Feel like I'm hitting a brickwall!

[Sheryl]

My son's math teacher told me during parent teacher conference in October, that she thinks Zakk has a visual perception problem. Her reasons being that he did not draw perfect squares, but said his looked like her perfect ones, when he writes his name on his paper not all the letters touch the line, and finally the test she gave him. This test was that she drew a circle on a piece of paper, and he was to fill in the circle to look like a clock face. He got everything right, except that he rushed putting the numbers in. One was in the 12's place, and they continued around till 12 ended up where 9 would of been. (With me??) :wah:

So based on all that, she thinks he has a visual perception problem. I said ok, do I need to take him for further testing. She told me no. So I asked what do we do to help him work through this problem, she freaking shrugged her shoulders at me.

So I have talked to 3 different resource teachers that do the testing for dslyexia, and other learning disabilities. All three times I've gotten a let me talk to his teacher and then I'll get back to you. This was in October, it's now December and I've heard nothing.

So I've been tossed the reason of him having a problem as to why he's having a such hard time in school, but not getting any help. I have no freaking idea of where to go to now.

I really don't want to become one of those moms, that has the school secretary and principal hiding anytime I should show up on campus. But being nice really isn't getting me anywhere. :-5

Oh and when I mentioned taking Zakk to Sylvian's Learning Center for extra tutoring, I got a go to hell look!

[Peg]

Sounds like being nice is not going to get you any where.

[hoppy]

Sheryl;1077011 wrote: My son's math teacher told me during parent teacher conference in October, that she thinks Zakk has a visual perception problem. Her reasons being that he did not draw perfect squares, but said his looked like her perfect ones, when he writes his name on his paper not all the letters touch the line, and finally the test she gave him. This test was that she drew a circle on a piece of paper, and he was to fill in the circle to look like a clock face. He got everything right, except that he rushed putting the numbers in. One was in the 12's place, and they continued around till 12 ended up where 9 would of been. (With me??) :wah:

So based on all that, she thinks he has a visual perception problem. I said ok, do I need to take him for further testing. She told me no. So I asked what do we do to help him work through this problem, she freaking shrugged her shoulders at me.

So I have talked to 3 different resource teachers that do the testing for dslyexia, and other learning disabilities. All three times I've gotten a let me talk to his teacher and then I'll get back to you. This was in October, it's now December and I've heard nothing.

So I've been tossed the reason of him having a problem as to why he's having a such hard time in school, but not getting any help. I have no freaking idea of where to go to now.

I really don't want to become one of those moms, that has the school secretary and principal hiding anytime I should show up on campus. But being nice really isn't getting me anywhere. :-5

Oh and when I mentioned taking Zakk to Sylvian's Learning Center for extra tutoring, I got a go to hell look!


So, how old is he? Would an eye test at an optometrists solve the problem?

[qsducks]

Sheryl;1077011 wrote: My son's math teacher told me during parent teacher conference in October, that she thinks Zakk has a visual perception problem. Her reasons being that he did not draw perfect squares, but said his looked like her perfect ones, when he writes his name on his paper not all the letters touch the line, and finally the test she gave him. This test was that she drew a circle on a piece of paper, and he was to fill in the circle to look like a clock face. He got everything right, except that he rushed putting the numbers in. One was in the 12's place, and they continued around till 12 ended up where 9 would of been. (With me??) :wah:

So based on all that, she thinks he has a visual perception problem. I said ok, do I need to take him for further testing. She told me no. So I asked what do we do to help him work through this problem, she freaking shrugged her shoulders at me.

So I have talked to 3 different resource teachers that do the testing for dslyexia, and other learning disabilities. All three times I've gotten a let me talk to his teacher and then I'll get back to you. This was in October, it's now December and I've heard nothing.

So I've been tossed the reason of him having a problem as to why he's having a such hard time in school, but not getting any help. I have no freaking idea of where to go to now.

