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Tuesday, May 21, 2013

Educational Exceptions

I am raising both gifted and learning disabled kids. I wish all could receive the comprehensive testing the first daughter, with inattentive ADHD, dyslexia, and slow processing, has received. The testing is invaluable. It shows BOTH strengths and weaknesses. Something every child has, but is particularly useful when dealing with any child who demonstrates extreme asymmetrical development. In either case, there are a few things I've learned about educating exceptional children.

In my oldest, most learning disabled child, her most recent tests showed unusually high vocabulary and reading comprehension for her low reading fluency. In addition, she's in the 99th percentile for visual memory. This little piece of the puzzle is consistent with the argument I've been making since she entered school. She remembers everything she sees on tv, so I am going to leverage that ability to help her learn other subjects regardless of how many arguments are made citing studies that show "screen time" is bad for her education and development. Her unusual results are due to her love of watching all sorts of documentaries on tv and the internet. When a child's ability to access information through reading is far lower than their cognitive ability to learn and appreciate history, science, etc. why should they be prevented from accessing a resource that enables them to learn at their interest and cognitive ability level?

Research has frequently shown that development in one area of learning benefits all areas. The interests and vocabulary she developed by watching documentaries have given her motivation to pick up books and TRY to read them. Getting a child to try something they already know is going to be harder for them than their peers is 99% of the battle. She's completing 8th grade right now with a fifth grade reading level, but 'A's in science and history at grade level.

Fighting the system is exhausting. I see burned out parents griping about it all the time. It burns out teachers too. Bringing creative solutions that leverage your child's strengths to overcome their weaknesses is usually welcomed by teachers whose ultimate goal is educating. For my child that means looking up documentaries on the areas she's studying in school. The results have since changed her teachers' views on the matter. Her 8th grade teacher recently reported that her essays are concise and accurate, her tests scores are high, and she always has something interesting to bring to class discussions, at the same meeting where her RSP teacher reported the aforementioned fifth grade reading level.

All of the learning she does around the subject increases the level of reading comprehension she has as she plods her way through the textbook at half speed, as well as her reading comprehension in general. The entire student study team was shocked and impressed by her progress as we planned for her transition to high school. Now, when I advocate for her independence in certain areas and the use of an iPad (we provide) during class, my suggestions are readily accommodated. Even though these interventions were initially discouraged and digital devices are not allowed during class for the general student population.

Studies are helpful in figuring out general guidelines for best practices in education. But we should never forget that every study shows exceptions; those abnormally high or low results they attribute to error and dismiss. If your child is already showing themselves to be an exception in other areas, don't be afraid to take exemption from those generalized best practices and try following their strengths to create leverage against their weaknesses. Be honest with yourself about what is not working and flexible about making adjustments until you figure out what does work. Then you will have results to demonstrate the effectiveness of your arguments for exceptional interventions at school.

I'm grateful to have learned this working with my first child, as I try to create appropriate interventions and exceptions for the obviously gifted ones that followed. Especially since the school does not test gifted children, nor give them the benefit of a student study team to develop strategies to help them achieve their full potential. It does not even try to identify their weaknesses, which are sometimes learning disabilities in desperate need of intervention but disguised by their areas of giftedness. I must diligently and honestly observe, communicate frequently with their teachers, advocate directly with them, and strategize and try my own interventions.

Most teachers want to do what is best for each child. They recognize that they can never know a child as well as his parents, and welcome insight into individual learning styles. But they are also human, and will respond defensively to an adversarial approach. A cooperative attitude where you listen to their observations, combined with providing information (they can't keep up with every educational development either), and individual insight, will lead to better accommodation for your exceptional child. The strategies you develop may also benefit others, as success stories are shared and successful interventions tried by others.

No study is completely representational of all students, and no university can teach every educational style and possible intervention to upcoming teachers. Be sure to give them abundant grace as you work toward the common goal of figuring out how to meet your child's educational needs. It won't be solved all at once. Expect to do a great deal of study yourself.

In addition, I have homeschooled three of my children during different periods as I deemed it appropriate. Personally, I would rather work with a teacher, and I did not homeschool for lack of good teachers. Rather, I deemed it developmentally necessary to deal with those areas of weakness the school was not equipped to handle. We homeschooled to deal with emotional and behavioral development issues, not educational ones. Each child re-entered school refreshed and ready to excel, with a self confidence their teachers and other parents all comment on. They also acquired interests and strategies for learning that work for them. The exact opposite of what schools expect from homeschooled children, since they usually only see them returned to school because of failed home study experiences. In other words, don't be afraid to look at more extreme interventions, like temporary homeschooling, with specific goals and a plan to return to a regular classroom when they are met. Understand and accept the reasons for the institutional opposition to this, and other unusual interventions, but don't let it stop you from doing what is right for your child.

Ultimately, educating exceptional children requires making exceptions to accepted practices in education. It will tie your brain in knots the way that thesis statement just tied your tongue. You're going to have to work hard at it to do it well. The reward is seeing your kids become exceptional adults!