The Challenges of Parenting - Research Paper Example

The Challenges of Parenting Your daughter is having a great deal of difficulty in school. You think she may have learning disabilities. You would like to get the school system to evaluate her and help plan a program for her. Dear Mom, I am writing you today because I am at a loss! I wanted your advice on a concern that I am grappling with regarding your granddaughter, Shelley. You see, she has been struggling in school, usually taking home marks of D’s and F’s and I am truly worried because I see how hard she works. It breaks my heart when I see her embarrassed to show me her papers and quizzes, as she runs to her room and shuts the door. I know she is crying and does not want to show it. You know how smart she is when you talk to her. She can engage in a lively monologue and you will be amazed at her insights! She can also be witty and funny and is an interesting conversationalist! However, when it comes to school work, that is when she clams up and fails. Do you remember a time when I was the same? Back when I was also 8 years old? I am suspecting she may have learning difficulties, so I decided to read up on it. Vygotsky, a world-renowned psychologist hypothesized that “a child whose development is impeded by a defect is not simply a child less developed than his peers but is a child who has developed differently” (Vygotsky, 1993, p.67). He further emphasized that “what made development different for those with mind and body differences was the intellectual and social compensatory processes in which they were powerfully motivated to engage in order to be part of their social milieu.” (in McPhail & Freeman, 2005, p. 89). I wondered how Shelley developed differently from her peers. I learned that a lot of normal children have difficulty in some areas of their cognitive development. I specifically read up on learning disabilities and found out its definition as “Learning disabilities are neurobiological disorders that interfere with a person’s ability to store, process and retrieve information. Most often, these disabilities affect children’s reading and language skills (including writing and speaking). They can also impair math computation skills and social skills” (Shalaway, 1997, 78). The earliest and most widely used definition of learning disabilities (LD) is as follows: “The term “specific learning disability” (SLD) means those children who have a disorder in one or more of the basic psychological processes involved in understanding or in using language spoken or written, which disorder may manifest itself in imperfect ability to listen, think, read, write, spell or to do mathematical calculations. The term includes such conditions as perceptual handicaps, brain injury, minimal brain dysfunction, dyslexia and developmental aphasia. The term does not include a learning problem which is primarily the result of visual, hearing or motor handicaps or mental retardation, or emotional disturbance, or of environmental, cultural or economic disadvantage” (U.S. Office of Education, 1977, p. 65083). Since my observations of Shelley are not consistent with how she performs in school, I think the school will have more information if she does have learning disabilities. I read that assessment of learning disabilities are somewhat more difficult to determine because one cannot 'see' a learning disability. Often called the 'hidden disability.', it leaves many individuals that have it suffer in silence and isolation. Another source from the internet says learning disabilities usually begin in childhood and if it is identified early, parents and teachers can help the child using various interventions so she can deal with her disability and cope with the challenges she faces every day. I noted the signals we parents have to look for as the following: difficulty understanding and/or following directions; poor memory; failure to master major milestones in scholastic development on time (i.e. reading, math, writing) usually resulting in poor performance in school, problems with reversing letters and/or numbers, lack of hand-eye-movement coordination, and other behaviors that seem out of the ordinary when considering the child's age and developmental stage.” (http://ohp.nasa.gov/cope/a_ld.htm ). With Shelley, I noticed that she has a hard time memorizing things. She gets frustrated when she forgets and sometimes, does not try anymore to remember. I also notice that when she reads, she sometimes misinterprets what she read, so her comprehension may suffer. To confirm if children do have learning disabilities, there are several types of assessments and procedures that can be done. One is IQ testing. This measures the child’s aptitude through activities that are designed to show the learning profile of an individual. It includes tests that are language-based as well as visual reasoning (Logsdon, n.d.). Parents and guardians may help in the diagnosis by completing a developmental and social history of the child. The completed narrative questionnaires provide significant information about the child’s development. Likewise, the school can provide records of the child so that examiners rule out or identify causes or factors responsible for the child’s learning problems. Teachers can add their behavioral observations of the child in and out the classroom that may affect her learning. Achievement testing can be done with the child to determine her current skill levels in various subject areas. Finally, assessment of adaptive behavior adds to the profile of the child in question. Her ability to perform tasks that are needed in order to maintain herself well, interact with others in a socially appropriate manner and to display work habits in and around her home and school that are responsible and safe (Logsdon, n.d.) Once diagnosed, children may be given the intervention that is appropriate for his or her learning disability. Learning strategy instruction appears to hold great educational potential because strategy training