How do you like the label 'Special Ed's student?

[shel90]

its sad but here in puerto rico they have a school for deaf and hoh children but its aweful how the place limits on children before they even experiment different options. They tell children that they could work in supermarkets, bakeries ect but what if a child has the ambition to be veterinarian? If he works hard enough, he might but we should never be the one to put limits on children because ultimately we dnt really know what they are really capable of.... if a child can count to 20?, why only make him count to 10?

One of my friends is a graduate from the school of deaf in PR. He is a boat designer. He wasnt limited.

 

[whatdidyousay!]

where I'm from there's a school for Gifted and Talented kids with "special ed" kids. The school gets all kind of recognition. They teach all the kids ASL. Everyone wants to get into the school even though there are kids with all kinds of disability, there's also the very talented kids who are hand picked from the school. you can't be zoned to the school. they test you and you're selected to go to the school. their thinking is that GT kids think differently than regular kids and are more kind hearted. The kids are all different, they get GT classes where they excel and extra help where they need it. I don't live in the area, you have to live in the school district to even qualify to go to that school. But there's a wait and every year, people sign their kids up to be tested to get into that school. one of the teacher told me that there are 10 kids waiting for 1 spot that opens in the school. I think that system works well.

At my sister's school they have pull out programs for "quest" kids. these kids are tested and are consider GT. They are kids that "think outside the box". they also have pull out GT math and GT english. So the kids that get pulled out aren't only the "special ed" kids but a mix of all different kinds of program. I think that system works too.\

My kids does not attend either 1 of those schools but I like the concept and it seems to work.

I when to the Boston Guild for the Hard of Hearing for my hearing evaluation
before I was fitted with my first HA, and they did not tell my parents I would better off going a school for the deaf and HOH. I had already stayed back because I could not hear . NO one really got it in the 50's how to help students that were deaf or HOH. They thought if gave them a HA everything would 'all better' ! Like putting a band aid on a small cut!!
When I was in college I had an oral interpreter in my one class , and the rest of the class spend the whole looking at me like I was some kind of freak!!
This made me very uncomfortable, and i did not use the oral interpreter again. I did not like having the whole damn class scaring at me. I could not believe how immature the students could be, I thought once you were in college you grew up! I was wrong about that. I was the oldest one in the class . I did not got back until 16 years after I got out high school! It took me this long to dare to be in a school, I hated it so much.

 

[shel90]

I when to the Boston Guild for the Hard of Hearing for my hearing evaluation
before I was fitted with my first HA, and they did not tell my parents I would better off going a school for the deaf and HOH. I had already stayed back because I could not hear . NO one really got it in the 50's how to help students that were deaf or HOH. They thought if gave them a HA everything would 'all better' ! Like putting a band aid on a small cut!!
When I was in college I had an oral interpreter in my one class , and the rest of the class spend the whole looking at me like I was some kind of freak!!
This made me very uncomfortable, and i did not use the oral interpreter again. I did not like having the whole damn class scaring at me. I could not believe how immature the students could be, I thought once you were in college you grew up! I was wrong about that. I was the oldest one in the class . I did not got back until 16 years after I got out high school! It took me this long to dare to be in a school, I hated it so much.

I can understand kids being immature in elementary, middle and high schools but in college? Wow! I am sorry that you had a bad experience on the college level.

My college level at the community colleges in Phx and at Arizona State University was very positive despite my use of notetakers, CART, oral and ASL terps.

 

[whatdidyousay!]

I can understand kids being immature in elementary, middle and high schools but in college? Wow! I am sorry that you had a bad experience on the college level.

My college level at the community colleges in Phx and at Arizona State University was very positive despite my use of notetakers, CART, oral and ASL terps.

I was sitting the hall once between classes and a blind student was trying to find an empty seat to sit in and he sat on a person's lap by mistake and he was really embarrassed. A guy sitting next to me was laughing at the blind student and turned to look at me and I said" I do not think that was funny!" I could not believe the jerks were laughing at blind person!
Yeah, it was a bad experience , I may not had mind it so much if I had a better experience in elementary- high school.

 

[jillio]

I wish I had that "I dont give a **&" attitude but I wanted to fit in so badly but no matter how much I try, something always made me stand out from the rest of my peers.

I understand. Hugs.

