IEP update
Mar 21, 2015 16:06:09 GMT -5
Post by hopanka on Mar 21, 2015 16:06:09 GMT -5
So, we had our first IEP meeting last week, which went better than I expected in terms of nobody getting into a fight - although things were tense at times. Gen ed teacher spoke seldomly due to lost voice, but you could tell she wasn't BID's BFF. She held back when it came to mentioning old BII (she knows better I think), but mentioned several times that the transition is very detrimental to DS. She mentioned DS is losing focus and proceeded to very dramatically demonstrate his fidgeting (arms flailing and all) - which was kind of comical as it came right after OT said that DS can regulate his body much better now, doesn't need the tools they normally use, such as velcro strips on desk, putty, texture ruler...etc. And she graduated him from OT.
The only tiff that we had really was between BID and resource teacher because they were trying to put BII as one of the responsible parties for educational goal. BID said that really that is not their area of expertise, they're there to re-direct, make sure child pays attention, but teaching should be done by teacher. (I agree). However, resource teacher got mad that we're all a team and that this is not the attitude we should have and everyone is suppossed to be helping DS. And if BII is there, they need to pitch in a help with learning, too....oh boy.
More importantly, I am worried about how they will be addressing academics as the material is getting harder and I find myself teaching DS a lot at home. The teacher to student ratio in our district is clearly insane (36:1), but I don't know how I would be able to change that alone. Our school is already at maximum capacity and they're turning kids away to neighboring schools. From what I talked to other students' parents, their kids are not doing stellar work either and a number of them have hired private tutors already as well. Coincidentally, DS's report card has improved however (yes - thanks to me, because since I've been laid off I've had more time to dedicate to teaching him at home), so they're not as inclined to do much more than what we've already had in our prior IEPs. They said that since he's improving, there's not a whole lot to discuss.
I have to say that the gen ed teacher did help in terms of coming up with new goals and had some good ideas. For one goal, we were trying to come up with better socialization during non-structured time and she said it needs to include: DS will choose a friend and then they will do the said activity in the yard. Not that he just has to join a group in the yard. That's exactly the roadblock we've been facing. He has a hard time joining in because he's intimidated by many of the alpha boys. This way, it can be a bit more natural - you pick a friend, decide what you wanna do and do it togeteher.
She also mentioned that language arts is becoming more difficult for him and he has a hard time organizing himself when it comes to beginning a task, go through all the steps and finishing. He doesn't really know how/where to start by himself. She said he's a lot more successful in math when it comes to this. To me, he still has a hard time in math when it comes to realizing what to do first, second and last, especially with word problems. Anyway, my head is spinning on how to formulate a goal around it because what they came up with is really vague.
We will reconvene next Friday, so there's some time to think about it. I feel like I need to put some building blocks in this year's IEP for future's sake - next year will be tri-annual and also transitioning to middle school IEP. I feel like we need to have a pretty solid IEP now for 5th grade, so when the next year's IEP comes we can transition it well to middle school. However, I really do not know what those building blocks should be, other than a goal around around executive function I came up with (able to remember all assignments to bring home, not forgetting a lunch box, sweatshirts...etc.), as I know he will have to remember a lot more stuff in middle school - such as a locker, going to different classrooms...etc. So, starting now with simple stuff, such as remembering your homework handouts, remembering to gather all your clothing after P.E., putting it in a backpack and bringing it home (constant issues with that now - he forgets shit at school all the time) is a like a natural first step for the harder stuff that is about to come. I do know that in 5th grade they start rotating classrooms a bit to get ready for middle school. Instead of one teacher, they will have three. I'm not even sure how that's gonna go.
If anyone has any ideas (Mrs. B) with your older kids and what you wish you had in your IEP to prepare better for middle school, please let me know.
Thanks!
The only tiff that we had really was between BID and resource teacher because they were trying to put BII as one of the responsible parties for educational goal. BID said that really that is not their area of expertise, they're there to re-direct, make sure child pays attention, but teaching should be done by teacher. (I agree). However, resource teacher got mad that we're all a team and that this is not the attitude we should have and everyone is suppossed to be helping DS. And if BII is there, they need to pitch in a help with learning, too....oh boy.
More importantly, I am worried about how they will be addressing academics as the material is getting harder and I find myself teaching DS a lot at home. The teacher to student ratio in our district is clearly insane (36:1), but I don't know how I would be able to change that alone. Our school is already at maximum capacity and they're turning kids away to neighboring schools. From what I talked to other students' parents, their kids are not doing stellar work either and a number of them have hired private tutors already as well. Coincidentally, DS's report card has improved however (yes - thanks to me, because since I've been laid off I've had more time to dedicate to teaching him at home), so they're not as inclined to do much more than what we've already had in our prior IEPs. They said that since he's improving, there's not a whole lot to discuss.
I have to say that the gen ed teacher did help in terms of coming up with new goals and had some good ideas. For one goal, we were trying to come up with better socialization during non-structured time and she said it needs to include: DS will choose a friend and then they will do the said activity in the yard. Not that he just has to join a group in the yard. That's exactly the roadblock we've been facing. He has a hard time joining in because he's intimidated by many of the alpha boys. This way, it can be a bit more natural - you pick a friend, decide what you wanna do and do it togeteher.
She also mentioned that language arts is becoming more difficult for him and he has a hard time organizing himself when it comes to beginning a task, go through all the steps and finishing. He doesn't really know how/where to start by himself. She said he's a lot more successful in math when it comes to this. To me, he still has a hard time in math when it comes to realizing what to do first, second and last, especially with word problems. Anyway, my head is spinning on how to formulate a goal around it because what they came up with is really vague.
We will reconvene next Friday, so there's some time to think about it. I feel like I need to put some building blocks in this year's IEP for future's sake - next year will be tri-annual and also transitioning to middle school IEP. I feel like we need to have a pretty solid IEP now for 5th grade, so when the next year's IEP comes we can transition it well to middle school. However, I really do not know what those building blocks should be, other than a goal around around executive function I came up with (able to remember all assignments to bring home, not forgetting a lunch box, sweatshirts...etc.), as I know he will have to remember a lot more stuff in middle school - such as a locker, going to different classrooms...etc. So, starting now with simple stuff, such as remembering your homework handouts, remembering to gather all your clothing after P.E., putting it in a backpack and bringing it home (constant issues with that now - he forgets shit at school all the time) is a like a natural first step for the harder stuff that is about to come. I do know that in 5th grade they start rotating classrooms a bit to get ready for middle school. Instead of one teacher, they will have three. I'm not even sure how that's gonna go.
If anyone has any ideas (Mrs. B) with your older kids and what you wish you had in your IEP to prepare better for middle school, please let me know.
Thanks!