What do your teachers do?

[rosyred45]

Yesterday Mikey came home with a note from the music teacher saying he had a hard time controlling himself. She is a very nice teacher, she was just concerned because he seemed to not be able to stop swinging his arms around, swinging his legs, just basically crawling out of his skin (in an enviorment that isn't as structured as the classroom for obvious reasons).

She told me she moved him to the back row where he wouldn't be as visible to the other children, but she could still see him and make eye contact directly- good move on her part, I do give her that. Since she said he wasn't being disruptive to the rest of the class, she didn't want to send him to the principal's office and have a chance of him getting in trouble for nothing. Did I already say I like this teacher ?

He just wasn't sitting still. I told her that he starting to read sheet music and that maybe if she had a beginner level music book, that if he starts like that again, just let him look at the music book. He loves to go through all of our sheet music and books around here, just to see if he knows the tune and then goes over the music.

What I am wondering,
What kind of modifications do any of your kids teachers' make? Not the "Everyday" teachers, but the "specials" like art, library, music, spanish, gym.

The worst thing is that the 1st grade is divided into 3 classes, 16 or 17 in each class, BUT for some reason, when they go to specials, they through them all together and then split them up into 2 groups so each of the groups is about 24-25 in each group

We used to have him "deliver" noted to other teachers, I'm about ready to ask them to do that again. He doesn't have a 504 yet, but I am about to start it.

Thanks for any advice
Kaiti

[Linda]

Kaiti...In our elementary school the "other teachers" could have cared less...they are stricter than the regular teachers....I don't know about other schools,but if this is the case with Mikey...maybe he is picking up on this?

I can't tell you the number of times when I would be in the building and Paul would be sitting outside the library because he was talking,or art class when he was having a hard time maneuvering scissors.grrrr

[rosyred45]

The biggest pain is the fact that I tell, well, give remedies to these different teachers, to no avail. My after school program is based out of the library, so I see the librarian every day. We have gotten to be good friends, so I figured when ever I tell her about this that or that other thing that works for particular kids, sh'ed take that advice.NOPE. And she's only a couple of years older than me, so it's not like she is set in stone with MANY years under her belt.
I talk to the art teacher, the gym teacher, the spanish teacher, all of them.
At least the gym teacher realizes that he WILL get outta hand if the situation permits, so I haven't heard from her for a while.

I'm sorry, but when I walk into work and see my own kid sitting in the office, it doesn't make for a good start for me. And most of it is that he doesn't have the direction he needs to refocus. He doesn't need someone sitting next to him telling him, OK MIKEY COLOR THIS SPOT RED< OK MIKEY COLOR THIS SPOT BLUE. Alls he need is a reminder, A BASIC STINKING REMINDER!!!

Is it that hard? God forbid if I actually have to talk to a child and not follow the lesson plan

I'm sorry for the vent, but I did just erase about 6" worth of vent, thank god for backspace keys

Thank you Linda, I can't say these teachers are more strict, but they definately need to pay attention to learning styles.
NOW IF I COULD ONLY GET AWAY WITH STUFFING THE MAILBOXES WITH INFO FOR THAT ;D
Kaiti

[Honeysmom]

This is not an an official modification for us, but if Honey is really having a rough day keeping still, his teacher will send him into the Early Childhood room to join them for an extra gym class or help when the physical therapists are there to "demonstarate" what she wants the others to do.

For the rest of the things, like art, they are in really small groups so he is always with his S&L therapist and she has a daughter who is ADHD/ODD herself so she is great with him. I think it is a set rule that he stays with her b/c I know he is distracting to the other kids.

[rosyred45]

See, that's part of it, the group size is way too big, that was one of the reasons they had originally (with Tara's class) broke it down in to 3 classes. 25 kids, irreguardless of how long the class is, is TOO big a number for anything productive to come out of the class.

That and it's like social hour for the kids during that time, they talk to all the kids they don't have in their "regular" class, so it takes awhile to get it all organized. Between the almost 50 kids that are in the class as a whole, there are 8 kids with some kind of dx. That's not counting 3 or 4 more that should be.

