Today I wanted to share some of my own experience from childhood, and how they helped shape me as an educator and as well as a human being.
My first story is from when I just started school in the States. I was in the general education classroom for the first time in my life, and until my IEP (Individualized Education Plan) was written, I had no services whatsoever. I didn't see anything wrong with that, because I was used to being in a classroom and doing work, and I did that here to the best of my ability. Once my IEP was done, I started receiving services of a vision teacher. Now, that's all well and good, but the issue came when the said teacher just took me to the back of the classroom and therefore took any opportunities of interaction with my classmates away from me. This created all types of problems which ranged from me giving the woman h*** and attitude to my classmates isolating me on the playground. It was during this time that I learned that I wasn't like all other kids, and trust me, it wasn't a good way to find out.
This experience taught me that children want to be like their peers, regardless of exceptionality and are entitled to get as many 'normal' experiences as possible. This means making sure that the child is included in classroom activities and is not ignored by the general education teacher. When the teacher is including all students, he/she is modeling acceptance, which leads to the kids emulating the behavior and allowing the child with exceptionality feel like a part of the group. This has tremendous effect on social and emotional development, and gives the student a taste of what things may be like in the workplace and higher education setting. I know that I will do my best to make sure none of my students feel left out or isolated, and make sure that the general education teacher is made to feel comfortable with the fact that the child with special needs is participating and engaging in classroom community. I can't even begin to stress the importance of that (and I will, when I write about social skills).
My next experience deals with bullying. While I don't want to go into any details, I do want to say that it is never all right to tell the child that is being bullied to keep his/her mouth shut and not report anything. Having been on the receiving end of bullies from the time I was in primary school, I know first hand how demeaning it can be to feel defenseless, especially when the adults in your life are choosing to ignore what you're telling them. Bullying can be very damaging to a child (or adult) of any age, and it's so important to make sure that the person gets the proper psychological and emotional support. Those that don't get the help they need may suffer from low self-esteem and self-confidence, as well as depression and anxiety (believe me, I speak from experience). I hope that at some point people understand that it's not acceptable to allow a person to be bullied to the point of wanting to end his/her life. So, please, take what your students/children tell you seriously. It could potentially save a life.
What I have taken from my own experience with bullying is that sensitivity training needs to start very early. And it doesn't have to be focused on accepting those who have special needs. Kids who are high achievers, shy, and enjoy different things than their same-age peers can be victims as much as those who are in special education, so I think it's best to teach our students to treat everyone around them with respect, and realize that words have power, and that power can inflict more lasting damage than a punch. Physical wounds heal, but emotional ones leave scars that cannot be covered with make-up foundation. Also, teachers and others who have daily contact with children need to make sure that the person doing the bullying is punished right away. It doesn't matter if it's first offense, because there should be zero tolerance for any sort of abusive behavior. A remark that one person meant as harmless teasing, can have lasting consequences on a sensitive person who is insecure, and is trying to work up the courage to get out and socialize just a little bit.
Sunday, May 20, 2012
Tuesday, May 15, 2012
Labels
Today I wanted to talk a little bit about labeling and diagnosis, both of which can have some very serious consequences, especially when they're well, wrong. Our society likes to have things in neat little packages, because then, people don't feel so guilty about generalizing and stereotyping. What they don't realize, is that not everyone fits into a neat, little package, and it's important to look at each child as an individual, rather than something that can be found in a specific manual (I'm referring to the idiocy that is the DSM, or Diagnostic Statistical Manual, that is used to give diagnosis for things like Autism, depression, and many other 'conditions').
