Ditto! DS7 was an angry, emotional mess last year when he was inappropriately placed at school last year--age 6... See a pattern forming?
I knew it was school, not some other emotional issue, because his behavior was SO out of character for him, and it started on the first day of school, not before. Plus he has always been both very verbal and very in touch with his emotions, so he told me what was upsetting him. In that regard, I had it easy. No guesswork.
And like mamaandmore's son, our DS's behavior returned to sunny, happy normal the second we pulled him out of that bad-fit classroom for "emergency homeschooling." Instant improvement!
Seeing a therapist could perhaps help him deal with his feelings of frustration and anger, but my first choice would be to resolve the school fit issue. It sounds to me like he's behaving perfectly normally (albeit inappropriately) for a 6yo in that situation.
You don't necessarily have to try other educational options to correct what's bothering him, though homeschooling did cure the problem instantly for us. If a major change to homeschooling or a better classroom is not in the cards for your family, then you'll have to work with this school and this teacher to make things better. Time to roll up those sleeves!
What sort of accomodations is he getting at school and what's working/not working there? Have you asked him when he feels most frustrated? What are his strengths and how is the school letting him use those strengths/holding him back?
If he is staying in the same basic situation that is causing the problems, then counseling might be a good idea even as you work to improve his school fit. It's unusual for any school to fix things overnight, and he's going to need some help to handle his overwhelming emotions. Any tools you can give him will be good for him.
I'm sorry! I have firsthand experience with this problem, so I know how hard this is on you! Hang in there, and do what you can to make things better.
Oh, and downtime immediately after school can help so that he has time to decompress, as well as afterschooling to give him a challenge. Strenuous exercise is a good stress reliever, too, and he needs some stress relief.
Best wishes!
