Student 18

Student 18 came into my room this year with an IEP for Speech issues as well as for some RSP needs. It became very clear from the first day forward that he had some real issues with hyperactivity and inability to focus. As the year has progressed a bit I have seen that he has some problems with social interaction as well and as of late has been hitting other kids, throwing dirt at them and even spitting in their faces. I have felt really supported by the Psychologist and the rest of the team of people that she has notified of the issue. I have gotten some fidgets from one of the occupational therapists as well as a cushion seat for him to sit on. The RSP teacher and speech teacher is really wanting to help as well. The question I have been struggling with is how to best deal with his moving body which seems to be much of the source of the trouble he is having. When a kid is angry you can teach them how to work with that anger when it comes up. When they are defiant you can put boundaries around them for them to see what they can and cannot do. With this child, it seems that much of his trouble is coming not from mental choices, but from his need to move. As I am writing this I guess I am realizing that there is a line between his moving and the things that his body is doing and then what he does with it. At some point he is making the choice to throw, hit, or stick out his tongue. I guess I will have to have a two fold approach with him. I will need to do some things to focus on his moving and keeping his hands and body occupied and then I will have to have a second set of interventions to focus on his choices with other students. The second set will be harder as I don't see him being as mature to really be able to see what he is doing. I might need to spend a lot of time up front with him simply helping him understand what he is even doing and how it is being received by the other students. We have been drawing pictures/ cartoons some already, I guess I will go down that route to help him gain some perspective. It is tougher when a kid has a hard time even understanding what they are doing.