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What amazes me when kids fail at public school is how simple it is to pass and graduate public school. Lets not kid ourselves here, the public school curriculum have been watered down quite a bit over the last 30 years. You REALLY have to try hard to fail.
Not to mention you really have to try hard to not know your child is failing throughout the course of the year. The standards are already so low, I'm amazed we have a 74% graduation rate nationally. The public education system is broken severely.
aswasw Good luck with your son. I hope you can turn things around.
Thank you. I notice kids at my daughter's school, everyone gets a certificate for something. I need to put a fear in my son because right now he does not care about school, just friends and having fun.
I understand by what you meant by board. I think the counselor at the middle school is a joke. Do you know how many times I request things and not get even when I gave the proper info? The middle school staff are playing games with me. Talking to them does nothing. The only way is through the court system, well that might not help at all. He's my kid my problem they don't care.
I understand by what you meant by board. I think the counselor at the middle school is a joke. Do you know how many times I request things and not get even when I gave the proper info? The middle school staff are playing games with me. Talking to them does nothing. The only way is through the court system, well that might not help at all. He's my kid my problem they don't care.
Does he have health insurance? It sounds like some testing might be in order, as he could have an undiagnosed learning disability. Kids with dylexia, ADD/ADHD, Executive Function issues, etc. tend to have many of the issues you've mentioned. Is this a pattern from younger grades, or has it just begun recently? Are there any interests outside of school, or school clubs that he belongs to (like band, sports, etc)? Kids that get involved tend to be less 'at risk' for risky behavior (experimenting with drugs, etc) Definitely talk to the doctor about this--he's young enough to turn it around, but may need counseling, etc. I have a 16 year old son who struggles, and can say that the extra curricular clubs that he has joined since getting to the HS level have helped him to feel more grounded and a part of the school. Good luck, I wish you all the best in helping him...
Quote:
Originally Posted by aswasw
I understand by what you meant by board. I think the counselor at the middle school is a joke. Do you know how many times I request things and not get even when I gave the proper info? The middle school staff are playing games with me. Talking to them does nothing. The only way is through the court system, well that might not help at all. He's my kid my problem they don't care.
Sounds like you need an IEP and perhaps an Educational Advocate. Advocates work with you to be sure that kids with VALID learning disabilities get the assistance that they need. IEP is federally mandated, not town, city or state level. In order to get develop IEP, he would need diagnosis, and that starts with neuropsych testing. Again I wish you all the best with this...
Great info Valerie but doesn't the state have programs that would test the kids? Seems a much better alternative than to let them grow up and send them off into the world missing a major portion of their education because no one spotted these types of issues.
It's unfortunate that he didn't apply himself in middle school, and it's unfortunate that his teachers (or administration) are passing him on. This doesn't do anyone any favors. But unless he masters the subjects he hasn't already mastered (and was expected to do so), he's going to have trouble in high school. You really need to become familiar with his IEP/504 plan so that you know what rights he (and you as his parent) has. I've found most schools try to do the best they can, but in case like yours, parental involvement throughout the entire school year is mandatory. The more you know, you, as his parent, can demand and will get. But make your son responsible, too. And do try to get a tutor this summer. Yes they are costly (I've taught in public school and I've privately tutored) but if your son didn't learn what he needed to do learn last year, perhaps a tutor can help him catch up so that he won't become further behind next year. And during his next school year, make sure you're on top of things gradewise and expectations-wise from day 1, and hold your son accountable for his responsibilities.
Thank you. I notice kids at my daughter's school, everyone gets a certificate for something. I need to put a fear in my son because right now he does not care about school, just friends and having fun.
If he just cares about friends and having fun, then a tutor will do no good. It may be a will problem, not a learning problem. Maybe it's the father's influence?
Not sure what to tell you. My nephew is doing poorly in school. It's not that he can't understand the material, it's that he really doesn't care too much. Still doesn't have his license because his grades aren't good enough. When I was his age that was enough of a motivator for me. Not him - he's pretty lazy. All he wants to do is play video games. His plan is the Army, if he graduates. But they're getting tougher to get into every day. And I'm not sure he's got what it takes for a tour in the military. They can only do so much...