I really don't want to become one of those moms, that has the school secretary and principal hiding anytime I should show up on campus. But being nice really isn't getting me anywhere. :-5

Oh and when I mentioned taking Zakk to Sylvian's Learning Center for extra tutoring, I got a go to hell look!


It is the school's responsibility to test your son for these probs such as dyslexia, ADD, ADHD but they like to drag their feet. You have to bug the sh*t out of them to do it because it costs them money. Have you gone to your pediatrician and gotten the form to fill out? They can supply you with it and then you give it to the school. With my son, it took from Oct. till March to get it done. Very frustrating!:mad: I finally told the school that I was hiring a lawyer in March and they got the "message". They have lawyers out there in the RW that deal with this crap everyday. Look into it.

[Sheryl]

hoppy;1077042 wrote: So, how old is he? Would an eye test at an optometrists solve the problem?


He's had his eyes checked, and everything was normal.

qsducks;1077050 wrote: It is the school's responsibility to test your son for these probs such as dyslexia, ADD, ADHD but they like to drag their feet. You have to bug the sh*t out of them to do it because it costs them money. Have you gone to your pediatrician and gotten the form to fill out? They can supply you with it and then you give it to the school. With my son, it took from Oct. till March to get it done. Very frustrating!:mad: I finally told the school that I was hiring a lawyer in March and they got the "message". They have lawyers out there in the RW that deal with this crap everyday. Look into it.


The teachers here are a tight clique, and the ones who do get tested quickly are the teacher's kids. I'm going to talk to his doctor today about it. I'm not the only parent having problems. I know of two other students in my son's class that has had the teacher mention a learning disability, but refuse to test them. I'll look into the legal route.

[qsducks]

Sheryl;1077071 wrote: He's had his eyes checked, and everything was normal.



The teachers here are a tight clique, and the ones who do get tested quickly are the teacher's kids. I'm going to talk to his doctor today about it. I'm not the only parent having problems. I know of two other students in my son's class that has had the teacher mention a learning disability, but refuse to test them. I'll look into the legal route.


My son was tested in public school kindergarten the first time. The second time was in private school and they did it within a week. The state pays for it.

In the public school, from what I found was that they will practically push you out the door into getting the testing done from somewhere else so they don't have to pay for it. They want your insurance company to pay for it, not them. You really need to be a jerk for them to do the testing. I did. On another matter, you're son may be perfectly fine...his teachers are not pyschologists. You didn't mention what grade he is in.

[Sheryl]

He's in 2nd grade. We are in Texas, so we have the wonderful TAKS test starting in 3rd grade. The school district moved teachers from 3rd grade down to 2nd grade to start preparing them for the TAKS next year.

They are skipping 2nd grade curriculum and basically doing 3rd grade work. Math this year has been a joke. They have jumped all over the place in what they are teaching, there's no fluidity (sp). We started the year out with learning ones, tens, and hundreds place, then jumped to greater than,less than, then to fact families, and now we are on double digit addition, with carrying and such. Some of these changes would all be within a week. For the first 2 months of school, my son had a meltdown when it came time to do his math homework. Now he's so dependent on his hundreds chart to do simple addition it's pathetic. I get out the flashcards to get him to learn basic math facts and you'd think I was beating him. :-5

Next semester they will start multiplication.

I know we all carry calculators with us on our cell phones and such, but you would think it would be important for the kids to still learn basic math facts. :-5:-5:-5

[hoppy]

Generally, the educational system suks. What used to be an eighth grade education is now first year college.

[Peg]

Is there more than one second grade teacher? If so, how would he feel about changing to another teacher?

[qsducks]

Sheryl;1077093 wrote: He's in 2nd grade. We are in Texas, so we have the wonderful TAKS test starting in 3rd grade. The school district moved teachers from 3rd grade down to 2nd grade to start preparing them for the TAKS next year.

