Saturday, March 25, 2006
Frustrated Mom, Out of Line Teacher
Dear Guidance Guy,
I am a high school teacher. I am writing about my son's high school teacher. My son has just come out of Resource. He's a junior and although he's bright, he is dyslexic and has trouble reading. His English teacher knows this because it's in his IEP, but she has had him read aloud, and now he's failing because he didn't understand how to organize notecards for a research project even though he asked for clarification four times. Now due to no pass/no play, he's out of UIL choir competition and we are out $300 for a trip he can no longer attend.
We have had an ARD, with the hopes that the teacher would get a clue, but she continues. She appears to resent having a "regular" class when all of her others are AP and refuses to back down her material. I teach as well, AP and regular and I have a number of kids that have special needs. I make sure that I adapt to what kids can do. I am more interested in having the student learn than in being "right."
The administration is excusing this behavior because she is pregnant. I think that is a load of bull. I have worked when pregnant and I don't think that excuses ignoring requests for help or failure to contact the student and parent in a timely fashion to avoid failure. Am I out of line? If it were me at my school I would be fired.
Have you got any ideas? Right now, I am livid. We have gone through this with self-righteous teachers every year for nine years. How long are people going to keep covering for them? And what about the kids whose parents don't know how they are being treated?
Appalled in Texas
*****
Dear Appalled,
For those of you who don't know the terms, dyslexia ia a condition when words often appear backwards and IEP stands for Individualized Educational Program, which is what students with special education needs get to help them succeed. I'm not sure what ARD stands for.
The answer to your immediate need is simple. Request a formal meeting with the special education department, called a PPT (planning and placement team meeting) and discuss your concerns formally and on the record. Take notes, and tape record the meeting if possible. If there are supposed to be modifications to his program that aren't being met, the school is out of compliance. You can (and should) take your concerns to the next level. This could mean contacting the Special Education division of the State Education Department.
If there are no provisions in his plan for not reading aloud or extra time and help for projects, make sure they get in there as soon as possible! Special education plans are reviewed yearly, but you can call a meeting whenever you feel it's appropriate. Your son should be part of this process as well, as he's turning into a grown up and will need to speak up for himself.
As far as teachers and administrators, many of them don't understand what it's like to be bright but have a hard time learning, which seems to be your son's situation. If your district has a separate special education department, it might be a good idea to work through them rather than the regular school administration.
Teachers and principals usually want to do the right thing because they're good people, but they'll definitely do the right thing if they're afraid of getting in trouble. If you know for a fact the administration is excusing this because of pregnancy, document it! I don't think a special edcuation hearing officer would buy that excuse.
Best of Luck,
The Guidance Guy
I am a high school teacher. I am writing about my son's high school teacher. My son has just come out of Resource. He's a junior and although he's bright, he is dyslexic and has trouble reading. His English teacher knows this because it's in his IEP, but she has had him read aloud, and now he's failing because he didn't understand how to organize notecards for a research project even though he asked for clarification four times. Now due to no pass/no play, he's out of UIL choir competition and we are out $300 for a trip he can no longer attend.
We have had an ARD, with the hopes that the teacher would get a clue, but she continues. She appears to resent having a "regular" class when all of her others are AP and refuses to back down her material. I teach as well, AP and regular and I have a number of kids that have special needs. I make sure that I adapt to what kids can do. I am more interested in having the student learn than in being "right."
The administration is excusing this behavior because she is pregnant. I think that is a load of bull. I have worked when pregnant and I don't think that excuses ignoring requests for help or failure to contact the student and parent in a timely fashion to avoid failure. Am I out of line? If it were me at my school I would be fired.
Have you got any ideas? Right now, I am livid. We have gone through this with self-righteous teachers every year for nine years. How long are people going to keep covering for them? And what about the kids whose parents don't know how they are being treated?
Appalled in Texas
*****
Dear Appalled,
For those of you who don't know the terms, dyslexia ia a condition when words often appear backwards and IEP stands for Individualized Educational Program, which is what students with special education needs get to help them succeed. I'm not sure what ARD stands for.
The answer to your immediate need is simple. Request a formal meeting with the special education department, called a PPT (planning and placement team meeting) and discuss your concerns formally and on the record. Take notes, and tape record the meeting if possible. If there are supposed to be modifications to his program that aren't being met, the school is out of compliance. You can (and should) take your concerns to the next level. This could mean contacting the Special Education division of the State Education Department.
If there are no provisions in his plan for not reading aloud or extra time and help for projects, make sure they get in there as soon as possible! Special education plans are reviewed yearly, but you can call a meeting whenever you feel it's appropriate. Your son should be part of this process as well, as he's turning into a grown up and will need to speak up for himself.
As far as teachers and administrators, many of them don't understand what it's like to be bright but have a hard time learning, which seems to be your son's situation. If your district has a separate special education department, it might be a good idea to work through them rather than the regular school administration.
Teachers and principals usually want to do the right thing because they're good people, but they'll definitely do the right thing if they're afraid of getting in trouble. If you know for a fact the administration is excusing this because of pregnancy, document it! I don't think a special edcuation hearing officer would buy that excuse.
Best of Luck,
The Guidance Guy
