I think im gonna lose it.....

Kugglegirl

Wed, Jul 27 2011, 9:23 am

Hi. I hope yesterday was better.

Some feedback on your questions.

Re: Components & resources listed in the IEP/ISFP- specific strategies that are listed in the IEP or ISFP & the material items/locations to make these happen. There is a section at the end of an IEP in Pennsylvania that includes specific materials that should be available in the classroom & specific accommodations or ways for the child to be handled/given oppertunities.

For example is might indicate: _____ needs oppourtunities for kinesthetic sensory activities prior to seated activities, such as swinging, climbing or slides. --IF the camp does not have swings, slides or a large motor climbing area, this would be a resource that is missing.

Bean bags or padded seating in a quiet area for down time/time out-- if there is no area where the child can go and independently sit without being disturbed, and still be safely monitored by the teacher, this is a resource that is missing.

Re: Teacher not having IEP/Not reading IEP--- I will reserve my personal opinions about teachers that do not read IEP's, or who's personal lives preclude them from providing high quaility service delivery.

But- 1- The teacher must have a copy of the IEP & it is probably the service provider's job to make that happen, not yours. Given that, if she doesn't have it, make sure she gets it.

Make sure she reads it.

Ask for some kind of weekly written summary of progress on the IEP. This is something I was not on top of for my own kid this year & I really regret it. Having something written gives you an idea of what is actually happening, how well the teacher is actually following the IEP & I believe makes the teacher realize that they need to show that they are carrying out their responsibility.

(As a Sp. Ed. teacher myself, I am very aware that an IEP/ISFP is a legal document & as long as I am doing what I am supposed to be doing, I have no worries, legally speaking. I believe that teachers go into education with every good intention. I also believe that teachers benefit from mentoring, team collaboration & the process of data collection which allows for meaningful evaluation of what is happening in their classrooms.)

Do make sure that the OT is included in discussions & contributes specific ideas for sensory activities. Go google "Sensory Diet" & learn how to include heavy work at home & what kind of things you can do that will help your son regulate himself with appropriate input that you can access from home during your break between camp & school (ideas- park w. swings, slides, sand box or shoe box w. beans, water play including bath time, splash pool, using sponges to wash car or walls/floors, shaving cream play, different kinds of crawling, drag 2 yo. on blanket or in wagon etc.)

Good luck working with your son's team.

amother

Wed, Jul 27 2011, 11:51 am

Kugglegirl wrote:

Hi. I hope yesterday was better.

b"h b"h b"h it was!! I was actually going to write that this morning, but then my kids woke up Smile

he really liked the chart, and he also got stickers on his seits chart, so he was really excited about that.
he told me this morning that he doesnt want to go to camp because one of the kids bothers him and then he hurts him back and only he gets in trouble cuz the mora doesnt see the other boy Sad

I spoke to the mora about it and she said its definitely possible and shell try to keep a better eye on them, but its also not only this kid that hes hurting.

regarding the rest of what you wrote:

Quote:

Some feedback on your questions.

Re: Components & resources listed in the IEP/ISFP- specific strategies that are listed in the IEP or ISFP & the material items/locations to make these happen. There is a section at the end of an IEP in Pennsylvania that includes specific materials that should be available in the classroom & specific accommodations or ways for the child to be handled/given oppertunities.

For example is might indicate: _____ needs oppourtunities for kinesthetic sensory activities prior to seated activities, such as swinging, climbing or slides. --IF the camp does not have swings, slides or a large motor climbing area, this would be a resource that is missing.

Bean bags or padded seating in a quiet area for down time/time out-- if there is no area where the child can go and independently sit without being disturbed, and still be safely monitored by the teacher, this is a resource that is missing.

I didnt really look over his iep so well, because we were out of town when we had the meeting (it was a conference call meeting) and everything wa sa bit crazy when we came home, so I just kinda put it away when I got it. I guess I should look it over and make sure, right?

