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Friday was our annual IEP meeting. I am happy that ds is doing well in school and that he says that he enjoys school, so I have to keep thinking of things in perspective. Anyhow this is what happened at the meeting: The meeting was supposed to start at 1:30 PM, but since it took awhile to find an empty room to meet, the meeting didn't start until 1:50 PM. DS's two teachers said that they had to leave at 2:10 in order to take the kids off the bus, and the ST had a previous engagement so she couldn't stay at the meeting for more than 10 minutes. I did not know that this was going to happen because last year's teachers were able to stay for as long as I needed them to be there. ... I had asked ds's teachers for a draft copy of the IEP so that I could review it before the meeting, but they didn't have anything available until the meeting itself. So, I basically told everyone that I couldn't review the entire IEP and discuss ds's goals during the 20 minutes that were allotted for the meeting. They responded that I only had to sign that I attended the meeting, and that they would officially send me a copy of it, since they only had one copy and they did not have the time to make another copy for me at that time. Now, I have to find out how much time I have to review the IEP (which I haven't received yet) before it automatically becomes final.
If you are still reading this, you probably are wondering why I thought this was such a horrible meeting. It basically was how they treated me. My feeling was that they had no intention of making me a partner in the process. When I asked the ST a question about where some of the goals were in the IEP, she responded that I have to trust her that she has the best interest of my son in mind (without my even reviewing what goals she has for him for next year.). Here's another thing that bothered me. The PT, who could not attend the meeting, is recommending PT twice-a-week again for next year. I think this is excessive and disruptive of ds's schedule. Since I haven't had the chance to look at the IEP, I don't know what goals the PT has in mind. He left me a note that I can call him with questions, but if I haven't seen the IEP for next year, I don't what specific questions I can ask him.
Here's another thing that bothers me. In a moment of weakness, I allowed ds's teachers to see us at home. They promised me that they would not look for things that are wrong. But, why would they come to our house if that wasn't their purpose. DS still sleeps in a toddler bed. Yes, he is 7-yrs-old, but we haven't found an arrangement that would work with a larger bed and his bed is not uncomfortable. Anyhow, his teachers keep asking me when I am going to replace the toddler bed. It really is not any of their business and I don't want to have to answer them on this. In some ways, I think they use this as a crutch to excuse their own problems.
Here's the worst of it: Rumor has it that ds will have the same teachers next year. I'm trying to think of a tactful way to convey that I don't want this, but I don't want to hurt anyone's feelings or to sound like a grouchy ungrateful parent.
If you finished through this post, you are very patient. I just needed to vent. Once again, I know that ds has a lot of things going for him, and this is just a vent. Please no flames.
-Carol-
If you are still reading this, you probably are wondering why I thought this was such a horrible meeting. It basically was how they treated me. My feeling was that they had no intention of making me a partner in the process. When I asked the ST a question about where some of the goals were in the IEP, she responded that I have to trust her that she has the best interest of my son in mind (without my even reviewing what goals she has for him for next year.). Here's another thing that bothered me. The PT, who could not attend the meeting, is recommending PT twice-a-week again for next year. I think this is excessive and disruptive of ds's schedule. Since I haven't had the chance to look at the IEP, I don't know what goals the PT has in mind. He left me a note that I can call him with questions, but if I haven't seen the IEP for next year, I don't what specific questions I can ask him.
Here's another thing that bothers me. In a moment of weakness, I allowed ds's teachers to see us at home. They promised me that they would not look for things that are wrong. But, why would they come to our house if that wasn't their purpose. DS still sleeps in a toddler bed. Yes, he is 7-yrs-old, but we haven't found an arrangement that would work with a larger bed and his bed is not uncomfortable. Anyhow, his teachers keep asking me when I am going to replace the toddler bed. It really is not any of their business and I don't want to have to answer them on this. In some ways, I think they use this as a crutch to excuse their own problems.
Here's the worst of it: Rumor has it that ds will have the same teachers next year. I'm trying to think of a tactful way to convey that I don't want this, but I don't want to hurt anyone's feelings or to sound like a grouchy ungrateful parent.
If you finished through this post, you are very patient. I just needed to vent. Once again, I know that ds has a lot of things going for him, and this is just a vent. Please no flames.
-Carol-
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