And yes I will be bringing home a little bag of slime for Doodle. She loves the slime and I love for her to be content and happy. I mean seriously, this is the best thing for parents on the spectrum. Depending on your store depends on how fast you can get in and out. Our store; it's a revolving door. Everyone wants to participate so sometimes the classroom can become packed. Kids and parents alike decorate slime and head out because there's tons more people that want to have a chance too. In one side and out the other. Everyone has a wonderful time.
The other event is the rock event. That's where you come in and paint a rock. So it's a double event and with double events it's gonna be hectic. I'm not sure how Saturday will go or how chaotic it's going to be. Just like our life with kids on the spectrum we need to remember to take one moment at a time. Our kids can sometimes end up tearing up multiple things at once. One child can feel like a whole classroom of kids. I have to remember that the rock event is not my event. I'm going to be there for slime only. Focus on one thing at a time. The slime event has to be a success, like it always is in our store.
Read this section carefully. And keep in mind it is as a parents choice.
Now down to the nitty gritty of what this blog was not going to be about, but due to an incident that has been brought to my attention it needs to be addressed. In the State of Alabama where I live there is a woman who is running for Mayor of Montgomery. Right now she is a board member on the BOE (board of education). AL.com posted that she stated she wanted kids with special needs institutionalized so that the test scores could be brought up. That she feels that kids with special needs were bringing down all the test scores for the schools. She asked if special ed kids could be placed in academies. Now what I got from that is the reason why I pulled Doodle from regular public school and placed her in the special needs school where she thrives currently. If they created academies more for kids with disabilities and it be pubic school then yeah I'm all for more schools like what Doodle currently goes to. Schools geared to her disability. Currently and even where we used to live if you wanted to send your child to the best Autism school, they had to be committed. And that was a big no go.
At the school Doodle went to two and three years ago the lack of education she received there caused her regression. Doodle is higher functioning but has to have one on one help. That's the best way for her to learn. Though the classroom had 2 para educators and a teacher, they didn't know how to correctly handle Doodle. And like most teachers they didn't listen to the parent either. Doodle tests very high. She can blow the test scores out of the water and make higher marks then kids in a higher grade then her. When she was in second grade transitioning to 3rd grade, she tested better then the 5th graders. Her teacher from the middle of kindergarten to 2nd grade worked very hard to get her to that point. And I made sure that the school and teacher knew it. Did they listen? No, and that's the problem with schools in my opinion. Where we had come from, the teacher continued to work with the other school and teacher to make sure that the students stayed on track. They did field trips together, sometimes her teacher would go to the other school and have lunch with the kids. This is the teacher who cared.
At our new school because we are now over 400 miles away from the old school, old routine and structure they were surprised when Doodle took the state tests that are required. Her new teacher was so excited and surprised when she told me that the principal asked whose paper it was that had the best score on it and it was Doodle's. Well, that's no shock to me and I had already informed them of that. However for 4th grade that teacher got moved and a new one was brought in. That was the teacher from HELL. I still don't care for that woman. Doodle wasn't being tested. She wasn't participating in the school like the regular ed kids. She wasn't doing reading time or the library. And the school didn't allow the special ed kids to participate in computer lab. But I had already started my end of the IEP process to get Doodle moved to the school for special needs children that I had been hearing so much about. Kids were progressing and enjoying their time at the school. They gardened just like at the school where Doodle learned to read and write and do math. They had their own Mardi Gras parade, Choir, special talent shows where the local news came in and filmed. They even did special holiday shows in the gym/auditorium. The holiday events and talent shows were things that Doodle did from middle kindergarten to second grade but was denied 3rd-4th grade. Now how can a school stay compliant with IDEA if they are not allowed to participate with the regular ed kids? They don't. And the school was tired of me saying this is a violation of IDEA and her corner to corner contract. Because that's what an IEP is, a corner to corner contract.
The tour of our current school was awesome. You see the computer lab on the first hall. Library when you walk through the door. Green houses with plants of plenty. Kids play basket ball and enjoyed themselves, wheel chair or no wheel chair. And the play ground! Oh don't get me started on all the pieces that were conformed to each type of disability!! Kids could play and be kids and didn't have to feel left out. And the teacher not only took their notes for the gold folder but made sure that each and every child in their care got one on one time to learn all their lessons. It's back to the dream come true!
