I need advice. My ld son is in Middle School, next year he will be in the seventh grade. He is currently in a general education math class with no support. He is doing wonderful. He has no IEP math goals.
I have asked for a particular math teacher for him. Although, he is on the other team than where he is being placed. The math teacher on the team he is supposed to be on is not an environment he will be successful in.
The administration is putting together a “fast paced resource room” class for this team. For all the parents who have asked that their children in that environment. I have no idea what a “fast paced resource room”is. That question has went to the administration with about five others.
My question to all of you, I thought the goal of special education was a least restricted environment. If my son, goes from a general ed classroom to resource room - would this go against the grain of special education? I am still advocating for my son. I would like any suggestions that you could give.
Re: Least Restricted Environment
If he is doing well in a regular ed math class without support he should stay in that type of class. Fast paced resource room sounds a little like an oxymoron ie. Small skyscraper, jumbo shrimp.
My school district was pretty good at that type of double speak.
Least restrictive environment is a very subjective term. I had to take my child out of sped completely to attain it. LRE was a major issue for my son.
He couldn’t concentrate with, “all those people breathing down my neck.”
There is no reason why he should not be entitled to “just” language arts resource room if that is his only need. Sounds like they are doing what is most convenient for them.
You may want to look into regular ed programs that provide support if it is available in your district and your child has minimal needs.
Re: Least Restricted Environment
I just had to say YES! to Socks comments! LRE is whatever is BEST for THAT child!
Janis
Re: Least Restricted Environment
While I agree, lre is really about choice. Several options should be available.
The term best is highly subjective and schools can use that term to their advantage.
It is amazing how best for the child is always, coincidentally, most convenient for the schools.
That is what they did with us. It was my word against theres regarding what was *best* for him.
It kind of deflates the whole idea of least restrictive environment when you are saying, “He should get the same curriculum as everyone else.” Then they say, “It is the same, just with modifications.” Then you say, “But there are modifications, as in not the same.” Then they say, “Oh, but it is the same.”
Reminds me of that, “Whos on first. I don’t knows on second.” joke.
Re: Least Restricted Environment
Thank you for everyone’s comments. He is doing extremely well in a general education math class without support. That is my biggest concern that they are trying to hold him back. I was informed, that anyone with an LD label would be allowed to attend this class. I was also told, that it would be a small class. I personally find this hard to believe when I know of at least 25 kids in his grade that could fit into this description. I want him to feel confident in his environment. I think more importantly I want him to do the work he is capable of doing, especially with math be a building subject.
I have decided to continue to advocate for my son for this environment. I agree they are trying to decide what is best for the district financially and not taking into account the emotional and academic success of my child.
Once again, I appreciate all your help.
Thank you
[%sig%]
FIGHT this one
Odds are a little too good that this “fast-paced resource room” *still* won’t match the regular math class. Is the teacher fully qualified and confident in teaching math, at all? (Most sped teachers aren’t.) Calling it fast-paced means that the teacher has every sweet intention of imitating the regular class as best s/he can — but no matter how good s/he is, bottom line is that if you’ve got a bunch of kids with different needs, your kid’s going to be the shining star — and almost certainly pretty much left to his own devices. That’s just what happens. If he’s good enough at math to teach himself (or you could do it with him) then get the regular textbook, meet with the regular teacher, and have him keep up that way. Could be he’d have company in that class.
It sounds like a scheduling issue and unfortunately schedules are real. CHanges in the space-time continuum just don’t work too well in schools. I’d feel it was my duty to make them spend more time working with me than they would have had to do to make a schedule that would work for my kid from the get-go.
Would total mainstreaming/inclusion make the schedule work? If he had modifications could he handle that? (Like, make ‘em get a janitor or an aide or the library media specialist to read his tests and write down his answers…)
Re: Least Restricted Environment
I would hazard a hypothesis that it all depends on the resource room and sped teacher in question. Our LD son’s elementary school staff tried very hard to make a case that he should spend the reading/language arts portion of his day (about 1/4 of his school day) in the resource room because of his expressive/receptive language disability. The teacher there does have an excellent reputation. We wanted to give the suggestion a fair chance, so my husband took a personal day from his middle school teaching duties to observe the resource room in question. He found that in an approximately 3-hour period, there was only about 10 minutes of “direct instruction” (the kind of instruction which is best for our son). During the rest of the time, the kids seemed to be moving around “stations” and just generally doing what seemed to my husband’s well-trained 28-year-veteran educator’s eye to be “busy work”. We know, because we know our son best, that he would get completely lost and frustrated in that kind of environment. He would just drift to the back of the room and quietly, unobtrusively, do nothing.
It was clear to us after my husband’s observation of the resource room that this was by no means the best place for Kevin. So long story short, don’t be afraid to take a look at the room in question, talk to the teacher, check out his/her credentials, and consider how it would work for your son, whom you know best.
I agree that “fast paced resource room” sounds like the ultimate oxymoron.
JAO
[%sig%]
Hear is the question, can he be in a regular ed math class with supports and be successful? If your answer is yes,then …… Sometimes being in a reg ed class without supports can be more restrictive then being in a resource room with supports. I don’t necessarily buy into the reg ed or nothing idea of LRE. I believe LRE is what is best going to serve the child.