Trouble with gym class...

[XYSRUS]

Does anyone who has an autistic/Asperger's child have adaptive PE class? My son has struggled for close to 3 yrs now in gym. I thought he could just tough it out, but this year it's getting worse. The gym teacher wants him to put forth more effort and my son says he does and then stops/crys b/c he's embarassed he can't do anything. Anyone have any suggestions?

 

[AJKMOM]

Maybe it's time for you to request a conference with the gym teacher, along with his classroom teacher. The gym teacher might not fully be aware of your son's capabilities. Other than that, I know my son's gym teacher is great and very understqnding of what the kids in his class can and can't do.

 

[Maraena]

I would also suggest having a conference. From what I know of most undergraduate physical education programs, students (who later become those PE teachers) receive very little information on adaptive PE. Unless a PE teacher has been specifically instructed in adaptive PE, they're going to have some difficulties with really understanding how best to instruct.

That being said, I've only seen 3 states. Undergraduate programs differ dramatically by school and state. If I were you, I'd double check (as tactfully as possible) on how much training this individual has in adaptive PE. Perhaps come at it from the perspective of his philosophy towards adaptive PE or his/her overall goals for your child.

As difficult as it may be to remain objective (particularly in the face of having an emotional attachment to your child), I would strongly suggest trying to keep it on a business/professional level. I would also suggest that you have him try to track what is happening prior to the behaviors (antecendents), the actual behaviors occuring, and the outcomes of those behaviors (both his and the child's actions). There may be more than meets the eye that's encouraging his or your child's behaviors.

Sorry to sound so medical about the whole thing. I certainly don't want to negate your feelings, your child's feelings, or that of the teacher. However, to get to the bottom of things, I've just found it's best to try to detail out the actual behaviors while trying to maintain a distance. Hopefully that makes sense.

 

[pcparamedics01]

I would also suggest a conference. In my son's younger years K and 1st he did not do well in gym. It was too loud and very hard to redirect him, and many times he was over stimulated. Today he loves gym. But many times in the previous years they would pull him out of gym and put him in some rooms that had mini trampolines and other things to help him recompose himself. It really depended on what they were doing that day. Free play forget it. He had to leave!

 

[Janet Hill]

I'm glad this has come up. My son is still in the 4th grade so this is not much of an issue yet, but I can see it being a big problem in middle school. I wonder if I would have much luck just pulling him out of PE. He does swim for 1.5 hrs 3 days a week, that should be enough PE for him. He cannot do any type of ball sports and is very uncoordinated and gets frustrated very easily.

 

[WildGrits]

Could sensory diet be considered his PE class?


My DD never had a problem with gym. Noise was never and issue. Perceived noise is her problem. Am I alone on this one?

For example, she could sit in her room singing at the top of her lungs, but if it showed a thunder storm on the tv, she would cover her ears and get upset.

Another example, she is in the auditorium waiting for assemby to start. The room is big and full of people talking over each other. That doesn't bother her, my ears are bleeding. But when it comes time to clap, she covers her ears.

And god forbid they show the THX clip before the movie. She will loose her mind.

Does anyone else notice this also?

 

[bairdbeth]

Is his PE teacher a regular or an adapted PE teacher? If he is getting APE services, I would request an amendment meeting to write new goals and objectives that will better meet his needs. If he is not receiving APE, I would request that an APE evaluation be done. My students who receive APE have the APE teacher go to 2 of their 3 PE classes a week and she also consults with our regular PE teacher about the modifications each student needs.

 

[kcatplay]

hi I have a 15 year old daughter who is autistic And gym was always a big problem for her the older she got.She did fine when she was younger but once she got to middle school and they wanted her to do different sports type gym each week thats when we started having problems.she refused to participate and would stand in the middle of the gym and not move or talk well balls went flying past her and sometimes hit her.they would literally have to drag her over to the side so she wouldn't get hurt.they made her stand off to the side and watch the other kids play and would try to make her participate once in a while but she still wouldn't.they finally agreed to take her out of gym completely and put her into choir.which she didn't mind doing.she was happy and they where happy cause they didn't have to worry about her safety anymore.they counted the choir as her gym credits and there where no more problems they did it automatically the next year for her also.If you feel gym will not be best for him then by all means tell them you don't want him to participate in it and that you want a alternitive offered,you have the right to insist that they give you another option.you have to fight for what you want otherwise they will do what they want and not what is best for your child.

 

[HopperFan]

I'm glad this has come up. My son is still in the 4th grade so this is not much of an issue yet, but I can see it being a big problem in middle school. I wonder if I would have much luck just pulling him out of PE. He does swim for 1.5 hrs 3 days a week, that should be enough PE for him. He cannot do any type of ball sports and is very uncoordinated and gets frustrated very easily.

After years of great pain in PE in elementary, and entering middle where "adaptive" was not an option....even though the "special" kids were all mixed into one time frame under one awesome teacher (5 teachers x 30 kids per at one time in PE), I wasn't sure what we would do. I was ready to go to battle for a medical exempt, when the principal told me "Our special needs kids on IEP do not have to take PE. Totally optional and can be written into his IEP." No one had ever told me that. Ended up he very very slowly joined into the class and it was one of the best experiences of his entire school career. Then after a couple years in high school, PE became a painful place once again - even in adaptive PE, so we pulled him out the last few years. BUT I would ask what the rules are regarding PE and ask to opt out.