So 20% of this class is a big number, at least in my eyes, for the teachers to NOT know how to deal with this kind of thing?!?!?!

Oh ptssssssss
Kaiti

[Honeysmom]

I agree, those number are too big. Our school district has an advantage there. They have a school rule that there are to be no more than 18 kids per class. If there are then they need to make changes.

Our district built a new school about 5 years ago. Since then they have consistantly been rated the best school in the county. The next town over is the worst rated, so many people are moving or sending their kids here on open enrollment. Now the school is faced with a space shortage and they have to decide how to fix it. Fortunately they are not going to increase class sizes, but they may have to cut things out. I guess one of the choices is HS band, another HS gifted class, or 4 y/o kindergarten, or add on to a school that isn't even paid off yet. I would hate to see it go, but I think they have to get rid of 4K. That would be much better than loosing programs for the older students or the gifted ones.

It is too bad that many school have these problems. Kinda makes ya wonder what will happen in 10 years....

Do they ever offer training courses for teachers on how to deal with more difficult students? Even if they are not dx'd with something, I imagine all kids have a bad day here and there.

[mskris]

Oh, Kaiti, I so know what you're going through.

Even though T's regular teacher is well aware of his 504 and does the modifications, it turns out they rotate the kids among other 3rd grade teachers for science and social studies. Thus, every few weeks, he has a new science teacher, just when he finally got used to the last one (and they to him). I'm convinced they don't follow his 504. He likes science, but the curriculum in this school is very advanced and the tests are generally at least 3 pp long! A lot to attend to.

Also, in 2nd grade, the only issue he ever had was with the gym teacher! I'm convinced he thought gym was where he could "let loose" his extra energy (gee, now why would he think that???), and it was less structured, so he had trouble listening to the teacher. Frankly, I paid little/no attention to that. I figured so what if he failed PE? The kid is 54" tall and weighs 56 lbs. - no weight issue there!! LOL

This year, he failed a test in Library. Yep, Library. Again, dh and I figured no big deal. I think the school must think we're terrible, but honestly, we have to prioritize, and the "specials" are not our most immediate concern. I haven't even addressed the librarian, and have no plan to!

Good for you for at least trying to help the music teacher.

Kris

[rosyred45]

I don't know whether it's because I work in the school with other kids or what, but I just can't stand it. AND it's not just for Mikey, that I can't stand it, I just can't legally do anything for the rest of the kids. Be lieve me, if I could I would.

The only thing I heard today was about him having chocolate for lunch. OK, he has never had a problem until today with chocolate, let me see, who put the idea in his head that he would be off the wall, and GUESS WHAT HE WAS!!!!!!!!!! He had a sub that we know as a family friend, no problem there. She just isn't used to 1st graders. Bless her heart she did as best as she could for him, but he was still a pain, because of a change in routine.

I don't know. I've just hashed off chocolate for his list of cans....
Kaiti

[Madison]

Hi,
I've found the school really can't change much for one student or believe you me they ALL will be needing some kind of change or saying "Well, he gets to do that then why don't we?" My 2nd grader has good and bad days at school. Some days she seems to focus and stay on task then the next day will be "What happened?" She has trouble sitting still or staying on her WORK at school and makes POOR grades on material I KNOW she can do! No excuse in stuff like that. She's in the process of getting evaluated and they sent home ALL the classwork papers to do at home! I was TORN on rather to send them back unfinished or push her through them together and that's what we finally did. I think it's totally unfair to send all of that HOME when they are at school 8 hours...sorry...didnt mean to vent Well, the teacher here says "She can't change ANY routine at all at school unless they have a special IEP or something like that." Were still dealing with the ups and downs of grades....Wish I had better advice!

take care....madison

[rosyred45]

I know what you mean Madison. I don't want them to change just for Mikey, BUT it would help if they gave him some leah way(sp)

When I went to school, yes, same school, some of the same teachers, scary thought there, but I love em..... I just don't remember them being so strict with everyone.

Oh I just hope tomrrow is better
Kaiti