[email protected]

Hello Chelle,

I am farily new to this list too. I have an 8yo boy that I pulled out of
public school this year. He was in a similar situation as your son and it
was so frustrating! Last year mine started 1st grade with an IEP for speech,
reading resource and occupational therapy (for small movements). This is
what he had the previous year at a different school (where he was in 1st
grade also). Upon evaluation at his new school they pretty much cancelled
all aspects of the IEP (they said he wasn't far enough behind too!) except
speech - but only because he create stories that moved in a logical (or
chronological) order. This all despite the fact that he is very hard to
understand when he talks (he has problems pronouncing many consonants and
letter blends). I was so upset when they removed his IEP and he lost all
extra help he was getting (and desperately needed). I wish I had pulled him
out right then and there, but I was still working full time and didn't see
how I was going to be able to stay home to homeschool. He struggled so much
this past school year, that it just broke my heart. He ended up HATING
school with a passion and has such an aversion to everything "schoolish" now.
I had signed him up for a reading comprehension class this summer that I
thought was geared towards kids that were behind in some way. Boy was I
wrong. This teacher had no compassion or care for a child that wasn't
keeping up in her summer school class. After many tears and feelings of
failure from him, I yanked him from the class. What is sad is he didn't have
any desire to attend a science experiments class (which he loves) due to the
bad experience in the other class.

We are now taking our first homeschooling year very slow and very relaxed. I
am hoping that he will get his love of learning back and begin to enjoy
learning new things. Right now all he wants to do is play with his cars,
trains or Nintendo or watch tv. We do a lot of "fun" learning things
together like baking, playing lots of games and lots of art projects. I just
wanted you to know that you are not alone in the frustrating battle against
public schools and their lack of priority with our children.

Sheri

>>I talked to his teacher last week and voiced my concerns and her comments
were "Well, he isn't the lowest in the class and you can always retain him
next year." Sheesh, that didn't fill me with a lot of hope. The school has
decided he compensates so qualifies for no extra help though he is 2 grade
levels behind. I guess you have to be 3 or 4 grade levels behind to get help
around there which just does not make sense to me. >>

[email protected]

Hi Sheri,
We do have a lot in common with our sons. My son also has a speech problem
and the school has never done anything about it. He was evaluated once and
they decided he was ok. He doesn't always pronounce his consonants right
either. As an example, my daughters name is Chandel and he always says,
"Chanel" unless I slow him down and have him pronounce it out better. Of
course I have a hearing loss so maybe that's why it's so obvious to me, he's
way harder for me to understand.
I tried like heck to get Everett into IEP but they keep refusing me. I
think the school system is going down hill fast. I can't believe they dont'
want to catch up the kids who are little behind to save them from being
really behind. It just makes no logical sense to me what so ever.
Everett doesn't hate learning but he's not thrilled with "school work"
either. I kept him home today and we're doing a trial run here. I had him
sit down with me and read the paper. We plotted places on a map where the
stories were taking place. He liked that. He wasn't into Dear Ann and Abby
as much as I was though. <g> I"m getting ready to play with money with him
right now. He's so happy to be home day he is right this minute cleaning the
livingroom for me. He's a sweet kid.
Thanks for responding, we'll have to keep in touch as our sons grow.
Thank you to everyone who has welcomed me so far. I'm enjoying the list.
Smiles,
Chelle

In a message dated 9/15/99 7:45:29 AM Pacific Daylight Time,
SLMICHETTI@... writes:

> He was in a similar situation as your son and it
> was so frustrating! Last year mine started 1st grade with an IEP for
speech,
> reading resource and occupational therapy (for small movements). This is
> what he had the previous year at a different school (where he was in 1st
> grade also). Upon evaluation at his new school they pretty much cancelled
> all aspects of the IEP (they said he wasn't far enough behind too!) except
> speech - but only because he create stories that moved in a logical (or
> chronological) order. This all despite the fact that he is very hard to
> understand when he talks (he has problems pronouncing many consonants and
> letter blends). I was so upset when they removed his IEP and he lost all
> extra help he was getting (and desperately needed).