Hi folks. I Have not been around for a while, but I'd like to drop in with a question or two and would appreciate any feedback.

My 12yo son is in a program for exceptionally gifted kids in our public school. He is also diagnosed with ASD, anxiety, perfectionism, and self-esteem issues. He often (1-2 times per week) has outbursts in class and refuses to do some in-class assignments. He always has managed get the work done eventually and most teachers are accommodating.

He is on an IEP for these issues.

This week, he had an language arts assignment that triggered his anxiety. However, to his credit, he stayed calm in class, paid attention, and just did not do it. When my wife and I tried to get him to do it, he fell apart and had an emotional breakdown. Usually we can find some way to motivate him if he is just being difficult, but this time around there was no deal.

The assignment requires that he pick six people he knows and writes about them, then pick one of which will be the topic of a fictional story. These sorts of assignments have been trouble in the past, as he is "embarrassed" about sharing his feelings regarding people, even if he can fictionalize the individuals. We tried a number of tactics, such as reassuring him that only his teacher would read the assignment, but no go.

I did however insist that he write something. So he decided to research and write a paper on octopi. He spent over an hour researching and another 1.5 hours writing, all yesterday. I suggested that he take breaks, but he was so excited that he would not. I'll admit some bias, but I think he cranked out a very nice 1 1/2 page (single spaced) paper on octopi. His organization, sentence structure, and word choice were are beyond what I'd expect from a 12yo.

So I emailed his teacher, told her the situation, and asked for an accommodation or replacement assignment. I am taking the position that any writing is better than no writing, that he should not be forced to suffer emotionally to do an assignment, and that his issue is not an unwillingness to work. Instead, he is prevented by his disability from doing this particular assignment.

We've had issues like this off and on for 4-5 years now and at this point, I think the school needs find an alternative curriculum for him, even if it is just for this unit. I view his staying calm in class to be a big win, and I am ready to stand firm on this.

Any comments or suggestions will be much appreciated.

Thanks for listening.

Mike