emphasizes helping students learn how to learn and how to use strategies found to be effective in promoting successful performance of academic, social, or job-related tasks. Students need these skills not only to cope with immediate academic demands but also to address similar tasks in different settings under different conditions throughout life. They are resources for an individual to use, especially when faced with new learning situations. (Sturomski, 1997). An important intervention tool for people with learning disabilities is the IEP or Individualized Educational Plan. It gives a child a customized plan for instruction that considers his unique needs and ways of learning best. The IEP builds on the initial detailed diagnosis of the his learning disabilities. The best IEP’s are based upon a thorough assessment of the brain dysfunction of the child so that remediation works around and improves upon the brain’s capabilities. Some accommodations/ interventions included in most IEP’s for learning disabilities are: special education classes for several hours per week, or assignment to a special education classroom, or even assignment to a special school for students with learning disabilities; equipment to aid the learning disabled: word processors, voice synthesis programs, voice recognition programs, portable tape recorders, talking calculators, electronic spellers and dictionaries, and audio textbooks; assistants to help your child: tutors, note-takers, readers, proofreaders, and transcribers; different strategies of teaching, such as outlining the lesson at the beginning of class or reading out loud the notes on the board and transparencies; or individualized accommodations, such as preferential seating or alternative homework assignments. (from: http://www.helpguide.org/mental/learning_disabilities_treatment_help_coping.htm It is also possible that Shelley may be put in an inclusive classroom. Booth and Ainscow (2000) suggest that inclusion involves a school’s commitment to educate every child to their highest potential with their fellow peers. For this to become possible there must be cooperation between the students, the teachers, the parents and any other professionals working towards meeting all the necessary needs of all the children in the classroom (Disability, Literacy & Inclusive Education for Young Children, n.d.). This means that an inclusive class is not a homogenous one, as there are several children who may have different needs, and the curriculum will be adjusted to suit those needs. So you see, Mom, I’ve done a great deal of research on learning disabilities and found out that it is not a hopeless case. The interventions seem to be feasible, and I would do anything to help Shelley through this. I did an online search and found The Special Kids Company at 3618 Underaoak Drive, Ellicott City, Maryland. This organization is headed by two experienced ladies, Andrea Bennett and Lisa C. Frank, both holders of Master’s Degree in Education. They both hold the title of Educational and Behavioral Consultant and have extensive experience in working with children with special needs. These ladies attest the success rate of their services and I found out that they can even help me in securing funding for special education services (http://www.specialkidscompany.com/index.html). So what I did was I scheduled a parent-teacher conference in school and consulted Shelley’s teacher about my concern. She shared with me her observations of Shelley and it was consistent with mine. However, she mentioned that Shelley has difficulty when it comes to reading tasks even if her speaking, listening and writing skills are fine. She informed me about the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (Building the Legacy: IDEA, 2004), which ensures that children with disabilities are provided with free appropriate education that meets their unique needs. It mandates schools to conduct activities that would help in the diagnosis of children with specific learning disabilities from ages 3 to 21. Schools are then expected to come up with a comprehensive educational evaluation about the diagnosed children to determine if they should be recommended to secure special education services. I was pleased with this information and asked her to conduct an evaluation with Shelley. After which, a multidisciplinary team will study her case and make their recommendations. It is possible that Shelley may be put in an inclusive class In the event that special education services will be necessary, I wanted to know what will happen, so I made an appointment with the Special Kids Company. When I got there, there were several children working with some special education teachers. I guess they were given their respective interventions based on their needs. I was asked to wait in the office while I browsed through their brochures. I read about their approach in the Individual Educational Plan (IEP). The Special Kids Company advocates for the individualized special needs of each child. They attend meetings in school regarding the planning of the IEP based on the child’s needs and skill levels. They also do their share of classroom observations and comprehensive review of the child’s performance. From their observations and the diagnosis of the child, they develop the IEP and monitor its implementation. With frequent meetings with teachers and concerned professionals, they analyze the IEP to check if it is working for the child. Their expert knowledge is valuable in the IEP and intervention development (http://www.specialkidscompany.com/iep.html). Apart from IEP services, they also offer behavioral services for children with special problems. They do complete functional behavior assessments (FBA); do home/school observations; create positive behavior reinforcement systems; develop behavior intervention plans (BIP); making individualized social stories and even train parents and teachers on what behavior strategies and interventions to use with the child (http://www.specialkidscompany.com/behavioral.html). I