Comments | ladyaneira: Luke update: school meeting

ladyaneira

Luke update: school meeting

Oct 05, 2011 15:01

We had the first meeting with the intervention team at Luke's school today. I may not have mentioned this on LJ, but I have on FB: Matt and I think Luke's got some form of dyslexia or dysgraphia that has been masked so far by his general smarts. His spelling and handwriting are both horrible, and he resists writing with all his considerable ( Read more... )

Comments 11

tudorpot October 6 2011, 02:01:28 UTC

Sorry to read that Luke is having problems. My nephew, Stevie Ray has some learning disabilities that are similar. His are due to chemotherapy side-effects - the cure isn't free.
Here is a post I did re his test scores. Stevie Ray has an amazing memory- like Luke that has helped him to do well, despite his problems. I would push for the testing.
Our public school system would not help, so we have moved him into private school. I would suggest that he learn to use a computer and be allowed to do his work on one. No reason to frustrate him with writing when technology can help. Hope all goes well.

http://tudorpot.livejournal.com/274907.html

ladyaneira October 6 2011, 02:30:52 UTC

Thanks for sharing that post--I hope things are improving for him in private school. I am optimistic about the school's efforts for Luke; so far they are talking a good game.

tudorpot October 6 2011, 02:46:41 UTC

He is doing very well, early days but he is smiling when he goes to school and comes home.
FYI - The overall name for the area that Luke and Stevie Ray have issues with is 'processing'. We tried for many years to get the school to implement the recommendations, but they ignored them.

ladyaneira October 6 2011, 10:51:26 UTC

I'm discovering that kids like them are also known about the web as "2e"--twice exceptional. Do you subscribe to the 2e newsletter? It looks like a great resource; I'm just not sure I'm ready to spend $30 on the subscription. There's a whole back issue devoted to dysgraphia I might get, though.

crayonbeam October 6 2011, 02:57:14 UTC

When I read about gay teens coming out to their bigoted parents, I always wish that those kids could have had understanding parents instead - I know so many people who would be caring and supportive. It seems unfair that those loving parents and needing children don't get matched up.

This is exactly the opposite of that. Luke is so incredibly lucky to have amazing parents.

ladyaneira October 6 2011, 10:53:07 UTC

Awww, you're so kind, crayon. Hope all is well with you and Max.

marionred October 6 2011, 14:49:52 UTC

Having had many of the troubles that you are describing that luke has... Make sure that Pull out is not pulling him away from social interactions that he may like ( ... )

ladyaneira October 6 2011, 14:58:46 UTC

Thanks, Marion. I'm not sure exactly when the pullout is happening, but it's not during math--Luke adores his math teacher and is doing really well in that class. He's highly motivated to learn his times tables because his math teacher sends a can of soda home with him if he gets them all right on Fridays!

We'll see how things go this year, and maybe revisit trying to get him into the formal gifted program next year. (This is a long story, but in short: he participated in the in-school gifted program for 1st and 2nd grade, but starting in 3rd grade they move the gifted kids to a separate school for 3-5. The gifted teacher said Luke wasn't "motivated" enough last year, especially for units involving writing, like the poetry unit they did, to keep him in the program, so he's still at the same elementary school rather than with the rest of the gifted kids.)

marionred October 6 2011, 15:09:23 UTC

Grrr.... Ok so I want to have a long sit down with his 2nd grade teacher. so she held back a kid who read years above his level and probably had a larger vocabulary then she does. because writing is hard and not fun so why do it, they just won't understand what was written anyway.

really I am not looking forward to school for Joel since there will be a lot of me trying not to helicopter too much and demanding too much from the teachers, and from him.

Good luck

ladyaneira October 6 2011, 15:36:44 UTC

In fairness, it wasn't clear in 2nd grade what was going on. We thought dyslexia was a possibility, but then we thought he was reading just fine because he enjoyed it so much . . . We still don't know anything for sure, which is what the testing should hopefully resolve. He's really happy with his 3rd grade teachers and is enjoying school a lot more than he did last year.

elmsley_rose October 7 2011, 13:38:27 UTC

Speaking as someone with 13 diagnosis over the last 13.5 years, a diagnosis is a *wonderful* thing. It means that 'the team' can start attacking the problem. It's more or less 'up' from there, with a few wobbles along the way.

I'm SO glad that your son's problems have been picked up. And it sounds like he has quite a support team!

And he's brilliant! You should be very proud! :-)