Re: At a loss.... Little OT

[Guest guest]

Well, she has not had much time in resource yet has she? I think you should have a meeting to address what is going on. Ideally the IEP would have done just that! If she is failing or almost failing her classes, she obviously needs MORE help and MORE support than what is being given so far. That is just one huge piece of data that cannot be ignored. And you know, make it clear that her grades are not the issue (because then they'll just give her better grades to shut you up) but that it reflects how poorly she is learning.

So if she is being pulled into resource for so much time, she may need more time and more 1-1 tutoring. She could have tutoring done after or before school as well. Summer school is fine but it also could be a total waste of time because she has dyslexia. She isn't not learning the material because she is a little slow but because she has specific learning needs. Repeating it again might help but I really think it's more frustration for her - more of the same, more failing, more being lost. If you pair summer school with tutoring, then I would see the point to doing that!

Also, you need to remember that you do not have to accept what is being suggested or offered if it is not appropriate to her specific needs. You need to consider what she needs and then ask for it! If summer school with a tutor is enough, in your opinion, then ask for that! If there are other programs in your area that might help more, ask!

I really recommend the "Fast Forword" program if you can find a provider in your area - ask the school to give that to her for her ESY. Another option is to ask for a tutor who is trained in orton gillingham methodology to work with her over the summer. personally, I bet she would get more from that than sitting in summer school.

Remember, the IEP has to be written so that she makes adequate progress. If she is struggling to stay afloat, it's not doing enough. If she is not learning and keeping up with her classes, it's not enough. So you have to keep pushing to get what is appropriate for her needs and not necessarily what they have already in place. You might have to "think outside the box" and find what she needs first, then advocate to get that provided to her.

Also, my ds just finishe 4th grade and it was pretty brutal for him (he has dyslexia and was not getting the help he needed from the school.) The big thing I noted from the regular school before we pulled him was the teacher's attitudes changed big time. They were suddenly calling him lazy, punishing him a lot for not being done with writing projects because he reads and writes so slowly still, etc. And they adored math time tests which he just cannot do yet. His short term memory is poor and he also is having visual perception issues and handwriting problems - mix well, add a teacher with an attitude and you have a mess. lol. But you are right, 4th is when they stop teaching basics so much and start making use of the basics to learn new things. So it's a shift in how kids learn. If she is still back learning basics, she is going to struggle a lot. I would push for as much ESY as you can possibly get and stack tutoring before or after school next school year so she can have a chance to catch up!! Let me know how it goes!

Roxanna

Whenever I feel blue, I start breathing again.

( ) At a loss.... Little OT

Okay, some of you know that I have been fighting for the past 3 years to get my daughter, , help. No one recongnized a problem until she got into 3rd-grade. Finally, I got the teacher's attention and she totally saw what I did. (She used to teach special ed.) After the eligibility meeting, was found eligible for further services (besides speech) with Specific Learning Disability. She receives 450 min. for resource and 60 min. for speech a week. She is still coming home with D's and F's. (Mainly F's). She doesn't understand what people are talking about. Her short term memory is very small. She can't recall.

I don't know what to do. They recommended she take summer school. (The current teacher was shocked to know that no one had recommended her to go before!) She's going into 4th-grade in the fall and the work is only going to get harder. I guess I expected some improvement once she got resource. Afterall, she was getting those grades without resource. Any suggestions?

Thanks,

-Melinda

[Guest guest]

Her placement could totally change with a placement in self

contained special ed classes. Many parent's do not

like the idea of not being mainstreamed though. It may

be an option.

If she is failing in her classes she really needs to be

pulled out of the mainstream and have her issues

addressed so she can learn. If the school

can't do this in a timely way you have a very good

case (not that people want to have suits against a school)

to ask for a special school placement out of district.

Is she at grade level in reading and math? The IEP goal

should be to be a grade level in these two areas.

If she is at grade level than why is she failing?

Pam

>

> Okay, some of you know that I have been fighting for the past 3 years to get

my daughter, , help. No one recongnized a problem until she got into

3rd-grade. Finally, I got the teacher's attention and she totally saw what I

did. (She used to teach special ed.) After the eligibility meeting, was

found eligible for further services (besides speech) with Specific Learning

Disability. She receives 450 min. for resource and 60 min. for speech a week.

She is still coming home with D's and F's. (Mainly F's). She doesn't understand

what people are talking about. Her short term memory is very small. She can't

recall.

>

> I don't know what to do. They recommended she take summer school. (The current

teacher was shocked to know that no one had recommended her to go before!) She's

going into 4th-grade in the fall and the work is only going to get harder. I

guess I expected some improvement once she got resource. Afterall, she was

getting those grades without resource. Any suggestions?

>

>

> Thanks,

>

> -Melinda

>