[blindkid] 2nd into 3rd grade IEP

Tue Mar 12 03:03:44 UTC 2013

Arielle makes a good point. It clearly cannot drive your decision entirely, but potentially feeling he is loosing his friends by being held back might be one additional frustration in an already extremely frustrating situation. I know my daughter expresses frustration fairly often that she cannot see, and she has really never seen at all. I would assume the frustration level for a child as he is loosing vision would be even higher in many ways than for a child who has never had vision to "loose". 

Is he generally on track as far as maturity level with his classmates? If he is immature the year might help him ultimately fit in socially. Otherwise, he may also be frustrated to be dealing with less mature classmates for the ongoing future as well.

I would suggest maybe factoring these things in, and then discussing the entire situation (scholastic readiness as well) with some trusted staff at the school-- maybe a counselor plus his teacher. I would want to start this discussion outside of the IEP process even if the discussion also migrates into the IEP. I would not want to make that decision in the "heat of battle", so to speak, of an IEP on top of all the other matters trying to be solved.

The good news is that once you get things underway with his IEP including TVI & O&M needs, you will probably begin to find a rhythm. Keep in mind, if things don't end up just where you want them you have the right to call a new IEP at any time. I would assume however that once you hold him back (if you decide to) you would be hard pressed to get him moved back forward a year unless he really has exceptional performance.

Good luck! 

On Mar 11, 2013, at 7:05 PM, Arielle Silverman wrote:

