The following blog is from a young man about to enter high school. The statement represents his first thoughts, anxieties and concerns about entering high school. It was used at a recent IEP where I represented him transitioning to high school.
This student has LD, organization and executive functioning issues. He also is bright with a dedicated family which can sometimes mask the real underlying educational issues. With this good positive input and some legal umph we had a positive meeting and hopefully designed an IEP to meet his needs for next year.
8th grade was GREAT! It was amazing. It’s hard for me to put words to it. It was good because I was getting ready for high school. My teacher [name deleted] is the main reason it was so great. She keeps in touch with her old students in high school who tell her what we need to know in 8th grade and then she teaches us. Things like more poetry and more English and Lit. I feel confident going into high school.
My teacher has guided me and helped me in a way that isn’t giving me the answers but guiding me to find them on my own. My 1 on 1 time in the morning before school with my teacher is great. She helps me with my homework and plan out our homework and projects. Her homework assignments are always clear. She gave us her home phone number and that helps a lot because I have 1 on 1 again with her and if I need help and my parents don’t know the answer, which they usually don’t, she can guide me over the phone.
She understands 8th graders and me. She is patient and cares about what I say and takes a personal interest. She makes sure I understand.
What is very hard for me is when notes are on the board and I must copy them down at the same time I have to listen to the teacher explain the notes and take notes on what they are saying. It’s very hard trying to figure out what to write and trying to figure out what the teacher is saying. I just can’t do it. It would be better to have the notes from the board in my hands then I can concentrate on what the teacher’s explaining about.
I need to have extra time on tests. It makes me concentrate more when I know that I have extra time if I need it and I use it. I recently used it again. I would like to take the standardized tests in the room with everyone else as long as I know that if I need extra time, I can get it.
It works for me when the teacher shows me examples of what has to be done. When my teacher first told us to take notes I didn’t understand it but then she showed us an example and suggested that we do it that way, then it made sense.
Where I sit in a classroom is important. My teacher just really knows where I should sit and where I need to be so I won’t be distracted. She is very good at that.
Having multiple choice and word banks on tests and quizzes give me options. When I study and do my note cards I match things up and this is how I study and this helps me. It is very hard for me to learn stuff when it is written down on a page and just memorizing. I like to use note card and then match them. Without a word bank or multiple choice, I can’t pull the information in my head but I can recognize it.
My teacher will say the homework assignment out loud but then tell the class to pull out the assignment notebook and write it down and wait for everyone to do it. She also has an assignment person who writes the assignment on the board so if you do miss some of it, you can still copy it down. I need to have the assignment written down or have a teacher say take out your notebook.
My worry for next year is that I will have too much homework. For next year, I would go to the math or English tutor but I think it would help if I had a permanent pass to go to them instead of having to ask every day. I might forget to get the pass and then not be able to go. I would also like to be in regular study hall. If there was someone who I could go to when I need to if I had questions about my work or my accommodations that would be good to.
I like sports and play travel ice hockey. I am nice, considerate, and a hard worker. I am easy to talk to.