Anonymous
Post 09/14/2015 07:58     Subject: The two SN children in DC's class slow down the pace of instruction every day, every class
Anonymous wrote:I thought I was a compassionate, inclusive typical DC liberal, but I guess I'm not, in the privacy of my own thoughts. I am, frankly, irritated to learn that instruction slows way, way down every single lesson to accommodate the two kids in DS's grade who need extra supports.

If this was occasional, DC (and I) would feel differently but it's constant and shows no end in sight. I think this is the new normal for 80% of DC's classes (save for art, PE and "French"). DS attends an independent school, which is not mandated by IDEA to provide an 'appropriate education' to students with learning challenges. The school values all kinds of learners. This sounded really sweet and noble to me on paper, and it still does conceptually, but it's frustrating in practice.

I say all the right things to DC about inclusiveness and compassion but I'd be lying if I said I'm thrilled to be paying $35,000 a year so the entire class can move at the slowest common denominator pace necessitated by these students.


*The supports amount to the teacher(s) repeating themselves multiple times, restating the idea, waiting until one student processes the information and signals as much. The other student requires that the lesson stop every few minutes, literally (I've seen it) while the teacher(s) reorient the student. Then the teacher(s) must rewind and repeat the last few sentences before adding new information.


We went to private for this exact reason. I would change schools.
Anonymous
Post 09/14/2015 07:23     Subject: The two SN children in DC's class slow down the pace of instruction every day, every class
Anonymous wrote:I don't get what this has to do with liberalism. My politics are very much on the left but I know conservatives who would get it and liberals like OP, who don't. Sometimes I feel like people hide their most intolerant views behind "But I'm a liberal so its OK."


It's very simple. Conservatives feel the rights of person A do not trump the rights of person B, because we have individual rights, not group rights.

When a whole classroom is slowed down because of person A, the special needs child, you are doing it at the cost of person B, the OP's child.

I don't know why SN parents would think Ted Cruz would support this, or any conservative for that matter. Ted Cruz would be for finding a way to help person A without person B paying a price for it.
Anonymous
Post 09/14/2015 07:22     Subject: The two SN children in DC's class slow down the pace of instruction every day, every class
Anonymous wrote:OP: SN kids have plenty of legislated rights, and the parents are very litigious. Normal kids have no such rights.

Unfortunately there is very little you can do or be supported by the administration.


Oh sure, private schools are just bending over backwards for special needs kids and their tuition dollars. Normal kids on the other hand....why would they accept THEM?
Anonymous
Post 09/14/2015 07:20     Subject: The two SN children in DC's class slow down the pace of instruction every day, every class
Anonymous wrote:OP: SN kids have plenty of legislated rights, and the parents are very litigious. Normal kids have no such rights.

Unfortunately there is very little you can do or be supported by the administration.


Not in a private school. This is the private school forum. Makes a difference
Anonymous
Post 09/14/2015 07:17     Subject: The two SN children in DC's class slow down the pace of instruction every day, every class
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I thought I was a compassionate, inclusive typical DC liberal, but I guess I'm not, in the privacy of my own thoughts. I am, frankly, irritated to learn that instruction slows way, way down every single lesson to accommodate the two kids in DS's grade who need extra supports.

If this was occasional, DC (and I) would feel differently but it's constant and shows no end in sight. I think this is the new normal for 80% of DC's classes (save for art, PE and "French"). DS attends an independent school, which is not mandated by IDEA to provide an 'appropriate education' to students with learning challenges. The school values all kinds of learners. This sounded really sweet and noble to me on paper, and it still does conceptually, but it's frustrating in practice.

I say all the right things to DC about inclusiveness and compassion but I'd be lying if I said I'm thrilled to be paying $35,000 a year so the entire class can move at the slowest common denominator pace necessitated by these students.


*The supports amount to the teacher(s) repeating themselves multiple times, restating the idea, waiting until one student processes the information and signals as much. The other student requires that the lesson stop every few minutes, literally (I've seen it) while the teacher(s) reorient the student. Then the teacher(s) must rewind and repeat the last few sentences before adding new information.
Sounds like good teaching practices to me. Kudos to the teacher for making sure that he or she is reaching all learners!


She isn't reaching all the learners. The advanced kids needs are not being met. She is only meeting the needs of the kids who need lessons slowed down.


As the parent of learning disabled student, I didn't consider my rights to my child's education any more important than the rights to someone else's. This is flat-out wrong for the teacher to do. In my kid's case, technology actually solved the problem, but the school got in the way of that, making it even more difficult for the others. NEVER should a teacher take extra time in a classroom setting to teach to the lowest or highest common denominator. This can be accommodated through proper lesson planning. My best friend in CA does this every day and has honed it to an art form. She leaves time to help the lower children independently, and has extra more in-depth, fun work for the higher level kids.
Anonymous
Post 09/14/2015 06:58     Subject: Re:The two SN children in DC's class slow down the pace of instruction every day, every class
Good for you in owning your hypocrisy.
Anonymous
Post 09/14/2015 06:56     Subject: The two SN children in DC's class slow down the pace of instruction every day, every class
Anonymous wrote:I don't get what this has to do with liberalism. My politics are very much on the left but I know conservatives who would get it and liberals like OP, who don't. Sometimes I feel like people hide their most intolerant views behind "But I'm a liberal so its OK."


