I’m a junior in High School who has a severe LD in Math. I also have ADD. I have been in Special Ed since the 5th grade for Math. I was diagnoised with ADD in my freshman year (innattentive and being mild impulsive.) After discovering I could not make it a regular RSP class for Math I was placed in a SDC class for one hour a day. I was never given a full understanding of what SDC classes were. All I was told was that SDC is a class that’s lower then RSP and that students are placed in that class because they fell to far behind in school to make in a mainstream or RSP classroom among other issues.
Now onto my teacher. I have had this math teacher since the beginning of freshman year. Because I do my work and follow the rules the teacher does not believe I have ADD and does not follow what works for me as far as being allowing to use a private room for testing, and mimizing distractions. How can I get him to see that I truly have ADD. I take Concerta to help my symptoms. It is stated in my IEP that I have ADD. However since he is not in charge of my IEP I’m not sure if has ever looked at it.
Lauren
P.S. Being impulsive usually occurs outside of the school setting.
He may not have seen that IEP.
I admire you for not caving in and just deciding to just do it his way - it’s what a LOT of people do. It takes a strong ego to insist that you have a right to accommodations :-)
An important question is: does the IEP say you should have accommodations, or does it just say you have ADD? If it just says you have ADD, then you need to have a meeting with the IEP team (which you are on, can I assume?) and get more specifics on there.
SDC means “special day class” and generally does not even begin to cover the regular material. Too OFten, the teacher cannot comprehend the regular material if it’s math. If you are highly motivated, can focus in a classroom where other things are happening, and can teach yourself - or, if you go talk to the teacher and s/he convinces you that you belong there - then it might be the better option in your situation. It probably isn’t.
Now, what follows would be how *I* would handle the situation - but if it doesn’t sit right with you, then it probably isn’t right for you. I don’t know you or the teacher.
As you have asked for the accommodations verbally, I would try one more time face-to-face style, but perhaps with this letter in your hands; I would say “I was really, really hoping I could get you to understand, but if not, then I have to rely on the other people who do understand, and the laws behind my IEP.” I’d then hand him a request in writing. Something to the tune of “Dear Mr. ___, On ___ (or last week or last month or earlier this semester if you can’t remember when), I talked with you about my need for accommodations for taking tests. You told me that (something like ‘you didn’t feel I needed them because I am succeeding in other aspects of the course’). While I appreciate your confidence in me, I really do need these accommodations so that it is my knowlege, and not my disability, that is being measured by the test. [Technically you don’t need to go into any personal details here, and frankly, he probably doesn’t want to hear it anyway :-) :-)] This decision was made by the entire IEP team; it is not a frivolous request. [You could even add: I am also more than willing to consider trying to take a test without accommodations at some point in the year to establish whether they are necessary. ]
Please let me know what arrangements can be made so that I can have these accommodations in the next 2 days. Sincerely…
If he doesn’t respond, then I would compose a letter to your sped case person *and* the special ed department head *and* the principal, unless you know that your case handler is going to jump right on it. (I am afraid that this is not necessarily true.) It would say something like
“I am writing to request your intervention so that I can receive the testing accommodations that are in my IEP for the 2005-2006 school year. I ahve verbally requested them from Mr. Kozzzipple on Aug. yadda and Aug. 30, and in writing on Aug. 30 (please see attached letter). He has not responded [or, he has responded by saying it would not be fair to give me accommodations…]
Please advise me as to what steps will be taken so that I can have the necessary accommodations for taking my tests.