I hear your frustrations!

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Home : 2002 : November : 9

I hear your frustrations!
By Lily

I understand totally. Our state's criteria for SPED has changed this year and it is harder to qualify a student. It is driving me nuts! If they could only see how these students struggle maybe they would change their tune.
Anyway, that isn't helping you any so let's move on.....
I have several low achieving students a year. It truly amazes me that these low functioning students do not qualify but I take that into account. I modify for any child that I see needs help. You said you do too. Good for you. I can tell you really care! I had a very low studnet last year. It was really sad! I always

start off the year by reading books and discussing differences in people (physical appearance and ability). I stress that everyone needs help sometimes. We don't all know it all and in this classroom, we help others! I feel it is important to have this type of "community" in the classroom". I paired this student with another and called him his "study buddy". Anything this child was stuck on, the other would help. At center time, I would work with him at a table in the back. I had lots of manipulatives for him to work with. I would have him spell his words with the letter tiles, use counters, and so forth. He wanted to learn so much! When he did something right, he would just light up and it did my heart good! During journal time each day, he wanted to produce a story so much and even share it. I had one little girl who sat near him(who wasn't his study buddy) to help him every day (on her own). She would encourage him by saying, "You can do it. You tell me what you want to say and I'll help you spell it." It wasn't much of a story--just a couple of sentences but he wrote! When he shared, she would whisper to him if he got stuck on one of the words and they would both beam when he finished!
I don't know all the answers to this because I am feeling your frustrations too. I would just try to work one on one as much as you can. I'm a teacher so I know how dificult that can be! Take small steps so he can see some progress. And give him pats on the back! My students would just voluntarily clap or cheer for this little boy when he got something right! Just keep encouraging him and maybe you can find him a study buddy.

As far as the state testing, don't get me started on that one! Our stated test is basically reading based and we have very low readers! They may be super in Science or S. Studies but if they can't read they are going to do poorly on that part too! It IS frustrating. Maybe someone else can post to help us both.

Don't give up! You are making a difference in this child's life whether he can do the work or not. He sees that YOU CARE about him!
~Lily~