IEP meeting
mabeitzel
Just this morning I went to the school to meet with them in regards
to my son's IEP...deciding what we would do with it, if anythig. I
prepared myself for a battering...and it is essentially what I got
in a "polite" manner. I was considering taking my son to the school
to still receive speech and OT services. Prior to my unschooling
decision I was going to also take him for reading and math services
(more husband's concern), but had been leaning away from that. They
made it clear to me that they were totally baffled by my decision
and could not understand how I expected anything to work with them.
The principal came in and gave her speech about "when education came
along, we were moved off the farms, and while it is nice to spend
time at home with your mother, we got away from that." I stood my
ground that my decision was a sound one. Under the guise of the
words, "I respect your decision" the condescending tone was clearly
felt. I was told that her thoughts on homeschooling was basically
that "it stinks." I explained my sons symptoms and plummeting self-
esteem and I received the "Oh we don't let that happen and when we
see inappropriate things...we..." I was also told that my son was
already placed in a classroom and that they had a grand plan for
him, but with so many 3rd graders, the special needs must be grouped
together to better accomodate the special needs team. By the end of
the meeting the principal told me that if I could get my son's self-
esteem back up she would like to see him back in school by the mid
term and that if he is too far behind they can just put him in 2nd
instead of 3rd. I feel like holding my breath! My son's 2nd grade
teacher(from last year)gave me the speech on socialization. "Don't
make him a loner so that he sees himself as different because of
that." What part did they not hear?? I guess I shouldn't have been
there at all. I thought it would be important to at least get
speech and OT, but I don't even know about that now. When I
mentioned him coming in 1 time per week, the principal told that
would be babysitting and she wouldn't agree to it, so I said none at
all. We spent the rest of our day playing...at the youth center
while the kids prepared for gymnastics, I watched the adult
supervision greet the incoming children (ones at school all day)
with a "YOU GOT HOMEWORK? I DON'T WANT NO NOISE!" And as I looked
at the resident hamster with my kids I tiptoed past the noiseless
kids trying to fill out one more worksheet or one last
assignment...and a child whispered to me "is slack a word?" I
nodded and felt sorrow for their circumstances. As we left the
homework room, I saw a poster on the wall with the title, "10 Global
Imperatives for Children", as I scanned through them, I got stuck on
number 7, "Education for the children, every child, boy or girl,
should be allowed to learn." And that was it.
Blessings,
Michelle, Devin & Madelaine
to my son's IEP...deciding what we would do with it, if anythig. I
prepared myself for a battering...and it is essentially what I got
in a "polite" manner. I was considering taking my son to the school
to still receive speech and OT services. Prior to my unschooling
decision I was going to also take him for reading and math services
(more husband's concern), but had been leaning away from that. They
made it clear to me that they were totally baffled by my decision
and could not understand how I expected anything to work with them.
The principal came in and gave her speech about "when education came
along, we were moved off the farms, and while it is nice to spend
time at home with your mother, we got away from that." I stood my
ground that my decision was a sound one. Under the guise of the
words, "I respect your decision" the condescending tone was clearly
felt. I was told that her thoughts on homeschooling was basically
that "it stinks." I explained my sons symptoms and plummeting self-
esteem and I received the "Oh we don't let that happen and when we
see inappropriate things...we..." I was also told that my son was
already placed in a classroom and that they had a grand plan for
him, but with so many 3rd graders, the special needs must be grouped
together to better accomodate the special needs team. By the end of
the meeting the principal told me that if I could get my son's self-
esteem back up she would like to see him back in school by the mid
term and that if he is too far behind they can just put him in 2nd
instead of 3rd. I feel like holding my breath! My son's 2nd grade
teacher(from last year)gave me the speech on socialization. "Don't
make him a loner so that he sees himself as different because of
that." What part did they not hear?? I guess I shouldn't have been
there at all. I thought it would be important to at least get
speech and OT, but I don't even know about that now. When I
mentioned him coming in 1 time per week, the principal told that
would be babysitting and she wouldn't agree to it, so I said none at
all. We spent the rest of our day playing...at the youth center
while the kids prepared for gymnastics, I watched the adult
supervision greet the incoming children (ones at school all day)
with a "YOU GOT HOMEWORK? I DON'T WANT NO NOISE!" And as I looked
at the resident hamster with my kids I tiptoed past the noiseless
kids trying to fill out one more worksheet or one last
assignment...and a child whispered to me "is slack a word?" I
nodded and felt sorrow for their circumstances. As we left the
homework room, I saw a poster on the wall with the title, "10 Global
Imperatives for Children", as I scanned through them, I got stuck on
number 7, "Education for the children, every child, boy or girl,
should be allowed to learn." And that was it.
