Should Middle and High School Students Participate in the Evaluation and Annual Review Process?

Should Students Have a Voice?
Absolutely! Most students at the middle and high school level are looking for a sense of independence. Students of this age are often at a point where they want to know why they should continue therapy, and if they continue, why they can’t decide what they need to work on. In a school setting, the goals need to relate to a student’s educational and/or vocational needs. There is so much more information that a therapist needs to know to determine a student’s perception of his or her abilities and further determines whether or not a student really needs to continue. Standardized test scores, although important, are only a snap shot of the student’s abilities at the time the student participated in the assessment. It is not a clear and thorough picture of the student’s ability to function in a classroom.
I have often found that a student will provide more information if the questions are presented in a written format, particularly with sensitive areas, like activities of daily living, presented in checklist format. Students will review the document, quickly at first, check an answer [which the therapist or teacher can expand on later] and then move on. The written format provides a canvas, if you will, to create a dialogue with the student. For example, let’s say that the student checks off that he or she can make a sandwich, ask the student how he or she makes that sandwich and you will get a better idea if he or she really is capable of making that sandwich.
I have developed a written interview, which I began using with some of my students over the last few years. I was able to better assess a student’s abilities and perceptions of being able to care for him or herself and support classroom skills. It prevents that ‘oh no’ moment when something is revealed in a CSE meeting that you should know but don’t surfaces. When interviewing a student verbally, many of those items are glossed over and the interview proceeds. A written document is a bit impersonal and the student may just answer more truthfully and feel more comfortable in doing so.
Let’s go back to that sandwich; a student checks off that he is able to make a sandwich. Later, when reviewing the interview with the student, you ask, “How do you make that sandwich?” The student lists all the items that he needs for the sandwich but is unable to describe how to actually make that sandwich. This may indicate that a student has a form of dyspraxia or apraxia that has been addressed in other areas through years of therapy, but not yet in the area of self-care. In very basic terms dyspraxia (problems with) or apraxia (unable to) refer to sequencing the steps to perform a skill.
This is enlightening and indicates other areas need to be explored. When evaluating a student, all methods of gathering information should be used. Standardized and non-standardized testing is important but so is the interview of the student and the teacher. On my website, I have included a checklist that both a teacher and a parent can complete to provide information on the student http://www.mseleanorsapples.com/Forms.html. I have actually developed a questionnaire to give to a student, also available on my website http://stores.mseleanorsapples.com/StoreFront.bok . The checklist [for teachers and parents] is free. The Student Interview is available for a nominal cost and is able to be copied freely for each therapist or teacher once purchased.

One of My Favorite Topics: Organization for ADD

The easiest way to organize anyone with Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) is to preplan! For example, label each drawer with the item of clothing that should be in there: one drawer for pants, one drawer for shirts. For any item to be put away, it must have a place to go that is easily accessible and easy to put a way. A great way to organize underwear and socks is to use clear under bed storage boxes [no lids]. You can have one box for underpants, one for t-shirts or bras, one for white socks and one for dark socks. Buy about 10-12 pairs of white socks and 10-12 pairs of dark sock [all the same]. Socks will never have to be rolled but will make it in to the right box. In addition, they will be easier to retrieve in the morning when getting ready for the day.
Forget the coat closets; use a coat rack right by the door with an open basket next to it for keys and gloves. Place a boot tray by the door, as well, for those bad weather days. It is often too hard for the person with ADD to open a door, get a hanger, place the coat on a hanger, replace the hanger with the coat in the closet and then handle the keys, gloves, boots, etc.
Bathroom supplies should be equally as easy to retrieve and put away. A hook for a towel replaces the cumbersome towel rack. A clear plastic bin should be used for toiletries. Most of all, an open shelf to put that plastic bin on will ensure that the items go back where they belong.
The worst thing that anyone can do to someone with ADD is over buy or provide him or her with too many items. If you have the storage space, then go ahead and take advantage of a great sale, otherwise pass and buy only what is needed.
This may not be the prettiest home on the block but it will be an organized one. Think first before you buy anything. If you are not replacing a discarded item, don’t buy it. If you cannot assign a specific place to put that item away, move on. Your loved one, suffering from ADD, probably does not do well with clutter. Don’t make it more difficult by creating it. Remember that OT is “skills for the job of living!” Organizing your home makes living in it better.

BULLYING

In the adult world, we can be bullied too! Today, I was picking up my car for the third time with the same complaint; car is running very rough on idle. It started the day after Hurricane Sandy and has continued. I have borrowed my sister's car on numerous days, she has been extraordinarily generous. I have been afraid of breaking down, particularly at night, with the car since there have been times that I have waited up to 4 hours for a tow truck. When I told the service reps that I did not want to break down, they laughed and said, “well at least we will know that something is wrong with this car.” So I have left my car at the dealer days on end. They say that they cannot replicate it. BUT it happens to me almost every time I take the car out and now the service engine light comes on. YIKES!!!! Doesn't that mean something bad is going to happen? Their response is, “It has over 100,000 miles on it, buy a new car!” Well, maybe I don’t have money for a new car. Maybe, I like this car and want this car for a bit longer. MAYBE I NEED TO KEEP THIS CAR FOR A WHILE LONGER!
In return, what I got was no opportunity to complete a sentence, chastised when I e-mailed the company requesting that my car be fixed and an update. While I am quite intense as a person, I am very careful to state matter of fact. I never use inappropriate language and I never target a specific individual. I always begin with Dear…, try to be very respectful and I always include my name and contact info. I never use all capital letters as I did in this blog.
I did a basic internet search and found something about a blown head gasket being associated with a rough idle. [Let it be known that the prior service rep stated that I had a blown head gasket and it would cost me $475.00 to have it repaired.] I discussed this with the Repair Manager and he just would not let me get in a word edgewise. He said that it would be expensive to test the car for any specific issues but now he thinks that it was electrical. When I called later to get an update, he said that it was not a blown head gasket. He said that he was very generous and would not charge me for the compression test. I told him that I would not mind paying for some diagnostic testing. He spoke over me continuously extolling his virtues and how he was not charging me for some testing. I asked to speak to his supervisor and he refused stating that this company was owned by a corporation and that I would not be able to speak to the owner or his supervisor. Then he hung up. Being the intense person that I am and not taking ‘no’ for an answer, I called the dealer and asked for a manager or the owner of the dealer. When I specifically asked for information on contacting the corporation owning the dealer, I was told that the dealer was privately owned and I could not have that information. The manager began yelling at me, told me to get my car out of the dealership. I don’t yell at anyone. I speak clearly and concisely. I stated that I wanted the car fixed; I did not want to break down with it. It seems that when you say that you are not happy with someone’s service they tell you to leave, talk over you and YES BULLY you. Was this a ploy for me to break down and buy a new car? Was I BULLIED into thinking that it is just time to buy a new car. Well, if I do, it will not be from this dealer and will not be from this company.
If my car breaks down tomorrow, they will get the car back on a tow truck and they will have to fix it. I don’t believe that standing up for yourself is ever wrong, especially when someone is bullying me. I am not sure if I will ever name names, I typically don’t do that. BUT, I will forward this to the company that made my vehicle. I am sure, that in this economy, every repair and every sale counts. I should never be scared to drive my car. As adults, we should all be models of behavior and never demonstrate bullying to a customer on any level. I should be able to say that I am not happy with the results and should have had some resolution because I offered to pay for the diagnostic testing.