Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I’ve been thinking a lot on this topic, because there is what I see as a huge issue facing special education that makes outcomes worse for students. Disclaimer- I am a special educator who also has a child with ADHD, which makes me see things from both sides, the good and the bad.
Parents do not trust their schools. Sometimes for good reason- they’ve had bad experiences. Sometimes because they see a different child at home than their teachers do at school. I myself did not trust my child’s teacher when she said she was doing well and only needed a 504, because this child is a mess!! I live with her and see how disorganized she is. And sometimes for no good reason. Maybe someone on this board posted not to trust their school, or they have big misconceptions about the purpose of special education and allocation of resources.
The most talented special education professionals leave because of this. My friend, who is in my humble opinion an incredible teacher, left because she had many parents of her students who made it clear they didn’t trust her. They continually demanded daily email responses, logs of services provided, and 6 IEP meetings per year, each a contentious multi hour process. I have switched to a title one school, which I love because the parents are generally very grateful that we are helping their child and trusting of us as professionals. Special education positions aren’t easy to fill, and resources aren’t getting any more allocated to us by either political party. I think healing the anger that families feel is our first step towards success for our students. . I’m open to ideas on how we can do that ,
You answered your own question in the first paragraph:
"They have a big misconception about the purpose of special education and allocation of resources "
The law does not state that children with disabilities (who's disabilities effect that child's ability to access the curriculum) will be helped in order of what money is available. It does not state that children with disabilities will be helped to the extent that the school can with whatever change is left over at the end of the day.
If you would like to fix SpecEd then go to yoir school board and demand proper funding.
If we seem angry it's because WE ARE.
I see my child slipping through the cracks much in the same way we (parents) did at that age. Only now, we know the diagnosis, we know the why, we even know the how's and we know what the law says. But schools will do cartwheels and stand on their heads to avoid helping.
You realize that kids with autism are HIGHLY likely to become dysfunctional members of society without jobs or support. You, at a critical juncture in their lives, could make a difference. But you won't.
Kids with ADHD are much more likely to end up as addicts, to fail to launch out of their parents homes. But you could make a difference. Now. During the developmental years. But you're afraid of admin being mad at you.
That's why we're upset
You said: If you would like to fix SpecEd then go to yoir school board and demand proper funding.
If we seem angry it's because WE ARE.
No- it is YOUR job as parents to go to the school board and government and demand change. Teachers do NOT Have time. They are overextended doing their JOB. Further, even if/when teachers DO go to the school board, there is no change. This is not the teachers, schools, or school admins responsibility. We are not in charge of staffing, budget, policies, curriculum, etc. So how about you be mad at the POLICIES, SCHOOL BOARD, and GOVERNMENT (and the tax payers/voters) INSTEAD OF THE TEACHERS.
If I had that career ethic I'd quit too. Of course parents aren't going to fight the school board. They are in the system for a very brief amount of time. You are there for your whole career. Standing up means outing your child's special needs wheras you are proudly the SN hero. SN parents are a slim fraction of the voting population whereas you represent a legal requirement the schools must provide. We are on our own you have a union behind you.
Many fields have professional associations that lobby for benchmarks and standards. Those organizations are responsible for improving the quality of deliverable in their fields. Your answer is 'waa why me?'
Wow. You are so ignorant and wrong, it is so sad. You are just clueless. Teachers have no power over the system, or to make system change. And it’s not their responsibility. That is your responsibility as parents to advocate for change- and the change you want comes from those in charge-, at the school board, central office, government level.
Honestly, PP, you sound completely ignorant about politics. Teacher unions - the AFT and the NEA - represent millions of teachers across the country and are politically powerful not just at the national or state-wide level but also local. Every politician in Montgomery County seeks an "apple ballot" endorsement from the MCEA.
Besides endorsements, teacher unions give millions of dollars every year to candidates oe issue campaigns.
And, like all unions, candidates seek teacher union support because teacher unions can turn out bodies - for rallies, for door-knocking, for phone-banking, for GOTV - all of which can make a difference in campaigns.
Teacher unions have been part of positive change in the past. The AFT stopped chartering new segregated locals in the early 50s, filed an amicus brief in Brown v. Board in the mid-fifties, and by the late 50s expelled all locals that refused to desegregate.
Every election someone tries to hand me an apple ballot on my way into the polling booth, and TBH our family's lengthy, negative and damaging experience with multiple special needs kids has really soured my support for teachers and administrators.
Teachers unions today seem to be mostly concerned about their own salary and benefits and completely uninterested in improving the teaching systems and profession. Why on earth are there any K-3 reading teachers in any school anywhere who do not have Orton-Gillingham reading instruction training or similar phonics? Why are teachers wasting time lesson planning instead of being given complete curriculum packages with day by day lectures, activities and lesson plans together with scaffolding and enrichment? How can we, in the 21st century, still be teaching kids using methods that have little to no data to back their efficacy? Teachers complain all the time that they can't teach kids who come to school hungry, impoverished, unhealthy, etc., but I don't see the teachers unions as a major force for community school support, mental health treatment, free bkfst and lunch for all, etc. And don't even get me started about teachers and their lack of involvement in gun control. Teachers and students have been practicing shooter drills for decades and yet it was *students* who organized "March for Our Lives," attended by hundreds of thousands in DC and with hundreds of events across the country.
These are the issues that make your job difficult - not the extra IEP paperwork. Imagine how much easier your job would be if more than 1/3 of fourth graders were reading on grade level?
Parents cannot fix these systemic professional problems. If teachers want to be a respected profession, then they have to work to better their profession not just their paychecks.
Forum Index
»
Kids With Special Needs and Disabilities
![[Post New]](/jforum/templates/default/images/icon_minipost_new.gif){kind=icon}