Now back on task. Was Ms. Bells' wording wrong. Yes, on so many levels yes. Was she missing a point here? Yes, that she did. She's concerned about the test scores. What she's not seeing is that children with special needs are falling through the cracks. The tests are set up to include children with special needs and it goes 1-4 on levels. Doodle takes the test at levels 3 and 4. There are no other levels, next up is taking it like the regular ed kids. But the test is geared to disabilities. 1 is for those who can not communicate, feed themselves, write or do anything for themselves. Level two is a step up but not by much. And levels 3 and 4 are for the kids who can communicate, read, write and do math. The main point is that she missed the key component. The school system is letting down our children.
Now I have heard that there is no such thing as the self contained classes anymore since Doodle left "the bad school". Special ed kids are now thrown in with regular ed children. That should make for a lot of para's. But we also have to keep in mind regular ed classes are over flowing as it is and these are teachers that aren't able to make sure that a special ed child will have their IEP followed to a T. But then again, at the bad school, the parents of the self contained class liked to complain but didn't care to take action. I took action and they swiftly got me into the school of my choice for my child. No two year waiting list for me. I'm really hard on a school. I have time on my hands. I can do 5 IEP's a week. It doesn't bother me. My child's education is my top priority. And I know what you're thinking. 5 IEP's a week, your child can't learn if the teacher isn't in the classroom. One: my child wasn't being taught and 2, it was an IEP meeting a week. I did come close with 3 in a week. But that was unavoidable. That happened to be ABA IEP meeting, testing and assessment IEP meeting and updating her IEP for lack of education. And there were certain heads of the school board that had to be brought in for all meetings.
Wow, I'm just about writing a tome on this one. Let me summarize this up. Now if by academy she is referring to opening the schools that are tops for our children where we don't have to pay private school prices and they don't have to be committed and can attend them like it's a regular school. I'm all for it. Parents with children with disabilities deserve the fighting chance at an actual quality education as it states in the rules and regulations. Of course they would have to provide bus service, like what Doodle gets currently. Because there is no longer no child left behind to fall back on.
In her follow up from AL.com she did state what I had suspected. Schools geared to children with special needs. At a regular public school here children are only allowed occupational therapy and speech therapy. At Doodle's current school we have that and much much more.
As I type this Ella B Bell is currently facebook fighting in her threads on her page. And in all honesty I don't want to discuss anymore of this. People pretty much have facebook pitch forks out on her on her own page. But think about this. Yes, she is suppose to be a representative of our school system. Is attacking people on her page a smart thing to do? No, it's not but when someone attacks me on my turf you better believe I'm not going to take it. And I will dish it out faster then they can but with a twist. Cause I can be a bit rough when it comes to someone attacking me or my child. And my friends who notice when I get in a facebook fight like to watch. Not comment on the thread but just watch cause it's comical. Normally I try to be rational and clear headed but when it comes to facebook fighting I'm like an animal in the zoo. No holds bar. I will fling poop like the monkeys. If you find yourself in such a situation, trying to do what's best for regular ed but miss the billboard in front of you regarding special needs. You just sink with the ship. There's no way around it.
So why was I not up in arms to begin with when the first article broke? I don't trust the media. I am considered media in my business, but I know not to trust them. They've turned from the days of what Ben Franklin did in place of his brother who was jailed for criticizing the King. This was before the Revolution. The media has taken a down hill swing maybe 4-5 years ago. It's become let's pit so and so against such and such. Because you know, violence sells. But what's the point in living in a world of violence. I stopped watching the news personally maybe 18 year ago. If I want to see violence I will turn on a t.v. show. I would like for there to be some good stories out there. Find the good and you find the story. Tear everyone down and you find you can't trust anyone.
To me if this is like getting more schools who make sure our kids don't fall through the cracks and get the help they need and its exactly like Doodle's current school. Where children of all disabilities are included and treated just as if they are regular ed students. Again, I'm for that. I am living the dream because my child is being taught again. Not falling through the cracks, not regressing. I'm cool with it. But it should be parents choice.
And as of the the whole conflict of should I sign to have her removed. I'm going to continue to observing and researching. There has got to be more to this then meets the eye. And at this point we need to have a clear and level head about us. I will update you guys later on further developments. Because I promise you, there will be.
See you guys on the flip side. And have a fantastic weekend.
No comments:
Post a Comment