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We have a 504 in place and it still has been a nightmare with my son's teacher! He is one of those teachers who does not teach. His method is to give the students a packet of worksheets to work on all week and then on Friday they get turned in. They are given a packet of 8 worksheets. Each worksheet has a file folder that hangs in a bin next to the teachers desk. Daily they are to get the correct folder for whatever worksheet they want to do, read the info inside(basically teach themselves), and then do the work. All you PANDAS parents out there can see the issue here! My son is confused and unfocused when I give more than one step, but he has to remember multiple steps for these worksheets and also do a journal entry. It's just too much for him to remember on his own. I have tried to explain to his teacher only one thing at a time. Please bring him the folder he needs, give him just one worksheet at a time, or let him work on things at home. Sorry to be so lengthy! I'll get on to my question! We are meeting with everyone involved in the 504 plan again to go over changes that need to be made. This teacher is pushing that my son be put in a special education class because he doesn't have time to watch over and redirect my son. My son is a straight A 4th grader(when work is completed), on the academic team, and a JR Beta Club member. How can I get this teacher to just do what my son needs, or should I just request they go ahead amd move him into special ed? I would love to talk with or email with anyones teacher who "gets it" and might be able to give advice on how they have changed their teaching methods for a PANDAS kid. Oh! I while I'm posting I would also like to give a update that after seeing Dr. L in October and getting put on augmentin 1000 mg x2 daily the tics are gone!! OCD basically gone!! Fears gone!! We see her again in April and I'm afraid to come off the augmentin, but right now we are great!

Edited by trubiano
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Guest pandas16

Oh my goodness, how sad I am to hear this. I actually have PANDAS and became a high school teacher. Maybe because I missed a lot of my school age years due to being in and out of children's hospitals, but anyways what this teacher is doing is WRONG and he (if in a public school) can actually lose his job. Talk to the principal about his methods of teaching and explain what is happening. Do not use the 504 plan as an excuse, simply say that this teacher is not using differentiated instruction in his classes. It is a requirement in most schools. Most teachers nowadays have to post their lesson plans online, print out those lesson plans and bring them to the principal as proof that his teaching techniques are only directed towards one type of learner. You can also ask the principal if he can observe your sons class so he can document how your son is being treated and the teaching techniques that are being used. (Plan it to be a "drop by" observation) It is that teachers job and law to help your son if he has a 504. Does this teacher have extra-help hours? PANDANS kids should not be in special ed- I am a very firm believer of this. This teacher is lazy. I can defiantly help you with school law if you need help with it. I know it VERY well. If you can get me a copy of his lesson plans- by asking him to email them to you etc/ I would love to help you. Simply from reading your message- it sounds like you could get this teacher on A LOT of different things.

 

)Another good resource for parents to look it is actually your child's agenda. In the front it should state the different things that teachers are responsible for and school law etc.)

What state do you live in? (if you don't mind me asking) I'm certified in NJ MD & PA and very familiar with the laws in each of those states.

 

 

I have PANDAS- (was very severe) I just got accepted to NYU for my masters. Please feel free to send me a personal message. I can tell you some of the techniques that I used to get through school with PANDAS.

Edited by pandas16
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Trubiano --

 

First of all, congratulations on the advances your DS is making in terms of the tics and OCD! That's great! We, too, have experienced lots of success with Augmentin. Hopefully, Dr. L. will help you stay on it as long as it's providing that positive support.

 

I'm sorry, though; it sounds as though your DS's teacher is that in title only. Perhaps he's received some commendations along the way from some others for having such a concrete lesson plan and organized methods for assessments, but just as the true measure of a man is to be found when he's facing adversity, rather than when he's in his glory, I think the true measure of a teacher is to be found in his ability to reach the most challenging student, rather than the easiest. If your DS is struggling because of focus, attention and thought organization PANDAS issues, I can only imagine how difficult some of the less academically gifted kids in the class are faring with this guy. :angry:

 

If all the kids are just picking out a worksheet and sitting down to work on it, why is it that the teacher doesn't have adequate time to help direct your DS? Is it, perhaps, that MANY of the kids have issues with working this independently and thus he's pulled everywhere in the classroom, putting out fires and trying to keep the kids on board? Or is it that he wants to park himself behind his desk and merely "proctor" the activity, rather than actively teach?! On the one hand, I would think that, within your 504, you could build in something like "Verbal Prompts" wherein the teacher would be required to check in on your DS's progress and focus at least once every 20 minutes or so.

 

On the other hand, I'm wondering if you might be entering a fight with this particular teacher that will be difficult to win. We've had one of those ourselves, and we couldn't pack enough accomodations into the 504 to get this teacher on board; so she met the minimal "letter" of the plan but never, ever bought into the "spirit" of the plan as most of his teachers did. Fortunately, this was in junior high and he only had her for one period every day, rather than for an entire day with all core subjects as I'm assuming your DS has in fourth grade.