Yep. My SN mom support group is full of Ted Cruz-loving parents.
Anonymous
Post 09/14/2015 06:41     Subject: The two SN children in DC's class slow down the pace of instruction every day, every class
Anonymous wrote:OP: SN kids have plenty of legislated rights, and the parents are very litigious. Normal kids have no such rights.

Unfortunately there is very little you can do or be supported by the administration.


Not true. None of the civil rights protections for children with disabilities apply at a private school setting. The administration may wish to accommodate these students but does not have to legally.
Anonymous
Post 09/14/2015 06:15     Subject: The two SN children in DC's class slow down the pace of instruction every day, every class
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I agree with the others who suggested that the problem is probably exaggerated. Other kids may be benefitting from the practice. And learning is not a race.

No school is perfect for everyone. An inclusive school will have some kids with SN. You knew that going in. Or you should have. If its not working for your DS, fine. Leave. But don't blame the kids with SN. They are not the problem. The fit is the problem. In other words, this is your problem, your child's problem, and you need to act accordingly.

And please, no parents in the classroom. I don't want you in there where my child is learning. It distorts the interactions, inhibits the teacher, stigmatizes your child (Why is your mom here?), and leads to further intrusiveness. If you are concerned about the classroom dynamic, speak with the head of school or portion of school and they can observe. If you don't trust them to do that you belong in another school.


This.

OP, I don't think you have a clue as to what the rest of the kids in the class need. It sounds like your kid's been in this school for a while as has the other students. Change schools if this situation is so unacceptable to you.


This. Your son, who you are taking at his word, also has no idea what the other kids need.
Anonymous
Post 09/14/2015 05:12     Subject: The two SN children in DC's class slow down the pace of instruction every day, every class
OP: SN kids have plenty of legislated rights, and the parents are very litigious. Normal kids have no such rights.

Unfortunately there is very little you can do or be supported by the administration.
Anonymous
Post 09/14/2015 04:34     Subject: The two SN children in DC's class slow down the pace of instruction every day, every class
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:What did you think when you heard "the school values all kind of learners"? Is that code for kids with learning disabilities are welcomed? Is it your first year at the school. What are the other advanced kids doing?


We are many years into this school (DC#1 attended a different independent). What did I think? I thought "all kinds of learners" meant a variety of learners within a range, and also meant that the school would strive to impart information using methods preferred by kids who are visual, auditory or kinesthetic-dominant. I guess I didn't think they meant it literally -- "all" learners.


The visual/auditory/kinesthetic learning-style thing has been discredited, so teaching this way would actually be a non-best practice at this point.

Uh what? This is still being taught in Graduate programs as recently as 3 years ago, particularly for students with learning disabilities


http://www.danielwillingham.com/learning-styles-faq.html
Anonymous
Post 09/13/2015 22:35     Subject: The two SN children in DC's class slow down the pace of instruction every day, every class
I don't get what this has to do with liberalism. My politics are very much on the left but I know conservatives who would get it and liberals like OP, who don't. Sometimes I feel like people hide their most intolerant views behind "But I'm a liberal so its OK."
Anonymous
Post 09/13/2015 22:02     Subject: The two SN children in DC's class slow down the pace of instruction every day, every class
Anonymous wrote:I agree with the others who suggested that the problem is probably exaggerated. Other kids may be benefitting from the practice. And learning is not a race.

No school is perfect for everyone. An inclusive school will have some kids with SN. You knew that going in. Or you should have. If its not working for your DS, fine. Leave. But don't blame the kids with SN. They are not the problem. The fit is the problem. In other words, this is your problem, your child's problem, and you need to act accordingly.

And please, no parents in the classroom. I don't want you in there where my child is learning. It distorts the interactions, inhibits the teacher, stigmatizes your child (Why is your mom here?), and leads to further intrusiveness. If you are concerned about the classroom dynamic, speak with the head of school or portion of school and they can observe. If you don't trust them to do that you belong in another school.


This.

OP, I don't think you have a clue as to what the rest of the kids in the class need. It sounds like your kid's been in this school for a while as has the other students. Change schools if this situation is so unacceptable to you.
Anonymous
Post 09/13/2015 21:57     Subject: The two SN children in DC's class slow down the pace of instruction every day, every class
Anonymous wrote:I'm going to guess ... Lowell.


OP said first year he'd of school, so not Lowell.
Anonymous
Post 09/13/2015 21:45     Subject: The two SN children in DC's class slow down the pace of instruction every day, every class
I'm going to guess ... Lowell.