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raveneye · 02-03-2005, 08:08 AM

I'll be meeting with him today for an hour. On the menu for today, just off the top of my head:

--a few questions about his Montessori past. I already asked him about his transition, and he said it has been difficult for him. I'll probe a bit more, also find out which Montessori it was and give them a call.

--I'll ask him about how things are going at home. Just in general, see if he volunteers anything.

--I'll ask him about his face, be sympathetic. "Looks like that must have hurt."

--Take it from there, depending on how he answers.

--Talk to his mom in private afterwards. Ask her (1) if he's been evaluated overall (2) if he has any learning disorders (3) what in addition to tutoring she is planning for him (4) what the school has threatened to do, specifically (any ultimatums?).

On the specific writing aversion, here's the idea I had: I'll give him a mock test, and tell him that he and I are going to have a competition to see who can finish it first. He can write with his right hand, and I have to write with my left. Maybe make it interesting with a $5 bill. See if he likes that idea. Or maybe do it in increments, one question at a time.

I talked to some of his teachers yesterday, and it turns out his biology teacher is very sympathetic and already has been lobbying for him. She says he's a wonderful kid, interested and motivated to learn, participates in class discussions and often is the only student that makes the discussion productive. But it's the same story on exams. The last exam she thought that she had finally persuaded him to write, but after class she looked at his test and all he had done was draw an intricate picture of a boat.

She also said some interesting things that he told her: he's afraid of crowds. He often sits in convocations with his head down and his fingers in his ears. He also said "I know I'm weird. Sometimes I'm talking and everything is fine, then I clam up and I just can't say anything anymore."

But the other teachers are unsympathetic, feel he needs to be somewhere else.

I'll let you all know what I come up with today, if you're still interested. Thanks again.

02-03-2005, 08:08 AM	#21 (permalink)
raveneye Born Against	I'll be meeting with him today for an hour. On the menu for today, just off the top of my head: --a few questions about his Montessori past. I already asked him about his transition, and he said it has been difficult for him. I'll probe a bit more, also find out which Montessori it was and give them a call. --I'll ask him about how things are going at home. Just in general, see if he volunteers anything. --I'll ask him about his face, be sympathetic. "Looks like that must have hurt." --Take it from there, depending on how he answers. --Talk to his mom in private afterwards. Ask her (1) if he's been evaluated overall (2) if he has any learning disorders (3) what in addition to tutoring she is planning for him (4) what the school has threatened to do, specifically (any ultimatums?). On the specific writing aversion, here's the idea I had: I'll give him a mock test, and tell him that he and I are going to have a competition to see who can finish it first. He can write with his right hand, and I have to write with my left. Maybe make it interesting with a $5 bill. See if he likes that idea. Or maybe do it in increments, one question at a time. I talked to some of his teachers yesterday, and it turns out his biology teacher is very sympathetic and already has been lobbying for him. She says he's a wonderful kid, interested and motivated to learn, participates in class discussions and often is the only student that makes the discussion productive. But it's the same story on exams. The last exam she thought that she had finally persuaded him to write, but after class she looked at his test and all he had done was draw an intricate picture of a boat. She also said some interesting things that he told her: he's afraid of crowds. He often sits in convocations with his head down and his fingers in his ears. He also said "I know I'm weird. Sometimes I'm talking and everything is fine, then I clam up and I just can't say anything anymore." But the other teachers are unsympathetic, feel he needs to be somewhere else. I'll let you all know what I come up with today, if you're still interested. Thanks again.