Teacher problems
My son is in the 4th grade and is ADHD/ODD. He has an IEP and has since Kindergarten b/c he takes medication. I have always gotten along with his teachers. This year this teacher has been a nightmare. First I had to call a meeting with her to talk about his grades and a comment she wrote on his report card that "He could do better than his grades are reflecting he just needs to put forth a better effort". So I met with the teacher and his IEP teacher together to see what this was about. The IEP teacher said he was struggling and not doing well and his regular teacher says she sees he can do the work but watching him do practice problems and he gets them right. Well when she does practice problems he's doing one problem at a time and when he takes a test there are mutiple problems. I think it's overwhelming his ADHD mind. She disagrees and said he's just not trying. I mentioned that he was wanting tutoring and she said he's not a candaniate for being tutored. He didn't "fit" the creteria for needing it.
Well, yesterday I got a progress report and he's almost making straight D's. So I made a note on the report that these grades seems to show he's needing some tutoring. She emails me today and says he isn't having tutoring and he is just wanting to stay for tutoring to be with his friends. That's not true b/c he goes to an after school program with alot of his friends. She has all but said she didn't want him in tutoring b/c he would be a distraction to the other kids. As a parent shouldn't she want to work with me? I've never had a teacher be so uncaring.
And get this, tonight he was just totally off the walls. I asked him did you take your noon pill at school today? He said no, I keep forgetting. Should he be reponsbile for remember that? I sent an email to the teacher to confirm this? So she wants to complain his behavior but not give him the medicine to help him. Is this right? I'm just so confused and don't know where to go. Should I talk with his IEP teacher the principal? I hate to see him fall thru to cracks b/c this teacher not working with him better with his disorder. Any advice of what I should do?????
Help?
Thanks,
Amy
I feel for you. My son had a nightmare teacher last year in 5th grade. She was terrible with him, and I felt that she resented him because he needed extra support. Really, it was bad. Since you are not getting any resolution with the teacher I would go straight to the principal. I would write down any concerns you have, talk to her about the teacher, and if YOU feel like changes need to be made to the IEP ask for a IEP meeting. You have to be tough, IMHO. You are the only advocate for your child.About the meds...that is totally unacceptable. Get a note from your doctor specifying that your DS has to take his meds at noon and add that to the IEP. IMHO, the nurse should be calling him down to take his med everyday. An ADHD 4th grader should not be made responsible for this.
Good luck!
Heather
It is completely unacceptable that they are forgetting his meds. We had this problem last year and I went balistic on the nurse and principal. If my DS had asthma, diabetes or a heart condition they wouldn't forget his meds but because they don't really believe that ADHD is a medical condition they just let it slip. By the time I was done with them (mind you I did tell them that if this ever happened again I would go before the school board and demand the nurse's resignation) they had pictures of my DS with the time for his meds written underneath laminated and posted all over the classroom. They didn't post on the signs what he was doing at that time so to keep his privacy but it did the trick. The nurse now calls me for EVERYTHING. I think she's scared of me! That wasn't my intention and I"m not a bully but she hasn't forgotten since! Your son can not and should not be expected to remember to get his medication. He's in 4th grade!
Enter Your Email below to claim your Free Book