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Post by Ericsmomma on Jan 16, 2006 9:32:32 GMT -5
Morning all,
I was just wondering how often your child's teacher communicates with you about how your child is doing. Eric is in a pre-k class, and he just switched teachers about a month ago. His other teacher would write me notes, at least once a week...granted, they were mostly negative comments, but I did kinda know what he was doing. His new teacher seems very nice, but I don't have a clue what he's doing. Eric is non-verbal, so its not like I can ask him how his day went.....I don't want to be difficult, but I think a note once a week isn't too much to ask. He also gets pt, ot, and speech, and I never get any communication from any of those people. Am I asking too much?
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Post by kwisteena1021 on Jan 16, 2006 10:06:48 GMT -5
When Kallie was in Pre K we had a note book that came home at the end of each week to discuss her behavior this week, her strengths and things she wanted us to work on at home some more. On Mondays we would get a general note, that would go home to all the kids parents, stating what they were working on that week, and gave us extra activities to do at home if we wanted to. You are NOT asking too much.
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Post by carolyn on Jan 16, 2006 10:30:38 GMT -5
I have simplified this somewhat. Johns 1:1 does write a note most days, but I also came up with a small chart, like the size of an index card. It is divided into the six parts of his day, i.e. circle time, workshops, specials ( gym music ect..) and so one. His aide made a bunch of these, and puts little stickers on each subject he did great in, or at least cooperated appropiately each day. This give us a quick look at his day, and I then reward John with 1 mini reece cup for each sticker. He seems to enjoy counting out his treat, and it is a good reward system for us. There are days he gets 6, there are days he only gets 2 or 3. This helps keep me up to date and cuts down on what the aide has to write. Good luck!
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Post by momofrussell on Jan 16, 2006 11:03:54 GMT -5
We have a comm book that specific notes go to and from school in between teacher/therapists and I.. then the teacher uses a daily sheet and fills in the blanks for all kids.. so I know what Russell did. They did this at the last school too last year with the old teacher and this year with the new teacher.
You are NOT asking too much!! I'd make up some fill in the blank form and take it in and ask they use it. They might not know to use something like that and LOVE the idea!!!!!
A.
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Post by Gina on Jan 16, 2006 11:04:19 GMT -5
Communication has always been a problem for me. Ashton still isn't very verbal so I don't know what is going on without the teacher/therapist letting me know. We also use the tablet in the backpack. That has helped. I still call quite often just to check in or go to the school. They have told me that I am in the minority. Most parents of kids with disabilities in our area, just don't seem to care and aren't part of their education process. So I don't think the teacher's are used to parents like myself. Very sad. I would recommend to call whenever you have a question, and they will realize that you want to be involved and hopefully start communicating more.
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Post by Cathy on Jan 16, 2006 12:18:54 GMT -5
We also use the notebook to receive information back and forth from teachers and therapists. It is working great. And thanks to modern technology, Katie's teacher and I email back and forth also.
I also used to get nothing but the negatives and I finally said.. Katie cannot ALWAYS be bad...so now they do send me the good things too. Katie is in Gen ED in the morning and SP ED in the afternoon. The Sped teacher tries to write everyday and tells me what Katie eats, what she is working on and so forth.
The Gen ED Class is now getting into academics (Shapes, Letters, Numbers). Her teacher sends me home extra worksheets and Emily and I do them as HOMEWORK with Katie and she LOVES it. So I know what they are working on. I can tell you one thing... COMMUNICATION is the biggest key. We (Teachers, therapists and me) have been trying to keep our discipline tactics and are reward programs consistent and I am extremely happy at how is going.
Just a side note, since Katie has been int he General Ed she has progressed by leaps and bounds. Maybe a lot of it is just maturity but now she can come home and tell me what she did at school and what she ate. Okay sometimes she gets it wrong, but it is so nice to be able to ask her and actually have an answer.
Good Luck ..better leave before I hijack this post (no on purpose).,
cathy
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Post by MB on Jan 16, 2006 12:31:17 GMT -5
In preschool we had a communication spiral notebook. Handwritten notes were filled in by teacher and therapist.
In elementary school a form was generated by the computer that left space for notes for each segment of his day. For example, there was a box for the different subjects and therapies. It was much easier for the staff to write a quick note in their box than to go through the spiral, find the next blank page, date, identify themselves and then talk about the activity. Instead of writing:
January 14, 2006 We had a great time in speech. Jimmy identified the s and t sound, practiced social communication and signs for unhappy and happy. The group played a flash card idetification game. He was cooperative for the session.
They could write instead:
Great! S and T sounds, happy, unhappy signs, flash cards.
This allowed them to spend more time with the kids. Sometimes they would write "voice mail" meaning I should check voice mail for a more detailed message.
Hope this helps.
mb
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Post by Ericsmomma on Jan 16, 2006 13:17:17 GMT -5
Some great ideas... We have a spiral notebook that goes back and forth each day...the last entry was from me... dated December 10....nothing back since then. I haven't written anything cuz I was waiting for a response...well, one month later...NADA! I really like the chart idea...going to a school supply store and get a blank one..I'll even supply the stickers. Hope this works.
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Post by ValerieC on Jan 16, 2006 13:51:42 GMT -5
Dolly,
I may be wrong, but I thought you could put these kind of stipulations into their IEP. When I subbed as an aide in a inclusive class, one of the student's IEP's required communication home from the teacher/aide. It also required pictures of activities done in school to be sent home to allow extra communication practice at home about the days events.
Just a thought.
