teacher question

[aristocatz]

Then he should have an IEP if he gets services at school. There might not be academic and classroom accommodations and goals outline in it but he should have one. You need to get with the special ed teacher that he is assigned to, discuss your concerns, and set up an actual IEP meeting.

The child may not have a sped teacher, especially if the OP said they are only receiving pull out therapy services. The OP said they did not have an IEP for K but needed one for 1st grade. The OP might be confusing academic goals with an IEP. If the child is receiving direct therapy services, than they are most definitely on an IEP....unless the school is doing things the wrong way. In my district, they do not allow academic goals at the K level (unless they are in a sub-separate program). They utilize in-class interventions & assess them for the first few months of school. They make any referrals for academic services halfway through the school year. Also, just because a child has autism, it doesn't automatically mean that they are on an IEP.

 

[3forme]

this will be my first time having a student like this in my class.

do you find that these kids have issues

I would be careful how I referred to a student. I wouldn't want to offend or group children, especially those I have never met.

Autism is a spectrum diagnosis. While several students may have the same diagnosis, no two will have the same needs.

If a student is receiving services, he should have an iep.

 

[TheIncredibles!]

I am the mother of three children with IEP's. My oldest is a child with special needs that is cognitively impaired, has sensory issues, growth impaired etc. My other two have learning disabilities. I have to say I am horrified that there is an "experienced" Teacher posting on a Disney board asking for tips on how to handle a Child with Special Needs that has been assigned to her classroom for the following year. Nobody here can help you. They can only point out the common sense decision you should have done which is speak to the current teacher and parents if you have concerns. How can somebody teach for 8 years and not know who to speak with regarding incoming children? All kids are different, IEP or not, and all have ther own quirks when it comes to school and learning. I find it very hard to believe that a teacher with 8 years of experience under her belt has no clue how to prepare for the upcoming school year.

 

[IDoDis]

I don't see a need to bash the OP for asking a question to teachers. The community board is not vacation specific. Just look at the posts here and one will see that the posts are mostly non-Disney related. Also, while I agree with using first-person language (It's a pet-peeve of mine.), people are too quick to bash the teacher with her phrasing. I frequently see parents on this board (and on this thread) who refer to their own children as an "autistic kid" which shows that not everyone finds it offensive.

OP, I have 23 years of teaching Elementsry Special Education. It is not unheard of for you to not have encountered a child with an IEP in the first grade. First of all, your school may have a low population of students who have IEP's. You may even be in a private school where there are very few students who only have mild needs where classroom accommodations can meet those needs. I teach grades K-2. This year, 92% of my students were in 2nd grade. Services start with the student being in his/her LRE (Least Restrictive Environment), so having only language therapy in kindergarten is absolutely not uncommon.

Having said that, if your new student receives speech/language therapy your student DOES have an IEP already. An update meeting to add an academic subject would need to take place for a special ed teacher to provide more interventions. That teacher will be your best resource to set up things that may be needed like a visual schedule, write social stories, help with transitions, etc... I have found that using a time-timer where the student can visually see how much time each subject will last or how much time he/she has until a break has been very helpful. http://www.amazon.com/s/?ie=UTF8&ke...vptwo=&hvqmt=e&hvdev=t&ref=pd_sl_2azdpp17ht_e

I also keep a fidget box in my room with squishy things to hold as needed. I allow my students to chew gum if it helps them focus, and I keep a lot of straws on hand for chewing (I cut them I half). Some students need them, some don't. Check with your school's OT to see if you can borrow a wiggle seat. I have a couple of them in my classroom, even for kids who don't receive OT at school. http://www.amazon.com/Stability-Cus..._sim_21_3?ie=UTF8&refRID=1RZQ6EDPGKAD2XEFXQXC

A good quick read summer book I recommend is, "Ten Things Your Student With Autism Wishes You Knew."
http://www.amazon.com/Things-Your-Student-Autism-Wishes/dp/1932565361

 

[TheDisneyNurse]

Just jumping in with some ideas. I think it would be a great idea to speak with the young boy or his parents about how they would like him to sit in the classroom. I'm sure he will have a wonderful time in your class. Autism is sometimes an invisible disorder, and I am hoping that everything will work out for him. I don't think you are a bad person at all for asking. Asking is a GOOD thing, you are trying to make hom as comfortable as possible so that he may learn.