Does he have health insurance? It sounds like some testing might be in order, as he could have an undiagnosed learning disability. Kids with dylexia, ADD/ADHD, Executive Function issues, etc. tend to have many of the issues you've mentioned. Is this a pattern from younger grades, or has it just begun recently? Are there any interests outside of school, or school clubs that he belongs to (like band, sports, etc)? Kids that get involved tend to be less 'at risk' for risky behavior (experimenting with drugs, etc) Definitely talk to the doctor about this--he's young enough to turn it around, but may need counseling, etc. I have a 16 year old son who struggles, and can say that the extra curricular clubs that he has joined since getting to the HS level have helped him to feel more grounded and a part of the school. Good luck, I wish you all the best in helping him...
Sounds like you need an IEP and perhaps an Educational Advocate. Advocates work with you to be sure that kids with VALID learning disabilities get the assistance that they need. IEP is federally mandated, not town, city or state level. In order to get develop IEP, he would need diagnosis, and that starts with neuropsych testing. Again I wish you all the best with this...
I've taken him to see the nurse a couple times and had the teachers from last and current year evaluated him and they concluded the same thing on his learning behavior. The nurse concluded that he does indeed show strong signs of having ADHD, and recommended that he starts medications, but father does not approve, who is unconvinced his child has a problem, but just laziness. I've noticed my son's poor learning behavior since he entered into the public school system, probably started in 4th grade. I encouraged his father who thinks its not my concern to have my son tested, but the father never got my boy tested at that time. The teachers thought it was too early to tell, and I never heard anything from the school psychologist, so staff never recommended any testing. One time they did finally evaluated him when he was in 6th grade and determined he was not ADHD, even though he failed classes then too. I wrote to the superintendent's office and because I have 50/50 with his father, they told me it's not my concern either, so no right to do anything about it. It's so frustrating dealing with it alone and knowing that teachers don't see what I see even though they see him all day. At the beginning of his 8th grade school year I tried again. Got tired of waiting for his father to take him, and decided to take him to his nurse and that's when the paperwork started. Months later I never heard from the guidance counselor on what the plan would be for my son's learning problem. My son was in after school program and the director finally came out to tell me that she was concern about his grades, this was in the spring. I told her the staff knew and never did anything. She sort of helped me got the ball rolling, calling in all the staff for a couple of meetings, and that's when they said there is section 504, a new thing that just came out, which I looked up later to confirm it's not that new. This is his plan.
[SIZE=2]
[/SIZE]
[SIZE=2]1. The school: [/SIZE]
[SIZE=2]a. Help with organization, as appropriate. He would benefit from a structured, supported study, especially during his initial transition to Somersworth High School.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=2]b. Break up projects/long-term assignments into smaller, more manageable tasks.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=2]c. Provide preferential seating (away from distractions).[/SIZE]
[SIZE=2]d. Frequent check-ins for understanding and to make sure he is on task.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=2]e. Check for understanding by asking him to repeat the directions or what he needs to do; he often nods in agreement whether he understands or not. [/SIZE]
[SIZE=2]f. Allow him to turn in work as soon as it’s completed, as appropriate, at teacher’s discretion.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=2]g. Stay in contact with his mother and father- phone/email mom; phone for dad, with any concerns, or if he is slipping and/or in danger of failing.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=2]2. The parent(s):[/SIZE]
[SIZE=2]a[/SIZE][SIZE=2]. [/SIZE][SIZE=2]Stay in contact with his teachers as necessary to report any concerns, or with any questions. [/SIZE]
[SIZE=2]b[/SIZE][SIZE=2]. [/SIZE][SIZE=2]Utilize web2school parent portal, if possible.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=2]
3. The student:[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]a[/SIZE][SIZE=2]. He [/SIZE][SIZE=2]will utilize and carry his agenda book with him at all times. [/SIZE]
[SIZE=2]b. He [/SIZE][SIZE=2]will turn in his work as soon as it’s completed, in order to avoid losing it (as appropriate for the class).[/SIZE]
[SIZE=2]b. He will ask questions or inform the teacher if he does not understand an assignment or expectation. [/SIZE]
[SIZE=2]c. He will use any study time to organize his materials on a regular basis. [/SIZE]
[SIZE=2]d. He will stay after school with teachers for help or clarification with assignments as needed.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=2]e. He will continue to develop and utilize self-advocacy skills. [/SIZE]
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