Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Twice Exceptional HELP re P/T conference tomorrow!

Why does the art teacher need to be there?

LOL, well the art teacher is also the coordinator for the "specials" teachers... So she is sometimes in the IEP meetings, etc.. Just to make sure she can keep the "specials" teachers apprised of accommodations etc.

Is it possible that this is how they do it for kids in ATP?

Maybe I should just calm down... It's so hard when you just don't trust the school

Seriously.

Well, I decided to heck with it - if I am feeling vulnerable/bullied/blind-sided, etc I need to do what makes me feel on better footing and if that makes me crazy or whatever so be it... I am sure I have that label anyway so who cares. I wrote back:

"Dear Teacher, I am sorry but I am really unprepared for this. I wish I had been given some notice of such a big conference. I was planning on attending the brief, standard parent-teacher conference with just you and I was not aware there were any major concerns. This, however, feels very sudden (as I am just the night before getting notice of this). DH can not attend tomorrow due to childcare issues and because he is recovering from surgery. I am uncomfortable going to such a big conference without DH, particularly when it seems quite outside the normal parent-teacher conference procedure. Is there some reason all of his teachers are going to be at this meeting? If so, I would like to be prepared for that. I would also like to have DH involved if this is more involved/complicated than the standard parent-teacher conference. Furthermore, I have a strong suspicion that, with all of those people present, it will take longer than the allotted time.

Anyway, perhaps we can reschedule when DH is able to attend, when I have blocked more time in my schedule and when I have some idea of what the issues are necessitating a meeting with all of his teachers. Again, I am very sorry but I feel a bit blind-sided by all of this."

I figure at the end of the day, I am entitled to have some notice about with whom I am meeting and why. It could be no big deal (e.g., this is just how they do it for atp/iep kids) or there could be "issues" - either way I am entitled to some notice, to be prepared and to have my DH there.

Thank you all for helping me work through this... I really appreciate what everyone had to say! Y'all are a huge help!

Well done!

It's standard practice for the IS to attend general ed conferences at our school. Maybe it's as simple as that?

Your letter is great. Even if it is as simple as being the standard practice, they need to know that they must alert parents as to what practice is.

So, I didn't have time to update last night but as it turns out all was fine. Teacher emailed me back right away (after I sent my above letter saying perhaps we should re-schedule) apologizing for alarming me and telling me that this really is just standard practice for twice-exceptional kiddos. They have the gifted educators there there and his regular and special-ed. So I ended up going and it was for the most part fine.

I do have another questions for y'all. The 'big issue' that everyone did want to talk about was keeping DS's "attention." They said he isn't staying focused on his work and it isn't affecting his grades because he's so bright but eventually it will affect his grades they think. They wanted to know if I had any strategies for them to help keep DS engaged and free from distraction. This is a newer issue for me... Up until now it has always been executive-funtioning and multistep directions complaints. Last year I was told (and also obserevd) that once DS got on task he stayed on task - it was just that he would screw up the directions (if there were more than one step) or that he had hard time letting the last thing he was doing go to move on, etc. Now the new issue is DS is actually having an issue staying on task once he starts.

SO, my question to you is what is done in the classroom for ADD/ADHD other than meds? What are the strategies/accomodations? I am assuming that some people at least hold off on medicated their kids for various reasons even if they have an ADHD dx so what stratagies do they use to help keep a kid on task/focused without meds?

(Btw, we had a small discussion of the role "boredom" may be playing in all of this and the GT teacher kind of annoyed me b/c she made a snide remark that "DS knows if he says he's bored everyone will jump." GRrrr....)

Glad to hear it wasn't a big deal! Have you had a medical evaluation for ADHD? I would probably start with that and see what you are dealing with. I medicated DD right away and we saw a dramatic improvement right away. She is pretty severe, though.

Even on her meds she still has processing speed issues. She appears focused, but is just very slow. She has been taking a mp3 player into class with classical music and has headphones there. She says it helps a lot. The first grade teacher used it as well before we got the official diagnosis. It helps to block out distracting noises. I've also heard of people using metronome sounds rather than music.

We've gone 15 rounds for each of my kids on ADHD. In our case, it was a matter of addressing the needs of the child, with no clear evidence (that very boarderline data) of ADHD/ADD-i.

How old is he and how old is he compared to his peers?

Is this a change from last year to this year?

What are the disabilities that put him in the category of 2e? Are they being well managed?