More Dilemmas! (J Again)
What to do about J?
That is the question. Are you familiar with my sweet J's personality and challenges at all? (I've blogged about it some here and here). When we had his IEP review meeting last year, one of the things that his 4th grade teacher insisted on was that they place him with a 5th grade teacher who wouldn't be bothered by his wandering during class. Both parent-teacher conferences this year I specifically asked if J was wandering and how she was dealing with it. The answers were a definite "Yes!" and "It doesn't bother me."
Well, that was then and this is now, I guess. I chatted with his teacher tonight at the end of quarter open house, and she mentioned that he is getting out of his chair more and more often the last couple of weeks, and it is becoming a problem. He will frequently get up and move around the room, checking things out on the walls or cupboards. If it's during independent work time, she doesn't worry about it, but it bothers her when he does it while she is up in front of the class teaching. Not because he doesn't pay attention (if she asks him a question while he's wandering, he always knows the answer) but because all the other kids in class get distracted, watching J instead of her. When she reminds him to take a seat, he does right away, no complaints, but a short time later he's up and moving again, like he doesn't even realize what he's doing.
Other behaviors that are causing a problem are quite familiar-- playing with small objects constantly and making loud sound effects for the play (like turning mechanical pencil lead cases into fighting machines complete with explosion noises) and leaning back in his chair and putting his feet up on his desk. (She's terrified he's going to give himself a head injury, I think.) Anyway, none of this stuff would really be a problem (since it doesn't interfere with his learning at all) if it wasn't disrupting everyone around him.
If he wasn't in such desperate need of the social stuff, I'd think he'd be better off at home alone, where his little quirks wouldn't bother anybody else (as long as M wasn't around, anyway!)
I don't know what to suggest to his teacher. His IEP had provided for him to have sensory activities to use-- bands and balls under his desk, for example-- but he's not actually using them. If it was occasional, like at the beginning of the year, I wouldn't worry about it too much, but it's getting worse. Maybe he's just in desperate need of a break from school and after spring break it will get better?
At home and church, his wandering is normal too. I either spend my time constantly reminding him to sit down and stay in place (like during Sacrament meeting) or just ignoring it when he gets up and walks around (like during dinner). Clearly his teacher can't do this or she will go crazy. Any ideas?
That is the question. Are you familiar with my sweet J's personality and challenges at all? (I've blogged about it some here and here). When we had his IEP review meeting last year, one of the things that his 4th grade teacher insisted on was that they place him with a 5th grade teacher who wouldn't be bothered by his wandering during class. Both parent-teacher conferences this year I specifically asked if J was wandering and how she was dealing with it. The answers were a definite "Yes!" and "It doesn't bother me."
Well, that was then and this is now, I guess. I chatted with his teacher tonight at the end of quarter open house, and she mentioned that he is getting out of his chair more and more often the last couple of weeks, and it is becoming a problem. He will frequently get up and move around the room, checking things out on the walls or cupboards. If it's during independent work time, she doesn't worry about it, but it bothers her when he does it while she is up in front of the class teaching. Not because he doesn't pay attention (if she asks him a question while he's wandering, he always knows the answer) but because all the other kids in class get distracted, watching J instead of her. When she reminds him to take a seat, he does right away, no complaints, but a short time later he's up and moving again, like he doesn't even realize what he's doing.
Other behaviors that are causing a problem are quite familiar-- playing with small objects constantly and making loud sound effects for the play (like turning mechanical pencil lead cases into fighting machines complete with explosion noises) and leaning back in his chair and putting his feet up on his desk. (She's terrified he's going to give himself a head injury, I think.) Anyway, none of this stuff would really be a problem (since it doesn't interfere with his learning at all) if it wasn't disrupting everyone around him.
If he wasn't in such desperate need of the social stuff, I'd think he'd be better off at home alone, where his little quirks wouldn't bother anybody else (as long as M wasn't around, anyway!)
I don't know what to suggest to his teacher. His IEP had provided for him to have sensory activities to use-- bands and balls under his desk, for example-- but he's not actually using them. If it was occasional, like at the beginning of the year, I wouldn't worry about it too much, but it's getting worse. Maybe he's just in desperate need of a break from school and after spring break it will get better?
At home and church, his wandering is normal too. I either spend my time constantly reminding him to sit down and stay in place (like during Sacrament meeting) or just ignoring it when he gets up and walks around (like during dinner). Clearly his teacher can't do this or she will go crazy. Any ideas?
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