One major pain in arse is the school system. I could just lay into the vulgar language right now, but what would be the point. I've gotten to the point in my son's academic studies, where I've reached out to a Educational Advocate. Yes, they do exist. They know how to play hard ball and unfortunately I might have to start playing that way.
Mr. E has been on a 504 plan since the 3rd grade and just to keep you up-to-date he is now in the 7th grade. A 504 is basically a list of rules that govern how Mr. E goes about his daily schedule with teachers/parents and any other resource the school might provide. Because Mr E. has a learning disability the school is required to work with the parents on getting the pupil to a appealing learning environment.
Sounds great right? not so much. It does not help when the teacher requires all students to write in cursive. It does not help when the teacher requires that all spelling words must be copied from the board. It does not help to have no lines of current technology available for lines of communication. How is it that this teacher does not have an email account???
So... this is nothing new. We've come to an agreement and I'm in the process of setting up a proper 504 meeting to have things updated and changed. Yet, they want to meet at 11 am. What? Miss another day of work to deal with these incompetent fools!!
The icing on the cake was this past Sunday night. I received a call from my cousin who I haven't spoken to in months! Life gets in the way sometimes, so we were gabbing away for almost 2 hours. It's getting late we say our goodbyes. I round up the kids wondering why they haven't been getting ready for bed, but whatever. It's 11:30 by now and Mr E. hands me a paper and requests that I sign it for school.
Do you have a sinking feeling? Of course, it's a progress report stating missing homework assignments. Half of his work has not been turned in. What does this mean? Yep, a failing grade, huge letter F ... forget basketball. sigh. The teacher did allow for him to turn in any missing homework, but it's due when? You guess it, Monday.
We stayed up till 2 am. My brain was mush and he had only finished two out of the 10 missing. You know it couldn't be easy stuff, like 1200 divided by 2!!! No, it was word problems like if Fort Wayne Texas has a population of 534,000 and.... I better stop or my brain will burst right here.
What do you do? This is the same behavior we experienced last year. What am I going to do with this boy? Ground him? Pin him up by his ears?
Being a parent is hard. Seriously, if I'm having a difficult time now, then what happens when he's staying out late with a girl... or stealing the family car? or bailing him out of jail!!
I've got it easy right now and I'm kinda freaking out. Gosh, to be four again.
No school, all your meals are served to you, you get books read to you all day long and the worst thing that might come up is the occasional picking up of your toys.
I then start to think... I've got to do this all over again with her! Someone save me.
2 comments:
I usually don'tcomment, but I am with you on special needs, children. I am a mother, and a teacher. My son is 14. He is currently at a south suburban public school. He has been special needs since the age of 4. I could write a book. Teachers do not want to make acccomditaions, required in the IEP. please contact me if you want some info.
Joanne. I am a knitter from Nanna's
First of all, you can set the time for the meeting. It needs to be during normal school hours (or at least close like 3:30- 4:00) Second, the teacher has to have email through the school. The school provides a computer. Third, a 504 plan must include areas where Mr. E needs help like printing or the use of a computer. Let us not forget extra time or even letting you know when assignments are missing. If getting work home is part of his problem then they can not count on him to bring home notes and such. They are trying to mess with you.
The law is on your side. They know this. They are counting on you NOT knowing this.
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