IEP's - are they good or bad????

[TashaRVT]

Just got back from parent-teacher interviews - yay me

DS9's teacher is recommending that we start the process or "testing" (didn't go into any more detail than that) with the special ed teacher to see if they can "identify" him. Is an IEP a good thing or a bad thing??

 

[kjmommie]

I am replying as both a public school teacher and a parent with a child with disabilities who has an IEP.

An IEP, if needed, is beneficial for the student. This IEP is a plan to help the child be successful usually in the regular classroom.

I have over 30 students on my team that have IEPs. Each one has specific modifications to their educational settings that we have to follow that are in line with the child's disability. Many of these are preferential seating, extra time on assignments, oral testing. There are others that include technical assistance, prewritten notes, etc.

These are helpful to the kids that need them if carried out correctly by the teachers and parents. My son needs special assistance both in academic areas and in physical areas.

I suggest that you do some research on what they are thinking that he might become eligible through (i.e. disability in reading, math, etc.).

Having him tested through the school doesn't mean that he will atomatically quailfy. And if he does qualify you can always say that you don't want to go through the process of the IEP andn don't want to have him receive a special education qualification.

I give my students the modifications and many times see results. I do, however, often give my other students some of the same modifications if they need it as we go.

Good luck as you reserach and decide what steps to take to help your son.

 

[BitsnBearsMom]

I have a great success story to share that without his IEP I don't think would be a success story..... My oldest ds' (now 17 and in gr 12) was dx with NLD (non verbal Learning disability) and ADD (no H) in the beginning of gr 2. dh and I were pretty devestated at the time we had our results of the psyc assessment read to us b/c the idiot psyc told us our ds' LD was so severe that he would never function at the same level as his peers and we should expect it would take him a year or 2 longer to finish high school. And that we should try to steer him into an 'easy' profession. This was all about a kid who was just barely 7 years old. We decided that day no one was going to tell us our son couldn't succeed!!

We had an amazing resource teacher help us out and we made the decision to take every speck of help that was offered for ds' to make sure he was successful. We also never kept any of the results from him. He knew he had a learning difference and that he would have to work harder. About grade 6 we also told him what that psyc told us so he would understand why we pushed him so hard.

Fast forward to high school.... the gr 8 teacher tried to tell us we should only put ds' into essential level courses (the very lowest level) but that would have closed doors on him when he went to apply to college so he perservered and did the college level courses and last year made the honour roll. He is in a high school where 80% of the kids have IEP's and he was the only gr 11 student with an IEP to make the honour roll - his grade average was 84%.

He was accepted into the high skills major program for grade 11 for welding and next semester will be doing both a dual credit program (getting high school credits while attending college and also getting college credits) and he will have his OYAP through a placement in his welding.

Without that IEP and us deciding to accept all help that we could get for him and advocating for him and making sure he had what he needed to be successful he wouldn't be where he is now. It hasn't been an easy road but the end is in sight for us and I am so darn proud of him and his hard work!!

I don't think IEP's can ever be a bad thing if they get the kids the help they need to be successful!!

 

[Teresa Pitman]

Wow, that is a great story - your son has done so well! And I was pleased to see that you are from Guelph (where I live)! Says good things about the schools here.

I would say that it is worthwhile going through the process and seeing what an IEP can offer your son. It may make a huge difference.

Teresa

 

[tinkbell13]

I just got back from the parent teacher interview for my DS too. My DS has had an IEP (language and math) for the last few years. I believe we started the process in grade 3 and he is in grade 6 now. The IEP is great in that it can help identify areas your child needs help in and how best to teach to him/her in these specific areas. It is not great when your child's LST (learning support teacher) uses the IEP as an excuse to diagnose your child with a learning disability without proper testing. I spent grade 3 fighting with DS's LST over her designating him as ADHD and fighting to have the proper testing done to prove/disprove her "diagnosis". After constantly following up with the LST and finally taking it to the principal and our local trustee we finally had him tested at end of grade 4. Lo and behold, my DS does not have ADHD or any other type of learning disability. However, there is a disconnect between his brain and the information making it to paper and vice versa which they could not figure out at the time, but no learning disability. I was further frustrated when the LST proceeded to fight with the board psychologist over the test results.

