How can I get the Teacher to help with organization in class?

Question

My son is ADHD/OCD and gifted. Not a usual combination. I am having trouble with the teacher helping him with organizational skills. The therapist suggested an IEP. Any help?

Answer 1

How about setting up a system jointly with the teacher. How about color coding?
Ever textbook has a main color, make or buy a folder for each subject that matches the textbook. Each paper that goes with the red math book goes in the red math folder or behind the red math divider etc. Use a consistent system. Homeworking coming home on the left side and going to school on the right side or something like that.
Have a daily assignment binder for your child to write down homework, assignments projects. Ask if the teacher will check it once a day to make sure it is correct and initial it. Provide a reward at home if your child does it correctly as initialed by the teacher.
Practice the system at home. Have your child take out various papers and show you where it goes. Give him assignments for pretend and see if he can put things in the right place.
Some people this just does not come naturally it is just a matter of putting a system in place and practicing using it and try to get the teacher to use it and prompt it at school also.

Answer 2

Actually, there are a number of children that share that combination of deficits and strengths. Gifted kids tend to be disorganized and often distractible because they haven't yet learned to control their gifts. They often go off on tangents or fail to complete work because they think it is unnecessary.

That being said, there is a way to help your son, contrary to another opinion expressed in these answers. This is called a 504 plan and it is part of the Americans with Disabilities Act. This act helps cover children who may not qualify for special education, but are still having problems that impact their learning. Investigating a child's learning is a requirement for school's receiving public funding.

Like IDEA, the issue is whether or not your child is receiving a free and appropriate public education (FAPE.) If his difficulty with organization is impacting his education in any way, then he is entitled to receive a 504 plan.

Usually the way that this process is started is to make a 504 request to the school's counselor. You may encounter some difficulties because typically school personnel don't know the actual parameters of the law or may not know the procedures. That is why it is important for you to know the law and the procedures.

Usually the school counselor will call some kind of a child study team meeting, in which you must be involved and consider the issues that are impacting his learning, Since most school districts have somewhat different procedures, you may want to discuss your district's procedures with the counselor. Just make sure you have read up on 504 on the 'Net or go to the Wright's Law website to see if they discuss it there.

The reason you need the 504 plan is so that you do not have to continue to pursue the subject with each new teacher your child has. It also gives you some legal remedies should a teacher decide not to implement the plan. When you go to the meeting, be sure that they give you the Parents Rights and Procedural Safeguards booklet and read it cover to cover.

Answer 3

My child has Asperger syndrome and is gifted. Like your son she is hopeless at organising herself and forgets things as soon as she is told them. As part of her IEP she has a home-school diary where both school and I record her behaviour. At her last review I asked the teacher to put down another target that she must remember to have the correct books and equipment on the correct day and things like letters are brought home. I check the diary every night and her teacher checks it in the morning if she forgets things the teacher gets her to do jobs in the classroom at break time. It is not a fool proof system but it has made her slightly more organised.

Answer 4

Schools do not legally have to help a child with ANY problems UNLESS teh child has IEP plan (special education) OR a 504 plan.

Go to this site www.wrightslaw.com and learn about the federal laws that mandate IEP (special ed)

THere is a specific step by step process in getting an IEP plan and the first step is to write to district sped director asking for an evaluation to determine if your child can qualify for special education as specified by IDEA law.

You have to write it that way or believe me they will twist it to try and get out of it.

Answer 5

I agree with Miss Behavior. If your child's difficulty is limited to organization, his education is not really adversely impacted, you do not need accommodations and modifications guaranteed on standardized testing, and he has a medical diagnosis, I also suggest a 504 plan rather than special education.