 

[deafdyke]

Kristina, have you contacted United Cerebal Palsy or Easter Seals or other organizations like that for your daughter? They may offer things like social groups or whatever. It's really too bad that most schools run by UCP or Easter Seals tend to be for severely disabled kids (like the ones who are profoundly disabled with a lot of stuff) ...and too bad that there's not something like a resource teacher specificly for kids with "severe LDs/nereological issues"...but I would contact them, and see if they might have anything to offer. Maybe at least they could do an educational evalution, and see if they might know of any methodolgies or whatever you could use when homeschooling. They might be able to suggest post secondary options for a kid, who while they aren't exactly intellectucally disabled (and don't need a sheltered workshop or the like) still may need more special needs help then the local community college would offer.
Actually one downside of homeschooling special needs kids might be that they would be very sheltered. I'm NOT against homeschooling. My best friend was unschooled.I think it's an amazing option.
Just saying that it does seem like special needs kids in general are very sheltered, and homeschooling could intensify that a lot. Especially since it might be hard to find special needs resources and peers/people in your area. (unless you're in a city)
AdamsMomma, if you don't do the Deaf Ed route at first, you COULD opt for a special needs/Easter Seals style preschool. Those are for kids with all sorts of disabilites. (intellectucal/physical/hearing/speech/sight/LDs and so on)
I wish there were more educational placements specificly for mildly nereologically disabled kids and teens. Like we may not need an ungraded program specificly made up of PT and OT and Communication Therapy. And neither would we need a life skills curriculum. But we may need more then just minmal resource room style intervention...esecially in jr high/high school when it gets bad socially for EVERYONE!

 

[whatdidyousay!]

I dont agree with it. Its too stereotypical. HOw can you "tag" a child of being "special"?? what is special and what is normal?? who decides which definitions to apply to each. Every student has their strengths and weaknesses; its onlya matter of creating a comfortable learning environment for every student to work and develop at a pace that is right to THEM

That is a real nice idea creating a comfortable learning environment for every student but so many schools have to cut back extar help , I am worried what will happen to the students that have a LD. I agree it is very stereotypical, and being called as reject student is really degrading to a child! It does not help your self esteem !

 

[KristinaB]

Kristina, have you contacted United Cerebal Palsy or Easter Seals or other organizations like that for your daughter? They may offer things like social groups or whatever. It's really too bad that most schools run by UCP or Easter Seals tend to be for severely disabled kids (like the ones who are profoundly disabled with a lot of stuff) ...and too bad that there's not something like a resource teacher specificly for kids with "severe LDs/nereological issues"...but I would contact them, and see if they might have anything to offer. Maybe at least they could do an educational evalution, and see if they might know of any methodolgies or whatever you could use when homeschooling. They might be able to suggest post secondary options for a kid, who while they aren't exactly intellectucally disabled (and don't need a sheltered workshop or the like) still may need more special needs help then the local community college would offer.
Actually one downside of homeschooling special needs kids might be that they would be very sheltered. I'm NOT against homeschooling. My best friend was unschooled.I think it's an amazing option.
Just saying that it does seem like special needs kids in general are very sheltered, and homeschooling could intensify that a lot. Especially since it might be hard to find special needs resources and peers/people in your area. (unless you're in a city)
AdamsMomma, if you don't do the Deaf Ed route at first, you COULD opt for a special needs/Easter Seals style preschool. Those are for kids with all sorts of disabilites. (intellectucal/physical/hearing/speech/sight/LDs and so on)
I wish there were more educational placements specificly for mildly nereologically disabled kids and teens. Like we may not need an ungraded program specificly made up of PT and OT and Communication Therapy. And neither would we need a life skills curriculum. But we may need more then just minmal resource room style intervention...esecially in jr high/high school when it gets bad socially for EVERYONE!

We've been told to just review and try different things with my daughter. She does better with certain things and not others. She is one who actually does better with "story problem" in math. Most people don't do well with story problems. She has been diagnosed with specific issues and we just have to find ways to make the learning work. Her memory is not well, so she forgets things easily. Repetition is one of our mainstays in the house. There are no agencies close by that can help. They all say she is too old and should have started with their services as a toddler. She went through the "First Steps" program while in Missouri and ECSE Preschool for 3 years. She started talking in sentences of more the 3-4 words by age 7 and started reading at age 9. I pulled her from the public school system during Kindergarten due to issues with the school. She went back to the school for grades 3-5 and I pulled her again at the beginning of grade 6. For grades Preschool & 3-4 she had speech therapy. She had special classes for math and reading. She still did not learn. She now reads well, just has no comprehension of what she's reading. But, because she is 16, no agency is willing to help at this point.

 

[Silentwolfdog]

I wasn't bullied in public school, but then again they didn't give me any weird labels. Only thing classmates had to decide who I am, was my action I think. So I got along with classmates just fine even with interpreters.

Maybe by announcing it or have special labeled room can be hurtful to children. Keep labels strictly to IEP meeting or something like that. It's none of classmates' business to know.

If child acts different and classmates want to know why, then let child and classmates talk it out among themselves. That way they learn more about each other or even befriends.

The chance would be lost if teachers or staff decided to give the child label and announce it to everyone at school. It's like making a child a target to all that's bad.