Jump forward to grade 5 when they changed his LST and he had a teacher that didn't teach. I talked to other parents (same school, other schools in the board and different boards) and discovered some other information that could potentially help DS in school. The big one was to get him technology to use in the classroom. Of course that involved more assessments and testing to ensure that he met the criteria. It took us the entire grade 5 year to get this done and I am sure that it was only completed because I continually followed up with them on where he was in the process. He finally was approved for the technology in May. Too late for the school year but at least we would be set for the coming year.

DS is now in grade 6. He received a laptop with speech to text and text to speech software and other specialized programs geared specifically to him and his learning type. He received the laptop in the middle of October and has increased his reading level by 4 DRA's since that time, which apprarently is really great. He is more inclined to read and is writing more when he uses the laptop. His teacher is really impressed with how much he has improved in the last month and has noticed that he does not need to be prompted to do his work as much (this is HUGE for him!). He is almost eager to read now she says (he absolutely hates to read). She has even given him some grade level work to do in language when she thinks it is appropriate and compliments the work that he is doing as per his IEP. His teacher said that she has noticed he does better independent work when she explains it to him in a certain way and only has to check on him a couple of times. DS also has a new LST this year. She was his teacher in grade 4, he absolutely adores her and she wants to get him back on track to doing grade level work as soon as possible.

I guess my point is that an IEP can definitely help when it is used correctly and when you have a teacher, LST and parents that support the student in their learning. I agree with and second everything that kjmommie said as well. Go to every parent/teacher conference you can (request them if you need to). Listen to what they are saying and make notes. Go home and do research yourself. Talk to other parents. Get second opinions if needed. Be vocal and don't be afraid to go to the principal or trustee if things are happening too slowly. And the biggest thing to remember - communicate! Talk to the teacher and LST. They can give you direction on what you can do at home to support your son (or to confirm that you are alreadly doing exactly what you need to be doing!). And as BitsnBearsMom said, keep your DS in the loop. Regardless of whether your DS has a learning disability or not, let him know that everyone learns differently and there is nothing wrong with that.

Its hard to decide what is the right thing to do but as long as you keep the end goal in sight (what is best for your DS), you will do fine. Good luck!

 

[lizabu]

I think an IEP can be a good thing too. My DS has one and it helps. Teachers know how to help him learn in advance and they don't have unrealistic expections of what he can do. He just needs a little more attention and his IEP has helped him not slip through the cracks and get left behind.

 

[TashaRVT]

Wow you guys, thank you so much for taking the time to share your experiences with me; I really do appreciate it more than you know.

Last night I was really upset, and felt very blindsided by the whole situation. I guess maybe that's a pretty silly way to feel, considering that there's kids out there dealing with so much more than my son is. I'm a bit embarassed to admit how upset I really am.

It's hard to hear anybody tell you that there's something wrong with your child, isn't it? Somebody tell me I'm being an idiot and that I need to calm down!

 

[Debbie]

It's hard to hear anybody tell you that there's something wrong with your child, isn't it? Somebody tell me I'm being an idiot and that I need to calm down!

Tasha, I think that you can see that others have been reassuring as to having that IEP. I know that if your little one needed medicine for an infection, or diabetes....you'd do everything in your power to help him. If he broke his leg, you'd get crutches to help support him, so he could continue on with all of his 9 year old activities.

With an IEP, your son will be given the necessary tools that will help him be successful. It might be a different style of teaching/assessment. It might be a reduced workload. It might be physical tools like a sensory cushion or a squeeze ball. It might be an electronic tool like a data processor. It will all depend on the findings of the tests.

When the testing is done, the psychometrist will sit with you and explain the results. S/he will sit with the teacher to go over the suggestions to help your son be successful. There will be a few goals for the term, and you will have input to the IEP 2/3 times a year. If there is something that you don't understand, or don't agree with, you have the opportunity to express that. (your son can be involved, too, btw, in those decision-making discussions).

It's a scary process the first time around, so butterflies are to be expected. But such an exciting time, too! It sounds like the teacher and you both have your son's best interests at heart.

 

[TashaRVT]

Thanks for the kind words, Debbie

DS is such an insecure little thing, and it makes me go in to overly-protective mama bear mode from time to time

When DD12 caught wind of what was going on, all she had to say (in true big sisterly fashion!) was, "besides being a big cry baby, I don't think there's anything wrong with at all. I think his teacher needs to just crawl in a hole and die!" Haha, from the mouths of babes.

My biggest fear is medication being recommended.

