Re: I should have kept a diary

February 11, 2012

Ha! Ha! This reminds me of my son, Josiah. When he was in middle school, we

brought back some souvenir coffee cups from vacation (HI) to give to his

teachers as a small Christmas gift. When he saw one that had a map of the HI

islands, he 'insisted' that we give that one to his Social Studies teachers

because " she likes maps! "

Shirley

" He saw a recent Time magazine with a picture of Washington on it and

wanted to buy it for his History teacher--saying, " Mom Washington 1st

President United States...History class...buy for Mr. Wicks " ,

Re: I should have kept a diary

It does get so exhausting!! But, like you, I've got tons of examples like that

but don't always think of them on the spot and should keep better track. The

weather examples, clouds, moon phases are all things Mac will talk about, as

well as exponents, nouns and complete sentences! He saw a recent Time magazine

with a picture of Washington on it and wanted to buy it for his History

teacher--saying, " Mom Washington 1st President United States...History

class...buy for Mr. Wicks " , he will also talk about the novels they are reading

in LA class--does he get it ALL, heck no, but I'm thrilled when he even brings

up one thing because it shows he is listening, attending and participating! Even

playing on the basketball team this year his vocabulary increased...I had to ask

the kids a couple of times what he was telling me...one thing was " box out " and

the other was " screen " --basketball moves! Kit, 4th grade, was in the kitchen

with me the other day and I was boil

ing water and she noticed the steam and said something like, " mom look eam eam

eam!! " and was pointing in the air, but I couldn't figure it out. She yelled,

" my science " and ran and got her Science book and turned to the pages about

solid, liquid and gas!!! I was shocked and tickled pink!!

Next year is a big year of transition for us, too. Mac to high school and Kit

to middle school--not looking forward to either!

I'm impressed with the superlatives!! :-) I go into the 7th/8th grade LA

classes so I'm a bit familiar with that...I THINK it's when you compare things

using big, bigger, biggest, tall, taller, tallest, etc.. if I remember right.

Good luck and know that you are not alone.

Jill

Mom to Mac & Kit

---------- Original Message ----------------------------------

From: Kerrigan <leslie-kerrigan@...>

Date: Sat, 11 Feb 2012 10:27:05 -0800

>As we move into the IEP/high school transition meeting(s), where the

> " experts " will tell us that our daughter should not be included in

>regular ed for a variety of reasons (insert laundry list here.)

>Apparently, her education isn't " meaningful " like it would be in a

>self-contained classroom, and " just look at her scores on the state

>tests " (which I can give a hoot about the state tests for any of my

>kids... I think it's a waste of vaulable educational time to teach to

>these tests, rather than teaching... but off my soapbox on that!)

>

>Like many of our kids, I know that doesn't always demonstrate

>what she knows on written tests. In fact, we've discussed this ad

>nauseum, to no avail. I've tried to get someone to just talk to her

>after a test to see if by asking the question differently, or letting

>her express herself, if they just might find she really does get a lot

>of the information she's taught, but their method of assessment doesn't

>demonstrate that. Sigh, that's just too much work. I don't even care

>about the grade, don't you think as a teacher, you'd WANT to know what

>your students were getting? I am getting weaker over the years, guess I

>am starting not to care what they think... talks to us all the

>time about what she did in school, and it's clear that there is a lot of

>material she is getting (and a lot she isn't, don't get me wrong, but

>they just focus on what she isn't getting.)

>

>So, two times this week while driving home from school, she blew my

>mind. I made a statement about who knows what, and she looks at me and

>says " Mom, do you know that what you said is a supurlative? " I'm like

> " um, I don't remember what that is, can you tell me? " and she goes on to

>define it, and then compare it to some other thing that I didn't know...

>yada yada yada... can't tell you if she was correct in her definition or

>if what I said was really a supurlative, but I'm thinking... YES, you

>are getting a LOT out of your English class, and not just the easy stuff!

>

>The next one was yesterday, driving home, and a storm was rolling in.

>Clouds were really neat, and I said " Hey, isn't that a cool cloud

>formation over there? " and she replies with " Yes, and did you know that

>those are stratocumulus clouds? There are other clouds like ____ and

>_____ and ____... I think there are at least 5 different kinds of

>clouds.... " Again, been a long time since I studied clouds, but again,

>it's been awhile for her.... I'll bet elementary school or 6th grade at

>the latest. Wild, where does this come from?

