple multiplication, playing tournament chess and asking his dad to explain WWII. Not your typical public school kindergartener. We wanted to skip him to 2nd grade and opened a can of worms, starting the IEP process. The teacher and principal were very supportive. Academics-wise, the conclusion was that he could easily go into 2nd grade. A psychologist assessed his behavior on the playground and suggested he enter 1st grade. Result: he is now terminally bored in 1st grade, won't do his homework and his teacher recommends we get him out of public school and into the best private school we can find. Even if a child is ''gifted'' in the lower grades, there really isn't much the teacher can do to vary the lesson among 20+ kids. He is doing SRA reading and math at his own pace, but that's about it. Don't know if this helps shed some light on your situation. Good luck getting a good education for your child. I guess I would just say be proactive. kl
In the Berkely Unified School District, you can request a Student Study Team review of your child's needs. Most people think of SST as only being for ''problem kids'' but they should serve all parents/teachers/students needing support. SST includes the child's teacher and sometimes past teacher, a teacher from a higher grade, someone from Special Ed., and anyone else can be invited who may have input (GATE teacher, psychologist, etc.) The goal is to brainstorm ideas that will better help the child succeed. Some things to think about: time in a higher grade for a subject area the child excells in, like math; grade accelleration (consider lots of testing before going here) outside activities/support, etc. Ask how GATE is administered in your school. You can reqest an accounting of how differentiated instruction is being applied to your child if he/she is in the GATE program (GATE in Berekely begins in 4th grade.) Follow-up SSTs will also be scheduled to see how things are working out. Be aware that some schools have SSTs every week, but they are often booked months in advance and other schools only schedule on an as-needed basis. SSTs are more problem-solving and do not have the binding capacity of IEP anon
IEP's are for students who are in Special Education. Being GATE doesn't qualify as Special Ed. I doubt that your friends' children really have IEPs since Federal laws about serving students with special needs are what determine who qualifies as special ed. The students you know may have a 504 plan in place. These are individualized plans for students who have needs that don't qualify for Special Ed. Usually these are for kids who have needs, but can still function in a regular classroom but need modifications. (Students with ADD, ODD, low vision, stuttering, etc.)
I haven't heard of these for students who are GATE though. Plus, I don't think that 504 or an IEP can really address your child's issue. If the teacher is boring, there isn't a whole lot that the plan for your child can do about it. The teacher would probably just give her extra work to do or tell her to bring a book to class and read once the regular class work is completed. (In the teacher's defence, if your child is in an average heterogeneous classroom here in the bay area, chances are there are 35 kids in the room and at least 4 of them are functionally illiterate, and one third to half the class is below grade level. Add to that kids with behavior problems, and then the regular work that goes into the job - preparing lessons from the text, creating new lessons, making photocopies, grading, decorating classrooms, organizing/cleaning a classroom, meeting with parents, involvement in extra curricular activities, etc. ... well kids who are smart and capable of doing the work and bored are probably not the highest priority. That is not to say that your child doesn't have needs that should be met, just that the demands on that teacher are overwhelming and so not every child's personal needs can be met.)
Has your child been tested and designated GATE? If so then the school is receiving money from the state to provide enrichment, and you should ask the school what that is. At some schools it is special feild trips, or books that can be checked out, or a classroom computer, at others it is a separate class. What ever it is, they need to provide services to the students for whom they receive funds. Usually there is a committee at the school that involves parents of GATE kids to determine how that money should be spent also, get involved in it so that it is being spent in a way that will benefit the kids most. a teacher
Given that your child already has an IEP and is placed in a special day class, I would look for an educational therapist vs a tutor- ed therapists are more highly trained in supporting the specific learning needs of kids with disabilities. I don't have personal experience but one option in Oakland is Strategies for Learning.
I agree, educational therapist!
My child is working with Amber Taylor for math. She’s very skilled and was a sped teacher before becoming an Ed therapist. But it is virtual. Not sure if that’s a match for you.
Amber Taylor-Garrett Ed Therapy
tayloredlearningexp [at] gmail.com