Quote:

Re: Teacher not having IEP/Not reading IEP--- I will reserve my personal opinions about teachers that do not read IEP's, or who's personal lives preclude them from providing high quaility service delivery.

But- 1- The teacher must have a copy of the IEP & it is probably the service provider's job to make that happen, not yours. Given that, if she doesn't have it, make sure she gets it.

please forgive my ignorance, as this is the first time I am dealing with an iep over the summer. his camp mora should have it? the ot has a copy and the school gave the seit a copy, but I dont know if she showed it to or discussed it with the teacher.

Quote:

Make sure she reads it.

Ask for some kind of weekly written summary of progress on the IEP. This is something I was not on top of for my own kid this year & I really regret it. Having something written gives you an idea of what is actually happening, how well the teacher is actually following the IEP & I believe makes the teacher realize that they need to show that they are carrying out their responsibility.

(As a Sp. Ed. teacher myself, I am very aware that an IEP/ISFP is a legal document & as long as I am doing what I am supposed to be doing, I have no worries, legally speaking. I believe that teachers go into education with every good intention. I also believe that teachers benefit from mentoring, team collaboration & the process of data collection which allows for meaningful evaluation of what is happening in their classrooms.)

I talk to the seit every day, and I try to tal to the mora every day when I pick him up, but sometimes it a little hectic. should I have a communication notebook, like when he is in school? please tell me if this would work:
at the top of the page, we write the goal for the week, , and every day just write a sentence or two about what was done to accomplish that goal.
maybe I would even get a divided notebook, so that there would be a section ONLY for goals, and another section just for communication about camp and my son in general. does that sound like soemthing that might work out well?

Quote:

Do make sure that the OT is included in discussions & contributes specific ideas for sensory activities. Go google "Sensory Diet" & learn how to include heavy work at home & what kind of things you can do that will help your son regulate himself with appropriate input that you can access from home during your break between camp & school (ideas- park w. swings, slides, sand box or shoe box w. beans, water play including bath time, splash pool, using sponges to wash car or walls/floors, shaving cream play, different kinds of crawling, drag 2 yo. on blanket or in wagon etc.)

we usually go swimming every day after camp in our pool (a kiddie pool with two sections-, one large shallow section, and one smaller deeper one) he puts a chair next to the pool and spends most of the time we are outside (usually over an hour) jumping in and splashing. I try to fit in some sensory diet activities when we are home, but I usually forget.....maybe I will make a schedule chart, of different things to do when he comes home.
I also want to buy a sand box for my back yard, and im guessing that would be something good for him, because its on your list Smile

yesterday after we went swimming he asked me if we could have a water fight in the driveway. I took the hose and put my thumb on the end to make it like a sprinkler, and he loved it!! is that also a good thing for him?
my car definitely needs to be cleaned, so maybe that will be our sunday activity Smile

my 2 year old is kind of scared of him, but she likes going for rides, so maube she would let him pull her around Smile

Quote:

Good luck working with your son's team.

thanks!!

amother

Wed, Jul 27 2011, 12:16 pm

this is just a rant (and we are in a safe haven) and I already saw my social worker today, so please just let me get this out and please dont say anything negative or mean.

my husband asked me if I spoke to the mora, and I told him what we talked about, and he asked me about play therapy and reminded me to call the insurance co to ask if they cover it. then I told him we went to the doc yesterday and while we were tehre I asked him some stuff. we talked about play therapy, developmental pediatricians, behavior training, and medication. I told my husband everything he said, including what he said about medication. he said that IF he were to ever rocommend medication for a four year old, he would tell the parents to wait until the middle of the school year. well, my husband got all bent out of shape how he doesnt want to hear about medication and hes not even considering it for another two years and bla bla bla and he got all upset at me and said im blowing everything up and I said ya know, I dont understand why you are turning this into an argument. all I did was tell you what someone said. its not my opinion, you know my opinion already. I told you I was taking the kids to the doc, and I told you I was going to bounce some stuff off of him and I just told you what he said. then he kept saying I have to leave, so I said ok, so go. and he got all upset and he said no, ill stay home, is that what you want?

its not like the doc even disagrees with us!! I told my husband that all he had to do was let it go in one ear and out the other.

