H
HaoZi
Guest
Got this nifty little email today:
Mrs. [HaoZi], I am emailing you about some issues I am having with [Kiddo] in class. Yesterday when I confronted her about not having her homework done, she became very stand offish and put her head down for the rest of the period. She also threw her glasses on the floor and ripped her star in half. When given the opportunity today to work on her graph she choose not to. I have noticed that when she is confronted or called out on something she shuts down or becomes violent. Some students have voice some concerns about being scared when she does this. If you could have a discussion with her about this that would be great. Thanks for any help with this issue. Please let me know what I can do.
To which I replied:
You should have access to her IEP and BIP, which should (I believe) cover these circumstances. Better that she shuts down than lashes out, and I know that sounds bad but the truth is that's progress for her. I'm not sure how familiar you are with her diagnoses (Asperger's Syndrome, bi-polar, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD), ADHD, and ODD). I've been asking her if she has homework and the only answer she ever gives me is "I don't know." Is this is science or in social studies that she's having issues? I can discuss it with her until I'm blue in the face, but it may not do much good. Is she using her cool-down pass at all? She may need prompting to use it. If she shuts down, let her shut down and don't try to force the issue or touch her (getting in her physical space at that point is perceived by her brain as a threat as she'll already be under high anxiety and can easily lead to meltdowns).
She does seem to be on downside of her bi-polar cycle right now, and this lack of sunlight in winter isn't helping matters. I'm pretty much walking on eggshells around her at home, too. When she's in her more manic phase I can push her more to do what needs doing with less chance of it becoming an issue, but she's very touchy right now. There are times when even bringing up the subject of what's going on at school can lead to her becoming physically violent with me. I will also forward this to her therapist, sometimes she has better luck approaching these things with [Kiddo].
Makes me wonder if teachers ever read IEPs. Or talk to the other teachers the kid has. It's not exactly her first meltdown this year by any means.
Mrs. [HaoZi], I am emailing you about some issues I am having with [Kiddo] in class. Yesterday when I confronted her about not having her homework done, she became very stand offish and put her head down for the rest of the period. She also threw her glasses on the floor and ripped her star in half. When given the opportunity today to work on her graph she choose not to. I have noticed that when she is confronted or called out on something she shuts down or becomes violent. Some students have voice some concerns about being scared when she does this. If you could have a discussion with her about this that would be great. Thanks for any help with this issue. Please let me know what I can do.
To which I replied:
You should have access to her IEP and BIP, which should (I believe) cover these circumstances. Better that she shuts down than lashes out, and I know that sounds bad but the truth is that's progress for her. I'm not sure how familiar you are with her diagnoses (Asperger's Syndrome, bi-polar, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD), ADHD, and ODD). I've been asking her if she has homework and the only answer she ever gives me is "I don't know." Is this is science or in social studies that she's having issues? I can discuss it with her until I'm blue in the face, but it may not do much good. Is she using her cool-down pass at all? She may need prompting to use it. If she shuts down, let her shut down and don't try to force the issue or touch her (getting in her physical space at that point is perceived by her brain as a threat as she'll already be under high anxiety and can easily lead to meltdowns).
She does seem to be on downside of her bi-polar cycle right now, and this lack of sunlight in winter isn't helping matters. I'm pretty much walking on eggshells around her at home, too. When she's in her more manic phase I can push her more to do what needs doing with less chance of it becoming an issue, but she's very touchy right now. There are times when even bringing up the subject of what's going on at school can lead to her becoming physically violent with me. I will also forward this to her therapist, sometimes she has better luck approaching these things with [Kiddo].
Makes me wonder if teachers ever read IEPs. Or talk to the other teachers the kid has. It's not exactly her first meltdown this year by any means.