Lots of interesting/challenging and humbling experiences with the students since I last wrote a catch-up – – including realizing my attempts to help a kid manage OCD were wrong. I was following my intuition, but OCD is like a bug-bear in your brain, and I was unintentionally feeding it.
It would certainly help if there were coordinated action plans for working with the students that were clearly communicated to everybody, but I go between five classrooms and guidance comes in bits and pieces from here and there, sometimes contradictory. Best help, honestly, comes from the internet. Including instructions for microwave production of Rice Krispie treats.
oh, i would love to hear about managing OCD. that's a topic that i really know very little about.
ReplyDeletei'm surprised that action plans aren't posted online somewhere at the school for all of the administrative persons at least as a starting point. what works could also be added to the plans (no student names).
kirsten
I don’t know much about OCD either—a friend did intense therapy for it and takes meds, but that’s not applicable at work …
DeleteMuch to learn! I linked an article in comment below that might be interesting
Dealing with OCD is difficult...as with all.of these things, ADHD etc..everyone is different, there is no set way
ReplyDeleteExactly! Because it’s not one-size fits all, we really need good communication about what works with which student.
DeleteOf course there’s a lot of people, all in movement—plus growing changing—it would take a great system to coordinate it all…
Each special ed student has their own IEP—individualized education plan—
ReplyDeletebut they’re vague—no specific tips—helpful to the teacher for goal-setting maybe but not for everyday behavior assistants help students with.
I found this helpful—“Don’t argue with a brain glitch”—- a coworker was telling me to use logic with a student , but that doesn’t touch the root cause —
And me trying to accommodate the student just encouraged the compulsion.
I’m working on “distract and move on” strategies.
https://www.turningpointpsychology.ca/blog/children-with-ocd-guidelines-for-parents
Ah, I was wondering about IEPs, thought perhaps that approach was obsolete, but with your explanation I can see that their purpose is different. "distract and move on" pretty much sums up my 20+ years of parenting.
ReplyDeleteCeci
Lol, Ceci—wise tactic for almost any trouble!
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