I continue to admire you and congratulate you for what you've accomplished here - not just for your son but for the other students as well. In the better world, teacher training programs would actually teach teachers more than they do now. There is no research that suggests punishments will 'cure' forgetting and schools and teachers alike should be more problem-solving in their approach to children and their education. The classic response of just pointing out the problem to parents doesn't serve anybody well.

But it wasn't just communication and a proactive attitude that solved this - it takes some willingness to take a risk too. Not every teacher responds as this teacher finally did - some entrench themselves even the deeper in their counterproductive ways.

I admit to taking the short cut and solving this kind of problem for my own children by buying two books and having them leave one in the room so forgetting wasn't an option. I admire your solution much more than mine.

Here's an update to this story...I found the teacher a bit defensive but very frustrated with my child when I approached her with our problem. I gave her a bit of background information on my kid and told her very honestly that punishing him every time he forgot his book was not going to solve the problem, and that in fact, the added anxiety may cause him to make even more mistakes. She did not seem to have any suggestions, I figured it was going to be up to us to fix this. Before going any farther and contacting anyone else, I went to his locker to assess the situation. I found all his materials there, including his reading book. That was a good start, at least they made it to school! I then went out and bought individual zippered binders for his six subjects. He has done very well since, never forgetting to bring anything to this particular class. In fact, he tells me that the teacher in question has stopped giving out clean-up as a punishment and allows kids to pick out a book from her own library when they do forget, and yes we all forget! It's nice to see that the teacher has also found a solution and that the kids are reaching the objective, which is to Read!

In a middle school environment where parent and teacher are often perfect strangers it is more difficult to communicate. I wish we had worked through this together but in the end changes were made and we have come up with a positive outcome for the entire class. It was very interesting to read all your postings regarding this. I don't expect teachers to give him preferential treatment. I do not allow him to use ADHD as a crutch to get out of doing work. Because he will not grow out of it he needs to learn to deal with it. What I wish for is for teachers to be willing to approach a child in difficulty and attempt to provide him with some strategies to help him solve problems. Communication and a proactive attitude helped in this case. Thanks to all for the encouragement.

hi,

So many variables in your sons scenario. Bottom line:
Communicate with the teacher...Keep trying to contact until you do. As a good parent, become his teachers partner. Good luck

Punishment, as you described, isn't acceptable within school districts throughout the fifty states. Contact your school Principal and report this immediately. This action, as you describe, is a lawsuit waiting to happen. A judge will ask, "Did you discuss this with the school Principal?" If your answer is "No", than kiss your case goodbye. The law requires corrective measures on your part first. Now, this is within all fifty states, not including colonies of the U.S.