Kugglegirl

Thu, Jul 28 2011, 10:12 am

Dear OP,
It can be a full-time job to parent a child with special learning/behavioral needs. Give yourself credit for what you have done & pace yourself for what is needed in the coming weeks, months, years.

Regarding DH- see if it is possible to have him attend any of the meetings or pediatrician visits, or if you can bring home written materials. (My DH tunes out anything that is too detailed, so I have to feed info to him a little at a time....) If not in person, by phone or Skype. You have had some time to go over this information & hear from team members & others. He needs some time & to hear it from others aside from you so that he can play an informed part in the discussion.

Your child’s IEP is a legal documents & everyone on the team should be familiar with it. Here are some resources to help you & your team to create some kind of data collection tool & daily communication tool.
If the camp setting is very informal, a daily log book may be all that the camp staff can manage. I find that checklists with coded input can be faster to write than a daily log. For the present setting, a check list with 3-5 of the specific objectives your child is working on may be sufficient, and a space at the bottom for comments.

Your child should be working on the same goals & objectives throughout the period of the IEP, unless he has shown mastery of the objectives in the goal (as indicated by mastery level specified in each objective.) So you should see the same goals & objectives reported on week to week.

If the moreh is working on skills with the whole group (letter recognition, colors, etc), or a weekly theme, she might have a summary sheet she sends home for all the kids. That would be separate from the feedback that is IEP based.

Some resources:
1)A check list to go over with your team to see what might be good supports to use in the camp setting for your son. This indicates that it is specific to Aspergers, but there is much that is relevant for your son, as described.

http://nyupress.org/books/book.....=9788

2)Good comprehensive explanation of how to set up & carry out a session by session (daily & can be sent home weekly) check list. This is similar to what I would use in a pre-K classroom to make sure that all IEP goals were being addressed multiple times during the week. Not all goals/objectives, in my experience, can be addressed daily. In the more informal camp setting, you may be lucky to get the items coded & a comment or 2 daily.

http://celebratethechildren.or.....28420

3) This one is specific for children with ADHD. It seems geared for an older child, but you can build on this to make something appropriate for now, or with the moreh for the school year.

http://ccf.buffalo.edu/pdf/sch.....d.pdf

Glad to hear you are trying out sensory activities at home. It takes time to build up a range of them & a range of the resources. It will be a big benefit for your son to learn how to use these to help himself regulate his own behavior. Routines are important too. WTG!

Look at these & think about what is useful for you. It might be too much to take it all in right now. A communication notebook is fine it that is what works for you & the teacher.

Best to you.

FranticFrummie

Thu, Jul 28 2011, 7:43 pm

amother wrote:

thanks a ton!!

so another update- I have a meeting with the director of the diamond program on monday morning to discuss financials- they will take him, but we just have to figure out how much it will be, cuz its only 3 more weeks.

im so happy!! (and my husband is even gonna come with me!!)

hopefully the rest of the summer will go VERY well, and I will be able to breathe a little easier....(and I may even get to paint my house, like I wanted to!!)

I want to apologize for coming across so harsh earlier. I think you are doing an AMAZING job, and are a fantastic mother. Keep on doing what you're doing!

I get all bent out of shape, because my DD is on the opposite end of the behavior spectrum. She's a "people pleaser", very naive, and easy to take advantage of. She will rarely fights back or stands up for herself, and doesn't have a defiant bone in her body. I constantly worry that this puts her at risk for all kinds of horrible situations c'vs. This definitely does not make me an objective person, and I projected my issues onto you. I am sorry if I hurt your feelings in any way.