Real life collaboration regarding all issues in Gifted Education

Gifted, ADD, or both? Response to Intervention (RTI)

I am the parent of a child who is gifted, but is being evaluated through the RTI process upon my request due ADD type behavior. It does run in my family, and we thought it would be the first step in figuring out our son's issues. However, the school does not seem interested in involving the parents or making them aware of the time tables for each step in the process. We have made numerous inquiries, but still are getting no response as to the step by step procedures. One of these requests pertained to what resources or materials the county had regarding a gifted child and ADD. There are just a few sites with this information. Is the RTI really effective for this type of evaluation? How does one really discern between gifted, ADD, or both? My son has good grades. He reads above grade level, but showed virtually NO improvement in reading after six months in the third grade.

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Permalink Reply by Nancy Bosch on April 3, 2009 at 5:08pm: Look at my next post I said (not as well as you) the same thing--self awareness with all our foibles is a powerful thing.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Jasmine on April 3, 2009 at 3:58pm: Thanks! We are not so interested in meds for our son at this point. We are more interested in trying interventions first and making sure that the school follows through with this. Hopefully this will help him with paying attention and focusing. Since my pediatrician does not actually do this type of diagnosis, I have been told by the office to bring in a list of doctors on my insurance to see who he would use. I've also contacted a friend who is an administrator at a behavioral health hospital. She is going to look over my list too in order to help me find a good doctor.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Nancy Bosch on April 3, 2009 at 5:05pm: Sounds like you are on the right track. Editorial---whether families choose to use medication, therapy, biofeedback or yoga the main benefit of a diagnosis it that it opens a dialog between parent and child, parent and sibs, parent and school. The child with ADD needs to know that they are not 'stupid, lazy, a bad person'.

I had a meeting today with a family of a gifted 5th grade kiddo who had been on meds for about a year--a teacher from his home school said it beautifully--"it was like I saw your son for years standing behind a waterfall and now the waterfall has parted and I see the real boy."; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Jasmine on July 4, 2009 at 11:04am: Thanks for your imput. We have since had him meet with a psychologist who did the rating scales. His teacher was hesitant to rate him and rated him as mild, which is really strange based on all of her notes in my child's agenda book and the email communications between the teacher and I. My husband and I filled them in as well, and the doctor met with our son. He confirmed the ADD. We will use behavior intervention to work with him. However, getting the school on board has been another matter. I don't think they understand the RTI process, as they implemented it without using baseline data and chose a goal my son met prior to interventions. They also did not address his erratic reading scores at all in the RTI or the fact that he chews on his shirt and can't keep his hands still. They also would not meet with me prior to developing the RTI, although I requested it in writing, to help define the problems clearly. It was only after I Cc'd the Assistant Superintendant and Superintendant in a letter to the principal, and after the teacher retired, that the administrators finally agreed to meet this fall. I've used a good portion of my summer compiling all the emails, data, etc. to demonstrate the issues and come up with interventions and small accomodations that I know will work. I never thought I would be "that parent," but I am truly learning that one must advocate for their child, even if it means that they are the problem parent. If the school does not know how to correctly use baseline data and interventions, I guess I will have to educate them. I never thought I would have to fight so hard for just a few minor changes to my son's education.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Nancy Bosch on July 4, 2009 at 8:36pm: Jasmine, When you think about it who knows your child better than you--you are his best advocate, no one will do it better. Keep up the good work.; ▶ Reply to This