They are skipping 2nd grade curriculum and basically doing 3rd grade work. Math this year has been a joke. They have jumped all over the place in what they are teaching, there's no fluidity (sp). We started the year out with learning ones, tens, and hundreds place, then jumped to greater than,less than, then to fact families, and now we are on double digit addition, with carrying and such. Some of these changes would all be within a week. For the first 2 months of school, my son had a meltdown when it came time to do his math homework. Now he's so dependent on his hundreds chart to do simple addition it's pathetic. I get out the flashcards to get him to learn basic math facts and you'd think I was beating him. :-5

Next semester they will start multiplication.

I know we all carry calculators with us on our cell phones and such, but you would think it would be important for the kids to still learn basic math facts. :-5:-5:-5


That is unbelievable! My son is also in second grade but has learned the ones, tens, hundreds last year and they reinforce it in 2nd grade. (He's not the one with ADD). Q won't learn the double digits till after Christmas and multiplication doesn't start till 3rd grade. My kids are in private school and maybe that's the difference.

[SuzyB]

I am so sorry Sheryl that you are having these problems, Jenna always seemed to really struggle with school work, from year 2 I went to the school at least once a fortnight to say that I was concerned as she didn't seem to have a clue what was happening in classes. It wasn't until I took her for a private testing that we found out she was dyslexic, what really angered me was that even after I found out and gave the school the report from qualified people it still took 6 months to get a TAS teacher to help assist her, and she only got 2 hours a week help at that! Then in year 5 Jenna was catching up with her classmates so what did the school do?? They took the 2 hours a week away:-5:-5:-5:-5

Jenna still finds things harder to understand and take in but she is holding her own:-4

I dont know the way things work there but it seems ridiculous to be teaching children work that is to far advanced when they haven't had the time to get the basics, I think it is far too much pressure put on the children just so that the schools result tables look better.

I would ask to see the Head of the school and take your worries to him/her and ask them what they intend to do about it, at the end of the day this is your Sons education and more importantly his well being at stake, they are in danger of making him dread going to school and he has too many years ahead of him to feel like that.

Let us know what you decide to do

[spot]

If it's not in writing, Sheryl, then it doesn't exist. Definitely get a lawyer's letter to them listing all that's happened so far and demanding action. Once it's written it's got a date and a set of your claims, at the very least they'll be obliged to either agree it's true or write down an alternative set of facts. If they accept the truth of what you claim then you ought to get the action you want.

Even if it's only a letter from you instead of a lawyer it gets the claim on record.

The clock-face test is one of those few standardized scored tests that get used everywhere - it's one of the set pieces for diagnosing Alzheimer's too. It has to be set in such a way that the person being tested understands exactly what's being asked of them, the usual way is to split it into two halves. Firstly it's "copy this clock" - that way a prior knowledge of clock faces isn't assumed, the accuracy of the copy is what's scored. The second half is "draw the clock from memory" and that's where the placing of the numbers in the right places is scored. If they didn't perform the test in the standardised way then you might ask why they messed it up. I could find a full description of it if you want to read it.

[Chezzie]

Aww Sheryl, must be a nightmare for you. Only thing you can do is badger them till your satisfied hun. Here in UK if I was dissatisfied with my child's progress and wasn't getting answers from the school, I could then contact the local council office and speak to the education welfare officers ect, do you have something similar in Texas?

[SuzyB]

spot;1077146 wrote: If it's not in writing, Sheryl, then it doesn't exist. Definitely get a lawyer's letter to them listing all that's happened so far and demanding action. Once it's written it's got a date and a set of your claims, at the very least they'll be obliged to either agree it's true or write down an alternative set of facts. If they accept the truth of what you claim then you ought to get the action you want.

Even if it's only a letter from you instead of a lawyer it gets the claim on record.


