Communication book

[jelanismom]

I was the one who suggested a communication book for Jelani at his first day of kindergarten and so far I'm happy I did.

On the otherhand, when he was in preschool the teacher had a form filled out daily and placed in the kids backpacks. On it were checked boxes of what therapies he had, such as OT/PT/ST, and what he ate, potty time info, and little updates on his progress that day. But now he's in kindergarten and they don't use this type form...I suppose every school does it differently. So on his second day of kindy I suggested a communication book and it's been sent back and forth in his backpack every day so I at least I get an idea of the days events for Jelani...esp. since he's not yet verbalizing this to me.
It's common sense to expect parents to be curious about their child's day to day activities, progress, therapies, etc., but some schools would rather not have to do the extra paperwork for each child...
But good thing Jelani's teacher/aids write in his book every day and I open it as soon as he's off the bus and even before walking in the door! lol

Oh I have to add that it's useful too because the teacher wrote in the book one day that Jelani pushed two kids off a truck at recess so he could sit there!!! And once she indicated that he was tossing puzzle pieces or that he was sitting longer in his seat and speaking more words...I just wanted to see how many of you use this type book?

[andrewsmom]

Hi and welcome to UNO! ;D
My son Andrew is in preschool and we use the same kind of form you were talking about..... A piece of paper with boxes to check off and then space for them to write words he has said or signed that day, potty, things he did etc. You made me laugh when you said "I open it as soon as he's off the bus and even before walking in the door!' LOL!!!!! I read Andrew's even before I drive off the school's property! LOL!!!!
I'm happy with the paper because it really gives alot of info about what went on that day that Andrew can't communicate to me. It's really a great tool.
Hope to hear more from you soon!
-Trisha

[Googsmom aka Jennifer]

I use the same kind of "book" for my oldest daughter who has ADHD. (No DS) But the book works good for us. Sometimes I have to "hound" the teachers to keep up w/ it and my daughter too just because her dad and I share her 1/2 n 1/2 and I don't get to see it everyday. So every other day when I do get to see it, i can make sure all work is done. And I even made it VERY clear at the last IEP meeting that ALL teachers MUST participate in the book, not just her special ed teacher and the reading teacher. So now days the "book" is part of the routine and the IEP.
P.S. Welcome to Uno. Bestest spot on the internet!!

[Renee']

Lauren is in 3rd grade and we have a communication book. Her teacher and I write everyday. I tell her about Laurens sleep and morning to prepare her for the day.

[Renee']

oh, and Welcome!!

[meghans_mom]

i'm replying way late but we, too, use a communication book for Meghan. She's in first grade - and we also used it in kindy.

the aides do not write to me (not sure if they're allowed or not...our districts here are funny that way)
but I get a note most days from either the regular ed or special ed teacher.
Unfortunately I NEVER hear from her OT & PT....which drives me bananas....I've complained but since they're not school employees (outside agencies) the school can only do so much.
Fortunately, Meghan has gotten *a little* better at sharing what has happened in school but I look forward to those teacher communications so much!! (most days -- unless something really bad happened, lol)

the books are definitely a good tool...but it all depends on the teachers too...they have lots of students and I know its always extra for them but I make sure I let them know how much I appreciate it

[lespring]

Angela's communication book is part of her IEP. We've never had an issue with a teacher not wanting to write in it, but if they did, they'd be in non-compliance with the IEP.

[jelanismom]

Leah,

It's written in his IEP too...I insisted on this at last month's addendum meeting. But check this out....today (like many days) all she, the teacher (or aid or whomsoever) wrote in his book is "he had a good day and ate all his lunch".... ....really? Ok what about the other 4 hours? Did he have therapies? Did he go in the potty? Did he verbalize new words, or how about his behavior? Did he sit longer in his chair or did he maybe help out more cleaning up after table time? What the heck right? They take as least amount of time making entries in the communication book just to "get by" and say they "did"...what a crock of crap,....sorry, I can't say what I want to and I don't mean to be rude....but REALLY! How difficult is it to write more than 1 sentence? grrrrrrrrr

[Googsmom aka Jennifer]

I hear ya Dawn. I had to explain that to Mary's teachers. They finally got the hint. Could'a been the nice letter I wrote to the superentendant Hehehehehe I tell ya them teacher's don't like me much but my child gets what she is intitled to and the teacher's always thank me for being such a caring mommy

[Jessie]

We still have a communication book for Jason and he's 15!!! Actually, it was only started a couple of years ago at my request (think I got the idea from someone here, of course). It started out as a notebook that was used sporadically to tell us how awful of a day Jason had. Once his new teacher came on board, she created an actual form to check off activities he had done. This year she creted a really nice folder for each kid in the class with their picture on it and it's just a part of their day to write in every child's folder.

When you have a child that has a really difficult time verbalizing it's an invaluable tool. I'm just glad we've never really had an issue with compliance, his teacher sees the value in using it.


Jessie

[lespring]

The purpose of Angela's notebook is to give me information that I can use to encourage communication FROM HER! ie; topics of discussion. So, while they do put things about behavior in there, that is NOT the point of the notebook (at one time I had to ask her teacher "Please, for every negative you write, I want 3 positives!" which completely changed the tone of the book. )

So, Angela's teacher might write something like, "Angela had a good day. One incident of pushing. Ask her about the assembly we had today about bike safety."

Likewise, I will write stuff that THEY can use for topics of discussion when they need to distract her out of something. Like, "Ask Angela what she's doing with Dudley tonight." or "Over the weekend Angela had a sleepover." Just enough information that to ask her questions, but not too much so we have to listen to her for the answers. When she was younger and couldn't tell us as much the details in the notebook were more specific so we could ask her more direct questions.

[naomid]

Callum's is like Angela's in that we use it to prompt discussion. Both school and I stick photos and bits of artwork that Callum has done in there as well. The teachers don't write the behavioural stuff in there as they usually tell me that verbally when I come and pick him up.

[CC]

Christopher has had a Communication book that goes back and forth daily since preschool right up to now at age 15. He not only has one for the general ed but has a separate one with the ST. Chris has been in the Public School and in Private School just for ones with exceptional needs and both places use the Communication book without me even requesting.

I find it very beneficial.

CC ~

[alisonzmom]

I am in the process of making a communication folder/book for Alison for Kinky in Sept. Having the advantage of already knowing who her teacher we be, I set up a meeting with him ( OMG, you guys, I think I'm in love w/this guy - such a nice, GOOD-LOOKING guy!!! ) He asked me to make a mock-up of what I want to get out of this book. So far I'm kind of looselyy basing it on the form that she gets daily now in pre-K - info on what unit/concept they've worked on, potty info ( w/Alison's other issues it's important that I know what's going on her BM's and of course w/the potty training efforts ), what therapies she had that day etc, hi-lights, low-lights of her day...... I'm also going to incorporate the ideas that leah & naomi have in their kids to give the teacher info to help get Alison to share things with them.

One of the bigger, scarier concerns that I'm having with this whole starting Kindy business is that I won't be dropping off/picking up Alison at school everyday. That's when I'd tell the teacher/aide things that they could ask Alison about. Al's one of those kids who will tell you anything you want to know BUT ONLY if you ask her specifically, never just volunteers anything no matter how excited she might have been about it at the time KWIM?

Barb