I posted this under teaching LD too.
I’m very frustrated at this point. I know my 4th grade remediated dyslexic ADHD’er is too and it is only October. She’s on “transition” moving towards declassification under OHI.
These are our problems:
DD is racing through homework (done after school with benefit of meds). By the time I get home from work to check it, it’s evident that she rushed through it during the afternoon - e.g., math problems 1-15 of 20 are completed and 11-15 are wrong with computational errors, the last three spelling words which were supposed to be alphebetized are slightly out of order and mispelled and one word left out, etc. There are 3-4 assignments plus nightly reading (she loves the reading). So, now, we get to go back and correct homework before studying for tests…..
She has spelling tests each Friday and the emerging pattern with the teacher is either one or two other tests on top of it (so last week, spelling, math and science - this week spelling and social studies). She has spelling problems (phonetic speller plus ADHD) and definitely has memory problems - she has to study for all these tests. It is overwhelming and there is not enough time in the day. Studying on top of homework problems is taking 2-2 1/2 hours a night, let alone working on reports…….
I’m not sure what the solution is - last week, we didn’t have time to study for spelling and that was evident in her grade. That weekend, she had to copy all the words she got wrong 5X over, correct some math homework the teacher sent back before we could even work on her report/diorama which clearly we don’t have time to work on during the week!!!!!
Between homework and studying - the lifeblood is once again being sucked out of our family life. ADHD’er not happy. Her younger sister, who doesn’t have ADHD and is sailing through school effortlessly is virtually ignored by her parents, b/c of older sister’s school work every night. I promised myself this would never happen to us again, but it is.
I think I should do something like a reward system for doing homework accurately the first time. There is clearly not enough time to study for all the tests, but how do we pick and choose which ones to study for?
Any suggestions on how to attack this???? Sorry so long - I just don’t know where to go with this. I’m having a bad ADHD week - when does it ever get easy for these kids?
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For reference, test results on memory stuff is:
All subtest scores in her WISC are between 50-99th %ile except one - digit span (has to do with memory?) at 16%ile. Her full scale is “superior” range.
On Wide Range Assessment of Memory and Learning, story memory is 84%ile while delayed recall and recognition are “borderline” ( I never understood what “borderline” means).
For the rest of memory related function testing, she was fine between 42nd and 84th %iles (Stanford Binet, CELF-3, Token Test).
Re: Memory/Studying/ADHD (long sorry)
I’m not sure what you mean about declassification- do you mean she no longer qualifies for special education services? I’m curious as to her academic skills- to be remediated and no longer in need of services, all skill areas should be close to her IQ- and that’s quite high. In my state of MA she might also qualify at least for a “504 plan”- for the ADHD, meaning that a health concern is interfering with her ability to perform in an educational setting. With a 504 plan, she would continue to be provided with extra supports and accomodations, such as additional time to complete assignments, short assignments, preferential seating, help with organizational skills, etc. It is reviewed at regular intervals like a SPED plan. She needs these supports after school too- as you know. You (all of you) aren’t going to last much longer on the present schedule. A 504 could help to control the homework to a manageable level. You might also look into a homework club for her- ask the school- or you might have a high school student come over and give her a hand after school. Digit span taps short term memory, but performance on this task is particularly vulnerable to attention and concentration as well- not her strongest area. Most of her memory scores are fine, but she did have trouble retrieving information after a time delay (“borderline” range generally means a low score- around 5%ile- but doublecheck the report for this). This is something to watch out for when she needs to memorize a lot of information for a test- she will need to review it multiple times and use memory strategies (such as making up a song to link the facts together). Good luck.
Re: Memory/Studying/ADHD (long sorry)
First of all, this way, way, way too much homework and way, way, way too many tests for ANY 4th grader. You must feel like you are losing your mind!
I’m in my 23rd year of teaching and am currently teaching 4th grade in FL. I never gave a lot of homework before my two children (add & adhd) were in the school system. I always felt that the kids in my classroom worked very hard during the day, and they needed an opportunity to be kids and to read for pleasure at home. There are also many after school activities that are just as important for kids’ emotional/social well-being as academics are to their education. After all, a person who is emotionally healthy and able to work effectively with others is much more apt to succeed in the workplace and society than one who has a lot of book knowledge but lacks social skills. Oops, I veered off the topic, didn’t I. I wonder where my kids got it from???
Now that my kids are in the system, and I see how horrible life can be for a family with adhd mixed with loads of homework, I almost never give it. When I do give homework, it is very little and I am positive the kids have a very good grasp of the information and can do it with little or no help from parents. Much of the homework my own children have always brought home has been for ME to reteach to them. We have had many stressful afternoons during the school year.
It sounds as if your child needs an IEP and/or a 504 Plan. If you do not know about these, you can refer to many websites. A few are:
http://www.chtu.org/504.html#what
http://www.chtu.org/504.html#what
http://www.wrightslaw.com/news/idea2002.htm
http://www.ldonline.org/ld_indepth/iep/iep_guidance.html
You can have accommodations written into either plan that states that your child will not spend more than a certain amount of minutes doing homework each afternoon. He cannot be penalized for not doing everything that everyone else does. Test accommodations should also be addressed, such as reading the test aloud (possibly to a classroom assistant or into a tape recorder). It is the teacher’s responsibility to find a place where this can be done without disturbing the other students.
Your child has many, many rights that are being ignored by this teacher. Since this teacher is unwilling to do her job, it is up to you to fight for your child. You may not be comfortable having her do less than the other students for homework, but it is important for you to understand that ALL of the children are being treated unfairly by having all of this garbage piled on them at home. If the teacher spends all day at school lecturing and not letting the kids practice what she has taught, she is neglecting roughly 1/3 of the students. Some students do not have strong auditory processing skills, which means that their listening skills are weak. They wind up daydreaming through most of her yap-yap-yapping. So, do not feel that your child is getting fewer benefits by doing less homework. The other kids are just being forced to endure needless hours of drudge work at home that they should have been practiced at school.
I wish you luck. The few teachers who are willing to work with parents and students with special needs are often overshadowed by those lazy ones who refuse to do what is in the best interest of the child. You are probably the only person your child has who will stand up for her. You may feel uncomfortable doing it, but think about how this teacher makes your child feel every day. If her self-esteem is damaged now, it will take many, many years (if ever) before she is able to overcome her low self-concept this teacher is causing.
See? I had a lot to say, too.
Re: Memory/Studying/ADHD (long sorry)
Andrea and Flipflop had some very good advice. Definitely look into the longer acting meds or have her take a 3pm dose, and look into modification of assignments (shortening and/or dictation of answers) I’d also hesitate before allowing them to declassify your daughter. It sounds like she isn’t ready for declassification. If she is declassified, the district saves money, but your daughter has no protection!
I have some help for the homework issues and maybe her spelling/dyslexia. For homework, I am the author of a program called G. Whiz… I Finished My Homework! It’s a homework organizer that helps students complete their homework and manage their time. I can send you a brochure.
I also have a spelling program called Looking Glass Spelling for older kids who are reading below grade level. It is very effective, because it uses proven decoding strategies to teach spelling, but it involves at least half an hour a day. Maybe for the summertime. Please email me directly: [email protected] and give me your address, and I’ll send you the info on the two programs.
A couple of thoughts:
1) Have you looked into the longer-acting meds. I switched my child from adderall to adderall XR so that meds would be in effect for homework time.
2) With scores ranging between the 50th and 99th percentile, it is sounds like your daughter may be academically gifted in some respects. Part of the problem with homework may be sheer boredom, especially with busy work such as write spelling words 5X.
3) A reduced homework burden would be appropriate, I think. Ask if your child can do every other problem, have a reduced spelling list, etc. One parent I know asked the teacher how long she thought the children should be spending on homework and then, when her child had put in that amount of time, homework was over. Mom would simply send a note into school saying “My child worked for x hours you said was appropriate but was unable to complete his homework.”
Andrea