11:03 p.m. - Tue. Oct. 28, 2003
I guess I'm an advocate now.
Well has it been as long as it feels since I have written anything? It feels as though it has been years since I have written anything. OK well maybe a week or two. I know the last time I sat down to write I thought I would just catch up with some of my reading and then write well time ran out and I never got to the writing part.
Ok I�m set, I went back read my last entry, which by the way I must admit was very lame, so I will make it up to you tonight by going on and on about the child I will be advocating for this year. I will also not bring up how I have been entirely too self-centered to spent money that should have gone to bills buying things for myself. *** the whiney side of my brain says� ohh but they were great deals�***
I was contacted a while ago by some parents that have had a struggle getting their child�s teachers to comply with his IEP. I know how this feels just like pounding your head on the wall. I feel really bad for them, they go to school to get the help their son needs and are met with people who really don�t care a whit about educating their son but will say pretty much anything to make them go away and then do whatever it is they want to do. The laws, both state and federal, say these teachers have to comply with the adaptations of his curriculum, but do they?? NO! This makes me angry because parents shouldn�t have to fight to have an IEP followed. Good teachers see what the child can do and make adaptations for the child without having to be pressured and threatened into following it.
I am by no means a professional in this avenue, I have sat in and made suggestions to parents a couple times, but I haven�t ever had to actually take an active role in the IEP process. I have been studying the laws, and the laws say he has to be given the help he needs to pass. I am not looking forward to butting heads with these people I am hoping that appealing to their intelligence, if there is any in the one teacher, will let them know we are serious about this IEP being followed.
Next I am not sure how my presence will be accepted on behalf of the principal. He is our former Vice Principal. I don�t like this man; he is a weasel, a very large intimidating weasel. He uses intimidation and lies as his armor so he doesn�t have to do the right thing. He will tell parents one thing and then turn around and say something totally so bad that I just want to slap him just because he is alive. In my humble opinion I believe this man to be a total waste of skin and trust me it is a loooot of skin. The very sad thing is I don�t know why he continues to stay in education if he doesn�t want to do his job. I guess only having to work 9 mo. a year and having no homework or lesson plans to do makes being principal a good thing?? OHH and there is the matter of what 50 some thousand dollars a year??!!!
He told this kid it was time for him to quit hiding behind his mommy and daddy and grow up and quit being lazy. Needless to say this child has been instructed to never be alone with this man or any teacher for that matter again. He is to have a witness for every confrontation, preferably his parents, myself or other school personnel. I don�t like the personnel thing but unfortunately if it is something that we can�t get there to then they will have to do. There shouldn�t be a reason for him to be alone to be yelled at or be- littled or put down from anyone. This kid has dyslexia and ADD, I think he is trying his best but he I think by the time the end of the day rolls around he is just to zoned from meds he can�t really focus.
I met with them last night. I think his parents have a legit case after showing me his last English test which had NO adaptations at all on it. Not to mention that it is the same test that the advanced English class has. I think this kid has been dealt some nasty unfair cards but I told him he can raise above this if he so chooses. I think he is a good kid. I hope that we can come to a workable solution just to get him through these last two years of school. He only has 16 mo. of school left, and if we can just get him to pass, that will be means for a party. I like this kid. I gave him a list of things he must do this week. I want him to keep a log of anything detrimental that is said, I want him to make eye contact 2 times with the teacher, and ask 2 questions a period. He needs to let these teachers know that he is trying and willing to learn if they help. For him this might be a challenge but I can�t think of any other way to help him demonstrate he is trying. I asked this of him because his English teacher says all he does is stare at the clock and doesn�t listen. This is my, if we give a little maybe they will give a little. Hopefully it will be just what he needs so this doesn�t have to go any farther than a few meetings to keep things on track.
I talked with my friend this evening and she pointed out some things in the IEP that I hadn�t noticed before. This is going to greatly help. I also want to know if our teachers need to sign off on the IEPs which lets everyone know they are aware of that particular needs. If this is the case I do believe that I would like to see the school copy of the IEP. Keep me in your prayers as I try to help this child get the education he deserves. I really don�t care how the thing or feel about me there, and God help them if it is my kids they do this too. I know that flies in the ointment news flows freely in our district.
Well I can go on and on about that all night. OYY I�ll stick a sock in it for now, but be prepared I will most likely be on that subject often over the next few weeks.
Today I went with my Mom to the hospital for her bone scans, the kind where they give you a shot of glow in the dark stuff and tell you to come back in 3 hrs. We went to McDonalds after the shot and thought about what we would do for that much time, after all that town is about the size of ours, which isn�t very big. We had coffee and a snack then decided that maybe we would go over to �the darkside� to see if they had some material that she was looking for to do a table runner for my nephew.
Who would have thunk it� it seemed we just got there and it was time to hurry away back to the hospital. We spent a little over 2 hrs shopping in Wallyworld! Mom had wanted some fleece pants and a sweat shirt or two. Well we found her this really nice fleece outfit, a sweatshirt, and a turtleneck top. She even found some good buys on the fabric she was looking for. I got a shirt for Kay, well mom did, and Mom bought me a package of scrapbooking paper, and some decorative ribbon for scrapbooking also. I can�t wait till I have time to do some. I might stay up in the morning just to do that. OHH but first I want to decorate up her sweatshirt. It looked too dumpy just plain so I plan on making it nice for her. I might do that tomorrow morning too. Then I am meeting my friend Lyn for lunch. That should be fun. We always enjoy our gab sessions; I think together we could out talk anyone anywhere anytime! Then it is off to Wallyworld again,,, hehe this time it will be the one in our town to exchange the present we have on layaway for Paul with a better deal of the same thing. ODD huh?? OHH well I want to do that and ohh man I can�t remember. GRR I hate it when that happens. I think I need to start making lists. I seem to be getting rather forgetful sometimes. OHH goodness I hope it isn�t an onset of CRS.
Well my sore throat is telling me that I need to take some good medicine and take my pretty little round self off to bed. Besides that I�m cold and bed is warm.
Always remember and never forget� if you find you have a few hours to kill Wallyworld AKA The Darkside, will fill it right up. Who�d a thunk it??
