Why don't teachers get it?

[tallulah]

Just been to Parents Evening for year 9 ADHD/dyspraxic son. The very first teacher (science) had a moan that DS is inconsistent with work, forgets to hand it in, is dreadful with organisation & his presentation is appalling. (Yet scores highly in tests..)

When I said, "well he does have problems..." he interupted with "yes obviously he has his assistant with him.." but completely missed the point that the problems are inconsistency, organisation & presentation.

Then he went on about him having to practice & improve...

How many times do I have to explain to these people that no matter how many targets they set & how much they "demand" he improve, he CAN'T? If he had no legs would they tell him his target was to walk, and he had to keep practising until he could do it?

Arrrrgggggghhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Do you want me to go and punch him for you?

I have no clue as to why they dont understand, especially with the inclusion policy nowadays. Does the teacher really think just because a child/young adult has a support worker with them they are going to be as capable as the rest of the class at homework targets? Not saying he isnt but why does the teacher make such asumptions. I would take no notice tallulah, tonight is stressful enough for you without tactless comments

Its like bangI always ing your head against a brick wall- earlier this year i was critsised by ds1's yr4 teacher that i was not helping him longterm by 'layering his clothes' so that he could pput them on in the correct order- he has ADHD and Aspergers (and i think dyspraxia too) so I UNDERSTAND that by constantly repeating this he will EVENTUALLY manage it INDEPENDANTLY.... however i get so *issed off that teachers think that there is a way to STOP all the childs problems.....I believe that what i do now will be demonstrated when he's an adult....living independantly...Does your son get to work at a 'workstation' which is screened so to avoid some distractions? This is something i'd like DS1 to have...ok its a prob if all 36 kids needed it in his class...but they don't...and i'll build it for the school if it's too much trouble!

LOL mrsf! I can just see you in a fetching Bob the Builder outfit and hat! Eulalia - I'm sure teachers think we somehow make up these problems that our children face.

Can I fix it....Yes i can ....OOOOH well i think so - says lofty!!!!

Dh always thinks the phrase "Spud's on the job!" is dodgy. It has two meanings here - and neither are suitable for kiddie TV. Oooh sorry Eulalia. Will bring this thread back by saying you did well not to throttle that teacher.

Oh dear tallulah. You should read Jacqui Jackson's book- mulitcoloured mayhem- she has exactly the same problems with her son Joe's school (ADHD). They do manic things like keep him in at break to finish work then wonder why he's bouncing off the walls all afternoon.
Grrrr on your behalf.

Can't believe they're having a go about presentation to someone who is dyspraxic. Surely that's an obvious link that anyone could understand (I can see why, without some inderstnading of the conditions they wouldn't understand about problems sequencing etc).

coppertop, it's tallulah, not Eulalia.

Agree though!

My DS (Y11) has probs with consistency, organisation and presentation and he's "normal" - no excuses for him. At his parents' evening there was a certain amount of shrugging and eyerolling - you'd think they would recognise the difference and be more tolerant with an ADHD child. Sympathy, tallulah.

Oooooops! Sorry tallulah!

I think we should all get together and flush this teacher's head down the toilet.

Tallulah, I'm sorry that you had such a crappy time Some of us do try to understand and work to SN children's needs, but I know that this is not universal.

Can I ask a question here? And this is a real question, not a wind up or smart comment. When I use children's IEPs I look ar the section that gives the targets. I try to tailor my teaching to meet these targets, knowing that progress might be very small. I have ADHD children who have been given targets of remebering and completing their homework. From your comment, Tallulah, do you feel that these are impossible goals, or do you mean that teachers are expecting too much too soon? Please understand that I do not 'demand' that they improve, but I do try to work with them so that they can improve. Am I trying to do the impossible?

To my mind, inclusion policy as it stands, sucks. We are selling these children short.

Hugs to you and your ds

can I put my teacher hat on for a moment too - I know what it is like to be on that side ( dd is not old enough for parents' evenings yet....)

BUT ( not to defend this teacher ) -

Inclusion is a government policy but NO time or focus is given in teacher training to even the very basic - that is acquainting teachers with a small understanding of conditions children have/face and what that may mean for their teaching. Nor do they attempt educate the aging teaching population - i have only been teaching 14 years and ADD was something I had no experience of when I had a boy turn up - the SENCO told me he would arrive and that he had medication - THAT is all I was told..... ( way back when) It has increased ( or the number of children being diagnosed has... as medical knowledge has increased)

Some teachers I work with do try to work with the students IEP to assist them to achieve their very best.....Perhaps as someone else suggested - his IEP needs to reflect these issues that you are raising.

