Back-to-school advice needed (Gr3)

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I am about to embark on the battle that is back-to-school.

Diagnosed last year (grade 2), my son's letter confirming his diagnosis was, "misplaced", for the last three weeks.

The principal also told me that he might not "qualify" for half-day special ed because of his (admittedly, but with good reason) dismal attendance record. Reason being he hated school so bad he did every delay/avoidance tactic he knows to get out of it. Including the "wet noodle".


Last year, I set a goal. It was to get a diagnosis (after being dicked around since Sr. Kindergarten). I reached that goal.

This year, my goal is to get him TAUGHT.
I want him to learn something this year.


His IEP last year was this:

Come into the class, do his weather graph in the first 20 minutes by the time the Sp. Ed teacher pokes her head in to check.

His "resource help" was this: Sp. Ed teacher pokes her head in to check if he has/has not completed his weather graph.

My son is now going in Grade 3, skill level Sr. Kgtn., no aid, no half day Sp. Ed. No IPRC - yet.

I have been making schedules and break passes and all manner of thing on Boardmaker. I want to do what I can to make this year easier for him.

My mother - who is a retired teacher - says that it's a social-innuendo PC MINEFIELD dealing with the board. I'm not so good with that. I'm direct. Straight forward. I don't do PC and runaround.

The teachers and principal always seem so nice, and seem like they're trying everything. But then I got this ridiculous IEP, and they're telling me that was his total objective for the 2nd half of grade 2? How about learning to read? How about teaching him to write, or type? How about addition, subtraction, science - anything?
No. Write down whether it's raining, hot, or cold.
For the whole day, that's it.


I need advice.

What can I do?
Can I buy him something that would help?
A Netbook?
Noise cancelling headphones?
Software of some sort?
How do I deal with people who smile in my face while telling me there's nothing they can do to teach my son because of lalalala..

These are things I'm thinking of.

ANY help.
ANY advice, is appreciated.

Hi Vivienne, coincidentally I just wrote a blog post on this subject (the first half is about our school issues, but the second half is full of links to resources for getting back to school). It's here if you'd like to check it out: http://www.welcome-to-normal.com/2010/0 ... s-for.html

The most important thing you can do is advocate effectively for your child. Some of that is knowing when to play nice when you really want to rip someone's useless head off their neck. Some of that is knowing when to elevate the issue to senior administrators or your MLA or MP.

Your IEP is your initial framework for advocating for your child's needs, so you need to ensure you DO NOT SIGN IT until it is full of all the goals you want your son's teachers to target. You can also contact a local autism association and ask if they have advocates who can assist you or even attend the IEP meeting with you.