homework help

maman

I read your original post and then scan read the rest so forgive me if I'm repeating things.

First, I'm disgusted with the pressure on a 6 year old from the school. Sounds like they're pursuing 'outstanding' grading at the expense of childhood.

Next, I'd say there are issues with your boy that need exploring. He could be just switched off literacy but it's possible he's on the autism spectrum especially as he behaves the same towards emotional literacy at school as at home ( so not as if he's just playing you up). If the school had any sense they'd be referring him for an assessment not just forcing him to do same homework as everyone else.

I think I read he has an IEP. Insist on being there when it's reviewed. then you can work with the school, try out their ideas from the IEP and if they don't work force an external assessment.

double_mummy

maman wrote: »

I think I read he has an IEP. Insist on being there when it's reviewed. then you can work with the school, try out their ideas from the IEP and if they don't work force an external assessment.

every time his IEP has been changed i have been there but there is a thought to take it off him because he is now overachieving for his age in the start of year 2 his IEP was to learn number bonds to 10 write a sentence use a full stop and use a capital letter all of which he confidently does but because he refused to do any work they hadnt ticked these off their lists it is very much something that isnt thought about anymore and is only really looked at when i ask for it to be

thank you everyone else for your comments we are going to try talking to him today and see what he thinks (not in any oh you have this just chatting about how he finds it hard etc) and then chat with the school on monday and we wont be doing the homework this weekend and have organised him some time at grandmas which he always loves

maman

double_mummy wrote: »

every time his IEP has been changed i have been there but there is a thought to take it off him because he is now overachieving for his age in the start of year 2 his IEP was to learn number bonds to 10 write a sentence use a full stop and use a capital letter all of which he confidently does but because he refused to do any work they hadnt ticked these off their lists it is very much something that isnt thought about anymore and is only really looked at when i ask for it to be

thank you everyone else for your comments we are going to try talking to him today and see what he thinks (not in any oh you have this just chatting about how he finds it hard etc) and then chat with the school on monday and we wont be doing the homework this weekend and have organised him some time at grandmas which he always loves

Great idea to give him some fun time, poor lad sound like he's under a lot of pressure.

It sounds to me as if he doesn't want taking off the IEP but rather his targets are no longer appropriate. What you've described is a behavioural/emotional issue rather than a literacy one as such. If you and the school have tried all the usual motivational things then it's time for a specialist assessment.

double_mummy

maman wrote: »

Great idea to give him some fun time, poor lad sound like he's under a lot of pressure.

It sounds to me as if he doesn't want taking off the IEP but rather his targets are no longer appropriate. What you've described is a behavioural/emotional issue rather than a literacy one as such. If you and the school have tried all the usual motivational things then it's time for a specialist assessment.

i agree but i dont know enough about ieps (yet i am researching) to know whether they cover this side of things as they have always been academic targets with my son his behavior in school is excellent he is polite and is not a trouble maker it is always commented on about how well mannered he is

i agree we have tried almost everything but its more that he doesnt understand (its like showing my hubby trigonometry lol )

itsanne

double_mummy wrote: »

i agree but i dont know enough about ieps (yet i am researching) to know whether they cover this side of things as they have always been academic targets with my son his behavior in school is excellent he is polite and is not a trouble maker it is always commented on about how well mannered he is

i agree we have tried almost everything but its more that he doesnt understand (its like showing my hubby trigonometry lol )

Definitely don't let your son's iep be stopped. Things may be different as I'm in Scotland, but here ieps can cover virtually anything. The difficulties you describe would certainly be included - and you should be involved in both planning and review.

jellyhead

Janepig wrote: »

Most of DS's reading books from school (even the fiction ones) have been about bugs and pirates and stuff like that which he's enjoyed. I don't recall DD having those sorts of books so I can only imagine that the school have cottoned on to the fact that boys and girls like different subject matter, even at a young age!

Jx

Some children choose their own books at that age. They know which 'level' they are on, and can pick their own book from what's available.

This worked well for my son because they could move up a level when the teacher or TA said they were ready - they didn't have to read every book in that level.

