Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Parenting and Advocacy Upcoming P/T conferences

Is it really a conference when the P/T conference time slot is less than 10 minutes? Our conferences are coming up next month and I�m trying to figure out how to cover my concerns about the writing issues within that time allotment.

I have already figured out that this teacher does not really understand gifted. A chance sidewalk conversation told me that. She couldn�t understand why DS (9) has so much trouble with the easy assignments like copying definitions from the textbook to his notebook, can�t write neatly and coherently (he has a diagnosis of dysgraphia written into his IEP) but leads all verbal discussion and finds unique solutions during verbal problem solving activities.

Her homework for writing assignments should only take 10 minutes according to her. DS spends 2-3 hours on them and still gets mostly c�s and lower since his answers aren�t exactly the ones she is expecting. DS is getting to the point he doesn�t want to try anymore since nothing he does is good enough. He even asked me if he could be put in a lower reading group since he isn�t smart enough for this one. (He is advanced a year in reading and completed the previous level with almost perfect scores.) I have asked his teacher to provide feedback as to what she considers the correct answers but I am not getting anywhere. All DS and I see are the grades with no suggestions.

I also asked for him to be evaluated for reading to see what the proper placement is. According to DS they did pull him out, but I do not have any feedback yet. If this just impacted Reading it would be bad enough. However, this is impacting social studies and science as well. Her assignments tend to be vague and very open ended in all of these subjects and DS is struggling to figure out what she wants more than he is to figure out the material. I hate to say it, but I�m starting to feel like she is persecuting him for not thinking inside the box. Although when I read the selections and then look at the questions, I can�t figure out a �correct� answer either.

He goes to another classroom for Math and seems content with it even though it still isn�t a challenge. From all I hear, he is also doing really well in the pull-out program. He likes his teacher for Reading, Science and Social Studies. He is very upset that he can�t seem to do what she wants him to do. I know he is still struggling with the mind is going 65 mph and his hands can only write at 25 mph problem. The school will not allow him to keyboard for a variety of reasons. The funniest being that then they can�t tell if it is his work. The saddest is that although his GRE for reading is 12+, he is only 22% delayed in fine motor skills to his age level and services are only allowed for 25% and up.

He loves going to school and has a wonderful social network there. Half of his soccer team and his best friend are in his class. His classroom behavior seems to be alright, not stellar but not a problem. I know I need to bring the writing issues up but I just don�t know how to do it without sounding like I�m whining!

Thanks for reading and for your suggestions!

Maybe you could tell the teacher that you are trying to help DS at home with his writing assignments and you need to know what the requirements are for each assignment. Ask about her grading rubrics.

It could be something you're not expecting, like he needs to write a certain number of sentences, the paragraphs need a specific structure or he needs to use more descriptive words. I guess what I'm saying is don't assume that she's grading him on content.

You can always have him keyboard (or dictate) an assignment and then make a handwritten copy to turn in. They'll never know...

I wouldn't do it at this upcoming "conference". Our first P/T conference last year was 15 minutes with conferences scheduled before and after all day. It was pretty much a "let me explain this report card to you because, after all, you're obviously not able to read it for yourself". Yours might not be that way. I'd have the conference, indicate at the end that you would like to schedule a meeting and that you'll be contacting her about it. She's probably got 20 P/T conferences the same day as yours so I wouldn't even try to schedule the meeting then. Just let her know you'll be getting in touch with her.

Thanks Cathy, DS usually does do his first draft on the computer and than handwrites the final. I have asked for the rubrik but did not get anywhere. In an email I just received (after my first post) She said that all of her gifted students were struggling with these assignments but the rest of the class was doing great. She included a line saying that the gifted students needed to learn they weren't so smart anyway.

Based on this email, I think I'll forget about talking at the conference and go straight to the Gifted Coordinator. It sounds to me like there may be some other issues at play here. Steam coming out of my ears at the moment!

Squirt, I agree with you! I think I'll need a seperate meeting for this one.

Thanks all

Now where have I heard that before? Oh, yeah from one of my teachers.

I'm right there with you. I have the 15 minute p/t conference this week but there is so much more that needs to be addressed. The wise members on this board have been crucial in assisting me in my approach and my plan for advocacy AFTER this upcoming p/t conference.

WHAT??????????????????? Oh man, I'd be on the phone with the gifted coord....those are fighting words! I. CAN. NOT. Believe she even put that in writing!!!!!!!

Oh man Oh man I'd be spitting fire. She definitely has an agenda and it's nothing good.

uuuuu...

unbelievable! what are people like that doing in our educational system?