My little brother was developmentally delayed because he was critically ill for the first few months of his life. Incidentally, he had a very bad speech problem for about the first 7 or 8 years of his life. He'd go to speech therapy at school a few days of the week. It was very hard for him to be understood by people at school due to his issue. He had a teacher in first grade that taped a giant "SPECIAL NEEDS: SPEECH" sign on his desk, and put him in the corner of the room with another student who was in ESE. It was extremely offensive to our family and we took up the issue with the school board. The teacher said she had a reason for it, but to us, it seemed as if she was segregating them because of their differences. If that's what my brother wanted, then we wouldn't have had a problem at all.

That being said, I have a large amount of respect for teachers. They do what many of us cannot, and that amazes me. Props to you, OP for being a teacher!! I wish you best of luck this school year

 

[IDoDis]

IDoDis- apparently you don't read here much ?
Many posts started here by op related to her job seem more appropriate to ask an associate, or the Principal and not anonymous posters.

Fortunately, I have enough to keep myself busy. I have mentored many teachers over the years and worked for 3 years in a mentor program where I spent my work days in classrooms mentoring teachers. So no, I don't find her post disturbing. She's never had a student with autism and wants to start preparing this summer. There are many experienced teachers who don't know how to meet the needs of kids who learn differently. Believe me, there are many many teachers who have no idea what to do. This fact was bothersome to me, so I initiated trainings in my school and started a study group so teachers could learn more about working with students who have autism. We ask advice from each other all the time. Teachers are not experts in everything. We continue to learn throughout our careers. The day I think I have nothing left to learn is the day I sign retirement papers.

The OP's post was directed at teachers, hence the title, "Teacher Question." If you are a teacher and can offer a good book to read or a helpful suggestion, then do so. Bashing someone for not knowing what to do is not helpful. At least the teacher is asking for suggestions and is thinking ahead. She wants to do right by this student and doesn't deserve the negative energy.

 

[IDoDis]

She has made no mention of location, student name, nor identifiers of who she is, etc... Please cite your code of conduct with a link. She has not violated FERPA in any way, shape, or form by asking an anonymous question with no personal identifiers. There are many online education message boards that teachers go to for advice. In hindsight, it would have been better for her to go to one of those boards, which is probably what she's done considering the tone here.

The title was obviously an auto-correct typo that was fixed. I wouldn't die on that hill.

 

[IDoDis]

It's not unusual for 1st grade teacher at a high performing school where kids are typically identified later on for academics. Like I said before, I deal with teachers all the time who come to me with questions regarding my mainstreamed students that have autism and other disabilities. Also, this community board is not all things Disney. There are posts galore about every topic imaginable. Are you saying that all posts on the CB must be Disney related because it's a Disney board?

 

[Gracie09]

It's not unusual for 1st grade teacher at a high performing school where kids are typically identified later on for academics. Like I said before, I deal with teachers all the time who come to me with questions regarding my mainstreamed students that have autism and other disabilities. Also, this community board is not all things Disney. There are posts galore about every topic imaginable. Are you saying that all posts on the CB must be Disney related because it's a Disney board?

We will have to disagree on this. I have found in higher performing schools, parents tend (but are not always) to be more educated, so are more aware of weaknesses in their children. They are also more likely to seek help when there appears to be a problem. Now, it may be more difficult for a child to qualify for an iep because the child may perform higher than in areas of the country that are not as high performing. Since testing is normed across the country the child may have a disability but still test "too high". I spent hours with the director of special education in my school district going through my daughter's testing to get her the services she needed. Thankfully I knew I could appeal and how to do that.

 

[tinkerbellandeeyor]

For those getting up tight about the title give it a rest both teachers and TAs pull their weight I know because I am going on my fourth year volunteering, and I have to say TA spend more time with kids because they are not at the worships and other meetings

 

[Angel Ariel]

I have a question, we just got our class list for next year today and I will have a little boy with autism in my class next year. this will be my first time having a student like this in my class. I asked his kindergarten teacher a little bit about him today and he had a big issue with seat time he was ok during free play. what can I do as a teacher to make things easy for him in first grade where we have more seat time and less play time. I have my room set up where four kids sit together would it be better to do each desk in a row next year and have him sit in the front of the room. I am going to email the parents and open the lines of communication now so I can get to know them better, his kindergarten teacher said that it worked out well for her this year. if you guys have any ideas for me I am open to anything to help this little boy have a great first grade year. are there any good books on this subject I should read this summer

as another PP said..allowing him to stand instead of sitting at his desk may help. Also, maybe having an exercise ball he could sit on at his desk in place of a chair when he needs to?

