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    blackcat #189086 04/22/14 08:33 AM
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    The sub used to be a full time teacher in the school, retired, but has been subbing ever since. The school is truly toxic and I already pulled out DS in the middle of the year. The principal hates us because I had to complain about him to the State and upper level admin. The school falsified another kids' IEP. That is how bad it is. The school that took DS wouldn't take DD because they don't have space in that grade, and she was generally happy there with the regular teacher (before she left to have surgery), who clearly adored her. That teacher was willing to put up with her idiosyncracies for the most part. She did do some odd things like keep her in from recess to finish work, but it was tolerable. I started the process to get her a 504 but realized it wasn't going to work because we don't really know what her issue is or what modifications need to be made. I can't have them do an evaluation because the spec. ed people don't know what they are doing, and if they can't figure it out, they just make things up. Everyone fought me there when I asked for DS to be evaluated last fall, and the spec. ed administration for the district had to get involved and "help" them. We finally got an IEP written but the school wasn't following it or pulling him out for services. So it's a pretty bad situation and I just can't see trying to do anything about DD there. I asked DD if she wants to be homeschooled for the rest of the year and she said no. Yesterday DD said the teacher didn't lecture or scold her at all so maybe things are getting better. I am going to stay on top of things and if I hear about the teacher being on her case I'm going to go in. Dh already went in once and stayed there in the classroom observing for a few hours. DD and her friend said that the teacher was "nice and happy" while Dh was sitting there. Normally she's a yeller. The teacher thinks that she needs to teach DD coping skills to deal with the ADHD. She wrote this an in email: "She is so talented but will struggle if she does not learn to address some of the issues at a personal level." She also wrote this. "DD is a delightful girl with many talents. She is going to struggle with work completion and focus because of her ADHD but I think we have to keep holding her accountable for the work. I know she is capable and she will have to learn adapting skills because this is just how she is. Because she is so bright, I don't think I would be doing her justice if I weren't trying to teach her ways to accommodate her focusing issues." While on the surface there is nothing wrong with that, I think she is taking it too far and trying to "fix" DD, DD senses that the teacher thinks there is something wrong with her and is trying to fix her, and internalizing it.

    blackcat #189088 04/22/14 08:40 AM
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    Ugh, sorry,now I remember the back story.

    blackcat #189091 04/22/14 08:51 AM
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    blackcat, our ds uses the Rory Story Cubes also - we first used them to help him practice writing fiction, and he now uses them when he's got a writing assignment and he's stuck - even though he doesn't necessarily use what he gets from the cubes in his assignment, the act of rolling the cubes and trying to come up with something to put together a brief "story" helps somehow get his brain working on the "real" assignment.

    As far as the teacher at school, she's an issue - but the larger issue is understanding what's behind your dd's struggles. I think you're going to have to do more digging on your own and follow-up with a request for a comprehensive eval at school. I'd put the paperwork in now for that request - you have enough evidence that it's warranted (difficulty with written expression). I wouldn't quote the private test scores on the written request for the school eval, I'd just state the issues you've observed at home re generating written expression (can include handwriting, getting thoughts out, organization of writing), and any examples your dd can give you from school. If there are only 6 weeks of school left, that's 30 business days, which I'm guessing is less than the time limit required to complete an evaluation in, and it's a busy time of year at school for folks who are involved in IEP eligibility evaluations because it's the time of year when IEPs for the next school year are put together and finalized for the students who already have IEPs - in other words, I'm guessing there won't be an actual eligibility eval until the beginning of the next school year, although there should be a meeting to determine if the school will go through with an eval. So you'll have the summer to continue to pursue what you can privately at home re understanding what you can re what's going on.

    Anyway, that's jmo - I think the focus needs to not be on the teacher, but on trying to figure out what's really behind your dd's issues with writing. That's not saying it's not important to continue to advocate as much as you can with this teacher, but instead to not lose focus on the larger issue while getting through the day-to-day at school.

    Hang in there!

    polarbear

    blackcat #189095 04/22/14 09:00 AM
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    I agree. As long as DD continues to want to go to school, we'll just have to deal with the teacher the best that we can. I was furious when I heard she was gossiping and being negative about DD to a parent, but am letting it go (for now). Probably what I'll do is request a conference with the new teacher in the fall after they have had a chance to get to know her, and hopefully they can give me unbiased opinions. Then depending on what they say I will have a better idea of what to ask for in an eval.
    Part of the problem here may be that we greatly reduced DD's med dose around the time that the old teacher left (shortly before), so it could be that she has been almost completely unmedicated in the mornings if her patch is not kicked in for 3 hours. The old teacher had them read in the morning, which DD does fine with even if she is not medicated, but the new teacher has them come in and immediately sit down and do math or writing.

    blackcat #189102 04/22/14 09:25 AM
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    Originally Posted by blackcat
    She also wrote this. "DD is a delightful girl with many talents. She is going to struggle with work completion and focus because of her ADHD but I think we have to keep holding her accountable for the work. I know she is capable and she will have to learn adapting skills because this is just how she is. Because she is so bright, I don't think I would be doing her justice if I weren't trying to teach her ways to accommodate her focusing issues." While on the surface there is nothing wrong with that, I think she is taking it too far and trying to "fix" DD, DD senses that the teacher thinks there is something wrong with her and is trying to fix her, and internalizing it.

    Well, it is certainly true that people with disabilities have to learn workarounds in order to be successful.

    I'd include some of those comments in the letter requesting eval. Comments of this kind are evidence: DD is not successfully completing work according to the teacher; the teacher thinks she probably requires specially designed instruction and accommodations. When you receive comments like that it is appropriate to ask: "OK, so what is the school going to do to support DD?" Not as a matter of "fixing" the child, but as a matter of providing equal access to the curriculum.

    These med changes can be so difficult. Have you revisited what's happening at school with your prescribing doctor?


    blackcat #189121 04/22/14 11:41 AM
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    I think she's going to have to go back to her pill in the morning but stick to the lower dose patch. Dropping the dose didn't seem to make a difference in terms of reducing side effects anyway (although she still will be on a lower dose now than before). The other teacher didn't know if the pill made a difference but that was probably because she was reading in the morning when she got to school, so it wouldn't have. I'm saving all emails so I can show a history and so that I can use it when I make a case for whatever accommodations or services I think she should have. Honestly, I think she is bad enough that if she wasn't medicated at all she would need an aide, because she would do absolutely zero work.

    blackcat #189123 04/22/14 01:17 PM
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    Some people find second-line (non-stimulants) work okay and make it possible to reduce side effects. If your current prescriber is a regular pediatrician, I'd recommend finding a specialist who knows the ins and outs of these meds....

    blackcat #189124 04/22/14 01:27 PM
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    We tried tenex which was a disaster. She had no affect other than crying, and acted like she was sedated. Complete opposite of her normal personality. The second grade teacher called me in the middle of the day the first week of school last year and said she's never seen a child in such bad shape. Her focus was actually worse if that is possible, because she was sedated. It's weird because it's just a blood pressure medication (or that's what it's normally used for). Over the summer I may investigate other options.

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