I'd guess that wouldn't be defensible in court based on his IEP.
Even if you don't pursue this through a lawyer, which you could, I recommend you question it. Any student's parent/s could write a paper for their child and then have the kid re-write it in their own handwriting. Jeesh...grasping at straws is an understatement.

Having him orally record his assignments should be an acceptable alternative for him writing them depending on what the IEP says.



Why do you think you would be seen as whining? Your son has an IEP. I don't know that much about dysgraphia, isn't it considered a disability, like a learning disability?


Lets hope what she really meant was: All children need the opportunity to meet with an appropriate challenge because successfully navigating challenges helps them develop good self-esteem and learn how to triumph over adversity.


However, THAT ain't it! It looks more like a teacher who is penalizing a student for a documented disability. Although, again, I don't know what the IEP says. You may want to take a closer look. I don't think this is an issue that can be resolved in a 10 minute conference.

My jaw dropped on this one. I was trying to think of a possible misinterpretation of this (emails are a bit unreliable for getting at someone's true meaning). But I'm having a hard time when it's put in the context of "gee, only my gifted students are having trouble with this - the rest of the class is doing just fine." It does sound like she has some ulterior motive. Perhaps you can set up a meeting with her and the gifted coordinator and ask the teacher exactly what she meant by that?

I would just do what others have recommended on this board - listen at the short conference, then at the end say you will be contacting her for a longer meeting, possibly including the gifted coordinator and/or the special services group that set up the IEP.

Well said, good advice, this is probably what I would do.

I would add, though, see if you can't clear it up with the teacher first.

One thing that sort of 'helped' DS12 in elementary school, was to find out how long the teacher expected the child to work on the homework, and to let DS12 work for exactly that long, and then write a note on the bottom - this is X minutes worth of work.

If your son is in early elementary school, perhaps you can get away with this for one year, while working outside school on his keyboarding and at his readiness level.

On one hand it's great for a child to be motivated to get good grades, but one the other hand, it's not the only thing - if it's worth his while to be in school this year, you may have to reframe it as - you are still learning how to do the things this teacher wants, so these are your grades for now.

((shrugs))
Seems like the Gifted Coordinator and the Person in charge of the IEP should be given a chance to see if they can help out here.

So Sad....
Grinity

Oh dear! Instead of providing you with constructive suggestions, u gave with this! I would be really disappointed and mad too.

There are great ideas presented. I would go along these too. As much as I would not like to talk to the teacher, I would not "by-pass" her too because ultimately, your child is still in her class. It's good to give her a heads up that u will be contacting the Gifted Coordinator and, or the school counsellor to talk more abt your child's issue .
SOmehow I find that when I put it across as a "problem" of MY child, the teacher/ school will be less defensive and may be more willing to help. Sigh....

I will defer to those with actual experience with teachers. (Hey - I did say this is what I would do...and I do tend to be easily annoyed. ) Just based on what you've said so far, though, it appears that you have been hitting a brick wall with this particular teacher. Maybe at the conference you can give the heads up that you'd like a meeting with the teach and that you'll be inviting the others as well, so you make a game plan as a team.

Good luck elh!

Thank you all for the support! It helped to calm me down alot. DH wrote a letter to the teacher last night asking for clarifification and a meeting to discuss what specific concepts and assignments are causing problems for our son. I also have some feelers out to other parents of children in the same class to see if they are running into the any of the same issues. So far it sounds like there might be a common theme going on.

In terms of the his IEP and dysgraphia. What I hear from the school is that since DS is only 22% delayed in fine motor skills to his chronological age, he does not meet the 25% delayed criteria for classroom accommodations. They do tell me that in 2 more years all assignments are typed... The conversation I had with a state advocate supported the school's position. I am pursuing this further.

I also did get a revision to the earlier email saying that the troubles that my son is having should be treated as a learning challenge and that she is glad to see him having to struggle to learn. In theory, I applaud the concept, the biggest issue I have with the school system is that to date DS has not been forced to learn how to learn. However, I think that an integral part of learning how to learn is getting some constructive feedback on how to improve.

Again I really do thank you all! Being able to sound off here, probably prevented some major damage done to the school relationships!

It sounds like you are doing all the right things. That's too bad about the 22% cutoff - but the fact that everything is typed in 2 years takes away a lot of reasons they might give you for not allowing typed (e.g., they won't know if the student did his own work).

Well said. I think this is an area where your teacher appears to be lacking. It sort of seemed like she thought that the gifted kids should be able to figure something out without explanation. But gifted kids still need to be taught.

I'm glad you took the advice of the less-hotheaded parents around, so you don't burn any bridges.