Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Twice Exceptional Writing the Welcome-To-My-Kid Letter

The special education principal has recommended that this year I send an email to each of my son's 7th Grade teachers once I receive his schedule tomorrow. She suggested that this might help them be better prepared to deal with his accommodations and start the year off better than last year.

Any suggestions on what to include and/or not to include?

I send email to each of my 2e ds's teachers every year. I give them all our contact numbers and email addresses. I also tell them that ds has an IEP, and I offer to send in a copy if they want (while most sped teachers are on the ball, not all are, and I don't want to get halfway throught the year and find out he's getting no services or that the teacher didn't know he had accomodations). I briefly describe his disability, tell them what meds are in the clinic, and explain behaviors that could get him in trouble (taking a long time in the restroom, for example) in the first few days. I try to keep it short. If the teacher writes back, I might give him/her a little more info.

We have had a meeting with the teacher before school starts each year. I usually send a little email first and so far, each teacher has requested an in-person meeting. I don't know if a meeting or a letter is better. In a letter, you can be clear and precise...but does the teacher read it? In person, you can make a more heartfelt plea that I think makes a more lasting impression.

The main thing to include is how his disability manifests in the classroom. For example, my son is wiggly, so he does better sitting on an end or even in a special desk up alone by the teacher. Another example is my son will make unconscious noises when he is bored, so the teacher needs to work out a cue to let him know he is making the noise and needs to stop. I know some kids do better with oral instructions, others with verbal instructions. Include stuff like that in the letter.

Kate

I wrote one for a meeting with DS' 6th grade team in the first person, so I "was" DS introducing myself to them (but made it clear when I sent it that I was the author.)

The first paragraph was an overview of DS' personality ("Hi, my name is . . .I am a sweet-tempered, sensitive kid who wants to do well in school.") Then I told them about DS' testing and diagnosis, giving non-clinical descriptions and real world examples of how the testing results apply in the classroom ("My strongest area is non-verbal intelligence . . . I think outside the box . . Last year I did my book report with Lego stop animation. I wrote my story about the Alamo from Santa Anna's perspective.")

I discussed both DS' LDs and how they affect DS in class("Handwriting is not automatic for me. I have to think about each letter as I write it. Copying from the board is actually painful and an extreme struggle.")

I had an explanation for how DS' LDs affect him outside of school, how he had to cut out all his extracurriculars to cope with homework, how homework takes him twice as long and he is drained most nights.

I would it up with learning style ("I think in pictures not in words. I am great with abstract concepts and problem solving. I can remember what I hear better than what I read. I can spot patterns and relationships and see the big picture.")

I was worried the teachers would think it was gimmicky but they really seemed to like it. I wanted them to really get a glimpse of how hard it is to be 2e and how hard my DS works to get the grades he wants. I think the first person makes his struggles more real and immediate for him than "My son is very smart. He is tired at night" etc. etc.

DS' tester was at the meeting and she was over the moon about this intro letter. She said it made her tear up to read it and really made her think about why she does what she does.
Good luck!

Hi, Lisa. I think I'd send some combination of the following:

* Explanation of each accommodation with an explanation why it's necessary, in case she's not fully up to speed
* Quirks of my son that might not appear in the paperwork, but would be good to know
* Lessons learned from prior years
* Information on what he's been doing over the summer and what he did last year that might help her to understand your son's advancement
* Full contact info for you at work and home if she might not already have it, with stress that you are always available if anything comes up
* Volunteering to help occasionally with class

Wonderful advice. Thank you!

I'm a writer ... and this one has had me sitting here staring at a blank email screen for quite some time.

Hi Lisa,

I don't have a direct link that I can find at the moment, but I think there is an example of how to write this type of letter either online at www.wrightslaw.org or in their "From Emotions to Advocacy" book. I do think it's a good idea - what I usually do is write the letter (brief) and deliver it in person, so I know the teacher has at least seen the piece of paper it's written on, so I have a chance to say what I really really need to say quickly in person (as a minimum) and just to make that first contact with the teacher.

I can't remember for sure what grade your ds is going into (?) but you might want to ask him for some of his thoughts re needs/accommodations/classroom impact of his disability/etc and then include that in your letter.

If it would help, I can dig around to find the letter (this exact type of letter) to give to my ds' teachers last year (going into 6th grade and going to a new school, multiple teachers based on subject). I haven't done the letter yet this year because most of his teachers he'll have already had, except for one of his advisory teachers.... so we will putting together a letter (and soon!)... but I think this year I am going to have more of it be put together by my ds with organizational help and suggestions from me.

polarbear

Hi Polarbear - I actually think I have that book; I'll look.

He's going into 7th - I edited the original post to add it there as well. It's multiple teachers, and the only one that I expect to be the same is his band teacher who has a child with Autism and thus deals wonderfully with my son - who plays drums without having learn to read the notes. She says he's good enough at keeping the rhythm and picking up what they need that she just lets him do his own thing. It was his favorite class last year. The rest will all be new ... sigh.

I just did one with lots of bullet points and photos of my ds. I tried to make it easy on the eyes and not a wall of text.

I guess I'll either send an email or try to talk to my rising 4th grader's teacher about his IEP for hearing loss. Half of his teachers inevitably tell us at the parent-teacher night that they don't believe that he is hearing impaired and that he is "faking it."
I'm always like, really? Why did we spend $3000 on a hearing aid then? Duh! The teacher had told me in May when I met her very briefly that she had "never" had a hearing impaired student in the gifted program