>

>But, I could use these and a million other examples of what she IS

>getting,and yet, we'll meet next month and they will have reams to

>papers of what she can't do. I've come to believe that they really

>don't care what is is learning, but I will continue to enjoy these " ah

>ha " moments and fight the fight for her current placement. But had I

>kept a diary of all these cool moments over the years, I'd have had that

>with me to at least remind ME of why this fight is worth it.

>

>, mom to (16) (14 DS), Sammy (12), and auntie to

> (18)

>

February 11, 2012

I hea ya . we too are " transitioning " to midle school and

getting the same thing. I already have called a lawyer to attend my

meeting with me. It is so tiring to keep fighting. No Micah is not

doing 5th grade word...but YES he is learning at his own pace. He is

also making friends and loving school. we had his 4th grade pasta

night two weeks ago ( 4th grade end of elementary school

function...they have threee or four during the year) ayway we walk in

the door and the kids are all over him. Parents are saying " so this is

the Micah we hear about all the time " He wouldn't sit with us for

dinner he sat with his two best friends (I call them the three

muskateers). Nothing can take away the fact that Micah is one of the

only children with special needs that is accepted by his peers and it

is because he has been included. So if he is in a 5th grade class

doing second graade work what of it I say. As long as he is learning

let him do it beside his peers I was shown the different classrooms

they have for next year and one of them is the alterate learning

placement (a nice eupemism for basic life skills). Two thirds of the

class is non verbal and they are in a basement room that looks like it

used to be the janitors closet. The kids are all on top of one

another. Then while we are sitting there watching the class in action

a kid raises his hand to ask where one of the pictures are on his paper

(they are looking at the board where there is a series of pictures of

signs...stop..exit..RR crossin...deer crossing) and they are suppose to

x them n their papers. The teacher stalks down the class and says

" J.C. (I wont use God's name in vain) it is right there and points to

a picture. " I was horrified. This is with parents and administrator

in the classroom...what goes on when no one is there? So we get

upstairs in the hallway and the SPED head says " so what are your

feeings and thoughts off the top of your heads? " I said " are you

kidding me...are we back in the 60's and 70's where our kids were

hidden in the basement? " So she looked sheepish and says " Oh no they

are very distractable and being in an open school environment they

would not be able to concentrate. " I asked " well what do you do with

the kids wih ADH, Aspergers syndrome, dyslexia etc...put them in the

attic? " Anyway it is the same old same old...fight,fight,fight and I

know how you feel but I shudder to think what would happen to

him in this placement. There are checks and balances when our kids are

with the general population that they don't have in a classroom such as

this. So therte are many many reasons to include our children, not

only academically. Our school is on the state watch list of faiing

schools for state testing and of course this is the main reason for

trying to get kids with disabilities our of the general ed tract to an

alternate assessment placement but it is my son's one score that has

caused this school to fail and I agree with you leslie the state

testing proves nothing. All it proves is hat teachers repetitiously

teach the kids how to take the test to pass. everyone loses in my

opinion because no one thinks outside the box anymore and our kids are

not learnig how to. But I too will get off my soapbox it is just so

tiring and sad that this stuff is still going on.

Loree

I should have kept a diary

Â

As we move into the IEP/high school transition meeting(s), where the

" experts " will tell us that our daughter should not be included in

regular ed for a variety of reasons (insert laundry list here.)

Apparently, her education isn't " meaningful " like it would be in a

self-contained classroom, and " just look at her scores on the state

tests " (which I can give a hoot about the state tests for any of my

kids... I think it's a waste of vaulable educational time to teach to

these tests, rather than teaching... but off my soapbox on that!)

Like many of our kids, I know that doesn't always demonstrate

what she knows on written tests. In fact, we've discussed this ad

nauseum, to no avail. I've tried to get someone to just talk to her

after a test to see if by asking the question differently, or letting

her express herself, if they just might find she really does get a lot

of the information she's taught, but their method of assessment doesn't

demonstrate that. Sigh, that's just too much work. I don't even care

about the grade, don't you think as a teacher, you'd WANT to know what

your students were getting? I am getting weaker over the years, guess

I

am starting not to care what they think... talks to us all

the

time about what she did in school, and it's clear that there is a lot

of

material she is getting (and a lot she isn't, don't get me wrong, but

they just focus on what she isn't getting.)

So, two times this week while driving home from school, she blew my

mind. I made a statement about who knows what, and she looks at me and

says " Mom, do you know that what you said is a supurlative? " I'm like

" um, I don't remember what that is, can you tell me? " and she goes on

to

define it, and then compare it to some other thing that I didn't

know...

yada yada yada... can't tell you if she was correct in her definition

or

if what I said was really a supurlative, but I'm thinking... YES, you

are getting a LOT out of your English class, and not just the easy

stuff!