I was at a conference about a month and a half ago, and the only reason I went was because the keynote speaker was going to talk about the diagnostic criteria for Autism. I thought that it would be a great way to learn more about this particular exceptionality and then hopefully shed some light on it for my grandmother, who is very interested since my cousin (her youngest grandchild) may come out diagnosed with it. Well, what I learned was that the criteria was so horrid, that almost anyone could be diagnosed with this particular condition. The gist was, that a person that is having difficulty socializing, has some eccentric interests and has high intelligence may be labeled as someone with Aspberger's Syndrome (a form of high functioning Autism). This made me laugh, because, well, I and quite a few of my close friends would fit into that category. I remember telling my friend Anna (the creative genius behind this blog) that if this criteria was to be believed, than almost everyone at her parish would have this condition, because they're all highly intelligent, and love things like Liturgical music, cannon law, iconography, and the list could go on. Oh, and there are a few who are introverted and don't care for a huge crowd of people.
Now, let's take this into the context of special education. Say a child starts kindergarten. The child is reserved, likes to play by herself, has a preference for a specific spot on the Reading Carpet and loves everything that has to do with dinosaurs. The classroom teacher observes this child, and after a month starts raising concerns that she's not making any friends, and doesn't like to participate in group activities. Out of curiosity, she looks up 'Autism' on Google and sees that a lot of the characteristics of this condition are exhibited by this student. She starts demanding that the child be evaluated immediately and put into a special classroom because she's not equipped to deal with 'those children'. What this teacher failed to do, and what so many others fail to do when they're in a rush to label a child and just stick him/her in a box, is take into account the severity of the 'symptoms' for lack of a better word and how they compare to other children in that age group who may exhibit similar behaviors. Now, if when this child is placed with her same-age peers that are shy, and a little eccentric, and she acts in a manner that is significantly different, then it may be time to raise alarms and talk about evaluations and what else have you, but if the child acts in a similar fashion as the children similar to her, then the teacher needs to relax and stop trying to classify something that is clearly not there. Also, context is very important, because a child that is shy at school, may be extremely outgoing in her weekend dance class, weekly Brownie meetings, etc, and that needs to be taken into account. Maybe school is just not as engaging socially, and the child feels uncomfortable coming out of her shell. This of course means asking the parents to observe their child in the recreational setting and then talk about how the behavior differs from or is similar to what happens in the classroom. There are so many factors that play into this, that it's almost comical to shout for a diagnosis before even taking the situation out of the context of the classroom, however, so many educators forget to do that, and end up literally ruining a child's educational career by one wrong assumption. So, the moral of this scenario is; always look at every angle before jumping to a conclusion.
Now, with labels come things such as stereotyping and generalizations. For instance, when a teacher hears that a child with a visual impairment is about to come into the classroom, the teacher is quick to assume that the child is not able to do anything independently. This creates a barrier right away, and this barrier leads to a very close-minded teacher. Now, the best thing a teacher can do is basically hold off any assumptions and misconceptions at bay, and base his/her opinion on actually seeing the child in action. This helps create a classroom free of judgement and teaches all students about acceptance and compassion.
I cannot count how many times people asked me if I counted steps while walking, and I explained that no, I used my cane and vision to find certain landmarks that would help me figure out where I am. So many were surprised by the answer, because they read that people with visual impairment counted steps to get from one place to another. It seems that any other way of orienting oneself is almost foreign to someone who has never had limited vision, or was completely blind.
What I think is important to remember, is the fact that everyone is different and that labels should be used with caution, because not everyone fits into a box or a package. There are some people who may have a certain exceptionality, but not exhibit all the characteristics, and that's all right. It means that teachers have to start looking at each child individually as a human being who needs to be nurtured, rather than a statistic that needs to be instructed in a certain manner, because of what some manual is dictating. Human beings don't come with instructions, so we need to come up with ways to handle that and get a little bit creative. Labels, in my eyes, take away from the creative aspect of teaching and it's our job to bring it back, one student at a time.
