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    Joined: Apr 2015
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    Originally Posted by DeeDee
    You are doing a beautiful job.

    The information will come in, and be informative (one hopes), and then some light will shine on the path ahead.
    Thank you! I am doing all I can...I am doing all I can...I am doing all I can... smile

    Last edited by eco21268; 05/08/15 05:33 PM. Reason: html
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    Update:
    I received not one but TWO positive emails re: DS class performance this week! This shouldn't be noteworthy but since it's the first good report all year, will share a little:

    "The past two weeks have been great regarding [DS'] mood, attitude, and participation. He has been more involved than he typically is, and he really has seemed happier and lighter lately. It has been cool to see."

    Also:

    "[DS] has shown a marked improvement in his work this week. He scored an 83% on the test, but also apted for correcting his wrong answers for half credit and finished with a 92%. He still interrupts, particularly when I am giving out instructions, but is getting the work done. Most of this and next week are hands-on labs, hopefully he can continue to get his work finished even when we are moving about the room."

    Of course, his math teacher is still not impressed:

    "Mood seems moderate. Blurting seems improved since his detention time. There are still occasional opinion statements regarding assignments and the wording on the assignments, his comments are typically snarky."

    I'm going with gallows humor at this point. This is the best news I've had all year...after spending most of elementary with teachers who seemed bemused (not offended) by DS and his personality. I think the biggest difference is he is a very relational child and will only show (the best of) his true colors with kind, supportive people.

    I think he is going to get Bs and Cs (and will be allowed to stay in program), based on current trajectory. And, of course, an A in Band. :P

    Countdown: 2.5 days left of school. !!!!!!!!!



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    P.S. We made med change, last week. Ugh. Was that all it took?

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    Originally Posted by eco21268
    P.S. We made med change, last week. Ugh. Was that all it took?

    Perhaps.

    I'd say that the med change may enable the social learning that needs to take place. It doesn't mean no interventions are needed; it means that while the meds are in place and he's not in fight-or-flight mode, that's the time to really teach the missing skills.

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    Originally Posted by DeeDee
    Originally Posted by eco21268
    P.S. We made med change, last week. Ugh. Was that all it took?

    Perhaps.

    I'd say that the med change may enable the social learning that needs to take place. It doesn't mean no interventions are needed; it means that while the meds are in place and he's not in fight-or-flight mode, that's the time to really teach the missing skills.
    You're right, of course. Other changes that have happened:

    He has now had three sessions with EMDR therapist and is really enjoying that.
    I have adopted a much more direct, pragmatic communication style with DS (in regard to school--we are keeping the usual dynamic otherwise).
    I insisted (begged?) his teachers move him close to their desks.

    I think the med change has definitely influenced his biochemistry, though. He is eating better, sleeping better, and no longer has pallor/fatigue.

    There just wasn't time to change one variable at a time.

    I hope this is the beginning of a new direction.

    Last edited by eco21268; 05/08/15 07:29 PM.
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    Originally Posted by eco21268
    There just wasn't time to change one variable at a time.

    I hope this is the beginning of a new direction.

    Yes, it's often that way. You didn't have a control group in any case; we do the best we can with what we have to work with. My guess is that your intuition is going to be very good.

    New direction: oh yes, I'm hoping for you.

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    Originally Posted by DeeDee
    You are doing a beautiful job.

    The information will come in, and be informative (one hopes), and then some light will shine on the path ahead.
    Today is the neuropsych eval--she said she will do it either in one long day or two, depending on DS. I still don't know what she's doing, other than ADOS.

    Yesterday, in car, conversation with DS about math teacher. I told him she views his attitude as snarky, and asked him about the "commentary about problems/wording" on math assignments. He said there was a word problem that was essentially a very long run-on sentence (no punctuation), that ended with an exclamation mark. He found it funny, and thought he was being "friendly" by talking to her about it.

    I asked if it was a problem she wrote, or a worksheet (trying to figure out why she was offended by that). He said it was a worksheet.

    I know this is sorta hypersensitive (and somewhat OT) but it really bothers me that his behavior is "under the microscope" to that degree. Being attuned to such things (incorrect grammar, etc.) is a *gifted* characteristic--does she not even know that? (Rhetorical.)

    I can't imagine explaining to my son that he is not welcome in his school environment--where he was placed bc of gifted ID--for exhibiting gifted behaviors.

    I guess I should be happy this is the worst of it--but I'm not. Our new strategy is for him to "not even talk at all" with the two teachers who seem most hostile toward him. It doesn't seem to get under his skin, but it makes me feel sick.

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    Also (and this is snarky, I guess): I get a sort of kick out of imagining the next few years for these brand-new teachers in this gifted program. I know they will be teaching a lot more children with characteristics like my DS' (just statistically). I hope (and also know) there will be a lot more parents, who are much more aggressive than I--and also with more time, social clout, etc. than I have. It's not very nice of me, but I kind of enjoy the idea of Ms. Math meeting her match. smile

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    Originally Posted by eco21268
    Today is the neuropsych eval--she said she will do it either in one long day or two, depending on DS. I still don't know what she's doing, other than ADOS.

    I hope it all goes well. And brings light.

    Originally Posted by eco21268
    I can't imagine explaining to my son that he is not welcome in his school environment--where he was placed bc of gifted ID--for exhibiting gifted behaviors.

    We've been there too. There is a combination of socializing the kid to fit in better and working hard to get the teachers to understand who the kid is. (And laying low when a teacher won't. Yes, there is that.)

    I hope you and DS can laugh about it sometimes.

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    Originally Posted by eco21268
    Also (and this is snarky, I guess): I get a sort of kick out of imagining the next few years for these brand-new teachers in this gifted program.

    Learning experiences all round! And yes, keep on snarking, here where it's safe...

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