He's a free reader now but his friend who was on the same book level is not, so she's still reading the school's books. Some children read every book in a level, it depends on their ability and how long it takes them to be ready for the next stage. There's a boy in his class who is almost a year older than my son and he flew through the school's books and was rather bored by them. He soon started bringing in his own non-fiction books but first he had to tick enough boxes such as reading with expression, predicting what will happen next, etc. in the school's books.

Perhaps your son is allowed to pick books he likes, or maybe the person who goes to change the books will select a 'boyish' book for him anyhow

Sorry OP, we're going off topic because your son is already a free reader.

maman

double_mummy wrote: »

i agree but i dont know enough about ieps (yet i am researching) to know whether they cover this side of things as they have always been academic targets with my son his behavior in school is excellent he is polite and is not a trouble maker it is always commented on about how well mannered he is

i agree we have tried almost everything but its more that he doesnt understand (its like showing my hubby trigonometry lol )

IEPs are for all special educational needs including behavioural and emotional. By behavioural I didn't mean 'naughty' behaviour but the way he responds to his literacy tasks.

I need to re-read your original posts because I thought you said he copes well with most of his work but throws a wobbly when asked to describe emotions. That doesn't sound like he doesn't understand more like he's uncomfortable with it and freaks out.

jellyhead

double_mummy wrote: »

i agree but i dont know enough about ieps (yet i am researching) to know whether they cover this side of things as they have always been academic targets with my son his behavior in school is excellent he is polite and is not a trouble maker it is always commented on about how well mannered he is

i agree we have tried almost everything but its more that he doesnt understand (its like showing my hubby trigonometry lol )

My eldest's IEPs were mainly academic targets but they did include things like making eye contact or socialising with peers. They were stopped at the end of year 3 when his statement ended, but he never did make eye contact. I find eye contact difficult too.

I'd say don't let them end his IEP yet. Tell them that his difficulties are still affecting his work, but that different targets would help him more. Some extra input with what he finds most difficult about literacy might help him to know what they are looking for, so he can feel happier, even if it just means putting a similar comment each time (happy, sad, excited or scared might cover every eventuality? I don't know, my son was below average in writing at that age, and still is).

[Deleted User]

I have an older boy (17) who has aspergers and dyspraxia and a younger son (7) who we suspect has dyspraxia.

With my younger son, his writing is illegible but he can educate teachers on dinosaurs and quite a lot of other things. He can read at least two years up on his age.

Last year I discovered he was being kept from breaks and 'golden time' because of his writing. He was becoming very upset about it.., apparently if the teacher felt he wasn't trying hard enough, she kept him in. This actually made him feel that he was being punished for something he couldn't help and made him dread writing all the more. He started refusing to go to school at all.

I am still working with the school on this although to be honest, they are now trying very hard to make school a bit better for him. I don't force my son to do his homework although I do try many techniques to make it fun and attractive to him before giving it up.

I have however, had to insist he does not lose any more break time etc for anything but extreme behaviour problems. And I did have to keep stating this initially because the school just couldn't seem to see my point - that what they might consider him 'not trying' might be behaviours induced by a special need, not something that should be punished to make him 'try harder'. It wasn't working anyway.

Over the holidays, he did some gentle writing work (not much) to rebuild his confidence and by September he was more relaxed and ready to go back to school.

Personally, if your son was getting that upset (and upset enough to destroy a book) I'd be wondering why. Behaviours like that don't exist without a very good reason. I'd be looking at that distress a lot more closely. I couldn't bear to see my son that upset. Imagine what his self esteem must be like about writing with all that negativity?

double_mummy

maman wrote: »

IEPs are for all special educational needs including behavioural and emotional. By behavioural I didn't mean 'naughty' behaviour but the way he responds to his literacy tasks. brill will look into this have been reading lots and all looks like it could help

I need to re-read your original posts because I thought you said he copes well with most of his work but throws a wobbly when asked to describe emotions. That doesn't sound like he doesn't understand more like he's uncomfortable with it and freaks out.

no he doesnt freak out when he is given the work he will just say they are happy or sad it when he is then asked what else or can you tell me some more and is asked to do anything or when he has factually said what is happening but doesnt elaborate or anything and he is sent back to do more thats when he gets upset and plays up and being made to rewrite things again and again because his handwriting is so bad when doing descriptive work but can be so lovely when doing maths or spanish or factual things