> Hi Tuesday,
> Who has been teaching Joey Braille, and how much instruction per
> day/week is he getting? Does he have Braille books at home? Is he
> still learning the alphabet or has he started on Grade 2 contractions?
> Joey is entitled to daily Braille lessons from someone who is
> proficient in teaching Braille. In most cases this person is a TVI who
> works for the school district. You can, and should, insist that a
> certified TVI work with him. Once he has learned basic Braille, he
> will need some way of getting *all* of the class assignments in
> Braille. Again, a TVI can help produce and order the Braille or he/she
> can work with someone else to get the Braille transcription done, but
> it is very important that he start getting class assignments in
> Braille as soon as he is ready to handle them. As a supplementary
> help, it would be good to find a blind adult who reads Braille and
> would be willing to tutor him or help him practice. Have you connected
> with anyone in the National Federation of the Blind of Ohio or the
> Ohio Parents of Blind Children?
> Also, I apologize for adding one more thing to your load, but no one
> has mentioned it yet so I will: cane skills. Joey should be working
> with an O&M specialist or a blind adult who can teach him how to
> orient himself  and get around using a cane. This is another standard
> thing to put in the IEP or, ideally, the services you request now
> (instead of waiting for your scheduled IEP in a few months). While
> this will take up some more of his time, in the end he will be able to
> get around his school without a one-on-one assistant which will be
> very good  for his independence and self-esteem. Learning nonvisual
> cane travel will also allow him to pick up most of the games or
> hobbies he may have enjoyed before losing his sight. The goal is for
> him ultimately to catch up so he needs minimal special help in the
> classroom or at school.
> I don't know Joey so I can't really comment on the issue of whether or
> not to hold him back. It's possible he might be upset about being held
> back, but he will ultimately be happier once he requires less special
> help and is comfortable reading Braille and using his cane.
> Best,
> Arielle
> 
> On 3/11/13, Dr. Denise M Robinson <deniserob at gmail.com> wrote:
>> To add to Bernie's STONES and other great ideas, he  needs to be using a PC
>> with talking software and a braille display connected to it for output of
>> information in braille and a tech teacher who can teach those skills. I
>> know there is a blind mentor somewhere in your neck of the woods who could
>> help with all this, supporting the team in the move forward
>> Denise
>> 
>> On Mon, Mar 11, 2013 at 1:50 PM, Bernadette Jacobs
>> <bernienfb75 at gmail.com>wrote:
>> 
>>> Good Afternoon Tuesday:
>>> 
>>> Bernie here.
>>> 
>>> Bill and I are having issues with our Daughter Virginia.  Although the
>>> issues are entirely different, what I'm doing in Virginia's case may
>>> work for Joey as well.  It's worth a shot, i think.
>>> 
>>> For one thing, it must be designated, insisted on, and otherwise duely
>>> noted, (glued in S T O N E), that Joey's MAIN communication medium
>>> must be Braille as his vision is far too unstable for any form of
>>> print to be a main communication medium.  Scrap the CC TV!!
>>> 
>>> Once this is established, Another one of those S T O N E S must be
>>> that he MUST and will be signed up for ESY, (Extended School Year)
>>> services.  Then you push for tutor, tutor, and tutor.  We need a real
>>> TVI who knows Braille, (if you can find such an animal.  I'm not sure
>>> where you are.  but if you'd like to work with me offlist, You're
>>> welcome to call me at: landline, 443-315-5080 or Cell: 410-215-8587.
>>> Or VIA Email: bernienfb75 at gmail.com.  With all these things, we may be
>>> able to catch Joey up so he doesn't have to repeat Third Grade.  I
>>> know that's frightfully embarrassing to a child as is being so far
>>> behind.  If we can teach him Braille in a relatively quick manner, we
>>> can then justify demanding Braille for him.  In this IEP Process, if
>>> there's one thing you must remember is that you need to stick to your
>>> guns, because believe me!  They won't because they'll find any reason
>>> not to and make that stick.  Don't let them scam you in to believing
>>> they have your child's best interest at heart???  Are you kidding???
>>> For it is you who knows your child best and whatever you do, don't you
>>> let them forget it!!  I'm praying for you and your little Joey every
>>> day, my friend.  One way or another Honey, we all here will love all
>>> of you and help all of you through this!!  Promise!!!
>>> 
>>> Bernie
>>> 
>>> On 3/11/13, *2sday* <tuesday0728 at yahoo.com> wrote:
>>>> Hello all     :)
>>>> 
>>>> I recently updated everyone on here about Joey's recent vision loss and
>>>> I
>>>> thank you all for your responses. I'm trying to get some input for
>>>> Joey's
>>>> IEP meeting that I will be having in a couple months. Joey is currently
>>> in
>>>> the 2nd grade. In the beginning of the year we put together his IEP
>>>> with
>>> an
>>>> aide and assistance with work. It included a lot of one on one as well.
>>> We
>>>> revised it to include a CCTV which Joey was able to use until recently.
>>>> I
>>>> have been going back and fourth trying to decide if I should put Joey
>>>> through to the 3rd grade or hold him back in the 2nd. I feel that Joey
>>>> didn't learn anything in 1st grade as we were just finding out about
>>>> his
>>>> vision issues so he went in the 2nd grade very behind. He has learned
>>> some
>>>> things this year but is still very behind. My fears are that he goes
>>>> into
>>>> the 3rd grade and is SO behind that he gets frustrated and we get
>>> nowhere. I
>>>> don't want him to feel bad about he held back or upset him that his
>>>> class
>>>> mates will be moving on and he will not. I'm still torn on what to do
>>>> here.
>>>> 
>>>> What I'm needing help or opinions with is Joey's IEP. Seeing how he is
>>> now
>>>> Blind with some light perception what should I be asking for? Does he
>>> need a
>>>> TVI? I'm sorry to sound so uneducated about this but I am just that. I
>>> don't
>>>> know what I need for him or where to go for assistance.
>>>> 
>>>> any input is helpful
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> Thanks
>>>> Tuesday
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>>> 
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>> 
>> 
>> 
>> --
>> *Dr Denise*
>> 
>> Denise M. Robinson, TVI, Ph.D.
>> CEO, TechVision, LLC
>> Specialist in Technology/Training/Teaching for blind/low vision
>> 423-573-6413
>> 
>> Website with hundreds of informational articles & lessons on PC, Office
>> products, Mac, iPad/iTools and more, all done with
>> keystrokes: www.yourtechvision.com
>> 
>> "The person who says it cannot be done, shouldn't interrupt the one who is
>> doing it." --Chinese Proverb
>> 
>> Computers are incredibly fast, accurate, and stupid: humans are incredibly
>> slow, inaccurate and brilliant; together they are powerful beyond
>> imagination.
>> --Albert Einstein
>> 
>> It's kind of fun to do the impossible.
>> --Walt Disney
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> 
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