So, I had class today from 1-9:00. Yuck. Our evening class is scheduled until 8:30, but she decided that due to the fact that we will not be having class on the 3rd of July, she is going to have to extend a few of our classes until 9:00. What a bunch of bologna! Okay. I will deal with it. Plus, that allows me to spend an extra day with my family at home. Gotta look at the positives.
So, in my Special Ed. Law class tonight we did a lot of discussing. A lot. I mean a lot. Almost too much. One of the things that brought on a lot of dicussion was the Brown v. Board of Education case, which if some of you are unaware of, reversed the Plessy v. Ferguson case that stated "separate but equal". The results of Brown v. Board of Education came to the conclusion that blacks attending separate schools from whites was not separate but equal, but it in some places made black feel inferior and had a psychological affect on these children. In regards to education, the purpose of our education system in this wonderful country is to give all the best education possible, and not base it on race. This case played a HUGE role in the education of students with disabilities. A huge role. Parents started fighting for the rights of their children, with disabilities, to be given a free and appropriate education. It only made sense. Right? Children with disabilities should not be shunned from an education due to their disabilities... just like black should not have been shunned from a great education due to their color of skin. IT ONLY MAKES SENSE.
The problem is people still have a problem with it. Not a lot. But it still happens. We have teachers complaining, we have administrators complaining. Teachers saying: I don't have the time, it's going to slow down my teaching to meet the needs of slower students, I don't have the resources. Then we have administrators and Superintendents saying: Where are we going to get the funding, we don't have qualified teachers/paraeducators to work with these students, we don't have the facilities to work with these students, etc... Blah blah blah..
Another problem we discussed tonight was the barrier between Regular Education Teachers and Special Education Teachers. And don't get me wrong, in a lot of situations there isn't that barrier; but in some situations, there is. And it is hard to teach the child in the best way possible when some teachers think that special education teachers will do their thing, and they will do their thing. All teachers need to remember that they are working as a TEAM to meet the best interests of the student. We are a TEAM people. I am not trying to be hard on the regular education teachers, becuase I have that background, and have played on that side of the fence. But, there are some teachers that think special education students are the special education teachers responsibilities and not theirs. I think also that this barrier is created by special education teachers and regular teacher equally. We need to remind ourselves that there is equal responsibility when it comes to accomodating and modifying for these students.
Anyway... Enough about that. Just a little ranting...
So, I get out of class at nine. Great. So much for doing anything fun. I am completely exhausted from sitting in uncomfortable chairs for 7+ hours and I am mentally drained. I was also hoping to go out for a little while for a friends birthday. But, they already did the dinner thing, and I didn't know if I was up to going to the bars with a bunch of guys, including the infamous ex. Not so much. This is another problem. ... The ugly ex (kinda like the ugly duckling) and I have some mutual friends.... kind of makes things a little difficult... Don't get me wrong, I am an adult when in the presence of him, but don't really feel like going out and doing the bar scene with him... of all people... This is kind of killing my social life...kinda. Mind, you there isn't much to do in this particular neck of the woods...
On the lighter note...I took a REST day! yep. I pulled the REST CARD and used it today. I can give myself one of those once a week, right? or twice...at the most!
On a NBA note.... quite disappointed with the HEAT last night. Quite disappointed. If they could come back as far as they did, they better not lose the next game. Not if they can come from that far of a deficit! I still have faith in them! Come on boys! You can do it!
Well, I hope to either do an easy 3 miles tomorrow, or a 2 mile fartlek...or something in between. We'll see what I feel like in the AM, and what the weather is, becuase I am RUNNING OUTSIDE tomorrow! Yep... I am giving the thrillmill (yeah, you heard it) a break tomorrow..
So.. . . .... this was Deep Thoughts coming from Teacherwoman... ... .. saying goodnight and happy runnings folks!
So, in my Special Ed. Law class tonight we did a lot of discussing. A lot. I mean a lot. Almost too much. One of the things that brought on a lot of dicussion was the Brown v. Board of Education case, which if some of you are unaware of, reversed the Plessy v. Ferguson case that stated "separate but equal". The results of Brown v. Board of Education came to the conclusion that blacks attending separate schools from whites was not separate but equal, but it in some places made black feel inferior and had a psychological affect on these children. In regards to education, the purpose of our education system in this wonderful country is to give all the best education possible, and not base it on race. This case played a HUGE role in the education of students with disabilities. A huge role. Parents started fighting for the rights of their children, with disabilities, to be given a free and appropriate education. It only made sense. Right? Children with disabilities should not be shunned from an education due to their disabilities... just like black should not have been shunned from a great education due to their color of skin. IT ONLY MAKES SENSE.