 

[chipmunkis]

I worry about what it'll be like in 3-4 years when Adam starts school, being deaf, partially blind, and having other delays and issues...

Where you live, will he qualify for a Deafblind Intervenor?

...
If child acts different and classmates want to know why, then let child and classmates talk it out among themselves. That way they learn more about each other or even befriends.

I really agree with this. When we moved to the town we live now, I took my son in and got him up where the other kids in his class where before meeting up with his teacher or EA... I remember one kid wanted to know what was up with the walker (He was still using his walker quite a bit then, before his last surgery). Lil'Chippy (His nickname when I talk about him on a Board) gave a detailed explanation about his CP and his EDS, the other kids said, "Oh, cool...wanna go play?" and that was it. MUCH better than it would have been if an adult had talked to the kids about it!

 

[whatdidyousay!]

We've been told to just review and try different things with my daughter. She does better with certain things and not others. She is one who actually does better with "story problem" in math. Most people don't do well with story problems. She has been diagnosed with specific issues and we just have to find ways to make the learning work. Her memory is not well, so she forgets things easily. Repetition is one of our mainstays in the house. There are no agencies close by that can help. They all say she is too old and should have started with their services as a toddler. She went through the "First Steps" program while in Missouri and ECSE Preschool for 3 years. She started talking in sentences of more the 3-4 words by age 7 and started reading at age 9. I pulled her from the public school system during Kindergarten due to issues with the school. She went back to the school for grades 3-5 and I pulled her again at the beginning of grade 6. For grades Preschool & 3-4 she had speech therapy. She had special classes for math and reading. She still did not learn. She now reads well, just has no comprehension of what she's reading. But, because she is 16, no agency is willing to help at this point.

I hated those damn "stories problem" in math! What about center for a
center for independent living or a rehab center? My niece has asperger's
and she is in her 30's and got help from a center for independent living . she was going to a Mass. rehab center and I told my sister to look into a center for independent living. My sister did not know about this and was upset that
Mass. Rehab never told her about it! The independent center help my niece learn how to take a bus and pay her fair and help her to gain more confidence
in herself.

 

[jillio]

not only that, I'm not sure if the local district want to pay for interpreters for each student..

I'm sure the kids feel the same way about CART

**nodding agreement** And what they fail to acknowledge is that a terp serves a very different purpose than CART. Yet more school districts are starting to use it as a replacement for terps.

 

[jillio]

We've been told to just review and try different things with my daughter. She does better with certain things and not others. She is one who actually does better with "story problem" in math. Most people don't do well with story problems. She has been diagnosed with specific issues and we just have to find ways to make the learning work. Her memory is not well, so she forgets things easily. Repetition is one of our mainstays in the house. There are no agencies close by that can help. They all say she is too old and should have started with their services as a toddler. She went through the "First Steps" program while in Missouri and ECSE Preschool for 3 years. She started talking in sentences of more the 3-4 words by age 7 and started reading at age 9. I pulled her from the public school system during Kindergarten due to issues with the school. She went back to the school for grades 3-5 and I pulled her again at the beginning of grade 6. For grades Preschool & 3-4 she had speech therapy. She had special classes for math and reading. She still did not learn. She now reads well, just has no comprehension of what she's reading. But, because she is 16, no agency is willing to help at this point.

It appears that your daughter just has a different set of strengths than the majority. Unfortunately, the school system is rarely willing to adjust their practices to address those strengths. They are more "weakness focused". Just look at the way they employ "remedial services." My position is that if they use the same techniques for addressing the weak areas that created the weakness to start with, they are accomplishing nothing. Just spinning their wheels. They need to step back, find that student's strengths, and then use those strengths to help them achieve.

 

[jillio]

When I worked w/a 3 yo toddler w/Down Syndrome-- we went to a 'special ed' preschool 1/2 the day... that's where I learned that being 'gifted' was also considered a learning disability...

Yep. Anything outside the middle of the road average is considered to be LD. Personally, I think the one's who enforce this policy are the ones that are LD.

 

[dogmom]

I agree that there has been and is this "lumping together" of anyone who doesn't "fit" - and that is detrimental to the students all tossed together there is so much less of a chance the individuals get the setting and skills really needed. When I was in gym in middle school <hadn't been diagnosed with learning disability yet> I was put into this "mishmash" group of students who just didn't "fit" and/or perform well in the gym class. It was the teacher's idea and she stuck us all in this utility room off the main gym and would come check in on us. We were supposed to work on the weights and do activities she would leave for us - of course, we attempted to do as little as possible. Some of the other students who bullied me also happened to be in there so it really didn't save me at all....one of the students happened to be morbidly obese, one of the students had medical issues and was hospitalized a lot, and so on.

 

[jillio]

I agree that there has been and is this "lumping together" of anyone who doesn't "fit" - and that is detrimental to the students all tossed together there is so much less of a chance the individuals get the setting and skills really needed. When I was in gym in middle school <hadn't been diagnosed with learning disability yet> I was put into this "mishmash" group of students who just didn't "fit" and/or perform well in the gym class. It was the teacher's idea and she stuck us all in this utility room off the main gym and would come check in on us. We were supposed to work on the weights and do activities she would leave for us - of course, we attempted to do as little as possible. Some of the other students who bullied me also happened to be in there so it really didn't save me at all....one of the students happened to be morbidly obese, one of the students had medical issues and was hospitalized a lot, and so on.

I have seen this often. Students who have issues that need to be addressed in a specific way all sent to a generalized, special education program. Different LDs for instance, need to be addressed in specific ways. A child with deveopmental delays will not benefit, for instance, from instruction intended to remediate a math LD. And the student with a learning disability will not benefit from techniques designed to address developmental delays. The program is so generalized that no student gets what they need. However, it is the easiest and cheapest way for the school system to deal with students with different needs, and that, unfortunately, is the basis of so many school's decisions.

 

[deafdyke]

Jillo, exactly!!!! Another big problem is that Resource Room/special ed tends to be a dumping ground for kids, who may not actually have an LD but are very apathetic towards learning.
Resource Room special ed is too one size fits all. I really do think formal program mainstreaming is a partial answer for a lot of kids. I know autistic kids get formal programs, so do dhh kids....sometimes blind/low vision (although thats very rare nowadays, seeing as most blind/low vision kids are multiply disabled. and blind/low vision kids are even rarer then dhh kids)
But the thing is, that most kids do solotaire mainstreaming with minimal Resource Room accomondations b/c parents are told that "oh they don't need a program" or "its better to mainstream them." Sometimes I think the only reason why solotaire mainstreaming is popular is so that the schools can accept the money the sped student brings while denying them appropreate services/programming.
KristinaB, that really kind of sucks.

 

[jillio]

Jillo, exactly!!!! Another big problem is that Resource Room/special ed tends to be a dumping ground for kids, who may not actually have an LD but are very apathetic towards learning.
Resource Room special ed is too one size fits all. I really do think formal program mainstreaming is a partial answer for a lot of kids. I know autistic kids get formal programs, so do dhh kids....sometimes blind/low vision (although thats very rare nowadays, seeing as most blind/low vision kids are multiply disabled. and blind/low vision kids are even rarer then dhh kids)
But the thing is, that most kids do solotaire mainstreaming with minimal Resource Room accomondations b/c parents are told that "oh they don't need a program" or "its better to mainstream them." Sometimes I think the only reason why solotaire mainstreaming is popular is so that the schools can accept the money the sped student brings while denying them appropreate services/programming.
KristinaB, that really kind of sucks.

Yep. Apathetic students get dumped, and those with serious mental, emotional and behavioral issues do to. The last thing they need is to be dumped in that kind of environment.

 

[deafskeptic]

Yep. Anything outside the middle of the road average is considered to be LD. Personally, I think the one's who enforce this policy are the ones that are LD.

That would make sense. :P

 

[sheila022]

Shelia, it's great that you had such a great experiance in a dhh program. I really think most kids should start out in dhh program, and then gradually "graduate" to the mainstream. Just reinforces my hypothesis.. specialized formal program mainstreaming/sped is MUCH better then Resource Room style sped!
And I hear everyone about the pullouts. I HATED them. I still don't know how I managed them, and I had more pullouts then the average dhh kid. (speech, PT and Resource Room....no TOD consultations ) I always wished I could have gone to a school/program that had speech and TOD stuff built in.
AdamsMomma, I think if you go the formal disabilty program route, Adam will have a much much better experiance then if you did the "solotaire" pullout mainstreaming.

Yeah, I think that's the better way that most deaf kids can start that way...by this way, everybody are the same and accept each other...heck, even to form social skills and behaviors during the formative years. I think anybody who wasn't part of this kind of program can miss out on developing important social skills later in life.

I had pull-outs at times in elementary and middle schools, but strangely...I didn't mind it so much and other kids were fine with me leaving the classrooms sometimes. I was pretty much friends with the 3/4 of my mainstream classmates back in elementary school.

I think they were more accepting than others at our age because my elementary school had a huge amount of deaf and learning disabled students walking around the school. I went through 2-3 different elementary school. In the last elementary school I had attended after school for YMCA.....I was bullied for being different from others...and that school had a nearly non-existent special education program...Imao, so there's probably a positive correlation between the number of deaf/disabled students in a school to the treatment we get.