Forums
New posts
Search forums
What's new
New posts
New profile posts
Latest activity
Internet Search
Members
Current visitors
New profile posts
Search profile posts
Log in
Register
What's new
Search
Search
Search titles only
By:
New posts
Search forums
Menu
Log in
Register
Install the app
Install
Forums
Parent Support Forums
Special Ed 101
School wanting to put Bipolar son in "adaptive behavior class" please help!
JavaScript is disabled. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding.
You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly.
You should upgrade or use an
alternative browser
.
Reply to thread
Message
<blockquote data-quote="rlsnights" data-source="post: 415764" data-attributes="member: 7948"><p>I have to say that a 2 to 1 ratio of students to teaching staff is amazing in a public classroom. If your child needs that kind of intensive therapeutic setting and they are doing a good job providing it, that may be worth a try.</p><p></p><p>Will the school let you observe the class? Did the teacher or anyone talk about how they measure success and what has happened to other kids who were in the program? Would they let you talk to other parents with kids who are in or have graduated from the program?</p><p></p><p>I understand your concerns about your son feeling like a failure if he were to lose a level. But is it possible he feels this way in a regular classroom now?</p><p></p><p>You are worried that having a bad day in the program will trigger a bipolar crisis. Is this happening now? How would it be worse if he was in this classroom?</p><p></p><p>You are worried that his academic needs will not be met. Are they being met now? Is he able to learn in the classroom setting now?</p><p></p><p>I can't say whether this is the right thing for your son or not. I don't know if the other interventions that have been tried were done effectively or for long enough.</p><p></p><p>What I can tell you is that my son has a bipolar diagnosis although he was diagnosed later than yours. He does much better in a very structured setting. He does not have the severe behaviors your son has at school but he has always had problematic behaviors at home. When he was 7 he tried to throw himself out a 2nd floor window after a 3 hour rage. Somehow he has always held it together enough at school that he managed to pass - up until this year. At his IEP on Monday I expect that we will be moving him into an ED classroom with 10 children and 1 teacher and 1 aide. I have wanted him in such a placement for a long time but could not get it for him because his behavior at school was so good. So I may not be the right person to give you advice right now.</p><p></p><p>But, since you asked, here's my advice.</p><p></p><p>If you have checked it out and feel that your child will be safe and that you will have the ability to closely monitor what happens in the classroom then I would seriously consider a trial placement in that classroom. </p><p></p><p>If the teacher and aide are well trained your son should be receiving two things:</p><p></p><p>1.Therapeutic interventions that simply cannot be delivered in a regular classroom or Special Education classroom and</p><p>2. A highly individualized educational curriculum that may meet his academic needs better than what he will get in a regular classroom.</p><p></p><p>He is not getting these now. It sounds like he needs both.</p><p></p><p>You can insist that the IEP team reconvene in one month (or less) from the start of the placement to review the placement. If you already have that on the calendar it will help to deal with any concerns that have come up during the trial period. You can bring up your concerns about the isolation and lack of recess to the IEP team and, at the minimum, have those concerns documented in the meeting notes. It sounds like the teacher already provides some modification of the level system in that regard. Your advocate should be able to help you with that aspect of the process.</p><p></p><p>I hear your anguish. I am so sorry you and your family are going through this. I am very sad that your son is in such distress. His world must seem very scary and unreal.</p><p></p><p>In your place I would be grieving. Our children "grow into" their disabilities when they fail to reach the developmental milestones on time. Some do this earlier than others. When that happens it isn't just a crisis for them. It's one for us too.</p><p></p><p>When your child was younger and at home you may have been able to hold on to your dreams for him - that he would grow out of these behaviors, that he would do better once he went to school - somehow you held on. You can't hold on to those dreams anymore because he is not growing out of them and he is failing at school. If anything he may be getting worse.</p><p></p><p>So you are grieving for that child. Which is actually a good thing. Because until you have let that imagined child go you will have a hard time seeing the child you really have. And you may discover that you have new dreams for him that are based in reality and are much better than your worst fears. Because if you can see the child before you for who he is and what is hard for him you will be able to make better decisions when you have to decide what is going to be best for him.</p><p></p><p>These are hard decisions to make. I hope you have the support of your spouse. I hope that he/she is coming to the meetings with you if at all possible.</p><p></p><p>I send you Warrior Mom strength and wisdom vibes.</p><p></p><p>May you have the wisdom to choose the best course, the words to help others see your child through your eyes, the ability to find joy and progress in even the smallest signs and the breath to calm yourself and bring perspective when you are afraid.</p><p></p><p>Patricia</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="rlsnights, post: 415764, member: 7948"] I have to say that a 2 to 1 ratio of students to teaching staff is amazing in a public classroom. If your child needs that kind of intensive therapeutic setting and they are doing a good job providing it, that may be worth a try. Will the school let you observe the class? Did the teacher or anyone talk about how they measure success and what has happened to other kids who were in the program? Would they let you talk to other parents with kids who are in or have graduated from the program? I understand your concerns about your son feeling like a failure if he were to lose a level. But is it possible he feels this way in a regular classroom now? You are worried that having a bad day in the program will trigger a bipolar crisis. Is this happening now? How would it be worse if he was in this classroom? You are worried that his academic needs will not be met. Are they being met now? Is he able to learn in the classroom setting now? I can't say whether this is the right thing for your son or not. I don't know if the other interventions that have been tried were done effectively or for long enough. What I can tell you is that my son has a bipolar diagnosis although he was diagnosed later than yours. He does much better in a very structured setting. He does not have the severe behaviors your son has at school but he has always had problematic behaviors at home. When he was 7 he tried to throw himself out a 2nd floor window after a 3 hour rage. Somehow he has always held it together enough at school that he managed to pass - up until this year. At his IEP on Monday I expect that we will be moving him into an ED classroom with 10 children and 1 teacher and 1 aide. I have wanted him in such a placement for a long time but could not get it for him because his behavior at school was so good. So I may not be the right person to give you advice right now. But, since you asked, here's my advice. If you have checked it out and feel that your child will be safe and that you will have the ability to closely monitor what happens in the classroom then I would seriously consider a trial placement in that classroom. If the teacher and aide are well trained your son should be receiving two things: 1.Therapeutic interventions that simply cannot be delivered in a regular classroom or Special Education classroom and 2. A highly individualized educational curriculum that may meet his academic needs better than what he will get in a regular classroom. He is not getting these now. It sounds like he needs both. You can insist that the IEP team reconvene in one month (or less) from the start of the placement to review the placement. If you already have that on the calendar it will help to deal with any concerns that have come up during the trial period. You can bring up your concerns about the isolation and lack of recess to the IEP team and, at the minimum, have those concerns documented in the meeting notes. It sounds like the teacher already provides some modification of the level system in that regard. Your advocate should be able to help you with that aspect of the process. I hear your anguish. I am so sorry you and your family are going through this. I am very sad that your son is in such distress. His world must seem very scary and unreal. In your place I would be grieving. Our children "grow into" their disabilities when they fail to reach the developmental milestones on time. Some do this earlier than others. When that happens it isn't just a crisis for them. It's one for us too. When your child was younger and at home you may have been able to hold on to your dreams for him - that he would grow out of these behaviors, that he would do better once he went to school - somehow you held on. You can't hold on to those dreams anymore because he is not growing out of them and he is failing at school. If anything he may be getting worse. So you are grieving for that child. Which is actually a good thing. Because until you have let that imagined child go you will have a hard time seeing the child you really have. And you may discover that you have new dreams for him that are based in reality and are much better than your worst fears. Because if you can see the child before you for who he is and what is hard for him you will be able to make better decisions when you have to decide what is going to be best for him. These are hard decisions to make. I hope you have the support of your spouse. I hope that he/she is coming to the meetings with you if at all possible. I send you Warrior Mom strength and wisdom vibes. May you have the wisdom to choose the best course, the words to help others see your child through your eyes, the ability to find joy and progress in even the smallest signs and the breath to calm yourself and bring perspective when you are afraid. Patricia [/QUOTE]
Insert quotes…
Verification
Post reply
Forums
Parent Support Forums
Special Ed 101
School wanting to put Bipolar son in "adaptive behavior class" please help!
Top