Parker had an IEP assessment today. This is when his weekly preschool teacher comes and tests him to see if she can mark any of his IEP goals as mastered.
Better known as “Who The Hell Stole My Kid And Replaced Him With This Terrifying Clone That Suddenly Remembers NOTHING?”
No embarrassing habit was left unemployed. Not even his newly developed burping skills. (Which reminds me, I need to beat thank his older siblings for that one.)
I know perfectly well that Parker can identify red and yellow; the colors on his IEP. He can also recognize blue, green, purple, and white which aren’t on his IEP.
His teacher knows this too. But he’s got to do it 3 times in a row before she can officially pass it off. Three times in a row during an assessment.
Cause all the other three times in a row he’s done it don’t count.
Parker put a square, circle, triangle, and rectangle into it’s proper place on a puzzle. But when I asked him to hand me the square, circle, triangle, or rectangle he was suddenly struck clueless.
Cause we haven’t only done this exact same task a zillion and one times before.
Once the assessment ended and his teacher left, someone’s mind must have been suddenly returned to it’s rightful owner. Because then he could hand me the shapes and he signed the color of each…. just to rub it in.
Parker can match an actual picture of an object to another actual picture of the same object.
He can match an object to it’s picture.
Next up is matching object to object. I’m thinking of pawning this one off one of my kids. Considering how well they taught Parker to burp and all, this should be a walk in the park.
I was feeling a bit discouraged during this assessment until the Preschool teacher showed me not only how far he had come on his IEP, but how he has mastered skills not even written in his IEP.
Creating a conversation in my head something like this:
“The kid is almost FIVE. He should be doing way more than he is.”
” But remember the first three years of his life spent doing nothing more than fighting to live. And then there is the prematurity. That factors in some too.”
“That’s true, yet……… really, he should be signing so much more.”
“Don’t forget that he’s now signing his name, please and sorry, plus really cool stuff like Parker wants more swing, along with NO! Mom! NO!”
It’s about this time I feel as though either my head or my heart is about to explode. But since I would be the one required to clean up the mess, I try and focus on something else.
Like how much laundry I have to do. Or how screwed I’m gonna be if global warming and peak oil really are true and I’m forced to give up my air conditioning.
I’m not worried about his PT assessment. The kid is walking, climbing and into everything.
But the Speech assessment will be grim. Cause this kid only signs when he is in desperate and dire straits.
The rest he expects us to pick up telepathically.
But if telepathy actually worked, Reed would be walking through the door with a giant Dr. Pepper and take out for dinner right this very second.
So for now I’ll regroup and continue to dream of the day when Parker can tell me, in no uncertain terms, each and every thing I’ve ever done wrong.
Cementing for time and all eternity the fact that Parker truly is a typical Hodson boy.
He is one smart boy. Maybe you should video tape him doing it with you so you can pass it off:) Cause you know their going to be stinkers when someone else comes to do it.
Why is it – they can be perfect angels that know everything there is to know, except when its time to show someone? I don’t have a child in the same situation as Parker, one of mine has autism…at times, he shows he understands more than what he gives on to know, but when it comes down to being evaluated, or when it really “counts”, hes suddenly a shell shocked little guy. I think your doing a great job with him…and it shows, when it really matters most. Keep up the good work.
Lily will do everything and anything else when you want her to perform for a test. Of course my 18 year old did the same thing!
All kids do that. Harry my very bright three year old suddenly became shy and unable to tell his colors ect when he was being evaluated to be a peer model for the special ed preschool he will be attending in the fall. It was rather frustrating too. At least you know he knows the stuff even if “officially” he does not.
Great post – that makes me laugh. We have so much ahead of us!
Twitter: kadiera
Jul 21, 09
I was going to suggest the video tape too – Alexander wouldn’t put weight on his legs for the OT/PT part of his IEP evaluation *or* pass toys from hand to hand, and we all just about died, because he does these things all the time.
IEP goals DON’T have to ONLY be checked at an assessment. If the teacher “catches” him doing it and the goal is met, it should be marked off. Additional comments can be made in the present level area, and on each goal. The interesting thing that I have learned about IEP goals, at the end of the IEP year, no one really cares if a goal is met or not. The next set of goals are written from where the child left off.
If it is an evaluation, (the every 3-year stuff), then the evaluators do have to “grade” on what is observed. But comments can (and should) be added about what is observed in the classroom and home settings. All of the pieces are needed to be able to write a good IEP.
I’m leaving a comment on your blog because you are a popular mom-blogger and I am trying to get some info from moms! A lot of the moms I know, and babysitters too, don’t know a going rate or what’s acceptable to pay a babysitter. So, I’m doing a survey and posting results on my blog. If you would be so kind as to answer the simple ten questions that would be great! If you’re feeling REALLY nice, forward this to your friends or blog about it. But it’s ok it if you don’t too. I just need lots of responses!
http://angelabeth123.blogspot.com/2009/07/im-trying-to-get-all-fixings-together.html
2 nights ago me and my 7 year old were “dreaming” aloud thinking how great it would be if Joey woke up on his birthday (which is today) and started talking. Our dream did not come true…haha. I don’t even think he understands it is his birthday but we keep saying Happy Birthday Joey, you are 4 years old and then tell him to sign 4. I’m so thrilled about that b/c the past 3 birthdays he couldn’t sign numbers. Now to get him to sign 4 when someone asks him how old he is. I keep telling myself it WILL come but not on my time…only his time. Yesterday I was having a “moment” thinking how 4 years ago was the last day of my old life and this life now with Joey is sooooooooo much better. Like Rachel Coleman sings…we may not have the “easy” but we have the GOOD! Thanks for sharing your all too familiar thoughts/feelings…I can so relate. Joey has his 4 year checkup on Friday and I’m going to request that his growth hormone be tested. I’m a little worried…I don’t want him to have to deal with that too.
Have a good day!
ha ha ha – I, too, would love to know what is going on in my sweet boy’s head
Someday, someday…….
Yayyy for Parky for coming soooo far – that is something to CELEBRATE!!!!
As for speech – well- don’t even look at the assessment, except to look forward – I got an eval in the mail today from the rehab clinic and it was grim news…..
Testing is for the birds 😉 Your cute boy amazes me each day with his determination and perseverance 😉
Twitter: therextras
Jul 23, 09
I think you should count on having your a/c for as long as you want.
I was thinking video, too. Great minds think alike.
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Next up is matching object to object. I’m thinking of pawning this one off one of my kids. Considering how well they taught Parker to burp and all, this should be a walk in the park.
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Go for it! One of Margret’s sisters coached her on how to say certain words. “Truck” was the first one I noticed. They were playing with a huge toy pickup truck that belonged to their Dad when he was a kid, and Margret would called it a “duck”. Her sister corrected her, (and corrected her again, and again, etc) and over time she started to say it right.
I wish we would have had signs back then; I think a lot of things could have been easier, but we didn’t, and we managed. The same sister would interpret what Margret wanted when she and I were both on the verge of having tantrums because I couldn’t understand, and she couldn’t MAKE me understand, what she wanted in that moment. She learned to communicate well by the time she grew up. She even gave a speech at her high school graduation.
Parker is cute, and smart, and doing more now than he did last year. And you’re doing an awesome job. Hang in there. You and Parker, and all your family, are in my prayers.
Ugggg. I really hate assessments. During my son’s last one, they kept pointing to pictures of objects that I had never even had the opportunity to show him. It drove me crazy. It didn’t necessarily change the outcome of what he needed, but I hate the 2 hour anxiety.