Valerie C
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Post by Jessie on Jan 16, 2006 14:50:38 GMT -5
Hi Dolly, I agree with everyone else on the importance of communication with the school (especially with a non-verbal child). Last year I had initiated (based on suggestions from the pros here at UnoMas ) to have a notebook go back and forth. This did work well, but we also just got notes when Jason had a bad day. I finally stopped replying to those because it just wasn't getting us anywhere. However, this was a good stepping stone. This year his teacher initiated a new plan for communication for all of the kids in the class (I like to think that my little suggestion for a communication book last year led to this!), which is to have a take-home folder for each child. The inside left pocket is for "Home" where they put his papers that he worked on that day or any info that we need to have that is for us to keep at home. The right pocket is for "School" where we are to put anything we need to send in to them, such as envelopes with lunch money, etc. There is also notebook paper in there for notes. We don't get (and really don't expect) a handwritten note everyday. We see the papers he brings home and they also send out a one-page newsletter each week letting us know what they are working on. I don't know if this change was due to a student teacher being in his classroom this year, but it has been a really good thing. Interestingly, and it might be a combination of things, but we get many more notes home that he had a GREAT day, etc. Very few "bad" days this year. I e-mail his main teacher if there is something that I want to specifically discuss with her and not the student teacher or the aides. One thing I do need to still push for is better communication from his speech therapist. Good luck . . . and hopefully good things will come of you pushing for this!! Jessie
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Post by meghans_mom on Jan 16, 2006 16:29:33 GMT -5
I get a note once or twice a month from the OT & PT therapists. I also see them on an almost daily basis...so if they have something to say, they'll tell me. I also see MM's teachers daily so notes are few...she writes a general (photocopied) note to all the class about once a week. I'll get personal notes once a week, if there's something she wants to tell me. The SLT never writes me notes but, again, she's the therapist in MM's class and will tell me anything she needs to. Good luck - I know I would be frustrated if I didn't hear from our teachers on a regular basis. laurie
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Post by CC on Jan 16, 2006 19:47:15 GMT -5
Chris from preschool right up till now (13 years old) has always had daily communication books with Teach and one with his Speech Therapist also. Both also send home folders with work to be done and work that has been done. We also due to Christopher's speech delay use our digital camera and print out photos of things he has done, for example we just got back from a 4 day ski trip, so I printed out photos so Chris could share and use them as a prompt to share about his trip School has also done the same sending some photos so I can get Chris to share about his school day, works out pretty nicely for us Back to School night the Teachers have always given me his schedule so I know what days he has say library, gym and what time of the day he has math, you get what I mean Which has always been a big help too as on Thursday say I can say so Chris how was Gym, KWIM Communication between home and school is a biggy (sp?) in my book and I would just nicely tell the Teach you need more of it. Best of Luck. CC ~
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Post by Emilysmom on Jan 16, 2006 20:01:12 GMT -5
I started out reading this and thinking we must have been SPOILED!! We had almost daily communication from teachers from preschool on!!! In preschool, there was a sheet that was put into the backpack of EVERY student that had a space for things like what the child ate, if they had any "accidents", a smiley face or sad face for behavior with a space for specific comments,etc. I have saved nearly all of them!!!!! Starting in Kindergarten, we have used a communication spiral notebook. It was usually filled out by the aide, but many times the therapists and other teachers added their own comments. There was never a time when I didn't get at least one communication every other day throughout elementary school. Once, at an IEP meeting.......a teacher suggested that we stop doing the communication notebook and I nearly lost it! I asked her if she could IMAGINE what it would be like if her daughter came home from school every day and did not tell her a single thing about her day. That notebook, for many years, gave me the ONLY news about Emily's day. I reminded that teacher that it was really important to me and that I was happy with very short comments......didn't have to be a full page! She agreed, and the following year we started making Emily more responsible for doing her own communication sheet. They were photocopied sheets that simply said "MY DAY". It had a few lines next to several questions like "What was the best thing that happened today"______________, "What is the worst thing that happened today", "What I ate for lunch", "What I need to bring to school tomorrow", etc. Emily filled in those blanks with some help, and it helped me to get her into talking to me about her day.
Ok, that was the LONG version. The much shorter version is that I do NOT think you are asking for too much. I think it is totally reasonable for you to ask the teacher to find an easy way to let you know about Eric's day, every day. I would politely remind her that the only way you can know how and what he did day is for HER to tell you......because he is not ready for that yet. Surely, she can imagine what it would be like if her own child didn't talk to her about the good stuff and not-so-good stuff that happened that day.
Susan
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Post by ethansmammy on Jan 17, 2006 13:38:29 GMT -5
Ethan is in pre-school and I used to talk to his 'helper' after each session, but it wasn't always convenient. So she suggested an informal book that she can write in and we just keep it in his backpack. It works very well. We also get a formal report once a month. I personally prefer the notebook because I know whats going on on a daily basis and she can tell if he's had a good day or not - if he's gone to the potty etc. You could suggest an informal notebook as it only takes a minute to write down how a day has been. Ask and you shall recieve... what you want is very reasonable, the teacher just probably hasn't thought about it. Don't be afraid just ask. Elaine
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Post by Ericsmomma on Jan 17, 2006 18:26:38 GMT -5
I spoke to his teacher today...she had sent me a list of questions regarding my thoughts on Eric's placement next year for kindy. I told her I couldn't answer properly, because I'm not aware of what goals he has achieved or areas he lacking in. I requested a meeting with her, his pt, ot, and speech person so we can discuss Eric's options. I also mentioned to her that perhaps we can come up with some way to communicated every few days via his notebook(she never used this), or a checklist. She said she would work on a checklist/progress chart for him next week. Hopefully this will be a step in the right direction. Thanks for all the help.
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