The next one was yesterday, driving home, and a storm was rolling in.

Clouds were really neat, and I said " Hey, isn't that a cool cloud

formation over there? " and she replies with " Yes, and did you know that

those are stratocumulus clouds? There are other clouds like ____ and

_____ and ____... I think there are at least 5 different kinds of

clouds.... " Again, been a long time since I studied clouds, but again,

it's been awhile for her.... I'll bet elementary school or 6th grade at

the latest. Wild, where does this come from?

But, I could use these and a million other examples of what she IS

getting,and yet, we'll meet next month and they will have reams to

papers of what she can't do. I've come to believe that they really

don't care what is is learning, but I will continue to enjoy these " ah

ha " moments and fight the fight for her current placement. But had I

kept a diary of all these cool moments over the years, I'd have had

that

with me to at least remind ME of why this fight is worth it.

, mom to (16) (14 DS), Sammy (12), and auntie to

(18)

February 11, 2012

Loree,

I have to say, it some ways, there were things that were easier in

middle school. Our middle school has Resource classes for math and

language arts, so we choose to have attend those rather than

fighting the modifications of regular ed middle school math and language

arts.... she's with peers who a various learning disabilities (a lot of

dyslexia and processing problems) but are otherwise " typical " kids. So,

she gets good modeling of social skills and makes friends with these

kids, but the work isn't too hard,and she LOVES getting good grades

here.... definitely good for her self-esteem. She does well in both of

these classes with no modifications, so that's much easier for us... I

know that she can do her homework pretty independently from these

classes, but they are still academic... no fluff or life skills. She

attends regular ed classes (Science, Social Studies, PE, study hall) for

the rest, and here we fight the modification game...

But, she has made so many school friends who are friendly, kind, and

spend time with her at school. Different kids, including her " ASB "

friends who invited her into their group, and she is welcome to join

them in the ASB room for lunch anytime she wants. So as we come to the

end of middle school, I can reflect that there were a lot of good

experiences for ... just wish it wasn't such a hard fight on my

part!

I laughed at your getting " ditched " at the pasta dinner.... we too have

been dumped by (well, all our kids actually, LOL) at a school

event in favor of friends.... and it's so great :-) I feel like taking

pictures and bringing a slide show to the next IEP, saying basically

" would these relationships be made, would these typical children have

the chance to experience patience, kindness and compassion as they

interact with my child, would my child's life by this " normal " if we had

not given her the experiences she's had by being included? " Maybe,

maybe not... we'll never know. And I know inclusion isn't for

everyone... 's BFF is in special day, and they believe that

it's the perfect placement for their daughter, and at the school they

are at, with the teachers she has, they are right.... it's an awesome

program, and she is in choir and other electives that our school just

doesn't have. But, it seems to be working now for 9 years for

, and I just wish I wouldn't have to fight so hard for the last

4... hasn't she proven herself at all by now????

On 2/11/2012 12:11 PM, loree5@... wrote:

> I hea ya . we too are " transitioning " to midle school and

> getting the same thing. I already have called a lawyer to attend my

> meeting with me. It is so tiring to keep fighting. No Micah is not

> doing 5th grade word...but YES he is learning at his own pace. He is

> also making friends and loving school. we had his 4th grade pasta

> night two weeks ago ( 4th grade end of elementary school

> function...they have threee or four during the year) ayway we walk in

> the door and the kids are all over him. Parents are saying " so this

> is the Micah we hear about all the time " He wouldn't sit with us for

> dinner he sat with his two best friends (I call them the three

> muskateers). Nothing can take away the fact that Micah is one of the

> only children with special needs that is accepted by his peers and it

> is because he has been included. So if he is in a 5th grade class

> doing second graade work what of it I say. As long as he is learning

> let him do it beside his peers I was shown the different classrooms

> they have for next year and one of them is the alterate learning

> placement (a nice eupemism for basic life skills). Two thirds of the

> class is non verbal and they are in a basement room that looks like it

> used to be the janitors closet. The kids are all on top of one

> another. Then while we are sitting there watching the class in action

> a kid raises his hand to ask where one of the pictures are on his

> paper (they are looking at the board where there is a series of

> pictures of signs...stop..exit..RR crossin...deer crossing) and they

> are suppose to x them n their papers. The teacher stalks down the

> class and says " J.C. (I wont use God's name in vain) it is right

> there and points to a picture. " I was horrified. This is with

> parents and administrator in the classroom...what goes on when no one

> is there? So we get upstairs in the hallway and the SPED head says

> " so what are your feeings and thoughts off the top of your heads? " I

> said " are you kidding me...are we back in the 60's and 70's where our

> kids were hidden in the basement? " So she looked sheepish and says

> " Oh no they are very distractable and being in an open school

> environment they would not be able to concentrate. " I asked " well

> what do you do with the kids wih ADH, Aspergers syndrome, dyslexia

> etc...put them in the attic? " Anyway it is the same old same

> old...fight,fight,fight and I know how you feel but I shudder

> to think what would happen to him in this placement. There are checks

> and balances when our kids are with the general population that they

> don't have in a classroom such as this. So therte are many many

> reasons to include our children, not only academically. Our school is

> on the state watch list of faiing schools for state testing and of

> course this is the main reason for trying to get kids with

> disabilities our of the general ed tract to an alternate assessment

> placement but it is my son's one score that has caused this school to

> fail and I agree with you leslie the state testing proves nothing.

> All it proves is hat teachers repetitiously teach the kids how to take

> the test to pass. everyone loses in my opinion because no one thinks

> outside the box anymore and our kids are not learnig how to. But I

> too will get off my soapbox it is just so tiring and sad that this

> stuff is still going on.

>

> Loree

>

> I should have kept a diary

>

> As we move into the IEP/high school transition meeting(s), where the

> " experts " will tell us that our daughter should not be included in

> regular ed for a variety of reasons (insert laundry list here.)

> Apparently, her education isn't " meaningful " like it would be in a

> self-contained classroom, and " just look at her scores on the state

> tests " (which I can give a hoot about the state tests for any of my

> kids... I think it's a waste of vaulable educational time to teach to

> these tests, rather than teaching... but off my soapbox on that!)

>

> Like many of our kids, I know that doesn't always demonstrate

> what she knows on written tests. In fact, we've discussed this ad

> nauseum, to no avail. I've tried to get someone to just talk to her

> after a test to see if by asking the question differently, or letting

> her express herself, if they just might find she really does get a lot

> of the information she's taught, but their method of assessment doesn't

> demonstrate that. Sigh, that's just too much work. I don't even care

> about the grade, don't you think as a teacher, you'd WANT to know what

> your students were getting? I am getting weaker over the years, guess I

> am starting not to care what they think... talks to us all the

> time about what she did in school, and it's clear that there is a lot of

> material she is getting (and a lot she isn't, don't get me wrong, but

> they just focus on what she isn't getting.)

>

> So, two times this week while driving home from school, she blew my

> mind. I made a statement about who knows what, and she looks at me and

> says " Mom, do you know that what you said is a supurlative? " I'm like

> " um, I don't remember what that is, can you tell me? " and she goes on to

> define it, and then compare it to some other thing that I didn't know...

> yada yada yada... can't tell you if she was correct in her definition or

> if what I said was really a supurlative, but I'm thinking... YES, you

> are getting a LOT out of your English class, and not just the easy stuff!

>

> The next one was yesterday, driving home, and a storm was rolling in.

> Clouds were really neat, and I said " Hey, isn't that a cool cloud

> formation over there? " and she replies with " Yes, and did you know that

> those are stratocumulus clouds? There are other clouds like ____ and

> _____ and ____... I think there are at least 5 different kinds of

> clouds.... " Again, been a long time since I studied clouds, but again,

> it's been awhile for her.... I'll bet elementary school or 6th grade at

> the latest. Wild, where does this come from?

>

> But, I could use these and a million other examples of what she IS

> getting,and yet, we'll meet next month and they will have reams to

> papers of what she can't do. I've come to believe that they really

> don't care what is is learning, but I will continue to enjoy these " ah

> ha " moments and fight the fight for her current placement. But had I

> kept a diary of all these cool moments over the years, I'd have had that

> with me to at least remind ME of why this fight is worth it.

>

> , mom to (16) (14 DS), Sammy (12), and auntie to

> (18)

>

February 11, 2012

,

so great! I hear you about a diary. Sam is only in 1st grade but still manages

to blow my mind! Just this week I heard him spelling to himself in the back

seat. I am still considering installing closed circuit cameras everywhere just

to " catch " these amazing moments! Maybe we need to develop the " mommy cam " that

can record all our kids special events when we are not prepared, HA!

Barb

On Feb 11, 2012, at 10:27 AM, Kerrigan wrote: