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Post by bros on Jun 5, 2013 23:23:40 GMT -5
For community college, Brookdale (in Monmouth County) is absolutely amazing for disabled students. I went there and got my AA there. The disability director there is a very kind man who understands all kinds of disabilities. He has worked in a variety of environments including a children's psych ward and public and private special education.
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Post by fc11 on Jun 6, 2013 7:19:36 GMT -5
bros,
thanks. I checked Brookdale just now, it does seem to have some good courses...and they even have "college level" courses for High School students. The summer camps seem to be interesting as well...Only that it is about an hour from us. I certainly will keep this in mind while planning for college.
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Post by hsmom on Jun 6, 2013 10:24:01 GMT -5
FC,
You say that you are concerned that your daughter doesn't understand what she reads, that she memorizes everything, and that she is not writing at grade level. You also said that you want her to learn the basics. The courses at the private school that you are considering may not be demanding, but nonetheless they will not be teaching the basics in reading and writing. They will be teaching 10th grade literature, history.
My experience in sending my son to a private ld school and from talking with parents who have sent their sons to both public and non-ld private schools is that teachers at non-ld schools are not trained to teach students who learn differently. At an ld schools, teachers understand that there is not one way to teach all of their students. Also, they understand that they cannot teach higher level concepts if the student does not have mastery of the basics and start there.
Like Empeg's daughter, my son does not talk about adoption, except to sometime shares with other boys at school who are also adopted.
And, as for knowing what he wants to do as a career, he answered community service [volunteer] on a recent EXPLORE test. After a teacher taught and showed him what community service is during his first year at the school, my son developed a love for service and enthusiastically participated each year. This year, he even became his school's lead in a 5-school student led program. I'm a strong believer in a school's non-academic programs; they are just as important as the academic courses for the students.
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Post by fc11 on Jun 6, 2013 11:11:16 GMT -5
hsmon,
I understand what you said... but as also pointed out by bros that there are not that many choices around here for SLD, in particular, for 9-12...The problem is that her standardized test results are within average range, low average, but still average, hence it is difficult for people to see her deficits. It was only when people worked with her 1:1, then they realized she did not understand, as the teacher once told me "I have to go back to square one"... You are right that a normal school will be teaching 10th grade literature, history...I have asked for the curriculum from this private school, and I feel that they gave time for the student to grow...Also keep in mind though, about 25% of the students are international students, I am not sure whether it is a good mix, but they sure would not make the material too difficult.
They do have a reading specialist who will supervise/teach the kids about an hour a day, I think it is for basic skill learning...
Her unwillingness to take the non-academic program is also a problem, they put her in the lowest level class and she felt that she was dumb, she believed that she was not able to make friends with her peers was because she was not as smart as her peers...She hated her sped teacher because the teacher treated her like "baby". I am not sure how I can do more if everyday the school is telling her she is not able to do certain work...
I am going to look into craig again, but I am afraid that they felt this kid is going to graduate, therefore, they will define what she needs to know...The same mentality from her special ed teacher and case manager in the last two years, that they had been telling me that she has disability and use the analogy that a short person could not play professional basketball.
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Post by hsmom on Jun 6, 2013 11:28:15 GMT -5
FC,
Schools can change year to year or over just a few years. Your impressions of LD schools in NJ such as Craig, have you formed them from personal experience of visiting them? Or, are they from what others have told you? You may want to call or visit them and ask how well their most recent graduating class did? What will they be doing? Which colleges and universities are they going to?
You asked:
My experience in watching students entering my son's school is that it takes at least one year to become familiar with being at the school; most students need more than a year to get the most out of their experience being at the school. Also, you may be taking your daughter out of the private school just as she is developing new friendships.
I hope you don't feel that I am being critical. These are my thoughts and experience after watching my son and many other boys the last five years.
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Post by fc11 on Jun 6, 2013 11:43:10 GMT -5
You asked: My experience in watching students entering my son's school is that it takes at least one year to become familiar with being at the school; most students need more than a year to get the most out of their experience being at the school. Also, you may be taking your daughter out of the private school just as she is developing new friendships. I hope you don't feel that I am being critical. These are my thoughts and experience after watching my son and many other boys the last five years. No, you are not being critical. you just confirmed what I suspected....I was thinking out loud and was concerned that one year is not enough...if I do move her in and out in a year's time frame, I believe there will be a danger for her to develope real friendship in her adult life and difficult to bond..Hence your experience helps. As far as Craig is concerned, it was a friend's son who was in the lower school...Community School was what I read about in a totally different topic when someone brought up that he was educated from Community School...but after visiting co-ed and an all-girls school, I could see she would definitely adjust better in the all-girls school...She has no friends of her own age...therefore it went back to empeg1 brought up earlier that there was other things outside of the curriculum, I think it may help her to make friends....
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Post by bros on Jun 6, 2013 11:52:34 GMT -5
bros, thanks. I checked Brookdale just now, it does seem to have some good courses...and they even have "college level" courses for High School students. The summer camps seem to be interesting as well...Only that it is about an hour from us. I certainly will keep this in mind while planning for college. Brookdale is easily accessible via NJ Transit. You take the NJCL to the Red Bank station, then the NJ Transit No. 833 bus from Red Bank Station to Brookdale - www.njtransit.com/pdf/bus/T0833.pdf There is the schedule for the 833.
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Post by fc11 on Jun 6, 2013 17:57:49 GMT -5
bros,
checking the Brookdale web page, I really like the school. My past experience had been with Essex, Morris and Union..I think Essex had a large number of part time students, therefore they couldn't focus on the school work and many of the faculty are part-time themselves. I love to see the school myself...and can see DD attend the college to bring up the grades...but she still needs to learn how to learn...
thanks
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Post by bros on Jun 6, 2013 18:23:58 GMT -5
Brookdale has a beautiful campus that is very easy to navigate. Even with my limited speed of walking, I could traverse the campus in 20 minutes if I were taking it slow.
I found the work there honestly more difficult (perhaps rigorous may be a better word) that anything I have had at Kean.
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Post by empeg1 on Jun 6, 2013 22:50:34 GMT -5
fc11, then if you do not mind a critical remark, I will be more blunt than I have been.
I am still worried about the degree of your focus on school to what seems( from just these posts, so I may be wrong) to the exclusion of other aspects of your dd's life and development. She will be going to school this summer and doing LMB? Really? When does this young lady get a break from school? One analogy I use for parents is the following scenario... Imagine you as an adult are in a job that is set up so you cannot succeed, to the knowledge of all your co-workers. The rules are you cannot change jobs. And, the job and failure in that job comes home with you to infect your family life, in the form of homework. How would you handle the above situation as an adult? Now, think, your dd is a only a teen with little knowledge of life or herself. She is telling you how stressed she is at school and that her self esteem has taken a hit. She cannot answer simple questions about herself or her dreams. She works hours after school on homework. And, your dd cannot get away from school even in the summer. Not fair. And, I believe, strongly, not good for a child who is showing anxiety and stress with learning. Please consider, again, letting your dd explore non school interests this summer and have her not go to summer school. Let her find things that interest her and in which she might shine. This is important for the whole person of your dd. Finally, let your dd explore some opportunities, make the calls and help plan. She needs to be empowered.
Is your dd wanting to go to boarding school? If not, I again, would not place an adopted child who is already struggling in a boarding school against her will. Finally, once your dd gets to college age, she should have the major role in deciding if she goes to school and where.
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Post by fc11 on Jun 7, 2013 12:36:13 GMT -5
fc11, then if you do not mind a critical remark, I will be more blunt than I have been. I am still worried about the degree of your focus on school to what seems( from just these posts, so I may be wrong) to the exclusion of other aspects of your dd's life and development. She will be going to school this summer and doing LMB? Really? When does this young lady get a break from school? One analogy I use for parents is the following scenario... Imagine you as an adult are in a job that is set up so you cannot succeed, to the knowledge of all your co-workers. The rules are you cannot change jobs. And, the job and failure in that job comes home with you to infect your family life, in the form of homework. How would you handle the above situation as an adult? Now, think, your dd is a only a teen with little knowledge of life or herself. She is telling you how stressed she is at school and that her self esteem has taken a hit. She cannot answer simple questions about herself or her dreams. She works hours after school on homework. And, your dd cannot get away from school even in the summer. Not fair. And, I believe, strongly, not good for a child who is showing anxiety and stress with learning. Please consider, again, letting your dd explore non school interests this summer and have her not go to summer school. Let her find things that interest her and in which she might shine. This is important for the whole person of your dd. Finally, let your dd explore some opportunities, make the calls and help plan. She needs to be empowered. Is your dd wanting to go to boarding school? If not, I again, would not place an adopted child who is already struggling in a boarding school against her will. Finally, once your dd gets to college age, she should have the major role in deciding if she goes to school and where. Empeg1 I don’t mind at all. One of the reasons I have also shared my own opinion. I do seriously look into your suggestion. Another reason, I considered OOD , even I always resisted the idea, was I recalled you mentioned that you would even take from (??) to place your daughter OOD. I have also looked into when she can take a break…To digress, I knew how difficult it will be for her because last summer, she went to LMB in the afternoon, then when she came back at night, we spent 4 hours on Science. It went on for 5 weeks and she didn’t complain a single time. It was a reason I didn’t give up on my DP, because she worked so hard and was expecting to move to the regular ed Biology, and they (in particular, the special ed teacher, who had no clue what would be in Biology) decided that she was not allowed to take Biology.. However, she is not learning anything in school. A few years ago, I pulled her out for Math, we worked very hard and a year later, she was kind of independent…We were hoping to do the same this past year on Biology, so that she had the concept before going into a classroom and with the regular education kids, and it challenged her thinking… but they took it away from her..She kind of gave up last year, because it became weird to show she knew anything… as not knowing is the norm…therefore, I am repeating again and hopefully her brain can be retrained… I didn’t do anything with the Social Studies and left on her own, she was getting D-. She is also kind of giving up as no matter how hard she tried, she wouldn’t know what was going on. She was just sitting in the class. If I can get a subject out of the way, she will have an easier time next year…Otherwise, it will be difficult, if not impossible, for her to have a normal life next school year… I checked with her, she wanted to take the summer course as well, because she has seen how much it helped her this year. I know it is hard, I haven’t decided whether she should get LMB on the same date as the summer school. Summer school will be 8 to 12:30…If she does, she will have a few weeks to relax.. I haven’t decided on the boarding school as you can see that if she does attend, she will be attending as day student, but bottom line is that it is not cheap…but can I continue to see her sitting in classrooms knowing that she is there to kill the time, to fill a quota? Ideally, I think she should be educated in the public school…with the appropriate support and services….but I am not going to wait till she fails before filing another complaint…For the current complaint, I do seriously plan to file for discrimination when the current complaint finishes…and will hold them responsible.
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Post by fc11 on Jun 11, 2013 16:57:50 GMT -5
Just finish part of the annual review meeting... I feel miserable... Partly because they painted a very grim picture for DD...partly I don't understand why they wanted to fight...
the social studies teacher wrote "While she is not failing ...she is not mastering the material", I knew it was true, I pulled out all the As from homework, the tests were mainly Ds, despite her overall grade is B-, the social studies teacher was honest, but after he left, the case manager began to say that she is above average as C is average...and I should not discount the homework...she is meeting the class requirements etc ...in fact, she got straight As in hw and was a reason she was maintaining the grade...but when they began to lie...there is really no hope for her.. For the past many years, they wrote that that she was not staying focus...but suddenly this disappears...**after** my evaluator stated that there was no way for the IEP to be appropriate due to the issues brought up by the teachers...which included distractibility...
they will offer her 1:1 to pre-teach daily and will give her weekly speech...and for a change, they will write a goal for her, similar to the goal that I asked for since 6th grade...on the other hand, if I were to move her out, I will have to pay for a very expensive tuition...add another 2 hours of driving daily ... I am not sure...
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Post by SharonF on Jun 12, 2013 8:26:38 GMT -5
fc--
I'm sorry for the tough annual IEP meeting.
While my dd has none of the early-life trauma that your dd had, I see some similarities. When my dd was in 9th grade (and most of high school), she did far better on homework than on tests. The more comprehensive the test, the worse she did. My son was much the same way
Like your dd, my kids were very concrete thinkers. They memorized very well. And they could apply that memorized information in some situations. If the wording was EXACTLY the same on the test as in the text book, they got that question right. Or if all of the questions on the test used the same formula to solve a math equation, they did pretty well.
They ran into trouble if the test covered material from several chapters. Or if they had to analyze and draw conclusions based on largely abstract information.
So like your dd, we wondered how much they were actually learning and mastering. Their learning seemed to be "here today, gone tomorrow." So is that learning?
The good news: they finally developed most of the necessary skills. It took weekly private tutoring, which included pre-teaching. It took trial and error. It took time for them to develop the maturity needed for higher-level processing and application of information.
That said, neither is an excellent test-taker. Their brains tend to blank out under pressure. But they both got much better. It simply took them longer to develop those skills than their neurotypical peers.
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Post by fc11 on Jun 16, 2013 10:35:26 GMT -5
Sharon,
thanks for sharing... I appreciate it...but I couldn't bring myself up to respond and think about it... It is comfort to know that kids with similar disabilities succeed...the problem with DD is that she is not able to draw ANY conclusion based on abstract information...She got a really good tutor recently, say yesterday she asked her to think about why after each statement she made, then write then the reason... I do feel that with the necessary support she can stay in the public school... but I am just concerned that they were spoon feeding her... at 9th grade, she did not see the need to study...because she was told everything she needed for tests/quizzes...
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Post by empeg1 on Jun 16, 2013 16:17:48 GMT -5
Rather than having your dd take multiple college entrance exams please consider which exam might better fit your dd's strengths. If she has difficulty with receptive language or abstract thinking, then the ACT will be a better test for her than the SAT!! The latter will include "tricky" language in test questions; the ACT does not. And, the SAT will tap more into abstract reasoning while the ACT is a straight forward achievement test. There is a science section of the ACT, but this section does not test knowledge of Biology, Chemistry, etc. but more the ability to read graphs. You can buy an ACT prep book and practice. My dd took a test prep class with a small group of other students, which included preparation for the science section of the ACT.
I had my dd take the ACT only not the SAT for several reasons. 1) The ACT was a better match for her learning strengths and weaknesses. She has mild receptive language difficulties and tricky wording in test questions would be be a problem for her- so no SAT
She would do better on a strict achievement test, rather than one that emphasized abstract thinking, so again the ACT
She has test anxiety and I did not think it was a good idea to overwhelm her with taking too many college entrance exams. I wanted her to have time to concentrate on her junior year classes, which was a lot of work. And, I knew that if she took multiple college entrance exams, she would likely get more anxious rather than less.
My dd did not take the PSAT. That saved her from having to worry about college entrance exams for two years, sophomore and junior year. And, she was not taking the SAT
The best way to get accommodations granted for the ACT is to have the school apply for extended time for your dd, not you! For my dd, the 504 coordinator applied for my dd, with documentation that she used the accommodation of extended time for tests from 6th grade on. The ACT board granted her extended time, no problem. Interestingly, the school also applied for extended time for my dd for the SAT, thinking that she might take both exams. The College Board, SAT, denied my dd extended time. Phew, glad she was not taking that exam.
BTW, the SAT takes off points for wrong answers, to discourage guessing. The ACT does not take off points for wrong answers, guess away if need be.
I strongly suggest, given your dd's profile, that you choose one exam for her to take, not both, and that your dd can then concentrate on preparing for that exam.
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Post by healthy11 on Jun 16, 2013 17:25:50 GMT -5
fc11, I believe empeg was trying to respond to another discussion thread with her above post, however it seems like it's good information for anyone who has a high school aged student, therefore I'm leaving it here.
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Post by fc11 on Jun 16, 2013 23:26:39 GMT -5
Healthy not a problem to keep it here
empeg1,
the extended time was brought up by the sd, the counselor brought up during the annual review meeting and asked us to fill out the extended time... I saw the wicked smile between her and the case manager while she was saying "there is no guarantee but I will try my best..." as if she won't try..
But as we may move school and there is a possibility that we may come back, I am quite sure that even we get approved now, they will change the accommodations... hence I just want to get an insurance ...and to avoid the need to re-apply PSAT/SAT. I put in ACT in my question because during the BOE meeting, I heard one of the BOE members said that the kids preferred ACT...but I am not sure when they will begin applying for ACT.
I will spend the next few months to assessed the situation and decide whether to turn down the PSAT for next year..
I also think that they are dying to get her some kind of evaluations... so far I have LMB and there is no indication of improvement, for the past 2 years she has not be proficient in the state standardized tests and my evaluator made some comments on it, they were desperate, the district normally gave a testing in March for 9th graders so as to give them an opportunity to practice the format... the agency that developed the practice test came back to claim DD is proficient, hence they claimed DD is now proficient, but the practice test is neither norm nor criterion based and they didn't scale the score, hence my argument was that they used an E- to claim proficiency...I will leave it to the court and to my attorney..they are not my concern...but if we stayed, I won't be surprised that they changed the answer sheet for PSAT to show improvement.... as I could see from the practice test, they showed me the summary scores of 35 out of 65, but kept on telling me that the actual tests had been destroyed.They let me review the sample test questions, there is no way that DD could pass the reading portion..hence I knew they are going to manipulate the answers for PSAT...
I have talked to DD a few times, she is okay to move (she will be day student, but it will mean an extra 3 hours of driving for us), but she prefers to stay if she gets a chance to learn...she hates the daily 1:1, but I knew without the daily 1:1, she didn't stand a chance to pass, but with the daily 1:1, they were spoon feeding her and I cannot waste another 2 or 3 years...I feel that they truly believe that they were right and as I said, it is difficult to reason/fight with ignorance and arrogance...
It was DD's suggestion that she would try for a year and come back if she feels she can handle the school work..financially I would love for her to come back, but realistically, I don't know but I like to have the option....even it will mean for them to get loans for college.. which isn't much for a state college....
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Post by bros on Jun 17, 2013 0:01:25 GMT -5
Yeah, schools like Kean are cheap for state schools.
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Post by SharonF on Jun 17, 2013 7:00:55 GMT -5
Very familiar situation. We found few high school teachers who seemed to know how to deal with kids who have under-developed abstract reasoning skills.
My kids were taken off the college-prep track in 9th and 10th grades because they did so poorly in college-prep courses. Then the teachers of those lower-skilled math and English classes would ask my kids, "Why are you in this class? You're too smart for this class!"
Or they would be shoved into lower-level classes that were nothing more than dumping grounds for kids who didn't have desire or support to learn. The discipline problems and distractions were overwhelming.
There are no easy options. For us, the best option was putting our kids back on the college-prep track, despite the objections of some IEP team members. Hiring a private tutor who specialized in kids who learn differently. Accepting the reality that memorizing facts would serve them well in some settings (such as homework or brief quizzes) but often would fail them when it counted the most (comprehensive exams and end-of-year tests.)
Most important, it took my kids more time to develop abstract reasoning skills. Many high school teachers act as if a child's entire future hinges on how they do in 9th grade algebra or 10th grade literary analysis. My kids are proof that they CAN be successful even if it takes them more time to develop abstract reasoning skills.
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Post by fc11 on Jun 17, 2013 11:01:55 GMT -5
bros,
I have found out that NJ state school is affordable, and in the worse case, she can apply for loans, Rutgers is about, 10,000, but it requires around 3.5 to 4.0 GPA and I think the GPA may be a problem for her...and the average GPA for kean is 3.0 and it may be achievable....ironically the teacher who decided to put her in the lowest level class was a graduate of Kean
Sharon,
that's exactly the problem....they didn't only object the placement, they placed her over our objection and we are going to court on this..... they put her in the lowest level classes, those classes have mainly the special ed kids or kids who didn't bother to try...they recognized that DD is someone who would always try her best and they claimed that those were the "college-prep track" courses..DD told me that it would be weird to even try in the class..despite the fact that she spent the whole summer to prepare for the "real" college-prep track course, I basically begged them to put her in the "real" college-prep track course and told them I would provide services that she needed. they said no and asked me to exercise my right... all these happened within a month of signing my previous settlement...in a subsequent meeting, I begged them again to put her in the real college-prep courses, and agreed to drop the DP... they refused...my DP is still on-going...if they were to continue to educate her... they will continue to manipulate the grade, sometimes she was surprised that she got A, because she didn't know the material, they used matching and just gave her As. If they wanted to show her has a problem, they would change the format of the test. My attorney asked their attorney on why they would do it, she was told that if they were to place her in the higher level course, I would ask for services and would file a DP if she did not succeed...It sounded retaliation, but my attorney won't be able to prove it was what she said....I could see that it was what the previous special ed teacher said... He didn't have a clue how to teach... a wash out basketball player who took 100 and 200 level courses for marketing, came back to teach special ed kids when he couldn't play , decided on how the kids should learn.... what was worse than an incompetence teacher ? an incompetence teacher who thought he was right and dictated what a kid needed to learn... I am not going to waste my energy with him...on the CST...it will be the job of my attorney...
BTW, I also accepted the fact on memorization, it was how I taught her Math, after she memorized the facts, she began to learn... but they refused to give her the chance... despite how they want to lie, the lowest level course were mainly memorization....
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Post by bros on Jun 17, 2013 11:31:26 GMT -5
bros, I have found out that NJ state school is affordable, and in the worse case, she can apply for loans, Rutgers is about, 10,000, but it requires around 3.5 to 4.0 GPA and I think the GPA may be a problem for her...and the average GPA for kean is 3.0 and it may be achievable....ironically the teacher who decided to put her in the lowest level class was a graduate of Kean My brother went to Rutgers, now goes to Kean. I go to Kean also. Kean is a very... odd school. If you want to major in education, go there. With people majoring in gen ed, they get one class sophomore year on students with disabilities. They only had to take this class if they started at the school within the last 10 years. The class doesn't teach much of anything about disabilities at all. Even the advanced special education classes don't teach much about disabilities. They teach random things in the special education classes, like how you should focus on the multicultural aspects of your students. Or if they have a behavioral issue, this is how you perform a FBA. But there is no class that just goes "Okay. Here's a bunch of disabilities you might encounter in the classroom and this is how you might be able to help a student with them."
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Post by SharonF on Jun 17, 2013 11:37:24 GMT -5
fc--
How frustrating! I did not have to deal with the garbage you are dealing with. Due process seems like the only answer in your case. But as you know, the wheels of justice turn slowly.
Meanwhile, your dd is being denied FAPE. Rather than provide an appropriate education, it sounds like the school only knows how to stall and play games.
Winning DP will be a small victory compared to the lost time and the ongoing toll on your dd's anxiety. But you are showing your dd that she's worth it. Your are showing that she's worth the time, effort, blood, sweat, tears and dollars. Stay strong!
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Post by fc11 on Jun 17, 2013 12:24:29 GMT -5
fc-- How frustrating! I did not have to deal with the garbage you are dealing with. Due process seems like the only answer in your case. But as you know, the wheels of justice turn slowly. Meanwhile, your dd is being denied FAPE. Rather than provide an appropriate education, it sounds like the school only knows how to stall and play games. Winning DP will be a small victory compared to the lost time and the ongoing toll on your dd's anxiety. But you are showing your dd that she's worth it. Your are showing that she's worth the time, effort, blood, sweat, tears and dollars. Stay strong! I withdrew and refiled in the last year, hence it is now in the beginning phase again... I am not someone who favors DP as a solution, but they left me no choice... I also suspected they didn't anticipate I do not give up... I am not optimistic that I will win as I knew they will lie... They already did... as we were partly in the hearing before we withdrew, they knew what my experts would say... they are tailoring this year's IEP in response to my expert's opinion. I tried not to be bothered as I can't get them take away more of what they have already done... yes, a message I sent DD is that she is worth it..her psychologist also told me that the best I could do is to show her that I tried..... as indicated in an earlier post, at one point she tried to kill herself....those episodes did not come back...but I have been paying attention it... She was concerned that with the private school, her younger sister will not have money for college. I told her if her younger sister is good enough, she should be able to get scholarship and in the worse case, gets a loan... they took away her teenage years, the love of school. Her younger sister participates most of everything..she was happy for her sister, but she didn't want to have anything to do those activities ..I suspected one reason was the message they sent her that she is not good enough... even with an intensive summer reading, she is not good enough to take the course she wanted...she said it quite often that she is not as smart as other kids...... When we talked about the private school, she began to say that she could join the teams, participate in various activities etc...She just wants to be normal...I don't think it is too much to ask for with a girl who has a 117 IQ... I am planning to write a blog with all her teachers' comments... bros, We discussed Brookdale last night, she was happy to know that she will get a chance to pull up her GPA...now Kean gives me a different option... She went to Kean for the reading program that you suggested...It was good, but too short...I asked the tutor from the reading program to be her private tutor, but because she was a teacher, and was busy...Her current tutor is good...
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Post by bros on Jun 17, 2013 13:08:00 GMT -5
I attended Brookdale for 2 years, got acclimated to college, got my AA, then transferred to a state school.
If her GPA is low, it might just be better to do that route, it is cheaper in the long run, anyway.
You might want to see if Kean is offering the reading program again anytime soon. Or contact the professor, they might know a grad student willing to tutor
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empeg
Full Member
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Post by empeg on Jun 17, 2013 20:46:51 GMT -5
I too have a dd who has difficulty with seeing the big picture and abstract reasoning. And, she is developing the above, slowly. My dd is a college junior. I continue to worry that you may be putting too much pressure on your dd, even if you are doing so inadvertently. A 3.5 GPA??? I thought your dd is having a hard time passing classes and that she is struggling to learn concepts. Why consider a college like Rutgers which requires a minimum 3.5 GPA? Aren't you setting your dd up for a anxiety and a sense of failure? Remember, there is more to your girl than her school work?
One issue I have had with the whole angst around college admissions, is the headlong rush to "top colleges' by parents and then their kids. The anxiety surrounding the above is huge! I tried hard to disconnect my dd from the above when she was in HS. I think it is a very good idea for you to read a book called, "Colleges that Change Lives". One does NOT need to go to a name college to have a good experience, to learn well and to be successful. My old neighbor, his son went to a very small state college in California, with an entrance requirement of around a 2.5 GPA. For graduate school, where it counts more, he went to a name university and now this person is a full professor at the U of Michigan, Ann Arbor.
The university my dd chose did not require a top GPA; she did not have one from her very difficulty HS. And, she struggles with some classes. But overall, my dd is having a very good college experience. And, what she is learning is not just from class. Living away from home has afforded her much learning. It is important not to place so much emphasis on academics that the whole child is lost. My dd in her two years of college, has grown into a young woman who is thoughtful, independent, perceptive, hard working, creative, and very much her own person. I am extremely proud to be her mom top GPA or not, because she has developed into a wonderful adult. And, she has clear career goals, which she will meet.
Did you say that your dd attempted suicide? My heart goes out to your dd and you. I have gone through such a harrowing experience with my other dd.
Boarding school as a day student...... just because the classes will be smaller it does not mean that the teaching will be any better. Caveat Emptor. Some of the speciality boarding schools are good. Many of the regular boarding schools do not have excellence in academics and you may find even less understanding of learning differences and different ways of teaching in the latter type of school.
Why not keep your dd in public school and spend your money to hire an excellent learning specialist, not a tutor, to work with your dd 1:1 twice a week? And, then look for a range of colleges when your dd is ready. She is just entering 10th grade; it is too early. And, remember, it will be your dd who will be going to college, not you. She should have a great deal of the say so of what type of school she is interested in attending. I do not now your dd but she may like a smaller college. There are some that provide specialty services to students who have different learning styles. Truly, there is such a range of colleges out there. I would save my money for college and try the suggestion above rather than move your dd to a boarding school that may not provide her with what you are looking for in the first place.
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Post by fc11 on Jun 17, 2013 23:37:12 GMT -5
empeg1,
I will get back to you on the other comments later.. yes, I know... I want her to be in the public school and with my extra support..that's what I hope for this past year. and I am still trying to work with them...the problem is that they refused to let her go to a regular ed class and we all know the lower level classes are just dumping ground... she is getting good grades, because they were handing the grades to her liked candies...9 out of 11 tests in Social Studies, she got C- and D-, .even the regular ed teacher told me that she is not mastering the material, but when the teacher left, the CST would tell me that she is above average, she gets a B- for the class, because she got all As for homework...I won't be able to provide her the extra support, because they put her in the lowest level class and she is beginning to give up..."why should I try? if no one did?" that's the psychologist told me too...a teenager would look into the easiest way to get the best scores...we know the problem with low expectation...
I really can't do too much as well, they were giving her a lot of homework...therefore if I were to hire tutor which I did, either the tutor will be helping her with homework... or she will be doing two sets of homework bros,
I can see her going to Kean but from the web site, I really like Brookdale, I will look into it some more...the reading program from Kean is good, however, the goal is to train teachers, hence it does not really tailor to a specific need..but I am glad we went and would recommend anyone
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Post by michellea on Jun 22, 2013 7:27:01 GMT -5
fc11- Part of finding the right college match also means finding the right program. I was recently talking to neighbor about her youngest daughter still in HS. She is a great artist, sports enthusiast but does not LOVE academics. In mostly college prep courses she works hard for B's. Works harder still in her one honors course. They are looking at college majors with a hands on element that balances the academic and programs with associate degrees with the option to matriculate to bachelors degrees. This way, if the girl burns out, after 2 years she can take a break, get some work experience and still have a degree in hand. She can go back and finish her BA when she is recharged and ready.
My son is thinking of something similar. Our state University has a program in his area of interest (arbor culture) that is very hands on, has an Associate degree option and also has a business minor option. He had originally been thinking about a forestry degree, but realizes the heavy emphasis on Lab sciences and math do not play to his strengths and learning style.
