Hello beautiful people. How are you all? I'm enjoying a day off, it's lovely.
This week Chai came home from school and told me that when he'd been unable to copy down a whole whiteboard full of text his teacher had asked him (in front of the whole class) what was wrong with him. Considering his school has a high number of students with disabilities I found this question entirely inappropriate.
I thought about it on the drive home and while I was making dinner. I thought about it all that evening. The next morning, after I'd given myself time to think fully on it, I emailed the head of department and told her what had happened. I then got the teachers email and emailed her the list of diagnoses that Chai has. Considering Chai has eight diagnoses it was a long list.
As I knew the teacher was new to that class I wasn't rude, I just politely told her what his diagnoses are, how they affect him in class, the children that he doesn't get along with and what happens when he's overwhelmed or annoyed (usually by the kids he doesn't get along with).
Her reply to me was positive, she explained as well as being new to the class she's also new to the school, so having background on Chai is very helpful. She's now working on strategies to assist him.
The whole high school parent thing is new to me and I'm still figuring it out. I'd assumed that teachers would be given a rundown on students like they are at primary school. Clearly that is not the case. Even when something happens with certain students that information isn't passed on to all the teachers. I've had to email each of Chai's teachers and let them know what's going on with him. It's been a learning curve.
It's occurred to me that I've never had to do this with Eljay. With Chai it's endless. I'm always emailing a teacher about something. I've emailed Eljay's teacher once this year and that was to arrange a time for our parent meeting. I've emailed Chai's teachers at least ten times so far this year.
Parenting Chai is a lot more labour intensive. It's forced me to be "that parent". At first I was hesitant to be that parent but I've gotten over it, I've accepted that I'll always be that parent and I do what I need to do to advocate for my child. Surprisingly most of the reactions I get are positive. Even if they weren't positive it wouldn't change anything. I'll always advocate for my boys.
I really hope there comes a day when neither of them need me to advocate for them.
Have a wonderful weekend! It's going to be cold and wet here all weekend, I'm so excited!
You may already be doing this (or it may be a strategy that the teacher has suggested).
ReplyDeleteBut one thing that worked well for my kid, who really struggled with written work, was to take a photo of the work on the board.
It took the stress out of the situation - since he could copy what he could in the time available, and still had access to the information later.
Sometimes we'd print out the photo, and stick it in his workbook, beside what he'd written - so he had access to the info if he needed it later (e.g. it was the list of what he needed to include in a report or project).
Of course, the teacher needs to be OK with this happening. I don't know what the acceptable tech level is at Chai's school.
Originally he'd take the photo with his ipad (when he was in Primary), now he just uses his phone when/if he needs to.
It's a strategy that was shared with my by a parent of a kid with dyslexia - and it's apparently a really common accommodation (and dyslexia is one of the diagnoses that the teachers will be familiar with)
That's a brilliant idea! Thanks so much! I'll suggest it to the school. Also, sorry for my slow reply, blogger has not been letting me reply to comments, it's so frustrating.
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