 

[Aristocats2]

Our son, now 10, had some difficulty in Kindergarten and his teacher had to speak to me about his behaviour. I had heard about a "diet" (I hate to use that term because so often people associate it with losing weight, and this one has nothing to do with that) a few months before this, the Feingold Diet, recommended for people with symptoms of ADD/ADHD and autism spectrum. Basically, it involved eliminating all artificial colours, flavours and preservatives from your diet (and it is much easier than that sounds -- usually involves nothing more than a brand switch). When I first heard of it, I thought, "Oh, that sounds like it might be something to consider," and put it in the back of my mind. When the K teacher spoke with me, I decided it was time to try it. I checked it out online, cleaned out my pantry, and started it that day. Also made an appt with family dr and was referred to a specialist. By the time our appt with the specialist rolled around, those ADD-type behaviours had disappeared due to the dietary change, and there was no need for a follow-up. I was thrilled, as meds would have been the very last resort.

Our son also has an IEP, and is thriving because of it. He is an excellent student and loves to learn, is well-rounded, chooses his friends wisely and has solid friendships with some terrific kids, is well-liked by all his peers, and according to all of his teachers, is the kind of kid every teacher wishes they had a class full of.

Check out the non-profit group that provides resources about the Feingold Diet at www.feingold.org. The membership fee is about $60, and the information they send you and to which you then have access through their website, is worth every penny. Five years later, we ALL feel better for having eliminated artificial colours and flavours from our diet (they are generally petroleum-based -- how gross is that? Eating petroleum products, eeeww!) and our son has no behaviour issues whatsoever. Interestingly, we also noticed extremely positive changes in the behaviour and mood of our daughter (who was 3 at the time), and those were something we did not expect to see happen.

Best of luck to you, and I applaud you in your quest to do what is best for your son! Keep it up!!

 

[Cdn Gal]

I am replying as both a public school teacher and a parent with a child with disabilities who has an IEP.

An IEP, if needed, is beneficial for the student. This IEP is a plan to help the child be successful usually in the regular classroom.

I have over 30 students on my team that have IEPs. Each one has specific modifications to their educational settings that we have to follow that are in line with the child's disability. Many of these are preferential seating, extra time on assignments, oral testing. There are others that include technical assistance, prewritten notes, etc.

These are helpful to the kids that need them if carried out correctly by the teachers and parents. My son needs special assistance both in academic areas and in physical areas.

I suggest that you do some research on what they are thinking that he might become eligible through (i.e. disability in reading, math, etc.).

Having him tested through the school doesn't mean that he will atomatically quailfy. And if he does qualify you can always say that you don't want to go through the process of the IEP andn don't want to have him receive a special education qualification.

I give my students the modifications and many times see results. I do, however, often give my other students some of the same modifications if they need it as we go.

Good luck as you reserach and decide what steps to take to help your son.

I think what you are thinking about is an IPRC, not an IEP. Anyone can have an IEP with or without testing. Only if testing is done and a student meets the criteria of having a disability of some sort will they be able to have an IPRC meeting. As for IEP, I can have an unofficial IEP on a student in the classroom even without the parents consent. If it is in my professional judgement as a classroom teacher and I feel that I need to accommodate a student they I can accommodate. However once I modify than an official IEP must be drawn up with the parents involvement, where they would be modified.

 

[Cdn Gal]

To make a long story short, IEP's are very good things. They allow the student to be successful and grow both academically and emotionally. Their self esteem goes up as well as their self efficacy. All the best to you and your family.

 

[quandrea]

Just proceed carefully. Don’t take everything the school says at face value or as gospel. I’m a special ed teacher and believe IEPs can be beneficial, but all too often, school staff is quick to want to label and diagnose kids. Decisions made today will write the life story for your son tomorrow.

I’ll give you an example. My brother was not reading in grade two. Parent teacher conference came and the teacher wanted him tested for a learning disability. My parents resisted and hired a tutor. He was reading in two weeks. Had they gone along with the school, he may have been labelled, and with that, expectations would have been adjusted/accommodated for and his future would have been altered.

As a Spec Ed teacher, I see how it plays out. Student is a bit slow to read or acquire math skills—usually the talk happens about now in grade two. Child is tested and identified. IEP drawn up. Resource “help” implemented. Child is given adjusted expectations. Child falls behind peers. And so the snowball effect begins.