Blessings,
Michelle, Devin & Madelaine
Betsy
**Prior to my unschooling
decision I was going to also take him for reading and math services
(more husband's concern), but had been leaning away from that. They
made it clear to me that they were totally baffled by my decision
and could not understand how I expected anything to work with them.
The principal came in and gave her speech about "when education came
along, we were moved off the farms, and while it is nice to spend
time at home with your mother, we got away from that." **
In the time period she's talking about, an average home on the prairie
would have had, for reading materials, a bible and the Sears catalog.
In this decade, the above-average homeschooling home has a heck of a lot
more to offer than that. In some subjects, I'll bet my home has more
books, and better books than the school does. And I have a better
collection of "educational" videos to boot! I also have 24/7 access to
the internet.
**I stood my ground that my decision was a sound one. Under the guise
of the words, "I respect your decision" the condescending tone was
clearly
felt.**
Right, her goal was clearly to change your decision to one that suited
her. Some educators would prefer that parents send kids to public
school without exception. These folks would prefer for parents to have
no say at all.
Betsy
decision I was going to also take him for reading and math services
(more husband's concern), but had been leaning away from that. They
made it clear to me that they were totally baffled by my decision
and could not understand how I expected anything to work with them.
The principal came in and gave her speech about "when education came
along, we were moved off the farms, and while it is nice to spend
time at home with your mother, we got away from that." **
In the time period she's talking about, an average home on the prairie
would have had, for reading materials, a bible and the Sears catalog.
In this decade, the above-average homeschooling home has a heck of a lot
more to offer than that. In some subjects, I'll bet my home has more
books, and better books than the school does. And I have a better
collection of "educational" videos to boot! I also have 24/7 access to
the internet.
**I stood my ground that my decision was a sound one. Under the guise
of the words, "I respect your decision" the condescending tone was
clearly
felt.**
Right, her goal was clearly to change your decision to one that suited
her. Some educators would prefer that parents send kids to public
school without exception. These folks would prefer for parents to have
no say at all.
Betsy
Judy
I was once told by a Super(Ego)intendent that , "Parents can not make
these decisions for their children."
HAR HAR- did she have a wake up call thanks to me!!!
-J
Betsy wrote:
these decisions for their children."
HAR HAR- did she have a wake up call thanks to me!!!
-J
Betsy wrote:
> **Prior to my unschoolingADVERTISEMENT
> decision I was going to also take him for reading and math services
> (more husband's concern), but had been leaning away from that. They
> made it clear to me that they were totally baffled by my decision
> and could not understand how I expected anything to work with them.
> The principal came in and gave her speech about "when education came
> along, we were moved off the farms, and while it is nice to spend
> time at home with your mother, we got away from that." **
>
> In the time period she's talking about, an average home on the prairie
>
> would have had, for reading materials, a bible and the Sears catalog.
> In this decade, the above-average homeschooling home has a heck of a
> lot
> more to offer than that. In some subjects, I'll bet my home has more
> books, and better books than the school does. And I have a better
> collection of "educational" videos to boot! I also have 24/7 access
> to
> the internet.
>
> **I stood my ground that my decision was a sound one. Under the guise
>
> of the words, "I respect your decision" the condescending tone was
> clearly
> felt.**
>
> Right, her goal was clearly to change your decision to one that suited
>
> her. Some educators would prefer that parents send kids to public
> school without exception. These folks would prefer for parents to
> have
> no say at all.
>
>
> Betsy
>
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In a message dated 9/18/02 8:28:32 AM, ecsamhill@... writes:
<< In some subjects, I'll bet my home has more
books, and better books than the school does. And I have a better
collection of "educational" videos to boot! I also have 24/7 access to
the internet. >>
RIGHT!.
And if the school DOES have internet access, how long would it take a kid to
get an answer to a question? Can they bring it up right then, in that room,
without asking, getting a pass to the library, whatever all?
We also have the ability to take kids somewhere if they're tired, bored, need
exercise, want to see something they're misremembering, or just eat a new,
bigger and better lunch.
One day when Holly was thinking about kids in school being uncomfortable or
sad, she suggested to me they should just eat a really big lunch.
Kids in school don't even have the option to eat a really big lunch!!
Sandra
<< In some subjects, I'll bet my home has more
books, and better books than the school does. And I have a better
collection of "educational" videos to boot! I also have 24/7 access to
the internet. >>
RIGHT!.
And if the school DOES have internet access, how long would it take a kid to
get an answer to a question? Can they bring it up right then, in that room,
without asking, getting a pass to the library, whatever all?
We also have the ability to take kids somewhere if they're tired, bored, need
exercise, want to see something they're misremembering, or just eat a new,
bigger and better lunch.
One day when Holly was thinking about kids in school being uncomfortable or
sad, she suggested to me they should just eat a really big lunch.
Kids in school don't even have the option to eat a really big lunch!!
Sandra