This school year is driving me crazy

[Louise-Montreal]

Sounds like you need a poutine give me your address and I will send one special delivery!!

Just remember, Sonya- "this too will pass"!!

 

[MizTink]

I'm not a special ed teacher, although I have 5 special ed students in one of my two classes. Those aren't even the kids I'm talking about. I teach in an urban area though, where problems are many.

urban area = special ed!!!!!

 

[stm61]

If you can find the answer to this, please, let me know. My 14yo DS is in a severe/profound intellectually disabled class. He is vision & hearing impaired and nonverbal. He wears diapers. He can't dress or bathe himself. He doesn't know the meaning of numbers, words, or even "recess." Christian cannot pick out his own clothes or tell me what he wants to eat for breakfast.He is a very pleasant kid, but his IQ is less than 20.

And yet...this week they are "learning algebra". Last week they did fractions. So far the teacher has read "Hatchet" to the class--gee, really? Cuz Christian can't follow the plot of "Snow White" at home. They recently "did research in the media center" and "wrote a report" on his "favorite" planet, Mercury.He's due to "share his report" next week. For crying out loud, this kid doesn't even know what the moon is. I know for a FACT he couldn't find Mercury if it fell on him.

I know this is one of the more stoopid NCLB mandates. I feel sorry for the teachers who are trying valiantly to teach the regular curriculum. Personally, I would be much happier if they could teach him to take his dishes to the sink,pull up his own pants, and get on and off the bus without taking a swan dive into my arms(he's bigger than I am, nearly knocks me off my feet!)

you got it exactly, it's all about NCLB! That and admin that don't have a clue. I have the EMD class, almost all of my kids have TMD IQ's. They know what the moon is, but during MAP testing today one of the questions was which of the following is not a planet. The answer was sun, mine all picked Jupiter. We spent a month on planets last winter. One of the district special services supervisors told me yesterday that she doesn't think my kids should be taking PASS-Alt (SC version of state testing), she thinks they should take PASS with the regular ed kids. At least the building admin is greatful that they're taking the Alt version. If I had my way we'd be doing consumer math, survival reading, self-help skills, and what ever else they need to survive in the real world. They'll all be in TMD classes once they leave me in either 7th or 9th grade. Some are so low they're afraid to send them to the middle school, but they expect them to master state standards, that makes SO much sense. They still haven't explained why the kids in the TMD class, some of whom have higher IQ's then some of mine, aren't tortured the way mine are.

 

[MM27]

If you can find the answer to this, please, let me know. My 14yo DS is in a severe/profound intellectually disabled class. He is vision & hearing impaired and nonverbal. He wears diapers. He can't dress or bathe himself. He doesn't know the meaning of numbers, words, or even "recess." Christian cannot pick out his own clothes or tell me what he wants to eat for breakfast.He is a very pleasant kid, but his IQ is less than 20.

And yet...this week they are "learning algebra". Last week they did fractions. So far the teacher has read "Hatchet" to the class--gee, really? Cuz Christian can't follow the plot of "Snow White" at home. They recently "did research in the media center" and "wrote a report" on his "favorite" planet, Mercury.He's due to "share his report" next week. For crying out loud, this kid doesn't even know what the moon is. I know for a FACT he couldn't find Mercury if it fell on him.

I know this is one of the more stoopid NCLB mandates. I feel sorry for the teachers who are trying valiantly to teach the regular curriculum. Personally, I would be much happier if they could teach him to take his dishes to the sink,pull up his own pants, and get on and off the bus without taking a swan dive into my arms(he's bigger than I am, nearly knocks me off my feet!)

It's parents like you that politicians need to listen to and really hear. This is one example of why NCLB is less than adequate. Many people not involved in education feel that schools should run on a one size fits all basis and the fact is, kids are not all the same. Same thing with my students that don't speak or read a lick of English, yet are handed a test booklet at the end of the year in English and are expected to pass. I don't speak Creole or Portuguese (those are two of the greatest populations in my school of foreign language speakers) but I'm expected to educate these children to get them to pass our state test in just 10 short months. I swear the people who come up with these laws are idiots.

urban area = special ed!!!!!

