Anonymous wrote:Does your school use this same daily planner? if so how is it working for you? Or is your student allowed to use whatever homework tool works for them?

My DS is in 6th grade in a MoCo public. lots of accommodations but still highly disorganized. homework time is a disaster due to not knowing or understanding what is due when. And lets not even discuss Advanced planning, study skills...he has no idea how to study for tests.

Edline is "ok" but not always consistent. Teachers post due dates but not always with supporting documents needed to complete the assignment. For typical kids this isn't a problem but with my DS with significant executive functioning and ADHD challenges this is a disaster because many times he doesn't know which packet in his binder is associated with the assignment. Also I HATE the daily planner he is being forced to use. Its counter-intuitive, at least the way his school wants the students to use it. Also his handwriting is atrocious. So bad that even HE cannot read what he's written. Then he ends up emailing the teacher at the 11th hour to get the assignment explained to him because he can't read his own writing or remember what to do for the assignment.

Again, he has a lot of accommodations but things still aren't gelling for him.

TIA

Anonymous wrote:Oh I know exactly where you are! We were there last year (6th) with my daughter. After many struggles just like your ( oh the tears!), we finally met with key teachers and admin. We had her tested and found similar issues. She began going to the guidance counselor at the end of each day to make sure she had all her assignments recorded correctly. Then she began working with a tutor to get them done. Both things were a godsend! Her stress and ours greatly diminished. But I fully agree with the PP who said it's important to walk through the day and ask your son what the sticking points are. That helps them identify what the problems may be and help generate solutions. Not only is this effective but it's instructive for them too in learning how to cope. Good luck and fwiw 7th has been like a walk in the park!!

Anonymous wrote:Does your school use this same daily planner? if so how is it working for you? Or is your student allowed to use whatever homework tool works for them?

My DS is in 6th grade in a MoCo public. lots of accommodations but still highly disorganized. homework time is a disaster due to not knowing or understanding what is due when. And lets not even discuss Advanced planning, study skills...he has no idea how to study for tests.

Edline is "ok" but not always consistent. Teachers post due dates but not always with supporting documents needed to complete the assignment. For typical kids this isn't a problem but with my DS with significant executive functioning and ADHD challenges this is a disaster because many times he doesn't know which packet in his binder is associated with the assignment. Also I HATE the daily planner he is being forced to use. Its counter-intuitive, at least the way his school wants the students to use it. Also his handwriting is atrocious. So bad that even HE cannot read what he's written. Then he ends up emailing the teacher at the 11th hour to get the assignment explained to him because he can't read his own writing or remember what to do for the assignment.

Again, he has a lot of accommodations but things still aren't gelling for him.

TIA


Actually, this is a problem for "typical" kids, and I wish MCPS would realize it. My DC had a concussion and was out of school on and off for months. Ultimately, DC got a 504 plan (which took months, which is illegal). Even after the 504 we had problems with MANY teachers not posting assignments to Edline -- neither assignments to be completed, nor graded assignments. Only 2 out of 7 MS teachers reliably used Edline. Oddly, DC was in a magnet MS and our home MS teachers used Edline much more (because, I'm sure at our West-county, wealthy, MS, parents demand it!)

This is not only an issue for Sped kids but for all kids. I encourage parents to complain when Edline is not being used. Edline benefits kids with ADHD and other LDs, but it also benefits the child who was sick for a day or two, or who has divorced parents and ended up at one house having left the worksheet at the other, or the kid who is also working after school who left the worksheet at school because he was so tired, etc.

It is a Universal Design for Life issue -- meaning that MCPS should be designing school so that ALL children have access to it -- diagnosed, undiagnosed, with an IEP or 504 and without, etc.

Plus, frankly, in this day and age, it's also an aspect of a child's development toward working in the real world whether at school or in a job -- to be able to pull work posted independently and complete and turn it in electronically and follow up electronically.

Parents pay for Edline thru their taxes, and parents should demand that MCPS teachers use it regularly.

My other DC is not yet in MS. We don't "ask" the school anymore for permission to change planners or folders or the way we use them. I simply make the change and inform the school in writing of the new planner or binder, why it is organized the way it is or why the change was made. That leaves it to the school to say "no" and why. It puts them in a position of looking obstinate and unreasonably non-cooperative. The only thing in middle school about the existing planner is that the planner is sometimes used as a "hall pass". There are many ways to address that -- simply rip the "hall pass" page out and put it in your own planner or make a new "hall pass" page of your own. Plus, when DC starts being able to turn in homework on time, then the teachers stop complaining any way.....

What accommodations do you have for executive functioning in an IEP or 504 plan? Are these in the plan but just not being implemented? Or are they not even in the plan? If you don't have them in the plan, then start documenting for a half quarter or so the failure to get, understand, complete and turn in homework and how it is affecting grades. This will involve a polite note to the relevant teacher about each assignment gone astray, as well as printouts of Edline to show what has been posted when.

Once you have the documentation, call for a review meeting to get the plan updated. Show the documentation, how it impacts grades, and ask for specific plan changes.

If there is a plan but it is not being implemented, document the failures. First email is a polite one to the teacher. Second failure generates an email to the principal with a CC to the sped or 504 coordinator, forwarding the first failure and providing additional info about the second failure. Third failure is a complaint filed or an email directly to the head of special ed with a cc to the principal and teacher, complaining about systematic failure to implement IEP and asking for correction closing with a wish that the problem can be solved cooperatively so that you do not "have to resort to your due process options".

After that, file a state complaint.

Anonymous wrote:Unfortunately, this is just life. Our DC is in Arlington, also with lots of accommodations, but no planning/study skills whatsoever. This is just where kids are -- if there are SNs like ADHD and LDs, it's that much worse. We work at it with DC, the school does too -- hoping it eventually clicks...