when will disabilities be looked upon as just one of the American people here in the United States? When will their civil rights be upheld??
I find many situations in raising my children just ignorant. Really, it stuns me some days.
I am at a cross in the road with my teenage daughter. She has been in public school since she was 3 years old in general education. Now that she is 14, in middle school the perception is she can no longer be a part of her peers. I know I am one of the lucky moms. If she went to Lexington Elementary in Ft. Myers their teacher had no problem stating that my child would be better off tucked away in a separate classroom excluded from her peers because she can not possibly do the work once she was in about third grade...WHAT??!! and she has a teaching certificate...No, she wasn't 102 years old. Meaning; yes, I am aware 30 years ago my daughter would not have been aloud to enter public school at all ..am I suppose to be grateful she is today??? I THINK NOT. I get stunned when things like this still exist in our society in 2009.
My home work has begun. I am applying for the McKay Scholarship so that I am in control of my daughters placement funding.. VERY IMPORTANT NOW.
Here is what I have found thus far. I can choose Florida Christian Institute where I can sign a check over to them (McKay scholarship) and allow them to keep the money and have my daughter stay home and get inappropriate work sent home to do if she pleases (by me as the teacher).. Yes, them doing nothing but they want you to come in and sign a check over to them every two or three months...folks it is happening; "Christian??" not sure where that fits into the equation.
I was raised Catholic so I checked first into the Dreams school at the Catholic based site in Ft. Myers... After a long discussion it became clear they would not take my daughter because she can not be at grade level by the end of next year. Gaining skills, learning more and having solid peer role models while receiving a religious base isn't really what they want to offer in their SPECIAL NEEDS PROGRAM, they require you to be normal after they have had you for a year or so... That's really accepting of our brother in Christianity... Holds me to my faith stronger...
;0(
I have a few other calls in with many private schools stating they are not the best suited for disabilities and wouldn't talk to me to even get a feel for what they could or could not offer..NOT EVEN A CHANCE... that seems very harsh! My money is green....spends like everyone Else's..Isn't teaching --teaching?? If one learns more are touched by a "teacher" teaching? Is teaching "smart" kids teaching?? I am beginning to believe this is where teaching is headed..Only the kids who get the genetic pattern to be easy learners are who the teachers want to teach..well, in many places..
I am meeting with Mariner Middle first thing Monday morning which is a struggling school as far as their Annual year progress report shows. Not a Title one school for extra supports so I will check on what they have to offer Monday morning. I believe schools with less than an A rating may have additional help in place...I will ask.. My fear is they have LIFE SKILLS and when a school has LIFE SKILLS it seems the image is if it isn't working in general education (room) we can just have them "visit" the life skills class for what the school feels is appropriate. Once a child is in Life Skills it is like a life sentence. They do not come back out... Not for this girl will that happen...They got me once..Shame on them, not twice where it would be shame on me!
I then get to go check out Trafalgar Middle which has a couple positives spoken around town. I hear they have been successfully including children with Autism therefore the concept, which is what inclusion is,..Mentally believing children should be and are most rewarded and successful being educated along side their typical peers. Meaning no more than one child with a disability is in the classroom..because statistics are that in a neighborhood school no more than one child would be in any given classroom. If we didn't bus and do clusters this would be what a neighborhood class was made up of..... I am going to clear my mind by Monday, go look to see how we are received. I will be able to feel their body language because Kaitlyn and Steven will be with me. They both have ENT appointment right after the visits... How nice is that working out for me..:o)) I am well aware they will say all the right things... It is politics for sure.... here is my bigger concern.
I have been having many issues about my daughters education since school started this year..
Let me see....who has called me????? Wow, I only get calls when I rattle cages...
My daughter didn't show up for school, I filed a concern with the top bosses, the school was contacted...Nope- the school didn't contact me...
District assigned an employee from district to contact me and be our "mediator" not one teacher called, not one staff from the school called to offer a door to open...
I can only go by my past experiences...When I didn't see progress in elementary the staff called once I shared concern and set up meeting and provided food because we knew it was going to be HOURS of round table...they took my information from conference after conference on how to teach children with disabilities, they looked up web site and emailed me so we were using at home what was being used in school, they ordered equipment to assist at school and home, they brainstormed and invited me on campus when ever I wanted to be there...Emails some times were daily and many times a day as we all got things on track..It didn't happen often although a few bumps in the road brought collaboration. That is QUALITY education.
I emailed both middle schools at 7 am Friday requesting them to let me know when would be good to come over to check out their school NEITHER contacted me.. That gives me hope..NOT
I get the call from the district person late in the day (i told her I would call her early when I made a decision) wanting to know if I have made my decision on a school placement... what can I decide on neither have made contact with me. After the district person called the school I got my appointment to go check out the schools on Monday morning... that is a welcoming feeling!!! NOT
My heart was restored when I was at Walmart a couple hours ago...I am in the store with my son who is in 1st grade.... yes general education with supports and services on his IEP because he has a disability (several actually.) I hear..."Hey Jordon buddy"...and I alert Jordan his buddy is calling him..Jordan was choosing Popsicles at the time(distracted.) Jordan ran over and they SHOOK HANDS!! way to go SKYLINE ELEMENTARY!!! it does pay off , all that work you do! appropriate peer interaction for first graders.. not hugging....
Not more than five minutes later another boy yells "Jordan" I have Jordan wave because they were leaving and we were going into our check out lane.. Jordan says "see you at school"... with a little coaching from me.
THIS IS WHY INCLUSION IS SO IMPORTANT each situation, I hear the boys telling their parents Jordan is in their class at school. I heard the first little boy say "Jordan has Down syndrome but he is really cool and funny sometimes." I smile and move on. The parents look and smile waving good bye to Jordan...
Well, I need to work on our home schedule to be in place for the in home support team ... I promised it would be done by the end of the weekend.. much like lesson plans form the mom...
I am pleased that I am helping readers. I have gotten heart warming contacts form my readers. Each of the children in my home have their own set of issues as we all do. I will write on each so you have an update on the child you are most following. I need to get my schedule completed for the month of Feb..as it is upon me and I haven't started it.. this being my disability (procrastination)
