This is for other special education teachers— I will have a third grader next year with a learning disability, taking medication for hyperactivity, aggression, and depression. Have any of you been in the same situation, and if so, any tips, advice to make his third grade year a successful one? Thanks.
Re: medications and academics
That is really excellent advice. Truely something every parent and teacher needs to read.
This is absolutely what I have done with my son. It has worked better than you could ever imagine.
THe main thing, IMHO, is to discipline yourself to sincerely believe that the kiddo does not do ______________________ on purpose. This does *not* mean to accept them! Instead, that you work *with* the kiddo to conquer the problem behaviors or skill deficits. The idea that there are probelm behaviors but htere’s a good kid tucked in there is a very powerful one… but can take a long time to get through (though of course a lot depends on whether that message is being given anywhere else)
I would find a task for that kid to “own’ from day one, something tha tinvolves moving around and that’s helpful (but controlled). These kiddos often get in trouble when things are unstructured — that time before class, lunch… it’s a great time to ask for help. Then you’re starting positive with the kiddo, and you’re not the bad guy.
Another real problem — what kind of admin support will you get? One of the most disgusting things that happens with these kids is that even though they need consistency more than other kids get less. You have to find out what will happen if your classroom interventions don’t work and the kiddo is keeping other kids from learning or feeling safe. I’ve seen the junior high and high school results of the lovely trend of ignoring the first five incidences, then “making an example” on number six wiht a big ol’ suspension or something…. then ignoring the next five (especially when there’s more paperwork because of the sped issues). Funny thing (NOT!), the students learn and learn well that their actions don’t have predictable consequences — that life’s a crap shoot and sometimes you get lucky and sometimes you don’t, but if you get in trouble it’s not because of what you did, it’s whether you were lucky or not.
There’s a term called “locus of control” and it’s real important in the long run for these guys. If it’s internal, they believe that their actions have an awful lot to do with what happens to them or how they are judged. You study, you’ll do better. If it’s external, then … you did better on the test, it must have been an easy test. It’s tough because all the work in the world to build self-esteem might as well get flushed — they don’t think it has anything to do with them, it’s just whether you like ‘em or not.
Okay, getting off my soap box now :-)
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