 

[NHdisneylover]

I find it a little surprising that the OP has taught 8 years without having any experience with an IEP--but I do believe it can happen and I don't see anything wrong with her asking for advice here, where she knows there are many teachers and many parents of autistic kids (yes, I know how I phrased it--my own autistic teen prefers that phrasing-; I understand teachers have to be careful and there is nothing wrong with letting OP know what the expected norm in her profession is, but I don't need to same lecture ).


Anyway, OP, in case you are still reading, one thing that I have not seen mentioned is classroom control in general. A poorly behaving class means more sensory input to overload a student who is sensitive to that, as well as a feeling that things are not going according to plan which can really increase anxiety. So, focusing on that for everyone is likely to help all of your students and possibly your new autistic one most of all.

 

[SirDuff]

Having posting issues.

 

[piglet50]

I'm not an educator but I am a parent who just wants to say that this child is fortunate to have you as his teacher next year. You want to do your best for this child, and it shows in the way you are working now to make his year a good one. Thank you and the other teachers who work so hard for our kids.

 

[sam_gordon]

For those getting up tight about the title give it a rest both teachers and TAs pull their weight I know because I am going on my fourth year volunteering, and I have to say TA spend more time with kids because they are not at the worships and other meetings

I don't think anyone has said teachers and TA's don't "pull their weight". I don't think anyone has brought TAs up yet, so I don't understand your vent.

Regarding the bolded, did you mean workshops instead of worships? If teachers are at workshops & meetings, don't they have subs? TA's don't teach the class in a teacher's absence, do they?

 

[phorsenuf]

For those getting up tight about the title give it a rest both teachers and TAs pull their weight I know because I am going on my fourth year volunteering, and I have to say TA spend more time with kids because they are not at the worships and other meetings

Interesting.

 

[Luv2Run]

For those getting up tight about the title give it a rest both teachers and TAs pull their weight I know because I am going on my fourth year volunteering, and I have to say TA spend more time with kids because they are not at the worships and other meetings

I really don't understand the relevance of this post. No one was talking about TAs. No one was talking about volunteers. The OP is neither.

 

[TheIncredibles!]

I don't think anyone has said teachers and TA's don't "pull their weight". I don't think anyone has brought TAs up yet, so I don't understand your vent.

Regarding the bolded, did you mean workshops instead of worships? If teachers are at workshops & meetings, don't they have subs? TA's don't teach the class in a teacher's absence, do they?

The poster volunteers at a daycare/preschool not a k-12 school.

 

[sam_gordon]

The poster volunteers at a daycare/preschool not a k-12 school.

That still doesn't explain the post (at least to me).

 

[Wishing on a star]

Lots of good input here!
My son (now almost an adult) has some learning disability issues, and some crossover with Aspergers/ASD.
I would very very much agree for you to just 'listen' to his mother.
Even if she might seem like an over-protective snowflake mother, (one of what is called 'those parents', you might find that she really does know the issues and can be very helpful.

Here are just a few thoughts.

1. Sensory issues, very easily overwhelmed.
2. Need structure. Will need to be aware of routine, scheduling, etc. May not be able to pick up on time and schedule on his own. May need very direct pre-notice thru the day. "Reading time is next... (or is almost over) then we will have recess.... etc. Even bathroom breaks, and 'permission' to be excused, things like that, might be necessary.
3. Often very very verbally concrete and literal. Everything should be spelled out in the simplest terms. Might not be able, at all, to pick up on things like other kids might, by suggestion, assumption, following along with the others, etc.
4. Be aware of other deficits that might need to be accommodated. For my son visual processing, handwriting, etc. were huge at this age. Any expectation that he would 'see' and 'do' things that other kids could would be a mistake. Even 'busy' visually confusing kids worksheets were a problem. He couldn't even process and follow thru them visually.
5. Yes, personal space is huge. Small pods might be okay. But you might need to make sure this child has a lot of personal space. Be aware that 'preferential seating' might be necessary. Or, as mentioned, another separate work-area available to him.
6. Be very aware of things like more sensory demanding activities, and activities that vary from the routine... Movies, programs like going to gatherings, pep-rallies, field trips, etc. These might be way too much, and be problematic without accommodation, or being excused from such activities.