I was at a conference about a month and a half ago, and the only reason I went was because the keynote speaker was going to talk about the diagnostic criteria for Autism. I thought that it would be a great way to learn more about this particular exceptionality and then hopefully shed some light on it for my grandmother, who is very interested since my cousin (her youngest grandchild) may come out diagnosed with it. Well, what I learned was that the criteria was so horrid, that almost anyone could be diagnosed with this particular condition. The gist was, that a person that is having difficulty socializing, has some eccentric interests and has high intelligence may be labeled as someone with Aspberger's Syndrome (a form of high functioning Autism). This made me laugh, because, well, I and quite a few of my close friends would fit into that category. I remember telling my friend Anna (the creative genius behind this blog) that if this criteria was to be believed, than almost everyone at her parish would have this condition, because they're all highly intelligent, and love things like Liturgical music, cannon law, iconography, and the list could go on. Oh, and there are a few who are introverted and don't care for a huge crowd of people.
Now, let's take this into the context of special education. Say a child starts kindergarten. The child is reserved, likes to play by herself, has a preference for a specific spot on the Reading Carpet and loves everything that has to do with dinosaurs. The classroom teacher observes this child, and after a month starts raising concerns that she's not making any friends, and doesn't like to participate in group activities. Out of curiosity, she looks up 'Autism' on Google and sees that a lot of the characteristics of this condition are exhibited by this student. She starts demanding that the child be evaluated immediately and put into a special classroom because she's not equipped to deal with 'those children'. What this teacher failed to do, and what so many others fail to do when they're in a rush to label a child and just stick him/her in a box, is take into account the severity of the 'symptoms' for lack of a better word and how they compare to other children in that age group who may exhibit similar behaviors. Now, if when this child is placed with her same-age peers that are shy, and a little eccentric, and she acts in a manner that is significantly different, then it may be time to raise alarms and talk about evaluations and what else have you, but if the child acts in a similar fashion as the children similar to her, then the teacher needs to relax and stop trying to classify something that is clearly not there. Also, context is very important, because a child that is shy at school, may be extremely outgoing in her weekend dance class, weekly Brownie meetings, etc, and that needs to be taken into account. Maybe school is just not as engaging socially, and the child feels uncomfortable coming out of her shell. This of course means asking the parents to observe their child in the recreational setting and then talk about how the behavior differs from or is similar to what happens in the classroom. There are so many factors that play into this, that it's almost comical to shout for a diagnosis before even taking the situation out of the context of the classroom, however, so many educators forget to do that, and end up literally ruining a child's educational career by one wrong assumption. So, the moral of this scenario is; always look at every angle before jumping to a conclusion.
Now, with labels come things such as stereotyping and generalizations. For instance, when a teacher hears that a child with a visual impairment is about to come into the classroom, the teacher is quick to assume that the child is not able to do anything independently. This creates a barrier right away, and this barrier leads to a very close-minded teacher. Now, the best thing a teacher can do is basically hold off any assumptions and misconceptions at bay, and base his/her opinion on actually seeing the child in action. This helps create a classroom free of judgement and teaches all students about acceptance and compassion.
I cannot count how many times people asked me if I counted steps while walking, and I explained that no, I used my cane and vision to find certain landmarks that would help me figure out where I am. So many were surprised by the answer, because they read that people with visual impairment counted steps to get from one place to another. It seems that any other way of orienting oneself is almost foreign to someone who has never had limited vision, or was completely blind.
What I think is important to remember, is the fact that everyone is different and that labels should be used with caution, because not everyone fits into a box or a package. There are some people who may have a certain exceptionality, but not exhibit all the characteristics, and that's all right. It means that teachers have to start looking at each child individually as a human being who needs to be nurtured, rather than a statistic that needs to be instructed in a certain manner, because of what some manual is dictating. Human beings don't come with instructions, so we need to come up with ways to handle that and get a little bit creative. Labels, in my eyes, take away from the creative aspect of teaching and it's our job to bring it back, one student at a time.
Thursday, May 10, 2012
Slight Change of Plans
I know that I wrote last week that I would be doing a series on the people that I consider to be role models when it comes to displaying vital characteristics a teacher for kids with special needs has to possess, but I decided to make a separate page for them instead. You can now find them under the tab titled 'My Role Models'. I only posted my entry on Siegfried Farnon, but I will update as my Internet allows. Please check the tab periodically, because I don't think an emailed update is sent out if I decided to create a new page.
Sorry for the inconvenience. Hope you pop over and have a look when the mood strikes you.
Sorry for the inconvenience. Hope you pop over and have a look when the mood strikes you.
Tuesday, May 8, 2012
Guest Post: From Student's Perspective
This is the first post that will come from a guest blogger. I've met this young lady (Rose) through an Internet discussion forum that deals with various royal houses from around the world. We've exchanged many messages via the site for almost a year, and have had some interesting conversations. She was a student with special needs, and has been very helpful in making me understand what things may be like from the point of view of a child that is going through the system. So, without further ado, here are some helpful hints form Rose:
My Best Tips For Special Educators, from the point of view of a past student with Cerebral Palsy, and Anxiety Disorder:
|
Friday, May 4, 2012
Words
It would appear that insomnia decided to rear its' ugly head for the past few weeks, and what better way to (hopefully) fight it than writing about something that requires one to think?
Today's main topic is the importance of words to the kids with special needs. First off, it's paramount that children are encouraged to use their words (to the best of their ability) rather than just point to what they want or need. If a child is non-verbal, it is recommended that a system of cue cards is in place to help with communication. In all honesty, I don't know a lot about cue cards and communication devices, but I'll try to find a guest blogger who could share a little more on the topic.
My thought of the day (or night) is really more about the power of words, and how important it is to teach our students that words have meaning. Once children are aware of that, they can be better self-advocates, as well as communicators (and yes, I'm including children who are non-verbal, because they will use their words by showing pictures of what they need or want, or will have someone record appropriate phrases on their communication devices). The story I will use to illustrate this is one of my favorite experiences, because the little girl ended up teaching me a heck of a lot more than I could ever teach her.
I was visiting my grandmother's parish (a place that I've started visiting again quite recently) on Paskha (Easter) of 2008. My grandmother has been telling me of a family that had a little one with Down Syndrome. I was itching to meet this child, but due to living on Long Island and not being able to drive, it wasn't going to happen. However, once I moved into Manhattan, things became a lot easier. I could get to Westchester by using public transit. Ah, the joys of independence, but I digress. I asked my father confessor about the family in question after the service, and he gladly introduced me.
I observed Bridget while she was interacting with other children, and it was clear that she was a high-functioning and bright little girl. Her mother told me of the problems she was having with the school district, and I offered to help advocate, if necessary. By this time, my grandmother made her way over to us, and gave me a bag of candy to give to the children. I offered the bag to each child, and allowed him/her to choose something. When I got to Bridget, I did the exact same thing. She shook her head and said 'no' very clearly and in a firm voice. I moved on to her younger sister. My grandmother was up in arms; how dare I deny poor, little disabled child a piece of chocolate?! I explained that there was no denial on my part, because I respected her choice of not taking candy. Bridget needed to understand that words have a meaning, and that when she uses them, people around her will take them seriously and respect her wishes. If I went ahead and gave her the candy, she would have learned that words are just empty sounds that we make, but don't pay attention to. While I was busy explaining this, Bridget was looking around, and noticed that something was wrong. All other children had a treat, and she didn't. She wasn't too happy about it. I came over, and asked her again if she wanted some candy. This time she said 'yes'. I offered her the bag so that she could choose, only again to be reprimanded by the grandparental unit that I was being cruel and not giving her candy. I explained again that Bridget has the right to choose what she wants, and if I were to just give her a random candy, I will not be teaching her about the consequences of her actions. Poor grandma was really out of her element, but she was kind enough to just step back and watch (thank heavens, because this was driving me a little insane).
The point of this whole scenario is that the child learns that words have meaning, and therefore, bring along certain types of consequences. This is important not just for communicating, but for self-advocacy as well. When children get older, it is not always appropriate to have a teacher initiate a certain accommodation, so this means the student needs to do this independently. For instance, a child with a visual impairment needs to sit closer to the board in order to see what is going on in the front of the room. A classmate asks if the child needs help finding a seat, and the child says 'no'. This means that the classmate will not help, and the child is on his/her own. If in the past the child's words were not taken seriously, he/she may expect that even if he/she answers 'no', the help will be given anyway. This is not something we want our children to get used to, because in the real world no one is going to fight anyone else's battles.
I will say that Bridget had the concept down, but on her own terms. She loved to pay a game, where she would tell whoever was playing with her to 'go away', because most of the time, no one really listened. She knew what 'go away' meant, because she used the phrase when someone approached her to say 'hello', or give her a hug. When she tried this with me, she learned that I was actually going to go away and not be near her. She wasn't happy with that, and ran after me, navigating the crowded set-up of the church's fellowship room like a pro. Needless to say, she didn't tell me to 'go away' again. I remember telling her mother that I loved how Bridget was very firm when refusing to give cuddles. She made it very clear with her voice and body language that she didn't want to be touched. This is important, because if heaven forbid something happened, she would be able to make her wishes known. On a side note, when this child did give a cuddle, she was so touching and sincere about it. She definitely understood the meaning of the phrase 'I love you'. I was literally moved to tears when she gave me a hug, and said very clearly 'I 'ove you' (this is not a typo, but my attempt at writing the words the way she said them). It was one the best moments for me, because I saw what unconditional love was. Bridget didn't judge, or attempt to see what she could get from telling me this. She just used her words, fully understanding what she was saying. This was the best example of the power of a spoken word (at least in my book).
I remember saying after meeting this little girl for the first time that angels did indeed exist, and she was mine on Paskha of '08. I didn't think that I could touch a person this deeply (or better yet, didn't know if anyone would ever break through my barriers), but this child proved me wrong. She showed me that there's so much more to teaching than telling a parent about advocacy or that it's important to be present at an IEP (Individualized Education Plan/Program) meeting. Teaching is about so much more. It's showing a child what words can do. It's about giving a child the tools to be an independent person, but most importantly, it's about giving a child a little bit of you to take away after a day of learning. It's about showing compassion, and not being worried that you'll get nothing in return, because on the contrary, you'll get the love of a child, which is, in my eyes the most precious gift.
On that note, I think I'm ready to crash. I leave you with a picture of Miss. Bridget, and her engaging and contagious smile.
Today's main topic is the importance of words to the kids with special needs. First off, it's paramount that children are encouraged to use their words (to the best of their ability) rather than just point to what they want or need. If a child is non-verbal, it is recommended that a system of cue cards is in place to help with communication. In all honesty, I don't know a lot about cue cards and communication devices, but I'll try to find a guest blogger who could share a little more on the topic.
My thought of the day (or night) is really more about the power of words, and how important it is to teach our students that words have meaning. Once children are aware of that, they can be better self-advocates, as well as communicators (and yes, I'm including children who are non-verbal, because they will use their words by showing pictures of what they need or want, or will have someone record appropriate phrases on their communication devices). The story I will use to illustrate this is one of my favorite experiences, because the little girl ended up teaching me a heck of a lot more than I could ever teach her.
I was visiting my grandmother's parish (a place that I've started visiting again quite recently) on Paskha (Easter) of 2008. My grandmother has been telling me of a family that had a little one with Down Syndrome. I was itching to meet this child, but due to living on Long Island and not being able to drive, it wasn't going to happen. However, once I moved into Manhattan, things became a lot easier. I could get to Westchester by using public transit. Ah, the joys of independence, but I digress. I asked my father confessor about the family in question after the service, and he gladly introduced me.
I observed Bridget while she was interacting with other children, and it was clear that she was a high-functioning and bright little girl. Her mother told me of the problems she was having with the school district, and I offered to help advocate, if necessary. By this time, my grandmother made her way over to us, and gave me a bag of candy to give to the children. I offered the bag to each child, and allowed him/her to choose something. When I got to Bridget, I did the exact same thing. She shook her head and said 'no' very clearly and in a firm voice. I moved on to her younger sister. My grandmother was up in arms; how dare I deny poor, little disabled child a piece of chocolate?! I explained that there was no denial on my part, because I respected her choice of not taking candy. Bridget needed to understand that words have a meaning, and that when she uses them, people around her will take them seriously and respect her wishes. If I went ahead and gave her the candy, she would have learned that words are just empty sounds that we make, but don't pay attention to. While I was busy explaining this, Bridget was looking around, and noticed that something was wrong. All other children had a treat, and she didn't. She wasn't too happy about it. I came over, and asked her again if she wanted some candy. This time she said 'yes'. I offered her the bag so that she could choose, only again to be reprimanded by the grandparental unit that I was being cruel and not giving her candy. I explained again that Bridget has the right to choose what she wants, and if I were to just give her a random candy, I will not be teaching her about the consequences of her actions. Poor grandma was really out of her element, but she was kind enough to just step back and watch (thank heavens, because this was driving me a little insane).
The point of this whole scenario is that the child learns that words have meaning, and therefore, bring along certain types of consequences. This is important not just for communicating, but for self-advocacy as well. When children get older, it is not always appropriate to have a teacher initiate a certain accommodation, so this means the student needs to do this independently. For instance, a child with a visual impairment needs to sit closer to the board in order to see what is going on in the front of the room. A classmate asks if the child needs help finding a seat, and the child says 'no'. This means that the classmate will not help, and the child is on his/her own. If in the past the child's words were not taken seriously, he/she may expect that even if he/she answers 'no', the help will be given anyway. This is not something we want our children to get used to, because in the real world no one is going to fight anyone else's battles.
I will say that Bridget had the concept down, but on her own terms. She loved to pay a game, where she would tell whoever was playing with her to 'go away', because most of the time, no one really listened. She knew what 'go away' meant, because she used the phrase when someone approached her to say 'hello', or give her a hug. When she tried this with me, she learned that I was actually going to go away and not be near her. She wasn't happy with that, and ran after me, navigating the crowded set-up of the church's fellowship room like a pro. Needless to say, she didn't tell me to 'go away' again. I remember telling her mother that I loved how Bridget was very firm when refusing to give cuddles. She made it very clear with her voice and body language that she didn't want to be touched. This is important, because if heaven forbid something happened, she would be able to make her wishes known. On a side note, when this child did give a cuddle, she was so touching and sincere about it. She definitely understood the meaning of the phrase 'I love you'. I was literally moved to tears when she gave me a hug, and said very clearly 'I 'ove you' (this is not a typo, but my attempt at writing the words the way she said them). It was one the best moments for me, because I saw what unconditional love was. Bridget didn't judge, or attempt to see what she could get from telling me this. She just used her words, fully understanding what she was saying. This was the best example of the power of a spoken word (at least in my book).
I remember saying after meeting this little girl for the first time that angels did indeed exist, and she was mine on Paskha of '08. I didn't think that I could touch a person this deeply (or better yet, didn't know if anyone would ever break through my barriers), but this child proved me wrong. She showed me that there's so much more to teaching than telling a parent about advocacy or that it's important to be present at an IEP (Individualized Education Plan/Program) meeting. Teaching is about so much more. It's showing a child what words can do. It's about giving a child the tools to be an independent person, but most importantly, it's about giving a child a little bit of you to take away after a day of learning. It's about showing compassion, and not being worried that you'll get nothing in return, because on the contrary, you'll get the love of a child, which is, in my eyes the most precious gift.
On that note, I think I'm ready to crash. I leave you with a picture of Miss. Bridget, and her engaging and contagious smile.
 |
| The famous 'Bridget Grin'. She was always so full of joy, and very feisty to boot. |
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)