So - sorting out her interests and finding a program that might strike the right balance between hands on learning and pure classroom learning might be something to consider too. And if you can find a program that matches her aspirations, this might lead you to the "right" school. I think in many ways, this is what led Bros to Keane - starting first at the CC level and then being able to transfer to continue on to the 4 year degree.
I agree wholeheartedly with Empeg when she says, " She should have a great deal of the say so of what type of school she is interested in attending. I do not now your dd but she may like a smaller college. There are some that provide specialty services to students who have different learning styles. Truly, there is such a range of colleges out there."
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Post by bros on Jun 22, 2013 11:20:35 GMT -5
fc11- Part of finding the right college match also means finding the right program. I was recently talking to neighbor about her youngest daughter still in HS. She is a great artist, sports enthusiast but does not LOVE academics. In mostly college prep courses she works hard for B's. Works harder still in her one honors course. They are looking at college majors with a hands on element that balances the academic and programs with associate degrees with the option to matriculate to bachelors degrees. This way, if the girl burns out, after 2 years she can take a break, get some work experience and still have a degree in hand. She can go back and finish her BA when she is recharged and ready. My son is thinking of something similar. Our state University has a program in his area of interest (arbor culture) that is very hands on, has an Associate degree option and also has a business minor option. He had originally been thinking about a forestry degree, but realizes the heavy emphasis on Lab sciences and math do not play to his strengths and learning style. So - sorting out her interests and finding a program that might strike the right balance between hands on learning and pure classroom learning might be something to consider too. And if you can find a program that matches her aspirations, this might lead you to the "right" school. I think in many ways, this is what led Bros to Keane - starting first at the CC level and then being able to transfer to continue on to the 4 year degree. I agree wholeheartedly with Empeg when she says, " She should have a great deal of the say so of what type of school she is interested in attending. I do not now your dd but she may like a smaller college. There are some that provide specialty services to students who have different learning styles. Truly, there is such a range of colleges out there." The fact that Kean is the only state school with a Bachelors degree in Education that was either within 20 minutes of my house (No) or directly on a NJ Transit line was the reason I went there. Also, the fact that it is a state school, as that is the only kind of school the Department of Vocational Rehabilitation will pay for.
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Post by healthy11 on Jun 27, 2013 9:02:52 GMT -5
fc11, I wanted to pass along the following, about careers that are expected to have high job growth in the next decade:
Veterinarian Technologist and Technician
Would you find your career rewarding if it gave you the opportunity to save an animal's life? If so, you'll be happy to hear that your animal loving ways could find a home in the booming career of veterinary technologists and technicians.
Veterinary technologists and technicians work under the supervision of a veterinarian, performing medical tests in a private clinic, testing laboratory, or animal hospital, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. But be warned that this career could test the limits of your compassion. The Department of Labor notes that it can be physically and emotionally demanding.
Hot Factors: Employment of veterinary technologists and technicians are projected to grow 52 percent from 2010 to 2020, says the Department, with excellent job opportunities in rural areas. This means 41,700 jobs could be added, which isn't bad considering the field started with only 80,000 in 2010.
Why such a surge? Shatkin says it's simple: "People increasingly view their pets as part of the family and therefore are willing to pay for more extensive medical testing than used to be the norm."
Education Requirements: The Department says veterinary technologists and technicians must have postsecondary education in veterinary technology, take a credentialing exam, and, depending on state requirements, be licensed, registered, or certified. Technologists typically enter the field after a four-year program, while technicians can enter after a two-year program.
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Post by kewpie on Aug 5, 2013 10:34:03 GMT -5
Have you considered sending her to Landmark for high school at district expense? Good LD schools change lives. If you were considering boarding school then this is the best one. She will meet other kids who were in the same situation and will learn she is not alone. IMHO, Forget the public school, the staff you are dealing with have given you the message loud and clear that they don't care about your daughter or you. It is not fair to leave her in a toxic environment. I have traveled that path. Getting my child out of the public school and into a proper placement (along with a 10 day notice) was my first step, and then I went back to slay dragons/seek reimbursement. If your child is in a proper placement you can devote your energy to fighting the school, not staying up all night with your child finishing homework! To do both would be impossible.
I KNOW due process sucks, I have been there on and off for 6-7 years with my 2 ds's and I am about to go back into the arena again with my dd. I placed her in another school for her 8th grade year and she said it was the best year of school she has had since kindergarten! Now I am hoping to seek reimbursement. I got both of my son's into private LD schools and the relief for my child, myself and the rest of the family is overwhelming.
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