Worried about ds1 with Aspergers going into Y2

[Greensleeves]

I wonder if anyone can reassure me with their experiences?

ds1 has Aspergers, he'll be 7 in September

he's had a good year at school with a teacher who is super-confident and really girted IMO - she runs a very tight ship, has lots of good strategies and really understands ds1 - she's at least as good with him as I am

his reception year was very rocky and troubled because his teacher went on maternity leave after a term and he had a supply teacher which he found very disruptive - he doesn't do well with changes

have just found out that next year he is having two teachers, each for half the week - I haven't met either of them yet and am really worried it isn't going to work well for him

ds1 is gifted in some areas (reads like an adult, got a high level 4 in Y6 science sats) but in other ways he is more like a 3yo, he struggles with dressing himself for PE, squeaks/flaps/cries etc - and sometimes he gets stuck on quite simple things, still writes numbers back to front etc - his needs are quite complex and I have been so grateful for his amazing teacher this year

I am worried he won't cope with having two teachers and the chances of both of them being as understanding of him can't be very great

I'm just worried, really

[Greensleeves]

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[Greensleeves]

Hi dino

He doesn't have any day-t-day intervention or a TA at the moment, although he has a diagnosis and an IEP - because his current teacher and classroom assistant are so good they cope with him as he is. His teacher was keen for him to get his diagnosis though, because later on , further up the school, he might need more help than he does at the moment

We are planning to request a meeting, if we could get one with both new teachers, current teacher and SENCO that would be great - but I feel like a nuisance requesting it.

[GooseyLoosey]

No advice but the situation sounds uncannily similar to mine. Ds also 6, going into Yr 2 next yr. Top of class for numeracy and reading. Poor motor control. Social issues. Fab teacher who controls him beautifully. Wishy washy teacher next year who has a reputation for just letting bright kids coast so chances are ds will run amok!

Can you meet the teachers in advance of the start of school and discuss strategies for your ds with them and how they are going to deal with the mid-week handover?

[castlesintheair]

Does he have a statement Greensleeves or get any additional support? I sympathise. My DS's teacher has been 'absent' for a lot of the year (2) and there have been various supply/trainees/other staff. Fortunately, DS gets some support so he hasn't been that unsettled (although he didn't make the incredible progress he made last year interestingly) but I know most of the other (NT) children have. In your DS's case I would say though, that although having 2 teachers job sharing may not be ideal, at least it will be consistent and whilst your DS may be unsettled to begin with, he should get used to it as long as it is consistent. Can you talk to him and reassure him throughout the summer (I have to do this with DS)? Also meet with the SENCO asap to check what strategies they have in place in case there is a problem.

[Greensleeves]

Goosey, that is eerily similar! Are you in the south west by any chance?

[madwomanintheattic]

if it is set up as the routine from the beginning of the year, ds should accept the two teachers thing (ime this works as the teachers always have the same schedule, so mtw=mrs x, wtf=mrs y etc. last year at ds1's school this worked fine, and the children reacted v well after having had quite a traumatic and unsettling period for one reason and another)

book a meeting with both teachers (and the current one lol, and the senco) to ensure that the handover is done properly. ask them if you can book an appointment for the last week in september as well so that you can discuss any issues that arise in the first few weeks of term. make sure they have all up to date reports, and send two copies of everything in. here, the two pt teachers were brilliant - both were experienced and capable professionals who were flexible enough to go pt by choice due to their family circs, and as a result seemed to be a little less fraught and harried than some of the ft staff. you may just be as lucky as we were!

only natural to worry, but do your own prep with the teachers (don't rely on them getting a handover/ reading the reports) and then try to postpone angst until you have something concrete to fret over!

enjoy your summer, with lots of prep for ds about which days mrs x will be there, and how lovely it will be to have TWO ladies!
(dd2 has two pt LSAs for her 1-1, and loves them both )

[castlesintheair]

sorry, x-posts. Agree with GL - it's all about the teacher. DS's has been a wash-out this year. Can you meet the 2 new teachers to suss them out? You are entitled to. You're not being a PITA (although they might think so )!

[madwomanintheattic]

lol x post and you rendered my advice irrelevant!

[Greensleeves]

I hope you're right castle that he will get used to it

I just hate the job-share thing in primary classes anyway, I don't think it is fair on the children and I feel really frustrated that this is happening after we have all worked so hard ot get him properly settled at school - it's sod's law

he doesn't have a statement yet, his teacher felt we should hold off on applying for one until he has concrete need for a personal TA or whatever - he was only dx'd very recently

that may come sooner rather than later now

[Greensleeves]

madwoman that is very reassuring, thank you

I take the point about them being less harried, that could be a good thing

but I still feel sad that he won't have one solid capable figure in charge who he can trust and bond with

he adores his current teacher and responds to her because he feels secure - I am dreading losing that

reading my own posts I can see how far out of proportion I have got all this, but whenever I thnk about it I just feel like bursting into tears

[Littlefish]

Greeny - I'm part of a jobshare team in Yr 2. This year we had a child in our class with ASD. My job-share partner and I set up strategies together with the SENCO and parents so that there was consistency across the week. It also helped that we had a TA who worked the whole week, and the boy also had a one to one TA for 2 hours every day.

We made sure that we used a class visual timetable and also an individual visual timetable which could reflect the normal pattern of the week, but also any changes. My job-share and I e-mail each other on an almost daily basis, plus phone each other, and have a book in the classroom which we use to record any other bits and pieces.

Once term has started, it isn't always possible for us both to meet with parents. We always do parents' evenings together, but the rest of the time, one or other of us does it and passes the information on.

Effective communication is really key to any job-share partnership, but particularly when there are a number of children with additional needs.

Do you know whether there is a class TA who will be there all week? She could be a great person to get on board - perhaps you could ask if she could be at the meeting as well?

[madwomanintheattic]

aw - he won't have one solid capable figure - he'll have two! and the cool thing about shared posts is that if one does have to go sick, v often the other one will agree to take up the slack, so you actually reduce the distress of introducing unfamiliar supply staff.
it will be fine

they'll both be fine. as long as we stay calm and don't stress

[GooseyLoosey]

Greeney - yes I am in the SouthWest! Are you really me?

The line between being a concerned parent doing the best for your child and comming across as a nightmare mother from hell is a fine one isn't it. Not sure where the school currently think I fall!

[ScummyMummy]

I reckon it will depend a lot on the teachers concerned, greeny, just like it does with non-job sharing single teachers. Don't panic yet- you might get a couple of fabsters like littlefish and her job-sharer. Even having 1 good half of a job sharing team might be better than one shite teacher, you know. He's got you and his dad to trust and bond with and he's got the solid foundation laid down by his current teacher too and that makes a difference- he knows school can be a good place to be and he'll carry that with him through any hiccups ahead. If things get awful I know you will sort it but in the meantime I really think you're jumping the gun a bit- it could work out just fine. I think you should concentrate on getting over the swine flu and having a great summer.