This is the last part of the letter written by the mother of 9-year-old Josh to his teacher to give her some background knowledge on his dyslexia and ADHD. Here, she discusses his tics and how to best work with him in the classroom.
Dear Teacher,
Since we’ve given you an overview of Josh’s dyslexia and ADHD conditions, I’d like to also give you some information on his tics and how to work with him most effectively to make it a great year for the both of you.
Josh has occasional tics that are characterized by a brief hesitation accompanied by a rolling of his eyes. He may lose thought of what he was saying or doing during a tic, but he typically picks up where he left off.
Here are a few things to note about Josh’s tics and how to best work with him:
- Acknowledgement of tics — Josh has not yet acknowledged his tic to us, so we do not make a big deal of them or draw attention to them. Essentially, we treat them like a blink.
- Frequency of tics — Josh’s tics happen much more frequently during moments of high emotion, such as times of excitement, nervousness, anger, and frustration. We predict that his tics will be quite prevalent during the first week of school with the many new experiences.
- Outbursts — Josh suffers in silence until he doesn’t. We do not expect many meltdowns/outbursts this year. But, when he does have an outburst, it will most likely not be about what it appears. Josh tends to stew about something until it results in an outburst that is not violent but is a clear refusal to do what he is told. They will likely surprise you and throw you for a loop!
- Tolerance — We have and suggest a “zero tolerance” policy for obstinate behavior and outbursts. We know this can be difficult if the event is pulling on your heartstrings. We suggest clearly stating that the behavior is not acceptable and will keep him from participating in whatever class events are going on. If that does not calm the storm, he could be sent to the resource room to “get himself together.”
- Initial challenges — Josh will tell you that he cannot or does not know how to do things for which he does not want to push through the initial challenge or frustration. It can be hard to decode this. We ask that you please require him to try. When he gains the confidence that he can do something that he thought he was incapable of, that smile will fill the room bigger than any other and will empower him to try again!
We want to thank you for being willing to take this time to learn about our son. We are grateful for your efforts and want you to know that we are always available to chat, meet, and collaborate. Our goal is the best and most productive learning experience for Josh, in the respect of you and your efforts to teach Josh and his classmates. Thank you very much!
Sincerely,
Mother
Josh’s mother took care to explain to his teacher how to best understand his conditions and how to work with him. With the start of the new school year, it is important to monitor changes in your child’s behavior and bring him or her to our office to readjust medications if needed. Contact us to help you and your child make this year a successful one!
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