I do know our SENCO ( BLess her - is brilliant) does do simple easy to read explanantions of conditions that our students have for teachers to read and try to understand.

I have a class where I have 10 IEP's - of varying degress and only 2 children have support assistants... I then have to try and do almost five/six separate lesson plans /lots of work... you know I know I let these kids down sometimes - time, and energy are just not there.......

So out of that long ramble - two suggestions...

1. ask the SENCO to do up a small summary of ADHD and dyspraxia for staff to read....( I would bet that science teacher has no idea how to spell them let alone what they are.... as other people do not)

2. Is he due for a review soon - if not - make an appointment with the SENCO and ask to check his IEP and how it is being met....

I would much rather have a workable IEP that list practical strategies than some I have seen that list airy fairy ideas that have no practicality in a classroom

And sorry you had a horrible time........

If you feel up to it - ( putting Mother hat on here) I would ask for another appointment with the Science teacher and the SENCO, go armed with his IEP and ask the teacher to indicate how he is attmepting to cater to your son's needs and help him to meet the targets set.

Sorry its so long

i agree with teh last two posts.....I would make another appt with the teacher concerned - less pressure of time etc
also it might be worth chatting to senco to see whether targets are realistic......teachers probs will be working to these targets
good luck tho....i imagine it can be vvv frustrating....glad DS isnt at school yet...i imagine i will be the worlds worst parent for criticising teachers"!!!!

hmb- I think part of the problem is that IEP's will state something like "x must remember to do his homework" or some such thing, without actually putting strategies in place to allow x to remember. These often need to be set up with the parent. If X is incapable at the moment of remembering his homework diary, or writing something sensible in it then that needs to be worked on first.

These things need very short steps.

As a very basic example. A big long term aim has been for ds1 to take his coat off and hang it on his peg. The first IEP said he had to unzip his coat with adult physical prompt, next IEP he had to unzip his coat himself and then take it off with adult physical prompt. Now he is removing his coat himself and then chucking it on the floor So next iep will work towards the peg bit- very very very small steps- but the only way.

(he also now unzips everyone else's coat and removes everyone top garment whether they happen to be wearing a coat or not- warning for any vistors!)

glad you have had so much success so far with ds jimjams!!
i speak for those of us who do try to listen to parents etc..i teach a few boys with ASD and I was over the moon when a parent of a boy who i began teaching in sept with AS gave me an information leaflet about the specific difficulties and then comments about how her ds was. I have taught several pupils with ASD in mainstream school during the 8 years that i have been teaching.but as with all children, they are all different and it may help your ds's teacher, tallulah, to have some specific info on your DS
just re-read this post and it sounds a bit bossy. didnt mean it to come out this way
i hope that you have some success.
wish that i was your ds's teacher - he sounds lovely compared to some of my (thinks how to word this.....) ........lovely pupils!

whoops - just re-read this thread - dunno why i wrote about AS - meant ADHD.
but i suppose that the stuff i have said kind of applies to all of these things!!!

Thanks girls. It's made me feel better knowing that a lot of you know exactly how this feels.

We had a recent review with the SENCO & she scaled down his targets to things like making sure his LSA had got his homework written down and that he was bringing the right books to school. The previous one she'd put something about organisation but as eidsvold says it was a bit airyfairy & didn't actually explain how we planned to tackle the problem.

I need to ask the clinic for some more fact sheets on ADHD in the classroom. Trouble is at secondary school there are so many different members of staff involved & the information doesn't seem to make it through to them.

Tonight we had parents evening at (dyspraxic & poss AS) DS1's school. (Just what we needed, 2 in a row). These were more positive & seemed to be on our side, suggesting strategies for help rather than expecting us to do it. His English teacher positively beamed when we said we were all for his suggestion of revision classes after school. We also got to speak to the man who sorts out extra time & help in exams... much more positive. (Then this is a High school geared up for SEN children & the other is a Grammar not used to bright children also having problems).

Have calmed down now, but I will go with the suggestion of seeing the science teacher again. (DS said "but he's my favourite teacher..." )

go for it tallulah
take IEP with you and talk it through....
can see how a large secondary school might be a bit more tricky for staff communicating info.
good luck
(and i hope that you were not offended by my comments earlier...trying to be helpful!!)

any further forward tallulah?!!?

not had chance yet popsycal, but thanks.

(Not offended appreciate all helpful comments!)