LittleDudesMom
Well-Known Member
It's really hard to beleive that when I came to this site my difficult child was in 2nd grade flipping desks, threatening to stab himself with scissors in the back of the classroom, full classroom-clearing raging, and in a dark depression. I was at a total loss.
As I sat in his IEP meeting today, I hear from his 8th grade teachers, his 1:1, the assistant principal, and his case worker what he needs for high school. I hear only positives from the teachers. His English teacher said that the only thing that makes difficult child "different" from the next student, is that he shuts down. She said that she, and the other teachers, have learned that this doesn't mean that he's not listening, just that he's not responding. They have learned this means back off, give him time, he will return. He has never been disrespectful or inappropriate.
His case worker and his 1:1 tell me he is a very different child from the one he was when he entered this middle school in 6th grade. His social interactions have improved and broadened. He is not as angry or anxious as he was. He has had no interventions this school year.
We have extended his 1:1 to be in the building, not the classroom, next year until December. With all the funding restraints, once he's gone it would be almost impossible to get him back given difficult child's current levels. It was decided to keep him in place until the next 1:1 review in December and Mr. S. told us during the meeting that he would stay with difficult child next year until needed. What an exceptional gift! His is such a great mentor and role model.
The IEP gives him the accomodations/mods he needs for his Written Expression Disorder, as well as a "pass" for time outs or quiet space without consequence. I was very pleased.
I then proceeded to meet with the librarian about the book fair and then headed to meet the principal of the high school he wants to attend. I liked her a lot. She is quite young for the principal job at an urban high school, but she seems no nonsense, firm, and fair. I really think this would be a good fit for difficult child. Naturally, she can't say that he's accepted, but I feel it is going to work out. I was one of the first to log on and request out of zone variance when it opened, and she has 50 openings.
I don't want this to get too long, but I want to say that difficult child has a huge part in this positive post. He has worked hard. I never saw this day 7 years ago. He was on many medications, weekly therapy, 1/2 day school, no social interactions at all, tearing up classrooms, exasperating teachers, befuddling administration, and just about killing me (emotionally not physically). So many supports were put in place over the years at home and school to try and give him a chance to improve the future.
But the biggest part in all of this has been him. He, even very young, had an above maturity level understanding of the issues he dealt with. Remember the story I've told before of him at 4 getting in the car after a particularly bad day in preschool. I told him I just didn't understand why we had behavior issues every single day. From his car seat he told me, "It's like I have a propeller inside me, when it goes fast I'm bad, when it goes slow I'm good."
His ability to modulate that inner propeller makes my heart warm. Will he always be in control? No. Does he have a short fuse? Yes. Are his social interactions at age level? No. Is he "different"? Yes. But he's a gift.
Sharon
As I sat in his IEP meeting today, I hear from his 8th grade teachers, his 1:1, the assistant principal, and his case worker what he needs for high school. I hear only positives from the teachers. His English teacher said that the only thing that makes difficult child "different" from the next student, is that he shuts down. She said that she, and the other teachers, have learned that this doesn't mean that he's not listening, just that he's not responding. They have learned this means back off, give him time, he will return. He has never been disrespectful or inappropriate.
His case worker and his 1:1 tell me he is a very different child from the one he was when he entered this middle school in 6th grade. His social interactions have improved and broadened. He is not as angry or anxious as he was. He has had no interventions this school year.
We have extended his 1:1 to be in the building, not the classroom, next year until December. With all the funding restraints, once he's gone it would be almost impossible to get him back given difficult child's current levels. It was decided to keep him in place until the next 1:1 review in December and Mr. S. told us during the meeting that he would stay with difficult child next year until needed. What an exceptional gift! His is such a great mentor and role model.
The IEP gives him the accomodations/mods he needs for his Written Expression Disorder, as well as a "pass" for time outs or quiet space without consequence. I was very pleased.
I then proceeded to meet with the librarian about the book fair and then headed to meet the principal of the high school he wants to attend. I liked her a lot. She is quite young for the principal job at an urban high school, but she seems no nonsense, firm, and fair. I really think this would be a good fit for difficult child. Naturally, she can't say that he's accepted, but I feel it is going to work out. I was one of the first to log on and request out of zone variance when it opened, and she has 50 openings.
I don't want this to get too long, but I want to say that difficult child has a huge part in this positive post. He has worked hard. I never saw this day 7 years ago. He was on many medications, weekly therapy, 1/2 day school, no social interactions at all, tearing up classrooms, exasperating teachers, befuddling administration, and just about killing me (emotionally not physically). So many supports were put in place over the years at home and school to try and give him a chance to improve the future.
But the biggest part in all of this has been him. He, even very young, had an above maturity level understanding of the issues he dealt with. Remember the story I've told before of him at 4 getting in the car after a particularly bad day in preschool. I told him I just didn't understand why we had behavior issues every single day. From his car seat he told me, "It's like I have a propeller inside me, when it goes fast I'm bad, when it goes slow I'm good."
His ability to modulate that inner propeller makes my heart warm. Will he always be in control? No. Does he have a short fuse? Yes. Are his social interactions at age level? No. Is he "different"? Yes. But he's a gift.
Sharon
