My son is moderate to severe deaf, and he is not adjusting well in school, should I home school him?

Question

He is being mainstreamed this year, and he is just not happy. He cries everyday when he comes home, and this goes on through the night. He is now having headaches and stomache aches. He told me the kids yell at him in class, as though they think he cannot hear at all. He's also being picked on at recess, but the teachers always seem to place the blame on my child. I have tried to work it out with the school, but my son just seems so unhappy, they said he laid on the floor most the day crying. I had to go pick him up early, turns out he was faking a headache to get to come home. He is only in first grade this year, and I want him to have the best chance to succeed, and I'm not sure if I know how to teach a special needs child, even though I have homeschooled two other children for 5 years. I know I will do what I have to do, but how long should I let this go on? This same school didn't even want to provide him with what he needed to learn for his disability.

Answer 1

That sounds like the best option if you could affront this

Answer 2

Local groups should have helps you will need.  They are there just for you.  Start at google, ang go!

Let's see.   hhhhhhmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.

http://www.deafchildren.org/

AND THIS!   ~~~~~  http://www.deafchildren.org/news_article...

Be sure to save this PDF ~~~ from the above  ~~~~~

http://education.umn.edu/nceo/OnlinePUbs...

http://www.raisingdeafkids.org/help/tech...

http://r.webring.com/forum?forum=deafchi...

http://hooked-on-phonics.com/LandingPage...

Somebody studies your situation ~~~~

http://pacs.wustl.edu/pacs/pacs.nsf/WV/2...

http://www.deaflinx.com/Children/family....

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just scanning 2 pages off google ~~~~ 8,190,000 items in 34 seconds.

Enter his condition, narrow the items!

Might have 1 church in your area that could help, or more.  Search them out, someone else is dealing with the same problems.

Answer 3

First, learn about Deaf Culture and learn to use ASL with your son.  If there is a deaf school near you, look into his academic placement at a deaf school.  People in Deaf Culture do not consider themselves disabled.  They consider themselves deaf.  The only thing they can't do is hear.  They can communicate quite well in their natural language, which is signing, if they are taught to use it.  

The school system may well consider deaf people disabled, and in that case, the system is legally mandated to provide your son with appropriate free public education.  Mainstream classes can be extremely traumatic for children who are "different" and subjected to abuse by other children, which then makes mainstream classes an inappropriate education.  As parents, we have to learn to provide first-line advocacy for our children to the school system.  It is important for us to know federal and state laws impacting the education of our children and to demand compliance with those laws.  You can take the first step by requesting IN WRITING a MFE (multifactored evaluation) and an IEP (individualized education plan) for your child.  The school district has 90 days to complete the MFE after it has been requested (or at least that has historically been the time limit on it), and once the IEP is developed, the school district is required to follow it.  If home schooling is part of the IEP, the school district is then required to provide the home schooling programming.  If deaf school is part of the IEP, the school district can be required to pay for special school placements, such as deaf school, if there is any special placement.  If your son is allowed to continue in an abusive situation, he will grow to hate school and may either develop real behavior problems or become very withdrawn as a coping mechanism.  He is a little guy who deserves to be loved and respected, and to have an advocate.  His advocate is you, and that is a position you can never afford to give up while he is a minor.  When he gets a little older, you can teach him to advocate for himself, but in first grade he is just vulnerable to every outside influence he encounters.

Answer 4

Yes, you can homeschool a special needs child. There is support and help in the homeschooling community online and perhaps in your state. If you think you may run into legal hassles from the school district, become a member of Homeschool Legal Defense Association before you pull him. However, as a mom and teacher, this sounds like a recipe for disaster for this child. I would do what you need to do quickly--by next week if possible. If you need a friend as you go through this process with the school and/or transition, it is OK to contact me via email.

Answer 5

In some school districts it takes a real fight to get a special needs child what is rightfully his under the Americans with Disabilities Act. While you are checking out what he is legally due, go volunteer in his classroom a few days. See what he does that makes them say he is the one instigating the problems. Just your presence may be enough to change his behavior, but observe quietly in the back of the class, don't interfere with the teacher.

There are many reasons children have problems, not just because of their disability. Your observation may lead to entirely different conclusions. Consult a child psychologist or social worker immediately about what you may need to do for your son. Put all the evidence together for an overall picture. Don't just pull your son out of school. And don't let it go on for long, either. It will quickly become ingrained, and much more difficult to change. One of the things that concerns me most is that he is still crying all night at home. Be sure to mention that to the psychologist.

Answer 6

I would not allow my child to be emotionally abused/battered this way.  It sounds as though the school officials are not particularly sensitive to your son's issues.  Mainstreaming is usually the goal, but often it doesn't work.  Children who have not been taught any better can be very cruel.

Before you decide to  homeschool your son, maybe you should find out whether special services via the public schools are available to homeschooled students in your state.  (Even if the services are not available, perhaps you can obtain them through other organizations, your health insurance, etc.)  Following is a link to the state information:

http://www.hslda.org/strugglinglearner/s...

I would suggest that you learn ASL (if you haven't already) and do research on homeschooling deaf children.  Some links are below:

http://deafness.about.com/cs/parenting/a...

http://www.deafhomeschool.com/

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/deafhomesc...

I hope this information is helpful and know that you will make the right decision for your son.

Answer 7

What is more important--that he be in school or that he be emotionally happy? Which is going to lead to success?

Pull him. You know he's not happy there. You know it's not helping him. You can do so much better than they can.

Answer 8

You should home school him if extra activities which provide interaction with other children are provided. I began taking school through distance eduaction in grade ten after a tough time throughout school and my only complaint is that I didnt participate in activities with other people my age, which has resulted in quite an isolated life.

Answer 9

That would be my choice, definitively; yes!

I do not believe in mainstreaming children who have special needs; it does not give them the personal attention they need to reach their individual potential.

I would take a look see though, and find out if their are services available to you and your son through the school for the deaf, and blind; if there is such a school near you, or in your state.

They may have extra resources available that they can provide for you, or at least connect you with agencies that can help.

The Home School Legal Defense also has information, and help for special needs home school families, you may want to visit their web site, or contact them directly.

http://www.hslda.org

Blessings, and good luck.