I'm glad you said it because for the most part it's true, but I didn't want to get flamed. People that have never experienced this type of school setting have no idea really what it's like. I know I didn't before I started working there. I think that's the reason why other threads about education have such varied responses. I would think that your average DISer probably comes from suburban or rural school settings. Totally different world.

On a side note though, one of my girls from last year scored a perfect 300 on the math portion of the NJASK last year. Just found out recently. Sadly, nobody in my school recognizes kids for that type of success. I went and search her out and personally congratulated her and gave her a big hug.

 

[DVC Sadie]

Good grief, it sounds as if most of you are not able to teach due to behavioral and discipline problems that are occurring daily in your classrooms.

I just wanted to say thanks to you who choose this profession. I know that I wouldn't have the patience or tolerance to do what you all do, on a daily basis.

 

[agnes!]

last year we had a principal so bad she was referred to as the dragon. I swear the woman is bi-polar and doesn't know it. They got rid of her and hired another principal, who actually taught special ed at one time, he's made lots of positive changes and the staff is happy. Until Mon. That's when I met with the asst. principal in charge of my evaluations. She informs me that I have low expectations of my students, that I'm to teach the standards and only the standards without "dumbing down" anything. Wants to know why the rest of the 4th and 5th grade teachers are doing multi-digit multiplication and long division and I'm not. Gee, maybe because I've got the EMD room and all but 2 of my kids have IQ's that actually qualify them for TMD services! Seriously, I've got 2 kids that can't tell me that they're looking at the number 4 or recite the alphabet and they're in 4th and 5th grade. The rest of the group is somewhere between identifying numbers and simple addition of 1 and 2 digit numbers, and read between a mid-K and 2nd grade level with minimal comprehension. I don't have low expectations, I challenge them constantly, I have realistic expectations! Now I'm waiting for the special services powers to be to have a meeting next week with the school administration to find out how I'm supposed to pass an evaluation and actually teach what my kids need to learn, plus follow their IEPs. On the plus side, life is never boring in my room. This afternoon I'm talking about blizzards and wondering why on earth the kids are asking me if blizzards are green. They thought I was talking about lizards lol.

That asst. principal should have to TRY to teach your class for just a *day*. HAH, she probably wouldn't even last 10 minutes.

If you can find the answer to this, please, let me know. My 14yo DS is in a severe/profound intellectually disabled class. He is vision & hearing impaired and nonverbal. He wears diapers. He can't dress or bathe himself. He doesn't know the meaning of numbers, words, or even "recess." Christian cannot pick out his own clothes or tell me what he wants to eat for breakfast.He is a very pleasant kid, but his IQ is less than 20.

And yet...this week they are "learning algebra". Last week they did fractions. So far the teacher has read "Hatchet" to the class--gee, really? Cuz Christian can't follow the plot of "Snow White" at home. They recently "did research in the media center" and "wrote a report" on his "favorite" planet, Mercury.He's due to "share his report" next week. For crying out loud, this kid doesn't even know what the moon is. I know for a FACT he couldn't find Mercury if it fell on him.

I know this is one of the more stoopid NCLB mandates. I feel sorry for the teachers who are trying valiantly to teach the regular curriculum. Personally, I would be much happier if they could teach him to take his dishes to the sink,pull up his own pants, and get on and off the bus without taking a swan dive into my arms(he's bigger than I am, nearly knocks me off my feet!)

It makes no sense to me minky. Your child isn't getting what he *needs*.

you got it exactly, it's all about NCLB! That and admin that don't have a clue. I have the EMD class, almost all of my kids have TMD IQ's. They know what the moon is, but during MAP testing today one of the questions was which of the following is not a planet. The answer was sun, mine all picked Jupiter. We spent a month on planets last winter. One of the district special services supervisors told me yesterday that she doesn't think my kids should be taking PASS-Alt (SC version of state testing), she thinks they should take PASS with the regular ed kids. At least the building admin is greatful that they're taking the Alt version. If I had my way we'd be doing consumer math, survival reading, self-help skills, and what ever else they need to survive in the real world. They'll all be in TMD classes once they leave me in either 7th or 9th grade. Some are so low they're afraid to send them to the middle school, but they expect them to master state standards, that makes SO much sense. They still haven't explained why the kids in the TMD class, some of whom have higher IQ's then some of mine, aren't tortured the way mine are.

The people who actually have their boots on the ground are never the people who are in charge of policy. I think that every politician who helped pass NCLB should be encouraged... no, FORCED to actually 'go to school' for a *week*. They'd all have to shadow a Special Ed teacher and sit in on a classroom of kids freaking-out about passing a state test and go to the endless admin. meetings concerned with "is our school going to pass this year?" and experience all levels of education from grade school to high school and sit in on some parent-teacher conferences... HAH, they'd run screaming out of the school the first day shouting "WHAT HAVE I DONE?!?"

And all the national politicians should then dump NCLB(No Child Left Behind? should be called No Child's Learning Benefited) for something that will actually work or even for NOTHING. NOTHING would be better than the mess we've got.
I mean, really... does ANYONE think NCLB was a GOOD idea? Has the state of education in America improved since it was passed ?

It's parents like you that politicians need to listen to and really hear. This is one example of why NCLB is less than adequate. Many people not involved in education feel that schools should run on a one size fits all basis and the fact is, kids are not all the same. Same thing with my students that don't speak or read a lick of English, yet are handed a test booklet at the end of the year in English and are expected to pass. I don't speak Creole or Portuguese (those are two of the greatest populations in my school of foreign language speakers) but I'm expected to educate these children to get them to pass our state test in just 10 short months. I swear the people who come up with these laws are idiots.

There's another word for them..."politicians".

On a side note though, one of my girls from last year scored a perfect 300 on the math portion of the NJASK last year. Just found out recently. Sadly, nobody in my school recognizes kids for that type of success. I went and search her out and personally congratulated her and gave her a big hug.

Is that a state standards test? Like the New York Regents exams or the Virginia Standards of Learning? Good for her.

As a side note, I kind of feel like I need a manual to the acronyms on this thread. If any of the various teachers around here would more fully 'splain, I'd appreciate it.

 

[Lisa_M]

If you can find the answer to this, please, let me know. My 14yo DS is in a severe/profound intellectually disabled class. He is vision & hearing impaired and nonverbal. He wears diapers. He can't dress or bathe himself. He doesn't know the meaning of numbers, words, or even "recess." Christian cannot pick out his own clothes or tell me what he wants to eat for breakfast.He is a very pleasant kid, but his IQ is less than 20.

And yet...this week they are "learning algebra". Last week they did fractions. So far the teacher has read "Hatchet" to the class--gee, really? Cuz Christian can't follow the plot of "Snow White" at home. They recently "did research in the media center" and "wrote a report" on his "favorite" planet, Mercury.He's due to "share his report" next week. For crying out loud, this kid doesn't even know what the moon is. I know for a FACT he couldn't find Mercury if it fell on him.

I know this is one of the more stoopid NCLB mandates. I feel sorry for the teachers who are trying valiantly to teach the regular curriculum. Personally, I would be much happier if they could teach him to take his dishes to the sink,pull up his own pants, and get on and off the bus without taking a swan dive into my arms(he's bigger than I am, nearly knocks me off my feet!)

At 14, your son's IEP should focus on post-secondary transition goals. They should be teaching him things to improve his self-care and independence, since it sounds like those are his needs. I think you should have an IEP meeting to discuss this.

 

[MM27]

Is that a state standards test? Like the New York Regents exams or the Virginia Standards of Learning? Good for her.

As a side note, I kind of feel like I need a manual to the acronyms on this thread. If any of the various teachers around here would more fully 'splain, I'd appreciate it.

Sorry, NJASK is our state testing in NJ. The New Jersey Assessment of Skills and Knowledge is a comprehensive, multi-grade assessment given in May. Students are tested in grades 3, 4, 5, 6 and 8 before the high school level test which they must pass in order to graduate. 4th and 8th graders are tested in Math/Language Arts/Science and the other grade levels are tested in just Math/Language Arts.

They are intended to be used to identify students who need additional instructional support in order to reach the New Jersey Core Curriculum Content Standards (NJCCCS). Students that are not proficient on these tests qualify for Title I (Basic Skills) support during the next school year.

Unfortunately, these tests are one size fits all.

 

[Sonya]

Sounds like you need a poutine give me your address and I will send one special delivery!!

Just remember, Sonya- "this too will pass"!!

Thanks, one poutine to go please!

 

[Eeyores Butterfly]

I thought of this thread on Friday. I had the day from hell. Two of my kids were gone on a camping field trip, and then another left early for a doctor's appointment so I thought it would be a quiet day. I was bitten yet again. What made it worse is I caught whatever stupid virus is going around the teachers, so I was already feeling lousy. And he got me on a real sensitive part of the hand, so I was trying hard not to cry (not succeeding) while radioing for help.

Got that situation taken care of. So then I am teaching math and feel funny. I ask my para to take over, and check my blood sugar, and I was incredibly low! I didn't even realize it.

I'm just frustrated. When this kid flips out, it takes all my physical and mental energy. I'm so busy trying to keep him from biting me or his desk, or spitting on everyone in sight, or throwing things at me or another student, that I feel like I am really shortchanging my other students. How do you teach when you're interrupted every day by these behaviors?

We had somebody from another classroom in the district watch and give suggestions, and all of them invovled me having another para! But our district does not have the money for it because the county redid the housing assessments after budgets were set and screwed us over. It's hard to hear that we're doing everything we can do (okay, well, I feel better that I'm not a total failure) and it's just not good enough. At least I'm not in the boat some of you are in. My kids do not take the regular state test. I do the alternate assessment instead, so that is one hurdle I don't have to worry about.

 

[minnieandmickey]

Oh thank god it isn't just our school! This has been the year from well you know, and we are only on week 9. Friday we had 25 students in the office for various discipline. We have a new principal (although she worked as our VP for the last 4 years) and only 1 VP for 1300+ students. The interesting thing is that it's the little ones that are "off the hook", the older ones are still their usual self, but from the time the bell rings our admins are going into classes to take out disruptive kids.
Since Day 1 we have been asking if it is June yet. Good luck to all of you, hope things get better.

 

[Liberty Belle]

I thought of this thread on Friday. I had the day from hell. Two of my kids were gone on a camping field trip, and then another left early for a doctor's appointment so I thought it would be a quiet day. I was bitten yet again. What made it worse is I caught whatever stupid virus is going around the teachers, so I was already feeling lousy. And he got me on a real sensitive part of the hand, so I was trying hard not to cry (not succeeding) while radioing for help.

Got that situation taken care of. So then I am teaching math and feel funny. I ask my para to take over, and check my blood sugar, and I was incredibly low! I didn't even realize it.

I'm just frustrated. When this kid flips out, it takes all my physical and mental energy. I'm so busy trying to keep him from biting me or his desk, or spitting on everyone in sight, or throwing things at me or another student, that I feel like I am really shortchanging my other students. How do you teach when you're interrupted every day by these behaviors?

We had somebody from another classroom in the district watch and give suggestions, and all of them invovled me having another para! But our district does not have the money for it because the county redid the housing assessments after budgets were set and screwed us over. It's hard to hear that we're doing everything we can do (okay, well, I feel better that I'm not a total failure) and it's just not good enough. At least I'm not in the boat some of you are in. My kids do not take the regular state test. I do the alternate assessment instead, so that is one hurdle I don't have to worry about.

Has your district SPED director come to observe? Have you had the district behavioral specialist in? Something clearly needs to be done. What do the parents say?