Sorry, another question that came from this meeting. The teacher and resource teacher kept stressing that my son cannot focus and attention and organization is bad. Now, I think I know what they are “trying NOT to say” legally. But we had already done the ADD evaluation in November and the pediatrician said that results do not indicate ADD and he is definitely not hyperactive. Since they will not just come right out and tell me, what the heck are they trying to say? This guessing game makes me so angry and is wasting valuable time!!!!!!! Any ideas what they might be trying to tell us so we can get him the help that he needs? Thank you in advance
Re: told attention/focus?
Please be forewarned- any adult’s presence in a classroom changes the atmosphere, behaviors, and the “normal” activities of everyone in the room. Children who teachers report are “misbehaving” or frequently “off-task” will suddenly be well behaved and on task. I don’t believe it is possible for another adult to enter a room for observation of what normally goes on. Their presence definitely makes a difference.
Re: told attention/focus?
Having taught for 20 years, .my experience is very different from yours and when other adults or parents are in my room - which happens often in the independent school I now teach at - the class notices them briefly and then just as quickly forgets about them.
Having observed in many other classrooms, I’ve noticed much the same thing. The kids react with some interest when I enter but after a few quiet minutes, they forget about it.
Your placed your post in the wrong spot, though, if you wanted the original poster to see your opinion.
Re: told attention/focus?
Scott, that’s certainly not true where I work. It’s exactly as Sara describes it. Students look up with interest at the adult in the room for a few minutes, then they go back to being themselves. We’ve had neuropsyches come in to observe children fairly often. They definitely do get to see the child they’re observing in his/her usual style.
Re: told attention/focus?
Even better- take a pencil and a watch with a second hand. Stay a good while and observe across different activities. Write down what was going on in the room and what the student was actually doing. To get a better picture ask someone else to do it because having your own parent in the room may affect your child’s behavior. If a significant part of it looks like the sample below (which is based on an observation of a real child whose doctor thought he was fine), show it to your doctor. They like evidence.
9:12-9:17
Teacher was giving instructions, Bob was tying his shoe, noticed something in the sole, picked it out, rolling his pencil across the desk, muttering this is going to be easy
Teacher called to Bob to pay attention, Bob watched for 10 seconds, then investigated how hard he would have to blow to move the paper on his desk
Students beginning the assignment, Bob picking his paper off the floor, drew a football player on it, tried the first part without reading the directions, asked the teacher for help
Re: told attention/focus?
I wonder was there a special education teacher to help the child stay focused? Perhaps this student could have had a one on one assistant. I believe inclusion can work if all participants work hard. An aide for this student may be the key to his success in an inclusive classroom.
In schools we struggle with the ADD/ADHD word. We can talk around it rather than to it. You’re picking up on what they’re not saying very well.
In my experience, pediatricians and psychologists do not observe the child in a group setting. A child alone in a doctor’s office and a child in a school classroom are two different things entirely. I have ADD myself. If I have only a very few things to organize, no one would know I have it. Give me more than a few things to organize and everyone knows it.
Doctors and psychologists see the child with only ’ a few things’ to organize. There are far fewer distractions and temptations in the examining room than in a class of 20+ children. There are also far more tasks asked of the child.
I am certainly not suggesting a diagnosis for your child. What I would suggest is that you go in to the classroom and quietly observe from the back of it. You have that right. After the initial reaction, the students, including your child, go about their day. See what you see. See if you see what the teachers are saying or if it’s not as they say.
Good luck.