I have a ?

Question

Okay, my younger brother is in Special Education, and he just failed Heath and Wellness. The teacher he had will explain it one way and then he would go and ask for help and she would explain it another way, confusing him. I dont know what to do and neither does my mom. The other day he brought up Quiting school. HE IS A FRESHMAN! I dont want him to quit, but I dont want him to be confused for the rest of his life. He has to take and PASS health to graduate High School in Michigan.

Answer 1

If he is in special ed he has an IEP plan. Since he's failing and not understanding things, this means that the IEP plan is not working.

Whatever is written on the IEP plan is what the teachers are suppose to do to be helping him.

The IEP plan is suppose to state specifically what his problems are, what needs to be done to help,  when the help is given, how it is given, by whom it is given, etc.

The teacher is not suppose to change HOW she teaches the child. The teacher is SUPPOSE to be highly trained and qualified in teaching the child according to his needs, and teach the child in the way that he can learn.

And if the IEP plan is not working, the parent needs to request an official IEP meeting to go over the current IEP plan to see what is not working and to change the plan to include things that DO work.

Parents are an EQUAL member of schools IEP teams and they can request anything that they feel will help their child.

Make an IEP meeting request IN WRITING to the district sped director. Date it. The school will have 10 days from this date to hold a meeting.

Before you go to meeting, make a list of the childs problems.

Make a list of thigns in the IEP plan that are NOT working.

Make a list of things that YOU the PARENT thinks will help the child.

Take all these things to the IEP meeting and request all this. If the school refuses any of this, there are more steps to take.

NO child with an IEP plan should be failing school.

If you need more help email  [e-mail]

Answer 2

As it is the same teacher who is explaining things to him in two different ways. I would first talk with her and remind her of your brother's situation. I don't know the exact problems you're brother has but many students (not only the ones in special ed) would find that confusing. Remind her that she needs to keep info consistent and in a way that can be understood by your brother.

If the teacher continues to be a problem talk to the principal as she is not educating her students adequately.

Answer 3

Hopefully I can help out a bit!

If your brother is in Special Education, he should have an Individual Education Program (IEP).  As members of the IEP team, your mother and your brother have the ability to call a meeting with the rest of the IEP team.  During this time an administrator, his health teacher, a special education teacher, your mom and brother can discuss different accommodations that might be beneficial for him to complete and pass the course.  Some things that could be recommended are:

     Resource time to complete assignments and get individual        attention while completing assignments.

     An extended period of time to complete assignments or tests.

     Shortened assignments

     Summary, outlines of important information, or study sheets

     Taped lectures

The modifications that can be made are endless.  

Not knowing your brother's full situation, I can't answer more specifically, but if you need any additional information feel free to contact me.

Answer 4

Is summer school an option?  Often summer school courses are geared to those who did not do well during the academic year and, thus, requiring a different teaching style.  I would ask for a book to be made available to him in between regular school and summer school, so that he can preview the text, concentrating on those areas that are difficult for him.  I would also drop down academically and look for kids websites on those areas of difficulty.  There is alot of information available, especially on government websites, on the human body, drugs and disease.  These concepts may be foreign to him and he might need the remedial help.  Reading and playing on the websites might give him a solid foundation to be sucessful in the course.