This may be a sign that the program is not a good "fit" OR it may be seen as an opportunity to ramp up in-school scaffolding, remediation, and accommodations, to provide the best possible ingrained, repetitive routine so your son learns the various steps he needs to take to be organized.
I feel like we tried to do the above via 504 this year but it's just not working. Some of that is compliance issues, but to be fair--I really think it's because DS needs more than 504 accommodations. For example, on 504 he is supposed to have his teachers initial his planner every day, and his study hall teacher checks it. If he hasn't done it, he's sent back (during study hall) to get all of the signatures.
The idea was for DS to take ownership of this and make it automatic. The reality is, DS absolutely DESPISES having to go back every day, but he has had to go back every day. He simply does not have the ability to remember to do this right now.
He doesn't write useful information in the planner, anyhow, in the classes where it's most needed. The very experienced, organized teachers have their assignments online, with due dates, anyhow. In the less communicative classes, DS writes one word descriptions of what they did in class that day, has no idea if anything is due or if he remembered to turn it in, so the planner thing is just punitive to him at this point. The teachers who make sure he writes useful info, already have it posted.
There also seems to be an aversion to providing written instructions for assignments, in the same classes. These are the gifted MS classes. I think the expectation is these gifted kids will remember what they are told, or will ask, or will copy down instructions if they are written on the board. Most of those kids do, probably. Or they ask their friends. DS doesn't really communicate with his friends outside of school--I've noticed a huge difference between his and his sister's social communication.
The extra set of books didn't end up being a problem, because I purchased a book for the one class where it was a problem. His 504 says: "Have student review materials to take home at end of class period." DS kept coming home without a book for one class, and couldn't do his homework on time. So I asked that teacher if he could have a book at home (to avoid having to gripe every time that the 504 says he's supposed to "review materials" to take home at the end of each class period--which is ambiguous). Teacher felt that telling DS at some point during the class, "take home your book," would be sufficient. I get it. But that doesn't work for DS, period.
I was met with some resistance on that suggestion, so I just bought the blasted book. I don't want to have to fight, and cite the 504, every time something goes awry.
I would have been perfectly happy to accept that oversights happen, if the teacher was then willing to be flexible about grading it late--but DS would be graded late regardless of the reason so that was just too much to deal with.
He also has lost his SD card (cards, really, because I keep having to buy new ones) more times than I can count in a digital photography class. I knew that was going to be an issue as soon as I saw that tiny thing. He never packs it, he never remembers to upload assignments in class when they are electronic, etc. So he loses all of the photos he's taken for a project and has nothing to work with, has to start from scratch, frequently. I told that teacher I knew this would be a problem and asked if he had any ideas. The teacher said DS could leave the SD card in class. But, again, I think he meant that DS could "remember" to leave in in class without any cueing. And he can't.
He has a very difficult time packing up his backpack at the end of class and is very slow. And the teachers generally don't allow the kids to pack up until the bell has rung, or just before. I understand why they do that. Doesn't work for DS.
He is just, all in all, a LOT of extra work. This is the first year he's noticed and felt bad about being so spacey, but it hasn't improved the organization. Because it's an EF impairment, not a willful behavior.
I don't think he can be expected to learn the EF stuff without contextualized instruction. I do what I can, but I'm not there. I don't think they are ever going to agree to evaluate him.
I just don't want to waste all of this energy any more. Kid's lost his love of learning anything academic, is moody and anxious, and generally unhappy. What's the point of that?