 

Is there an option, perhaps, for not putting your DS into the special ed classroom, but converting his 504 into an IEP so that he could have access to a resource room for a little while every day, or maybe even a resource teacher in his regular classroom from time to time to cover the gaps the current teacher isn't filling? When our DS's last exacerbation came on so strong, the school felt the 504 was no longer adequate and they asked us to convert to an IEP, which has given him access to these additional resources. So, while he stays in the regular classrooms or even the gifted classrooms for his subjects, he has one period each day for "resource" which gives him a chance to clarify anything he was unclear on in one of his classes, catch up on classwork that he may have fallen behind on, get ahead with homework, etc. There is also a resource teacher who goes around to various classrooms and assists some IEP kids on the spot, as it were, so that's one of the possibilities I'm thinking may help your DS when he needs it?

 

Sorry, I wish I had more specific ideas for the 504 itself, but if a teacher doesn't want to work with you, it makes things pretty tough. Hopefully someone else here will have some more concrete ideas to add. Good luck!

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Oh gosh, this is frustrating. At your next meeting to discuss the 504, BE VERY SPECIFIC ABOUT WHAT YOU WANT, and make sure it is very clear, and written down. Don't let the teacher decide what she is WILLING to do for him, TELL all present at the meeting what HE NEEDS and what you want to be implemented. Itemize these as something like:

 

1). Student will receive a written checklist showing steps...

2). Teacher will check student's daily log for...

 

YOU CANNOT LEAVE IT UP TO THEM!!!!

 

OH... And NO-- do NOT put him in special ed. classroom!

Edited by Phasmid
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Thank you!! I am going to stay strong and and go into this meeting knowing this teacher is wrong, not us! His teaching methods are not good for most students I would think. When ever I have come to school he has been sitting at his desk playing on his lap top or blackberry. I'm not sure why he refuses to change his teaching style for my son other than laziness. I will keep you posted on my Friday meeting. If you have any ideas on what I can say please post! I did find this online last night and thought it might help him to understand.

 

The Orchestra Analogy

 

In an orchestra there are many different instruments playing different parts. The Conductor keeps everyone cooperating and playing together. If the conductor left then all the instruments would start competing with each other and we couldn’t hear the real music.

You have many thoughts in your head right now:

The class needs to turn in their homework.

You have to stop at the store on the way home.

You have to make 50 copies but first you must meet with a parent.

Family is coming to visit this weekend.

Your “Conductor” works just fine and you manage each of these thoughts without them affecting the other parts of your day. You can keep them in the back ground until you need them.

In a child with P.A.N.D.A.S. the conductor has disappeared. Every time a new thought or activity comes into his or her head the other ones just stop.

Example:

You tell her to sit down and do her math. The child next to her asks her to borrow an eraser, she happily complies. Another child shows her something just for a second. She completely forgets that you told her to do her math and starts a completely different project.

Twenty minutes later you ask for her math and she says, “Oh I forgot!” and she starts to work on it again, disappointed in herself and feeling bad that she didn’t get it right.

Edited by trubiano
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We have a 504 in place and it still has been a nightmare with my son's teacher! He is one of those teachers who does not teach. His method is to give the students a packet of worksheets to work on all week and then on Friday they get turned in. They are given a packet of 8 worksheets. Each worksheet has a file folder that hangs in a bin next to the teachers desk. Daily they are to get the correct folder for whatever worksheet they want to do, read the info inside(basically teach themselves), and then do the work. All you PANDAS parents out there can see the issue here! My son is confused and unfocused when I give more than one step, but he has to remember multiple steps for these worksheets and also do a journal entry. It's just too much for him to remember on his own. I have tried to explain to his teacher only one thing at a time. Please bring him the folder he needs, give him just one worksheet at a time, or let him work on things at home. Sorry to be so lengthy! I'll get on to my question! We are meeting with everyone involved in the 504 plan again to go over changes that need to be made. This teacher is pushing that my son be put in a special education class because he doesn't have time to watch over and redirect my son. My son is a straight A 4th grader(when work is completed), on the academic team, and a JR Beta Club member. How can I get this teacher to just do what my son needs, or should I just request they go ahead amd move him into special ed? I would love to talk with or email with anyones teacher who "gets it" and might be able to give advice on how they have changed their teaching methods for a PANDAS kid. Oh! I while I'm posting I would also like to give a update that after seeing Dr. L in October and getting put on augmentin 1000 mg x2 daily the tics are gone!! OCD basically gone!! Fears gone!! We see her again in April and I'm afraid to come off the augmentin, but right now we are great!

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Hi, I am a teacher and a parent of a student with PANDAS. As you can imagine, PANDAS is hard enough for parents to understand, and teachers may never have heard of it. 504s must be followed by law. Teachers want to acommodate their students for them to be successful. This teacher may not have detailed information. I would contact the guidance counselors (or whomever in your school) is responsible for following 504s and request a conference. This is not uncommon and teachers usually welcome additional information. As a teacher, I want to believe there may be a miscommunication, but you really need to advocate for your child and the teacher I am certain will be helpful. Of course a separate setting could be considered but first I'd try the meeting.

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