My point is—there are some real problems with the Canadian curriculum and the methods being used in our schools. We are not reaching all kids. Some students benefit from direct instruction. Other require lots of repetition. These are methods disappearing from our classrooms.

Take a look online about Direct Instruction and Siegfried Engelmann. Also about Project Follow through. Fascinating reading about reaching all kids.

My brother did not have a learning issue. The methods used in his classroom failed to teach him. He now has a university degree from UofT in English of all things.

As I said, tread carefully. I’m not saying he doesn’t need an IEP, but perhaps some remediation through private means might be a place to start. Arm yourself with all the options. Ask yourself if yourself if he may learn better using a different method.

Good luck.

Ps. Another sad anecdote. I had a student in grade eight many years ago. He was labelled as a vocational student because of his psycho educational testing but was an overachiever, performing at the top of his class. In the spring when we sat down to plan his high school transition, he was forced into the vocational program because of his scores. His performance meant nothing. I advocated to have him try his hand at an academic program but to no avail. At thirteen years old, that boy’s future was decided. No university. I still think of him eighteen years later.

 

[csm101]

My Son had and IEP from Grade 3. He is now in Grade 12 humming along just fine and confirmed to go to college this Sept. I truly believe that grade 7 and 8 are the heaviest years for children with respect of education. When my son started high school teachers were calling me asking why my son isn't in college or in some subject even university. Trust me one your child hits high school work will be easier. The IEP is just another tool in your belt to help with success and it will come. Best of luck

 

[marcyleecorgan]

It's just another tool in the toolbox to help your child. What you choose to do with said tool, that's up to your parenting decision.

 

[Donald - my hero]

​

Only thing worse than the resurrection of a long dead thread (this was started in 2011) is that this one was brought back by an obvious troll -- one, yes ONE post that is beyond insensitive that has since been deleted -- but in the age social media and a Duck who is quick with the cut & paste i have it to share. Careful with the responding folks, i gotta go take care of the rise in BP (yeah, i got sucked in too)


THANKS to whichever Moderator was quick on the draw to remove said post BTW

 

[Pumpkin1172]

It's hard to hear anybody tell you that there's something wrong with your child, isn't it? Somebody tell me I'm being an idiot and that I need to calm down!

You are just being a great momma bear. We never want to hear about our children struggling with anything. In a perfect world, everything would be unicorn farts and gumball raindrops. When we hear of our children having learning difficulties, we fear what the world has in store for them, because let's face it...The real world is a very harsh place. And when our kids face such harsh difficulties at an early age...it can have a devastating effect on their self esteem, self image etc etc etc. But with our help, we can help them navigate this harshness.

Our youngest son ( now 15 ) had/still struggles with reading and writing. He didn't have an IEP. But he did have a LST. We were VERY fortunate to have him in a great small school, with mostly fantastic teachers and staff. His main problem is his brain works faster than his mouth or hands. His reading was below basic for quite a few years. We are fotunate enough to have a special summer program where the teaching staff of all the schools ( of the whole city ) gets to pick a number of students to partake in a Summer reading University ( free of charge ). Our son was lucky ( or unlucky due to his reading disability ) to get to go for 2 summers to this. This intense one on one program helped him so much, Along with many many many hours spent at home and at school working on reading and writing. We had so many terrific ( i honestly can't say enough about most of the staff there) teachers that helped him along the way.

Fast forward to today. He's in grade 9 this year. Last year, he was on the honor roll ALL year. This year, he's still on the honor roll in Grade 9! I'm so proud of him. He works hard for every mark he gets. And we tell him daily about that. He is where he is today...because HE is doing all he can to get the marks he is. His reading is at grade level, his writing could be better...but it could be worse as well. It is a work in progress. We will keep working with him...as well his teachers will too. We talk about how he overcomes and works with his disabilities on reading and writing as a family. I couldn't be prouder of him than I am today. It takes time, and doesn't turn around over night.

But honestly, since he has to work so hard to get where he is today, and how proud he is of that work, it has taught him that most things, don't come easy to anybody. When he wants something, he has learned you need to work hard to achieve that. I remind him all the time of his hard work, and when you work hard in life...it will take you farther than taking the easy road.

 

[bankr63]

I think I have been on the boards too long. I actually remember this one from 2011. DW is a teacher with Spec Ed qualification (she was a Spec Ed teacher back when Ontario had such a thing), so it caught my attention. Funny to see it get resurrected 7 years later.

 

[FigmentSpark]

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