Showing posts with label Special Education. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Special Education. Show all posts

Tuesday, July 28, 2009

How about an upgrade?


I'm still a little frazzled as I'm writing this so please bear with me. About a couple of months ago I wrote about how I was about to embark on a new journey....to Kindergarten. Well, my friends those times....they are a changing!!!! I've got a new calling, and time will tell if it's the right one for me.
Early on this year, I was asked to go to a special reading conference about Leveled Literacy Intervention. Basically, it's an accelerated reading system that helps lower level readers become stronger readers. That pretty much just summed up what I had to sit through two days of training (you're welcome).
So anyways...I'm loving this system and I was one of the few teachers who was picked to use it and see how it works. Well....my kiddos loved it, and we had a lot of fun as well. As a result of all the positive data that was collected, my school district is implementing this as the required reading system for special education teachers to use......and guess who they picked to help train the teachers??? No...not her...ME!! I know, I was just as shocked too.
So...i'm a little bummed about not having to experience the little ones in kindergarten. I am going to miss seeing all of my old students, and hopefully I'll be able to check back in and see how they are progressing.
Now, here's the scary part.....I'm going to be working with teachers. For those of you who are teachers...you know that this is not an easy task. It'll be a hard challenge...and hopefully we'll all come out ok in the end. (please don't roll your eyes at me....I'm serious).
I know that on paper this position is a promotion, but when I think about it having to train and work with all the special education teachers in the district....I have to wonder just if this really is an upgrade. Only time will tell.....

Tuesday, March 10, 2009

Parents Vrs. School Districts.....




My heart goes out to parents who have special needs children. It's hard enough having kids, but it takes a little bit more to handle special needs kids. I should know...I work with them every day. So when I heard about this story, I had to take a moment and reflect on it.

Sped teachers are required to show paperwork of what sort of accomplishments the student has or has not achieved. It's a tough work, and very easy to get swamped in paperwork. However, the Sped teachers are required to follow what has been stated on the ARD paperwork.

I'm not sure why this school district is not providing the documentation that the parents are asking for. If the student can do the tasks then find a way to document it, or find some ways to help the student achieve it. If a parent has concerns about whether or not their child has met a certain criteria, than the teachers and administrators should meet again to readjust his goals.

I hate hearing a story told from only one perspective, and unfortunately that's what we get from our local media. So I'm going to "hope" that the school district had some reason why they choose to act the way they are....but in the end, what I really hope is that the student gets the appropriate care and education that he/she deserves.