Introduction and vent

[Guest guest]

Hi All,

My name is Barbara and I am married with two children, both boys and

we live in WV. is 12yo DS and his brother is 10nds. I was

on this list previously but faded out after 9/11, the war in Iraq

(third grade teacher to 's brother lost her son in battle

for Iraqi Freedom 6/05. My nephew is home now after spending a year

in Iraq.) I tuned in to CNN and deserted the pc. During this time

we also lost my husbands parents both within 3 weeks of each other

and it has been difficult for our family. They were tremendously

loved, a great support, and thier unexpected deaths continue to be

hard to accept.

I was originally sent here by Regina and have since lost

contact with her too. I'm hoping to get familiar with everyone

and I remember a few from the days, Joy, Kathy, , Kent, ,

Amy, to name a few, but not sure who is still here if you're still

here...howdy doody!

In the past I enjoyed reading and gaining valuable information. It

helped me tremendously and I look forward to being back. I'm not

one to post much in the way of support, however, as I seem to have

more questions than answers. I guess I would be referred to as being

a lurker.

I have slacked tremendously when it comes to the changes in IDEA and

NCLB and have to get up to speed in those areas. While I seem to be

one of very few parents in our area that challenges the school

system in providing an appropriate education for my child I still

end up getting railroaded in my quests for a better education.

attended Kindergarten and 1st thru 5th grade pretty much

doing what everyone else was doing. He has attended Regular Ed and

Special Ed classes, he received PT, OT, SLT, had an aide, Lunch,

Recess, Assemblies, Accelerated Tests and trips, trips to the

Symphony, Violin (briefly - both he and his brother wanted to be

like Kraus but then changed their minds) Cub Scouts

including Color Guard in Veterans Day programs, and enjoyed the 5th

Grade trip to D.C.where the comments on how well behaved he was, how

much he knew about and enjoyed the places they visited. Just stuff

like all the kids. Now this is not to say that Elementary years

were not without issues. There were plenty.

Currently, is in his first year of Middle School and is not

doing well. He has regressed tremendously and is exhibiting

challenging behaviors, some of which we have never seen before. In

many ways we have taken a step back in time. I'm having many

sleepless nights. I begin my mornings after suffering sleep

deprivation looking like Marty Feldman and feeling like a zombie and

I'm buying bottles of Motrin by the gross. lol Honestly, I have

seriously considered homeschooling. But I hesitate when I reach for

the phone to set the ball in motion. We live in an area where there

are few children of which mostly ridie bikes and 4-wheelers and have

their established friends so gets his socialization/peer

interactions mainly at school. It's also the only respite I get as

I don't have any family members beating my door volunteering to

watch my boys and no one I can trust.

Two days before school started my husband and I took to

orientation where we discovered he had been placed with 6 other

children in a 'self contained' classroom. Three of the children

have no speech, however one child who is familiar from our school

last year does sign and has as a translator and the other two I

understand 'will let you know when they need something.'

tells me these two children sleep alot. I don't know anything about

the other 3 children.

According to the schedule would receive all his academics

in this classroom for the entire year and would go out for a 90

minute block of phys. ed. for the first semester and then rotate out

of phys for art and music the remaining two 9 wks. Also, on this

day, 8/23, I finally received a copy of s IEP that was

developed on 5/02. School begins two days later and as usual those

persons you need to speak with are 'unavailable' for various reasons

and do not return your calls. Lots of concerns discussed at meeting

not written in IEP.

During orientation the thrill of seeing classmates from last

year/school was mutual. One child asked what classes he

had cause maybe they were in some classes together.

During lunch in the cafeteria I suggested to my husband that we

leave since there was no reason to practice opening a locker or

finding his classroom. A child from his school last year wanted to

know where his locker was and suggested that if it were close to

hers then maybe she could help him get it open. <<sniff>>

There have been alot of changes with this transition from elementary

school and there were no supports in place. There was no aide on

the bus and no aide at school for . I expect since his

placement was obviously pre-determined it was not necessary for him

to have an aide at Middle School since the self contained classroom

teacher would have only 7 students, a classroom aide and an aide

assigned to two other children and since wouldn't be going

out of this classroom for anything besides Phys Ed at which time

they all went to gym together, why would he need an aide.

