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Newbie - LittleSweeties - 02-18-2011
Hi!!! I'm new to the board. I have a 7 year old son who is in first grade. My son has just completed an evaluation at his school and has been given the go ahead to qualify for special education. They are going to be keeping him the general class but assigning him an aide to help prompt him and keep him on task during his classes. Unfortunately, the only one 1st grade class has an aide which means that he will need to be switched from his current classroom. He has also been approved for 2 days of OT. We are having our IEP meeting in 2 weeks to discuss the outcomes of the evaluations, the plans of moving him and when to make the move. I'm a little nervous, on one hand my son is very friendly and outgoing with other children, and I'm sure there will be some children in the new class that he has already met on the playground during lunchtime or afterschool and he has already met the other 2 first grade teachers at different times. But he is also, not very big on change and I worry that being in a new class without his current friends and a new teacher might be upsetting to him. I'm also wondering exactly how to tell him of this change and how to explain to him the reason for the change. I think it is going to be a huge help to him to have the extra support in a classroom that a teachers aide will provide but I don't want him to feel different or bad about being moved.
Any advise, input would be very, very appreciated.
Kim
RE: Newbie - BusyMum - 02-19-2011
Trying to explain your child's needs and differences to them is always a tough one and I think we've all struggled with that. I'm still struggling with it and my son is now 12.... we reached a point I stopped therapy and all classes for a while, for example, because he was identifying himself as someone who has things "wrong" with him, so he was "wrong" (and stupid and not worth anything etc etc etc.) Now I"ve started sneaking it back in again, the nutritional things I'm giving him are being described as needed because he's growing and his body is changing and he just needs a few extra things (if only to stop him getting acne!) We've gone back to swimming and gymnastics etc because he needs to be fit and active etc.
There is a point though where he will feel different, especially as he gets older and I think sometimes you have to be straight with them about their difficulties, BUT let them them see how EVERYONE has difficulties AND strengths and help them find and expand on their strengths. I tell him (as hysterically funny as I can) about things I can't do, things that his Dad can't do but also about each other's strengths. My son has joined Scouts and loves it and is doing quite well. He gets all the badges and is an assistant patrol leader...
I think I'd approach it through the "benefits" route, tell him how the new class and teachers will probably suit him better - maybe have a chat with the teachers about who he might know in those classes (from afterschool for example?) and tell him about that, perhaps talk to the afterschool carers and see if they can link him up with those kids. Remind him that he'll still be able to see his other friends in the playground. Anything you can tell the new teacher about his interests and strengths would be useful too.
All the best and let us know how it goes!
RE: Newbie - LynnNBoys - 02-28-2011
Hi, Kim! Welcome! My older son was diagnosed in 1st grade, a couple of months before he turned 7. He's in 4th grade now.
I hope everything went well with the IEP and the classroom change! I totally understand about changes and transitions. My older son has a hard time with that as well. I try my best to let him know about things ahead of time and talk about it with him. It always triggers a meltdown if I have to change the plans that I've already told him. So I try my best to stick to routines and let him know ahead of time about any changes coming up.
I look forward to hearing an update about how things went!
RE: Newbie - LittleSweeties - 02-28-2011
Thanks for thoughts. Tomorrow is our IEP, we are suppose to go over the evaluations by the IEP team and their recommendations. I had never heard of SPD, until a few months ago when my son's teacher requested a meeting and told me her observations of my son and the troubles that he was having, she showed me a book on the subject as she said a lot of things with my son reminded her of her own child who was diagnosed in Kindergarten. We took him to our pediatrician, who then sent us to a neurologist who then sent us back to our school to have a full evaluation done. It has been quite a whirlwind the past few months. I am hoping to get some feedback tomorrow on exactly what I can do, to help my son. Homework can be quite frustrating for him at times and I try giving him breaks inbetween problems and pages. For example while, working on his math tonight. We were doing 1 less/more then 10 less/more. The first problem he did quickly and easily (ex 1 less than 55 is 54, 10 more than 55 is 65). The second problem, he seemed to have no clue anymore how to do it, and he seemed to just call out any number, even going higher when it was less (ex 10 less then 26 is 61, 46). He started to have a breakdown. So I gave him a break to draw because he loves to draw pictures and then we went back and went over it again and he was more receptive and was able to finish. Then I gave him another break before we went back to do his writing homework. I worry, cause obviously, the teacher can't give him a break in the middle of a test or something but I'm not sure exactly what triggers things. As he sometimes seems to suddenly no longer be able to grasp what he seemed comfortable with a few moments before.
Thanks again so much for your warm responses
RE: Newbie - LynnNBoys - 02-28-2011
My son's IEP for 1st and 2nd grades included motor breaks throughout the day. An aide brought him outside first thing in the morning (as long as the weather cooperated) to swing on the playground for 10 minutes. He was having meltdowns at the start of the day because of the transition with all the kids coming into class from the buses and putting their backpacks away, etc. With the motor break, he didn't have to go through all that chaos which overwhelmed him. When he got to class, everyone was seated and calm. He also had a motor break right before he had to do any focussed work, like a writing assignment or a math sheet that was long. Our school has an OT room with a blow-up punching bag, mini-trampoline, a sitting down scooter thing, and I forget what else. So he would trade off doing one of those type of activities. Then he had another break at the end of the day, since that also overwhelmed him and made him anxious with the kids getting their backpacks together and getting ready to go home. The aide would bring him to the library for a calming storybook until it was time for his bus.
His school also allows kids to chew gum in certain situations (and as long as they are responsible about it). Apparently there is a study that shows people are able to better focus on a task while chewing gum. So for the kids who need it, they are given the option to chew gum. I also have gum at home to offer my son if it seems like he is too antsy to focus on his homework. It seems to help a little.
It's great that you know that drawing pictures helps him! I give my son breaks too (do X amount of homework, then he gets 10 minute break), though he usually plays with his brother for a bit. Don't worry about giving him the breaks. Find the right balance of doing the homework and amount of break he needs. My husband always wanted me to have the kids do homework the first thing when they got home off the bus. That is an impossible task. They (at least my kids) really need that moment to unwind after holding it together at school all day. It's great when the weather is nice because then they ride their scooters or jump on our trampoline. Then they're able to sit down to do what they need to do.
Now that my son is in 4th grade, he takes state mastery tests. His IEP includes that he can have the questions read to him if he wishes and he has no time limit. He also takes the tests separate from his class.
Our OT recommended heavy muscle work/gross motor skills. So I have him bring his hamper of dirty clothes to the laundry room for me. I have him carry the gallon of milk in the house from the car after I've done the grocery shopping. And help with other heavy (for him) bags. We used to have him do a wheel-barrow (hold his legs while he walks on his hands) down our hallway before bed. We kind of got out of the habit of doing that one--I should really start that up again. Hmmm... lol!
Good luck tomorrow! I hope you aren't overwhelmed by all the information in the meeting!