Guest guest Posted November 4, 2010 Report Share Posted November 4, 2010 , Thank you. Brett currently uses an Alpha Smart and has an aide that scribes as needed. I am just thinking more along the lines for writing papers, multiple worksheets, etc.- to try to make him more independent without wearing him out. Our school has honestly been amazing, but I just want to make sure he has the tools to succeed before entering middle school. Kristal- Mom to Brett- SMA II- 10 years old Visit Brett @ www.our-sma-angels.com/brett OR www.caringbridge.org/visit/brettwilson School Questions " SMA Friends " < > Date: Thursday, November 4, 2010, 10:29 AM I know I have asked other families this over the years but Brett will be entering middle school next year and we are worried about the homework. Currently, he can spend 30 minutes to several hours on homework, and it usually isn't that much. I am getting ready to call for an IEP to have things in place for next year but am looking to see what tools have made anyone else successful in school. I know he needs the worksheet scanning software where they scan the worksheets and then enter text boxes for his responses. I have been told he will have his own laptop but am worried about the access. No solution works great for us, sometimes he does great just typing but other times he gets too tired, sometimes he does great with the click-n-type software but again other times he is too tired. We bought Dragon 10 last year but we have not been successful with it catching his voice, any suggestions on a good headset that might make it better? I guess I am looking for any type of things that have worked for anyone. Thank you!! Kristal- Mom to Brett- SMA II- 10 years old Visit Brett @ www.our-sma-angels.com/brett OR www.caringbridge.org/visit/brettwilson Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 4, 2010 Report Share Posted November 4, 2010 I completely understand. The thought of Middle School stresses me out already. I write a lot of Cage's homework for him. Our school has been great too. I occasionally have to remind them of things, but they have been very accommodating so far. Nolen From: Kristal <kkoehler47@...> Subject: School Questions " SMA Friends " < > Date: Thursday, November 4, 2010, 10:29 AM I know I have asked other families this over the years but Brett will be entering middle school next year and we are worried about the homework. Currently, he can spend 30 minutes to several hours on homework, and it usually isn't that much. I am getting ready to call for an IEP to have things in place for next year but am looking to see what tools have made anyone else successful in school. I know he needs the worksheet scanning software where they scan the worksheets and then enter text boxes for his responses. I have been told he will have his own laptop but am worried about the access. No solution works great for us, sometimes he does great just typing but other times he gets too tired, sometimes he does great with the click-n-type software but again other times he is too tired. We bought Dragon 10 last year but we have not been successful with it catching his voice, any suggestions on a good headset that might make it better? I guess I am looking for any type of things that have worked for anyone. Thank you!! Kristal- Mom to Brett- SMA II- 10 years old Visit Brett @ www.our-sma-angels.com/brett OR www.caringbridge.org/visit/brettwilson Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 17, 2011 Report Share Posted February 17, 2011 Before we decided to move we researched the schools. The school here promised us they would follow the IEP written by our former school district in NY. We made the move and the SD here did not follow through. My son is very high functioning, but still needs support. He also is very bright and the public SD is not challenging him. So anyone with a child on the spectrum understands how too much " down time " can have a negitive affect on children with ASD. I have had many meetings and still nothing. Can anyone tell me of a private school/charter/public in the miami area that offers support/ challenges my son and meets the IEP goals? Thank you so much in advance! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 22, 2011 Report Share Posted February 22, 2011 What do you not get in the 504 that you would like to see in an IEP? My son was covered under 504 until the 4th grade, if I remember correctly. There were a lot of accommodations included in the 504 so I never fought it. From: <jenniferhermanski@...> Sent: Tue, February 22, 2011 10:23:56 AMSubject: ( ) Re: School questions But what if your child does not have an IEP? My sons school has been avoiding the IEP subject with me for two years. He does have a 504 but I want an IEP! This is one of the other reasons I am sending my son to live with his father in another state. Perhaps he will have a better shot at an education there?? > >> > Before we decided to move we researched the schools. The school here promised us they would follow the IEP written by our former school district in NY. We made the move and the SD here did not follow through. My son is very high functioning, but still needs support. He also is very bright and the public SD is not challenging him. So anyone with a child on the spectrum understands how too much "down time" can have a negitive affect on children with ASD. > > I have had many meetings and still nothing. Can anyone tell me of a private school/charter/public in the miami area that offers support/ challenges my son and meets the IEP goals? > > Thank you so much in advance!> >> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 22, 2011 Report Share Posted February 22, 2011 Well I hear all about IEPs and how the school HAS TO follow them.... Well so far what I have seen from the 504 is that some great suggestions are given during the meetings but they really aren't put into play in the classroom. > > > > > > Before we decided to move we researched the schools. The school here promised > >us they would follow the IEP written by our former school district in NY. We > >made the move and the SD here did not follow through. My son is very high > >functioning, but still needs support. He also is very bright and the public SD > >is not challenging him. So anyone with a child on the spectrum understands how > >too much " down time " can have a negitive affect on children with ASD. > > > > > I have had many meetings and still nothing. Can anyone tell me of a private > >school/charter/public in the miami area that offers support/ challenges my son > >and meets the IEP goals? > > > > > Thank you so much in advance! > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 22, 2011 Report Share Posted February 22, 2011 What great advice for any parent...! Let's face it...It's your child's life...and they deserve the opportunity of a great challenge... > > If they don't budge get an advocate. If they still don't budge get a lawyer. We fought to get both kids (both had IEP's) what they needed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 19, 2012 Report Share Posted January 19, 2012 Thanks for the math tips. My daugher Anmei is in 7th grade. I can picture her using the MathTalk later.  