Annual meeting

[Sweetkid]

I have my sons annual meeting coming up next week and I am concerned. This was his first year in special education and I feel like he had a harder time in there then he did in the general classroom. He hates that they continue to give him data related work and doesn’t want the help of the aide or the special education teacher. He doesn’t like her and he says she screams too much. I do not feel like this was the best situation for my son. He has had a miserable year so far. He is never happy and doesn’t comply with doing his work in reading and writing. They sent home a preview of the goals and task for the remainder of the year and next. It basically doesn’t say anything new. Does this mean he is still trying to master the same goals? If he hasn’t by now, he probably isn’t going to master them. I plan on asking to put him back into the general classroom for all classes and only request a check in for organization and work completion. I feel like this has only made him give less effort and isn’t learning at the same pace as everyone else. It feels like they group the troubled kids together and expect there to be No distractions. Also I never hear from the reading and writing teacher about curriculum or what they are working on in class. I wanted to know your thoughts on what to ask for in my meeting. He will be in 5th grade next year. He is on concerta right now and it seems to be helping a little. I would appreciate any feedback. Thank you

[Pennywink]

I don't really have any experience / advice for you. Just hoping things turn around for your son. Keep us posted!

[Janice_H]

Request a meeting with the principal to express your concerns over the special education teacher and her lack of patience. There should never EVER be yelling going on in the special education sessions. I would express this directly with her separately too, after the principal meeting. You want her to know you are aware of this and it needs to stop.

In most cases, the goals on an IEP remain the same until your son has mastered them and then they are removed from the IEP. New goals are established at each meeting through discussion. If you feel he needs additional services, please speak up so they can add these to his IEP. Your son can stay in the regular classroom and receive services in the classroom instead of being removed. You can request this as well. Have the two teachers send home a summary of what was taught and what assignments were given for each day. They can communicate by phone, email or via a school website messaging board.

[Onthemove1971]

Sweetkid- these meetings can be a challange for parents when things are not going well. I would strongly encourage you to keep the IEP. It's important to think long term, it sounds like your son needs the assistance, it is just figuring out how that "looks". The first question I have is does your child understand why he has the IEP, so that he can "buy into" this process. There are a number of ways to help your son. One being "push in"a vice, it might mean an assistant, not the teacher goes into class when he is struggling and helps him. The second is pull out. I agree with others, there should never be yelling so ask for a different teacher.

As far as the goals, it doesn't sound like he met them and that is why they look the same. But there should be a join creative process that you, the teacher and please make sure a supervisor (usually a Sp. Ed person and the principal. Are at the meeting to look at if this is working and if not why. Goals don't always have to be written the same. I am not sure what type of goal he is working on. But this can be written different.

Hope this helps. Please remember if things are not going well, tell them you want to stop the meeting and have another and dont sign the paperwork.

Then decide what is best. But school gets harder there are more demands and more teachers to deal with.

Hope this helps you.

[abryans]

I think parents know their children. It sounds like you are worried that your son is not getting what he needs educationally, social, or emotionally in his special education classroom. You have the right to say that you feel it is not the least restrictive or most appropriate setting for him. It sounds like his self esteem has suffered and he is not getting his educational OR behavioral needs met? You can say you want him in the regular classroom with the support he needs to be successful. For some children being in a smaller group setting with special educators is better, but for many children, being with their typical peers results in better outcomes for both them and the "typical" children. It takes well trained educators with good support services. Be confident in what you know and your observations. You got this!

[Sweetkid in reply to abryans]

Thank you so much for your response. We had our meeting yesterday. And I let them know that my son is not happy and that I don’t feel he is mastering his goals because he is refusing to do work with the special ed teacher. It may be that he is not fully understanding his asssignments, because even when he does work on it. They are not right. This is happening with his writing assignments. I asked that next year he be placed in the general classroom with help. When I let them know that I am considering pulling him, they began saying that they feel he is improving. I let them know if he hasn’t mastered this simple goal in 6 months, I don’t think he will. It turns out that they are collecting data 2 times a week, and he feels like it was extra work so he wasn’t completing it. His case manager was giving him writing assignments for data during math and he was feeling overwhelmed. I just want what’s best for him and I want him to not fall behind. Thanks again.

[Onthemove1971]

Glad to hear you had the meeting and it sounds like you were heard. You can still have an IEP and be in general education, they just have to "push in". The only "data" they should collect is a checklist yes he did it or no mlm he did not. There should not be extra work.

Please know uti oi can call a meeting a few months into the new year.. please do not wait.

Let us know if you have any more questions. Big hug for doing the right thing and getting through it.

[anirush]

My grandson is in special Ed with an IEP but he is in regular classes. The only exception is a social skills class they have him enrolled in which he doesn't like. But I told him if he gets his behavior under control he can leave that class.

He has things written into his IEP like extra time for assignments, The ability to leave the room if he feels out of control.

I too have had problems with teachers or counselors. I've put my foot down and told them that he struggles enough without conflict in the school.

Make sure you go to the IEP meeting and make your concerns known , get things changed.

[Sweetkid in reply to anirush]

Thank you for your response. I just saw the head of special ed at school and she assured me that she will be looking into the best interest for my son. I really hope so. She is new and seems like she will be popping in on the teachers to make sure he is getting the benefits he needs.

[Onthemove1971]

I know you feel much better! Great job.. its not over now the monitoring and if.its not going well she is the person to invite to the next meeting.

Yeah..