The problem is people still have a problem with it. Not a lot. But it still happens. We have teachers complaining, we have administrators complaining. Teachers saying: I don't have the time, it's going to slow down my teaching to meet the needs of slower students, I don't have the resources. Then we have administrators and Superintendents saying: Where are we going to get the funding, we don't have qualified teachers/paraeducators to work with these students, we don't have the facilities to work with these students, etc... Blah blah blah..
Another problem we discussed tonight was the barrier between Regular Education Teachers and Special Education Teachers. And don't get me wrong, in a lot of situations there isn't that barrier; but in some situations, there is. And it is hard to teach the child in the best way possible when some teachers think that special education teachers will do their thing, and they will do their thing. All teachers need to remember that they are working as a TEAM to meet the best interests of the student. We are a TEAM people. I am not trying to be hard on the regular education teachers, becuase I have that background, and have played on that side of the fence. But, there are some teachers that think special education students are the special education teachers responsibilities and not theirs. I think also that this barrier is created by special education teachers and regular teacher equally. We need to remind ourselves that there is equal responsibility when it comes to accomodating and modifying for these students.
Anyway... Enough about that. Just a little ranting...
So, I get out of class at nine. Great. So much for doing anything fun. I am completely exhausted from sitting in uncomfortable chairs for 7+ hours and I am mentally drained. I was also hoping to go out for a little while for a friends birthday. But, they already did the dinner thing, and I didn't know if I was up to going to the bars with a bunch of guys, including the infamous ex. Not so much. This is another problem. ... The ugly ex (kinda like the ugly duckling) and I have some mutual friends.... kind of makes things a little difficult... Don't get me wrong, I am an adult when in the presence of him, but don't really feel like going out and doing the bar scene with him... of all people... This is kind of killing my social life...kinda. Mind, you there isn't much to do in this particular neck of the woods...
On the lighter note...I took a REST day! yep. I pulled the REST CARD and used it today. I can give myself one of those once a week, right? or twice...at the most!
On a NBA note.... quite disappointed with the HEAT last night. Quite disappointed. If they could come back as far as they did, they better not lose the next game. Not if they can come from that far of a deficit! I still have faith in them! Come on boys! You can do it!
Well, I hope to either do an easy 3 miles tomorrow, or a 2 mile fartlek...or something in between. We'll see what I feel like in the AM, and what the weather is, becuase I am RUNNING OUTSIDE tomorrow! Yep... I am giving the thrillmill (yeah, you heard it) a break tomorrow..
So.. . . .... this was Deep Thoughts coming from Teacherwoman... ... .. saying goodnight and happy runnings folks!
5 comments:
Great post!! I think TEAM being an operative word. But if the TEAM works together to better the child and ensue success...then that's progress! And as regular ed. teacher I am all for that! Team work...but it often doesn't happen.
As for the ex...honey you need to throw on something slinky and strut your stuff with or without him! Now go!!
If my class fills, I'll be teaching Intro to Early Childhood Ed after we get back from vacation. We'll be discussing some of the very things you just ranted about! I'm sure I'll have plenty to say when we get going. Right now, there are only 7 signed up, which is really low. Usually by now there's at least 15, so there is a possibility it'll be cancelled.
And I have to agree with rabbit on the ex thing!
> but don't really feel like going out and
> doing the bar scene with him
I think you made a wise choice.
>I can give myself one of those once a week,
> right? or twice...at the most!
Indeed! There is nothing wrong with that. I take one or two rest days every week. I sometimes even take three rest days after a grueling road race or swim meet.
> On a NBA note.... quite disappointed with the
> HEAT last night.
The Heat are done like dinner. It looks like Mark Cuban's wild spending has finally paid off.
> I am RUNNING OUTSIDE tomorrow! Yep...
> I am giving the thrillmill (yeah, you heard
> it) a break tomorrow..
I haven't trade marked the expression "thrillmill" so I guess I'll let you use it. ;-)
I will not be taking the Special Education Law Class until next summer, but I am looking forward to it already. Although this week I am looking forward to not thinking too deeply about anything until I start back up next week.
I've lived in numerous states and have been amazed at the disparity in public education when it came to special needs children. The state you'd be inclined to dis (NC) was by far the most progressive while a state that actually goes by "The Education State" (MA) was placed in a shambles because of its education politics, which encouraged families from neighboring states to jump the border if they had a child with special needs, thus "bankrupting" the system.
And bully for you to sit in those uncomfortable seats for so long. My ass aches just thinking about it :-)
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