11-19-2007, 02:52 PM
Dear Mr. D.:
I just wanted to let you know that I couldn’t be more pleased with the support and accommodations my high functioning autistic daughter is getting at BHS this year. Last year was more uneven or missing nearly altogether so I wasn’t expecting that much help this year. Boy, have I been surprised and pleased. The following teachers have helped make Hope’s academics so much easier this year to the point where she is making good grades for the first time in about 2.5 years! (She is making mostly Bs!). If I had to sum up how their help has been most effective it would be this: Each teacher tells me on an almost weekly basis where Hope is deficient so I can help her review that area more thoroughly.
Hilary ****** has been simply wonderful in helping Hope with all her subjects, but particularly geometry. We are in e-mail contact almost daily and she never balks with either my suggestions and requests. Having student taught myself some years ago I understand the pressures of working in a high school so try to be as reasonable in my requests as possible. I also tutor Hope or help her with projects/reports at home so folks like Hilary don’t have to cover all the bases.
Marianne ****: When regular tutoring sessions didn’t seem to be working very well because of the presence of other students, she recently volunteered to tutor Hope in geometry on Mondays, one-on-one. This is simply remarkable and above and beyond the call of duty. It also helps tremendously that she herself has an adult daughter with the same diagnosis as Hope.
Debi **** and Malena *****: Have both made generous accommodations for Hope in terms of when projects can be turned in (a little late if the week is hectic), what books can be reviewed (work can be done online sometimes instead of doing regular reading. Hope loves to read online more than hold a book), subject matter tackled (Aspies are sometimes sensitive about certain subject matter due to their own eccentricities). Once, Debi delivered a video to our house so Hope could prepare for a test.
Now, the above help would seem obvious, but you would be surprised at how many parents of “Aspies” have to struggle to get their children even basic accommodations nationwide and globally (despite IEPs!). Even developed countries like Germany and the UK are known as being very spotty in the types of services offered and in teacher understanding/education in this area (autism). There are stories where children are forced to take notes even though notetaking doesn’t come naturally to these kids probably because of the time they spend in their own “mental” worlds. There are stories of children being forced to make public presentations also, even though many suffer from social anxiety as well. I could go on and on.
To that end I would advise both you and Mrs. ***** to put any teacher in the district who is unaccustomed to high functioning autistic kids to get in contact with these ladies so that they might be better educated.
Finally, Debi has volunteered to start an informal and occasional “Peer Support Group” at BHS. This group has been needed for quite some time, though the concept is new nationally. These groups are, however, making a huge impact on how special needs students view themselves and others and are helping the latter feel loved, feel like they fit in better in the high school social scene, etc. Basically, the group consists of popular kids who interact socially with special needs kids, especially those with poor social skills or self image.
I just wanted to let you know that I couldn’t be more pleased with the support and accommodations my high functioning autistic daughter is getting at BHS this year. Last year was more uneven or missing nearly altogether so I wasn’t expecting that much help this year. Boy, have I been surprised and pleased. The following teachers have helped make Hope’s academics so much easier this year to the point where she is making good grades for the first time in about 2.5 years! (She is making mostly Bs!). If I had to sum up how their help has been most effective it would be this: Each teacher tells me on an almost weekly basis where Hope is deficient so I can help her review that area more thoroughly.
Hilary ****** has been simply wonderful in helping Hope with all her subjects, but particularly geometry. We are in e-mail contact almost daily and she never balks with either my suggestions and requests. Having student taught myself some years ago I understand the pressures of working in a high school so try to be as reasonable in my requests as possible. I also tutor Hope or help her with projects/reports at home so folks like Hilary don’t have to cover all the bases.
Marianne ****: When regular tutoring sessions didn’t seem to be working very well because of the presence of other students, she recently volunteered to tutor Hope in geometry on Mondays, one-on-one. This is simply remarkable and above and beyond the call of duty. It also helps tremendously that she herself has an adult daughter with the same diagnosis as Hope.
Debi **** and Malena *****: Have both made generous accommodations for Hope in terms of when projects can be turned in (a little late if the week is hectic), what books can be reviewed (work can be done online sometimes instead of doing regular reading. Hope loves to read online more than hold a book), subject matter tackled (Aspies are sometimes sensitive about certain subject matter due to their own eccentricities). Once, Debi delivered a video to our house so Hope could prepare for a test.
Now, the above help would seem obvious, but you would be surprised at how many parents of “Aspies” have to struggle to get their children even basic accommodations nationwide and globally (despite IEPs!). Even developed countries like Germany and the UK are known as being very spotty in the types of services offered and in teacher understanding/education in this area (autism). There are stories where children are forced to take notes even though notetaking doesn’t come naturally to these kids probably because of the time they spend in their own “mental” worlds. There are stories of children being forced to make public presentations also, even though many suffer from social anxiety as well. I could go on and on.
To that end I would advise both you and Mrs. ***** to put any teacher in the district who is unaccustomed to high functioning autistic kids to get in contact with these ladies so that they might be better educated.
Finally, Debi has volunteered to start an informal and occasional “Peer Support Group” at BHS. This group has been needed for quite some time, though the concept is new nationally. These groups are, however, making a huge impact on how special needs students view themselves and others and are helping the latter feel loved, feel like they fit in better in the high school social scene, etc. Basically, the group consists of popular kids who interact socially with special needs kids, especially those with poor social skills or self image.