I have an IEP meeting tomorrow to discuss the child study team’s final draft. My son is classified OHI due to inattentive ADHD. This is his first IEP. He is in 10th grade and received the diagnosis in August 2002 and has been on Concerta since then.
I have stated repeatedly to the child study team that my son needs to be taught compensatory learning strategies. It is not sufficient to “encourage” organizational skills – he needs to be taught new skills. The methods his teachers have used in previous grades are not working . While he hasn’t “achieved failure” he got 2 D’s on his finals and ran out of time to complete another final.
All along they have been telling me that there is no adverse academic impact this year (thanks to private tutoring and counseling) because he has been getting A’s, B’s and C’s on progress reports this semester until his finals. Do any of you think that I have a chance to get them to agree with me that he needs more than encouragement? They accepted my independent learning consultant’s academic testing report with recommendations without any discussion. Yet they will not answer me (verbally or in writing) why none of these recommendations appear in the IEP. This newbie would love to hear from you seasoned veterans. Thanks!
Re: IEP meeting tomorrow - need advice
I’m sorry to say I’m just more of a jaded parent than a seasoned veteran and so I’d say IEPS are a bit of a smoke and mirrors act. You can write a heavenly IEP but that doesn’t mean that flesh and blood teachers can implement it. Much of what’s written in IEPS I think goes by the by.
I also think there’s a limit as to how many rabbits can be pulled out of a hat so they write ‘encourage organizational skills’ and call it teaching. They write that because they don’t know what else to write. In my 20 years of teaching, I’ve never seen a way for organizational skills to be ‘taught’. They are acquired - over time - if a student is given one on one help each and every day with organization. They rather emerge out of the chaos bit by bit with very focused help.
Which most teachers don’t have time or the inclination to give.What they do give are ‘graphic organizers’ and so many folders and binders to stay organized that organization of them becomes impossible.
I don’t think there is a method that can help a student rapidly acquire organizational skills. I think the amount of organization that’s expected of them needs to be reduced to far more manageable levels so that they have a chance of experiencing some success organizationally and then they can build and add on from there.
Re: IEP meeting tomorrow - need advice
I know I’m too late for the IEP meeting but I do have some advice. I would have your son obtain an outside evaluation to screen for learning disabilities assosciated with ADD. There is something called cognitive training that might be helpful. I don’t know where you live but I would contact a large urban hospital that has a neuropsych department specializing in educational issues.Cognitive training is done by a speech therapist. I’m also somewhat jaded by the public schools but I was able to get 1/2 of outside speech therapist cognitive training visits covered by school after requesting a private eval which was also paid for by the school.
Gosh there’s no time for all these seasoned parents and professionals to give advice… I can only say that you should bring that report and have them translate the recommendations to be accommodations in his program. School staff may not know how to remediate executive functining deficits (and that is what you are describing) and need specifics as to what will be helpful for your son. You might think of getting an ADD coach for your son- he would benefit from specialized help and the coach could help with the school issue. Be firm and advocate for your son- don’t let them intimidate you! Good luck.