Thats a good point to make Spot, of course I was going to say the same in my next post :sneaky::sneaky::D

[qsducks]

SuzyB;1077143 wrote: I am so sorry Sheryl that you are having these problems, Jenna always seemed to really struggle with school work, from year 2 I went to the school at least once a fortnight to say that I was concerned as she didn't seem to have a clue what was happening in classes. It wasn't until I took her for a private testing that we found out she was dyslexic, what really angered me was that even after I found out and gave the school the report from qualified people it still took 6 months to get a TAS teacher to help assist her, and she only got 2 hours a week help at that! Then in year 5 Jenna was catching up with her classmates so what did the school do?? They took the 2 hours a week away:-5:-5:-5:-5

Jenna still finds things harder to understand and take in but she is holding her own:-4

I dont know the way things work there but it seems ridiculous to be teaching children work that is to far advanced when they haven't had the time to get the basics, I think it is far too much pressure put on the children just so that the schools result tables look better.

I would ask to see the Head of the school and take your worries to him/her and ask them what they intend to do about it, at the end of the day this is your Sons education and more importantly his well being at stake, they are in danger of making him dread going to school and he has too many years ahead of him to feel like that.

Let us know what you decide to do


I would be having a fit over the taking away of those 2 crucial hours of learning. My kids (except Q) get tutoring for math every Wednesday after school and I don't pay a dime.

[OpenMind]

Hope you manage to get this sorted for Zakk, Sheryl.

[Sheryl]

Peg;1077124 wrote: Is there more than one second grade teacher? If so, how would he feel about changing to another teacher?


There are three second grade teachers, however the students change classes between the three.

qsducks;1077129 wrote: That is unbelievable! My son is also in second grade but has learned the ones, tens, hundreds last year and they reinforce it in 2nd grade. (He's not the one with ADD). Q won't learn the double digits till after Christmas and multiplication doesn't start till 3rd grade. My kids are in private school and maybe that's the difference.


The teachers are all in the teach the test mentality. Next year we start the TAKS test, which if they don't pass they fail. I hate it, the kids are not learning anything but how to take a stupid standardized test.

Spot, she only had him fill the face of the clock from memory. He had everything there, just the numbers were squished in. But my son has never been a kid who likes drawing or coloring. His kindergarten journal was all stick figures. He's always been more creative and imaginative with his building blocks, legos and such.

I'm going to contact a local homeschooling group and see what it takes to get started there.

[qsducks]

Sheryl;1077205 wrote: There are three second grade teachers, however the students change classes between the three.



The teachers are all in the teach the test mentality. Next year we start the TAKS test, which if they don't pass they fail. I hate it, the kids are not learning anything but how to take a stupid standardized test.

Spot, she only had him fill the face of the clock from memory. He had everything there, just the numbers were squished in. But my son has never been a kid who likes drawing or coloring. His kindergarten journal was all stick figures. He's always been more creative and imaginative with his building blocks, legos and such.

I'm going to contact a local homeschooling group and see what it takes to get started there.


And you can thank GWB for this screw up in the learning process. Leave No Child Behind is a disaster and I'm hoping Obama wipes it out. SuzyB is right on about schools wanting to be #1 (and it's all to save face so they get more funding):mad:

[Betty Boop]

I know that things didn't get shifting for my son until I wrote a letter to my Local Education Authority telling them that they were doing him a dis-service and failing to provide him with a suitable education. Within a month he was statemented and entitled to extra funded help.

Definately get something down in writing either to the school or to your education office. Good Luck!

[Sheryl]

qsducks;1077208 wrote: And you can thank GWB for this screw up in the learning process. Leave No Child Behind is a disaster and I'm hoping Obama wipes it out. SuzyB is right on about schools wanting to be #1 (and it's all to save face so they get more funding):mad:


Oh I know, it's amazing how dropout rates have risen in Texas since the start of TAKS. :-5 There are some school districts that have campuses just for the kids who have failed a grade more than 2 times due to the TAKS test. :rolleyes: