How to Make Sure Your School is Your Ally
By Paula Jones, LCSW
Senior Therapist and Clinical Supervisor, Hallowell Todaro California
I will never forget the day my first-grade daughter came home from school announcing she had been put in the “dumb kids” reading group. This from my precious, perfect daughter, who twirled around to her own tune in the back of the room. I have worked as both a therapist and a special education teacher and have seen misperceptions about learning issues from both sides.
At Hallowell Todaro, we often hear from parents who suspect their child has a learning issue or ADHD. These parents go through our ADHD diagnosis protocol and/or get neuropsychological testing to assess the issues. But once the diagnoses come in, parents often want to know what to do with their kids’ schools, Here’s our advice:
Communicate with your school – Schools have a legal obligation to help students with any type of disability. Letting your school know what is going on with your child is the first step to creating a 504 plan or an IEP to support your child and help them succeed in school.
Pay attention to the data
This includes missing homework, standardized test scores, comments on papers and all the notes on the report card- not just the grade.
Create a structured environment for learning at home
Help your child create simple digital and/or paper-based systems for keeping track of homework and making sure it is completed and turned in. Reward progress and improvement as much as grades.
Be specific and proactive when talking to teachers
Teachers vary in their skills, experience, and attitudes when it comes to helping kids with LDs and ADHD. Children need to learn to advocate for themselves and parents need to advocate for their kids as well.
Be specific with teachers; instead of asking, “Is my child doing ok in math?” say,” I notice he struggles with story problems? How can we help him at home?”
You know your child best. It’s okay to advise the teacher such as “we see that our child learns best when they have short work periods with time limits.” You may even have to push a little.
Get extra help if needed – Find learning specialists or tutors who are trained to remediate specific LDs. For ADHD; find a coach or therapist to help your child recognize their strengths and work on their weaknesses. Many parents spread themselves too thin trying to be the parent and the tutor, and it may strain the parental relationship. Parents Helping Parents is a great resource for help with the 504 or IEP process.
My daughter’s story had a happy ending, but it took work. I appealed the recommendation of the IEP team, changed schools, sought out counseling, and tutoring. By the end of 2 nd grade she was reading at grade level and 4 years later, no longer needed resource help. She graduated from USC with honors and now she has her own school-age child. We got through it and so can you.
Our therapists and coaches are on hand to support children with ADHD and other learning differences.
Contact us to learn more.