When I did finally arrange a meeting with director and principal I

still felt I was being misled in many areas. During this meeting I

asked why was cleaning the cafeteria tables after breakfast

and brushing his teeth, something that enlightened me

about. I was told that this classroom did not go to breakfast until

all the children in their class had arrived at school. Evidently

with this schedule they are the last to eat and afterwards are

cleaning tables and then return to classroom to brush teeth. I was

told that it was 'probably life skills and that perhaps some of the

children needed to brush their teeth as they didn't at home and most

kids enjoyed helping in the cafeteria.' I did not feel that

cleaning tables and brushing teeth were appropriate life skills for

my child ( has been going to a dentist since he was 9mo.and

brushes regularly). I personally would prefer the focus be on

academics, peer interactions and socialization. The director told

me she would send me a list of around 100 to look at for ideas and I

could decide if there were any listed that I felt was appropriate

for . I have yet to get the 'list.' I asked for

information and was given little, I asked for communication (has a

notebook in bookbag) I haven't gotten any, I asked for completed

work/assignments and so far minimal, I asked for HWT program (began

using in 2nd grade) but they're not using it, I asked about

possibility of using TouchMath (previous years asked for it too

without success.) Traditional methods were not working in math,

minimal gains, much frustrations and behaviors. I recently received

one completed paper, with math problems written out and dots

added. :-( Not what I had in mind when I asked for TouchMath. The

aide was pulled from two children in self- contained and placed with

as now he goes out for Reading, Chorus, Exploratory,

Intermurals. Aide (I've heard) does not provide alot of support and

is helpless (more or less) if an undesirable behavior arises.

Classroom aide was assigned to ride the bus with . I get

the Intermurals and Exploratorys mixed up but so far is

just warming bench and getting eat up by mosquitos when outside

watching the others play.

s strength is Reading. I told them that when I asked

about reading, he told me he read an animal book. In

elementary school was making great progress in the SRA

reading program with a group of other students that were on or above

his level of reading in an LD classroom. I asked what was available

and after much ado he was to start in a teachers classroom the

following week. To make a long story short, this teacher did not

want so I knew he would fail and I knew I would be warming

the seat in the office. She commented after one day in her classroom

that all wanted to do was draw a picture of guns and blood

(he's a Socom II junky on PS2) and that she had 24? students that

needed she needed to get prepared for the WES? test. (note:

is Alternate Testing - not a subject to get on at this

time). After talking with the principal who stated there were no

other options I found out by fluke the next week that he was indeed

placed with another Reading teacher. This teacher called me. She

seemed excited to have and was open to any suggestions and

information I could give her to help in her classroom.

What??? I was elated. She also told me that occasionally on

Friday's they would sometimes go (doesn't like to take them away too

much from academics) to a room where they would prepare/cook

something. (Reading, following directions, measuring (hmmm, just

the sorta thing they would sometimes do when I take to

therapy. Who knew there was such an area as this at Middle School?

Could this fall under the heading of Life Skills? Why wasn't I

given this information at " the meeting. "

Later on, got a note from Reading teacher that was doing

O.K. and that he was sometimes lying in the floor and would take off

his socks. She needed some suggestions.

He had indeed been arriving home from school with his socks in his

pocket. I visited the Reading classroom on a Friday and met with

this teacher. :-( I left with many concerns. While the teacher

was as nice and positive in person as on the phone, and the class

was much smaller with at least one child I recognized from last year

there was cause for concern. The books were small print (not easy to

follow along in book), stories were lengthy, resume reading the

following day, few pictures (visuals) and so the stories were not of

interest to . I found both and myself staring out

in space and decided to remove his socks. On this day in

the classroom was to pick something about the story

(Huckleberry Fin I think), draw a pictures and write something about

the picture. Not working too good, poor fine motor, hates to write,

needs lots of help. So what do we do?

In comparison, in SRA reading the previous year and the

rest of the class read short stories aloud, completed worksheets on

the stories (worksheets were great...not alot of dreaded writing,

circle the correct answer, short written responses.) and had timed

reading tests.. On timed readings the stories were copied from the

reading book and used a highlighter and would highlight

each word as he was reading. This helped him keep his place, his

attention and helped improve his speed when reading.

So do we regress to reading an animal book in self- contained

without the benefit of small group instruction/interactions or do we

struggle in this reading program and end up getting the boot due to

behavior? According to what I've been told in previous years and

IDEA they are not required by law to use a specific program. Also

from what I've been told they do not use the SRA program at Middle

School. Alas, this is typical of situations in school that I am

often faced with. We cannot seem to keep a good thing going year

after year. There's no consistency and we're back and forth.

