Re: Being a writer


rants@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx wrote:
> My son, who's in the fourth grade, just got his report card. The
> teacher says that he's disorganized in his work , doesn't comply with
> grammar rules, and doesn't finish his assignments. When queried about
> his rough drafts, my son says they're on the computers at school and
> that he can't bring them home. He can also not e-mail any of the work .
> I feel cut out of the loop. I don't see any of his work. All I get is a
> negative report.
>
> What I've done is sit him down in front of the computer, where I can
> see him. I'm starting with a very formal outline method. I'm going to
> save this work on a cd and when I see that next report card war will be
> declared.
>
> The kid is smart, but getting that disorganized comment is a coded
> message about his writing to future teachers. Are there any other
> suggestions here as to getting through this veil over actually seeing
> his work from the school? As far as parent teacher conferences, that
> route has been tried and all the teachers do is restate their feelings
> with nothing accomplished afterwards.

There's a good chance technology is only the messenger here and your
son has other problems. There's also an excellent chance he's lying to
you.

The message of disorganization isn't a message about writing, it's a
message about study habits.

Whether you "believe" in ADD or not, disorganization is one of its
major components. If the kid doesn't exhibit "hyperactivity," it can go
unnoticed--which is why it doesn't get diagnosed in girls as readily.
Fourth and fifth grade is where it starts to create big problems.

I'm not big on the all ADD all the time for every problem thing. How
classrooms operate compounds the problems. Computers themselves add to
the problem as they enhance fragmentation.

My daughter was one of those kids who often did her work but neglected
to hand it in. Lost things. Didn't finish things. (Talk to other
parents: you'll see the pattern.) She slid by because she was smart and
pretty. The school rebuffed every approach I made to them for help.
"She'll grow out of it" and "she just needs to try harder" were the two
responses.

She was finally diagnosed with ADD as a sophomore in high school, by
which time she'd learned to titrate her gradepoint average to maintain
eligiblity for sports and not a tenth of a percent more.

She refused medication, which was okay with me, and wouldn't go along
with any behavioral modifications, which was not.

But we got lucky. At the last minute she was accepted to a college she
loves and given an athletic scholarship. Pulled down a 3.7 her freshman
year.

It's still up and down. She's distractable. This year she started using
meds and they help her focus and study.

Anyway, try using thumb drives or whatever. But don't expect that to
solve the problem.

Christine

.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: Being a writer
    ... > My son, who's in the fourth grade, just got his report card. ... > his work from the school? ... As far as parent teacher conferences, ...
    (misc.writing)
  • Being a writer
    ... My son, who's in the fourth grade, just got his report card. ... his work from the school? ... As far as parent teacher conferences, ...
    (misc.writing)
  • Being a writer
    ... My son, who's in the fourth grade, just got his report card. ... his work from the school? ... As far as parent teacher conferences, ...
    (misc.writing)
  • Re: school bully is a teacher.
    ... teachershouted at, not the OP's son. ... Norman needs his memory refreshed, ... children you are now inventing. ... a teacher who sets standards and upholds them. ...
    (uk.legal)
  • Re: OT - kids biting other kids
    ... Ya know...I just got another call from this teacher and I'm trying really, ... the way life goes through most of school afterall (I never thought learning ... the actual meeting (I had to take the kids with me to the conferences) and then ... My son was smart enough to change his behavior at home ...
    (sci.med.transcription)