She has a dragon, but she choose typing most of the time. I have to remind her to use it more often. Pingrong Xue MBA, EA, CPA candidate San , CA >________________________________ > From: 3 <hawk_stryke@...> > >Sent: Thursday, January 19, 2012 1:39 PM >Subject: Re: School Questions > > > > > >Also, something I just thought of (even though you didn't specifically mention much about math accommodations): > >Rather than waiting until it becomes a serious issue, I would suggest preemptively requesting that the school get him MathTalk as well. It is an add-on for Dragon NaturallySpeaking that allows you to operate the program Scientific Notebook (which comes bundled with it) entirely by voice. You can check it out here: http://metroplexvoice.com/products.htm#mtsn > >As amazing as Dragon is (it's my primary method of interacting with my computer, and I love it), it's one major school-related limitation is when it comes to math. You can't really " speak " math in the strictest sense, so it's incredibly challenging to write out math equations and such using Dragon. MathTalk allows you to do it in a really easy and intuitive manner, though. > >Brett might still be at a point where he's able to write on worksheets by hand, but that's obviously something we SMAers have more trouble with over time -- especially when you have to do a bunch of problems on each assignment. Transitioning over to MathTalk is something that really made my (and my parents', as they were having to write out my responses as I dictated) life easier. I highly recommend it! > >- > > >> >> I have a quick question. Brett is only in 6th grade and I am already overwhelmed with my.....I mean his homework, It feels like my homework though. Just some things that I know can be tweaked or maybe not...but wondering how you guys did it when you were in school. Or some parents of the older kids could answer for me too. I just can't imagine how high school is going to be. And maybe I just haven't thought of really simple things that will help us. >> >> - Reading/ doing a worksheet- He can't manage reading the book and alternating with filling out a worksheet at the same time. So I have to constantly move the book, give him his worksheet, give him back the book, etc. As well as take his marker while he is reading, give it back when he needs it, etc. >> >> - Holding a big book to read, we currently prop it up but he can't always turn the pages. We have a book holder on order and the school is supposed to be getting all the books on his laptop. Which will help tremendously, but I can still envision having the same issue with reading on the laptop vs. worksheets vs. marker- Do your kiddos do their worksheets on their laptops and just toggle back and forth between applications? >> >> - Microscopes in Science Class- How did they use them? >> >> - I know there is more but I am drawing a blank. Our school has been awesome helping us and working with requests. They have cut down assignments, like if he is assigned 30 questions in Math, he only has to do 15, etc. He has his own laptop at school, they just ordered Dragon to help him with his English papers. He currently uses a click-n-type program. His aide takes all his notes, except for in Math. Brett does better in assignments if he took the notes himself. They do have a book holder on order too. They ordered him 2 accessible desks for his core classes and he has 2 portable, rolling black trays for the other classes. He has one of each on each floor. >> >> Basically I just want him to be as independent as he possibly can and try to prepare him for the workload in high school, etc. Any advice or suggestions would be great. Thanks! >> >> Kristal- Mom to Brett- SMA II- 12 years old >> Visit Brett @ www.our-sma-angels.com/brett >> OR www.caringbridge.org/visit/brettwilson >> >> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 19, 2012 Report Share Posted January 19, 2012 Krstial, Is iPad a option for you? I download all my daughter's text book on iPad, so I don't have to get her books, or move her folders, etc. Â We started to use a book stand after her back surgery. All the middle school text books are so heavy, the book stand didn't work well. Â I heard on the news that more textbooks are going to be available on iPad. Currently, since iPad doesn't support flash, I have to tweak it a bit. Let me know if you are interested. Pingrong Xue >________________________________ > From: Kristal <kkoehler47@...> >SMA Friends < > >Sent: Thursday, January 19, 2012 11:18 AM >Subject: School Questions > > > >Â > >I have a quick question. Brett is only in 6th grade and I am already overwhelmed with my.....I mean his homework, It feels like my homework though. Just some things that I know can be tweaked or maybe not...but wondering how you guys did it when you were in school. Or some parents of the older kids could answer for me too. I just can't imagine how high school is going to be. And maybe I just haven't thought of really simple things that will help us. > >- Reading/ doing a worksheet- He can't manage reading the book and alternating with filling out a worksheet at the same time. So I have to constantly move the book, give him his worksheet, give him back the book, etc. As well as take his marker while he is reading, give it back when he needs it, etc. > >- Holding a big book to read, we currently prop it up but he can't always turn the pages. We have a book holder on order and the school is supposed to be getting all the books on his laptop. Which will help tremendously, but I can still envision having the same issue with reading on the laptop vs. worksheets vs. marker- Do your kiddos do their worksheets on their laptops and just toggle back and forth between applications? > >- Microscopes in Science Class- How did they use them? > >- I know there is more but I am drawing a blank. Our school has been awesome helping us and working with requests. They have cut down assignments, like if he is assigned 30 questions in Math, he only has to do 15, etc. He has his own laptop at school, they just ordered Dragon to help him with his English papers. He currently uses a click-n-type program. His aide takes all his notes, except for in Math. Brett does better in assignments if he took the notes himself. They do have a book holder on order too. They ordered him 2 accessible desks for his core classes and he has 2 portable, rolling black trays for the other classes. He has one of each on each floor. > >Basically I just want him to be as independent as he possibly can and try to prepare him for the workload in high school, etc. Any advice or suggestions would be great. Thanks! > >Kristal- Mom to Brett- SMA II- 12 years old >Visit Brett @ www.our-sma-angels.com/brett >OR www.caringbridge.org/visit/brettwilson > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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