I was talking with his teacher when the bell rang to change classes

and I gave her examples of what he was doing the year before in

SRA. I also gave the teacher our book, Teaching Reading to Children

with Down Syndrome, and explained that this is how we initially

began reading at home in kindy and after which we moved on to SRA

phonics reading. When the bell rang and I turned to leave, sure

enough, there was lying in the floor with a smile on his

face.

As it stands now, we are in limbo, like two peices of snow in the

Middle School snowglobe. It's either/or. I haven't spoken with,

sent/or received messages, and haven't visited the Reading classroom

since. I am inclined to think maybe teacher is using Teaching

Reading book as came home with a treat for winning in

Bingo. I don't know. Teaching Reading has a Bingo game in it. Not

been there for years but if so, at least teacher is trying.

has been coming home as of late with his socks on.

I called his Reading teacher from last year. She's going to get me

materials from SRA so I can continue at home. I also have the HWT

program. Don't have TouchMath. I gotta do it or it won't get

done.

I contacted our state OSE with my concerns with 's education

plan, placement and lack of positive behavior support after which

they contacted the local Sped Director. I received a call the

following day from the diagnotician from Middle School. The

Director of Sped asked her to call and let me know that there would

be a meeting scheduled as to when Middle School staff and myself

would be attending Positive Behavior Support training as provided by

OSE. (Now I know they hate me). It's a start but much needs to be

done. I fully expect myself to be the center of blame for

behavioral issues because in my quest to get out into the

school environment and in appropriate classrooms/programs for

academics and in lieu of his difficulties with transitions I have

caused him frustrations which have resulted in inappropriate

behaviors and wouldn't his needs be better met with less

frustrations in the self contained classroom? Also after I was

called down to school on one occasion I was told by the principal

that I " needed to let know that I was not happy with his

behavior. " While I'm not happy with the way is behaving in

school I need more information to determine what is causing his

behavior and will not just blame or punish him. Also when

I threaten or take away PS2 priveleges clams up and won't

tell me anything and so I am then completely in the dark.

One issue on this day was when asked to get his Science book out and

turn to a page, 's response is, " I won't and you can't make

me. " Yes, is verbal and has alot of words I would as soon

he didn't have. Thankfully he didn't curse. SC teacher was

attempting to put in 'time-out' for this and other

situations. wasn't about to be put in a time-out and

exclaimed he was " outta here. " . Evidently counselor next door had

heard enough and got the principal who then instructed her to call

me so here I was.

I told teacher that wouldn't have a problem with getting

book but may need assistance in finding page. He responded, " He

knows his number doesn't he? " Yes, but in the past his aide helped

him get to the necessary page and assisted during assignments.

Before I left to take home I asked him to get his Science

book out and he did. I asked him to turn to page 4 and he was

flipping through the book with no idea. SC teacher observed. Later

that evening I called aide from last year and she confirmed what I

had suspected. Perhaps this turning to the page stuff needs to be a

goal on IEP....

I learned that Middle School has a Computer Lab but was told that it

was used during blocks. Children rotate blocks in Middle School

(sorry I'm still figuring this stuff out) and when they are in the

computer block during a 9 wk period (I think) they learn typing,

Microsoft Works, etc. I was told that the self contained classroom

had a computer! I keep getting the self-contained directions when

navigating my way around. Now I haven't been a visitor in this

classroom on too many occasions (my visits are usually in the

office) but I can say that there has only been one child on the

computer every time. When I ask if he worked on the

computer each day he most times replys with a no or he occasionally

replys yes but with this same student and aide.

Somehow I get the feeling that the Computer Lab at school is

forbidden terrirory. We have two computers at home and is

familiar with, can navagate easily and understands pc lingo .

I feel that would benefit from a program that teaches

typing. I would like to see him in the computer lab each day (not

just for a 9 wk period) using a typing program and one that we can

use at home. This in my opinion will serve him all through school

as well as all through his life. I was wondering if anybody out

there knows of such a program, are they using it at home? school?

Is there any one program that seems to work better than another?

I've tried to research on the net but the possibilities are

overwhelming.

There are numerous other issues that need addressed but will stop

here for now, didn't realize the extent to which I had been

whining. So I'll end by saying greetings and salutations from WV

and I look forward to being back.

Barb