<p>yeah…getting out of the way…we should write a book…</p>
<p>My son met yesterday with his gifted resource teacher. She provided him an outline on organizing himself as well as another on note taking. He will now spend his B day study block with her working on these skills, while also having a quiet, more relaxed place to study. He says he finds it difficult to study and work in a classroom. Her new space (they just moved into a brand new high school building) has bean bag chairs and is smaller and more intimate. Hopefully she’ll be able to help him.</p>
<p>Gifted resource teacher! What a spectacular concept. How I wish that existed around here.</p>
<p>She will find her way, she will find her way, she will find her way…</p>
<p>I wish my D’s school had a “gifted resource teacher”, too … We tried for a year to get the school to provide the sort of support/coaching our D needed (organization, executive function issues, study skills) but they would not because she happened not to be failing any classes on the day the IEP meeting was held, so she didn’t meet the requirements. Of course, she HAD been failing earlier and it was only because of serious interventions -dropping several classes and attending a shortened school day- that she was doing OK on the day the meeting was held. It was extremely frustrating. We ended up having to hire a private coach which was expensive but EXTREMELY helpful. I highly recommend it if your kid is receptive. </p>
<p>The school did suggest that she spend her study hall in the “Learning Center”, which is a small, quiet, guided study hall with a caring and supportive teacher who helps the kids keep track of their assignments and grades. So maybe some of your kids’ schools have something like that. It’s been great for my D. She says she cannot get ANY work done in the regular study halls, many of which are held in the very loud cafeteria…</p>
<p>“I wish my D’s school had a “gifted resource teacher”, too … We tried for a year to get the school to provide the sort of support/coaching our D needed (organization, executive function issues, study skills)” I suspect what vamominvabeach described is an unusual situation, because that’s not what gifted resource teachers are generally tasked to do. They are supposed to be providing educational opportunities above and beyond what is delivered in the regular classroom. In our schools, that means a little pullout or pushin at the elementary level (depending on the fad of the year), running some extracurricular activities at the middle school level, and reading over college essays upon request at the high school level. The student/teacher ratio is way too high to allow for any significant one on one work (think 100:1 in middle school or substantially more in high school). You’re better off turning to the LD teachers who are trained to do that kind of thing and for which the student/teacher ratio is 10-fold or more better.</p>
<p>I actually would hire a “coach” but my DS refuses to go…</p>
<p>I guess we are quite fortunate here. Since my son was first identified gifted in elementary school he has always had access to a gifted resource teacher. He was so well loved by the one he had in elementary school, that she remains a Facebook friend of ours even after she moved away. The resource teachers in middle school were not very hands on, so I made a point of getting to know the high school resource teacher and I’ve reached out to her a few times for guidance on keeping my gifted kid on track. I was pleasantly surprised she was able to carve out time to guide him. She does provide expanded leaning opportunities for the kids, runs seminars for them and takes care of nominations for advanced programs for them. I figure it’s always worthwhile to ask her for help first and if she can’t help, she’ll steer me in the right direction. We are quite fortunate to be in an excellent school district.</p>
<p>vamominvabeach: “I’m jealous”…I think if there was a “guide” built into the school my kid attends, I wouldn’t be struggling with getting his adolescent brain to agree to simple things…He might listen to someone he thinks is ‘just part of school’, as opposed to me, his mother, or a “paid” consultant/tutor/whatever!</p>
<p>Op,
Thanks for starting this thread and reminding me that there are other parent/kid interactions and frustrations that are identical to mine and DS’s.
vamominvabeach: full neuropsych eval over in SoCal runs $2000 - $4000.
DS has ADHD inattentive type but doesn’t qualify for any sort of testing accommodations.
We tried a ADHD coach, but it’s not really working. Going to try to find a different one.
Going to try out the little notepads and the smartphone app.
Thanks for everyone’s great ideas.</p>
<p>my son is at this age where he just wants to “do it all himself”…it is soooo annoying! I’ve tried suggesting the smartphone app or other things…he just looks at me and says “stop telling me what to do”…I mean, maybe I am being overly involved…but, I also think he is too laid-back…you know what I mean?</p>
<p>Yes. With number two son we are in that situation. I am trying not to nag, trying to let him be in charge of his life, trying not to say “I told you so” when he screws up. </p>
<p>We aren’t talking earthshaking screw ups: maybe he gets a high B instead of a low A, maybe his class rank drops a spot. </p>
<p>Yeah, I need some really good DUCK TAPE for my mouth when it comes to opening it and “telling” him what I think he should do…</p>
<p>drmom123, that’s why it’s such a great idea to get another adult involved, whether it’s an ADD coach or someone at school… that way it’s not YOU making suggestions and checking up on assignments and stuff. In our case that made a huge difference. </p>
<p>I would love to get him to go to the coach! I found one, he met with him…“yeah, I like him…but, I don’t need him every week!”…but…maybe I have to tell him that “I” need him…he has to go to the coach for “me”…??? I’m still trying to figure out the strategy…my S just doesn’t see the need…“I can do this myself”… </p>
<p>drmom123 I have a suggestion that tends to work with my brilliant scatterbrain - I bribe him! My bribes can be torturous, like a cupcake on the table can’t be eaten until an assignment is completed. For S2 who is a genius but lazy, we bribe him with money. When they are at the age where they only partially don’t want to do something but they know they should, a small bribe works wonders. I would definitely offer to pay your son to go the a coach - yes it may be expensive but if it helps his college aspirations then it’s worth it.</p>
<p>hmmmmmm…bribing…money…hmmmm…could work… B-) </p>
<p>My S did not want to go to an ADHD coach. Had kept refusing. But when we were at the neuropsych eval, the psychologist and I were talking in front of S and I found out that she was an ADHD coach, got excited and asked if she would be willing to take on DS. She agreed. DS later told me that he did not want to go, but he was too embarrassed to back out (he was present when I asked the ADHD coach about coaching DS) so he started going. So you could bring your son to the coach and ask the coach in front of him.
Alternately, I like the idea of you saying that the ADHD coach is for YOU, rather than HIM.</p>
<p>I’m going to have to try something!! maybe several things! :-S </p>
<p>just checking in…how are things going with everyone’s kid. Last marking period here…DS is slowly learning and doing a bit better…no coach though… Happy Spring!</p>
<p>My son is trying neurofeedback therapy. It was his decision to try it. Very interesting concept. We just started last week, but he definitely can tell something has happened after each session. The concept is to train your brainwaves to stay within certain wavelengths. The therapist hooks up probes that document the waves and when the ones she wants are displayed, the game you watch on a screen rewards your brain with certain activities or sounds.</p>
<p>DS had an ok first quarter, has some work to do this quarter to maintain his GPA. Just took the ACT this weekend.</p>