see that they are also adept in both informal and formal assessment techniques such as Comprehensive Test of Phonological Processing (CTOPP); Informal Reading Assessments (IRI); Woodcock Johnson Tests of Achievement, III (WCJ-III); Gray Oral Reading Test (GORT); Gray Silent Reading Test (GSRT); Test of Written Language (TOWL); Test of Early Written Language (TEWL); Curriculum-based assessments; Student observations; Response to Intervention (RTI); Progress towards IEP goals and objectives; and Functional Behavioral Assessments (FBA) (http://www.specialkidscompany.com/assessment.html). Being educators, the heads of The Special Kids Company also offer workshops for parents and educators on how they can deal with their children with special needs. Other services included legal representation, medical concerns, occupational therapy, mental health services, psychological evaluations, social skills training and speech/language therapy (http://www.specialkidscompany.com/relatedservices.html). The Special Kids Company offers various services that fetch high prices but I believe are worth it. I only inquired about the IEP, as I guess this would be the service Shelley would be needing in case she is diagnosed with a learning disability. I was told that $100.00 was the initial price I have to pay should I engage their services, and this would include the attendance of one of the Educational Consultants in the primary meeting in school among a multidisciplinary team. The subsequent costs will be determined by the complexity of Shelley’s learning disability and intervention needed. Mom, remember the little girl who used to live down the street who grew up to be a teacher of special needs kids? Melanie? Well, I also paid her a visit the day after I visited the Special Kids Company. I learned that she does private tutoring. She is completing her Master’s Degree in Special Education at the University of Maryland and has handled inclusive classes at their laboratory school. I told her about Shelley’s case and she said she was interested in hearing about her assessment and diagnosis so she could also find out what she could do to help her. I asked her how much she charged for tutoring, and she said it would depend on the program she would design for Shelley. I guess she was embarrassed to charge me, being a neighbour, but I’m sure she needs to be paid her professional rate. It is only fair. It could be very disheartening to learn that your child has learning difficulties and you cannot do anything about it. If I did not research and just waited for things to unfold, then, I might just be depressed to witness Shelley’s academic deterioration and find out too late that I should have done something. It is a good thing that help was available at the tip of my fingers – internet resources! That is where I saw the services offered for children with special needs – autism, ADHD, dyslexia, learning disabilities, etc., but what attracted me was the myriad services offered by The Special Kids Company and the credibility of their consultants. I was also impressed by Shelley’s teacher who seemed so concerned about my daughter and so knowledgeable about the policies and rights of children with learning disabilities. Had I not gone to Shelley’s school, I would not have known that there was a law such as the IDEA. My spirits were uplifted with this information that the government goes out of its way to really serve the needs of children and families! And then there’s Melanie, who could work one-on-one with Shelley in private tutorial sessions. This is another option for Shelley’s intervention. However, I still need to wait for the final evaluation of the school regarding Shelley’s case. I do hope and pray that it is not as bad as I think Mom! I sometimes punish myself by overthinking.. what could be Shelley’s problem that she is not telling me? It can be a social, behavioral, cognitive or psychological problem. Has there been any conflicts lately in the house that affected her academic performance? Do I, in any way as a mother have something to do with her low academic performance? At home, I keep nudging her to study, but most of the time, she wins by reasoning she has finished her homework in school, so I let her be. If I had been a better mother, then, I should have accompanied her in school and observed her myself. I know that parents who suspect that their child is in need have their share of self-blame. On a more positive light, I am relieved that there are services out there to help Shelley and as her mother, I will not rest until I find the one best suited for her. References Booth, T. and Ainscow. M. (2000). Index on Inclusion. Bristol: Centre for Studies on Inclusive Education. Building the Legacy: IDEA 2004. Retrieved on August 1, 2011 from http://idea.ed.gov/ Logsdon, A. (n.d.)How are learning disabilities diagnosed through assessment? Retrieved on March 3, 2007 from http://learningdisabilities.about.com/od/learningdisabilitybasics/a/LDdiagnosproces.htm McPhail, J.C. & Freeman, J.G. (2005) Beyond prejudice: Thinking toward genuine inclusion, Learning Disabilities Research & Practice, 20(4), 254–267 Shalaway, L. (1998) Learning to Teach. New York: Scholastic Professional Books Sturomski, N. (1997), Teaching students with learning disabilities to use learning strategies. News Digest 25 (ND25) Retrieved on March 3, 2007 from http://www.nichcy.org/pubs/newsdig/nd25txt.htm U.S. Office of Education (1977). Assistance to states for education of handicapped children: Procedures for evaluating specific learning disabilities. 42 Federal Register 65082-65095. Vygotsky, L. S. (1993). Fundamentals of defectology. New York: Plenum Press. Websites: http://www.helpguide.org/mental/learning_disabilities_treatment_help_coping.htm http://www.specialkidscompany.com/assessment.html. http://www.specialkidscompany.com/iep.html http://www.specialkidscompany.com/index.html. http://www.specialkidscompany.com/relatedservices.html http://ohp.nasa.gov/cope/a_ld.htm. Read More