What might be making you a tad apprehensive, but might not, as it's too soon to tell

[Sundae]

The teachers I work with have SEN (special education needs) children in their classroom with no special training. From what I can gather. Just what they had originally. Then again, I'm basing this mostly on the teacher who I worked with for a year, last year, who had no idea how much I despised bananas.

She did say, and I believe I quote accurately, "I know nothing about autism." As if it was something she would be adding to her CV.

LSAs who work with autistic children, Downs Syndrome children and children with other named needs, get to go on courses. But sometimes the teachers are obstructive when it comes to implementing teaching techniques specific to a child's needs. Mrs Banana (NOT Monster's MIL!) was very much a fan of "He needs to learn that he can't/ must/ should..." without considering how best to adapt that Tiger's mindset. It was assumed from the outset - as far as I can tell - that I was pandering to him and letting him get away with things. I was dealing with a boy who would go home and bash his head on the floor. Who would cry for hours on end with no explanation. Who could not understand why "Awesome Addition" ended after three minutes and not when he had finished (we dealt with this one via a social story and lots of conversation because I was there at that time of day).

I found I was torn between the SENDCO's (special educational/ disabled needs co-ordinator) ideal of how a child should be treated in class, and the everyday situation I faced. "Oh, Mrs O, if you're not doing anything..." was common if I was sitting with Tiger on the carpet, especially when the children had been asked to discuss things with a talk-partner. So off I'd go to the photocopier. No, it wasn't beneath me, but I'm not sure it was what the school had been allocated the budget for.

Now, luckily, the new SENDCO is the Deputy Head. I adore her. She's the reason I got into this in the first place. She's a teacher, and a bloody good one, as well as being a kind disiplinarian. She knows the time constraints. She's also been through all the files in detail and communicated to the teachers. "He'll have to learn..." has been replaced by "How can we help him with this?"

I had a minor adjustment the other day when Ms Mc walked past us reading in the corridor. It's a public place but removed from the classroom because that's too busy for an Asbie child. "No, you don't snuggle up to Mrs O, you sit up straight like a good boy" and then "Well done". I'm naughty, I let these things slide. But by telling him firmly and nicely she was also telling me and I will remember. That's one of the reasons to sit in a public space as he gets older after all. He loves to sniff, and although we never cuddle he does sometimes press his nose into my arm as reassurance.

Bin blathering on for ages. Soz.

[sexobon]

Originally Posted by Griff

... I'm leading this horse to water but she continuously turns her nose up to it. ...

You can lead a horse to water but you can't make it drink, not unless you give it a rap in the throat. ~ Rodney Dangerfield

[Griff]

Originally Posted by Sundae

Now, luckily, the new SENDCO is the Deputy Head. I adore her. She's the reason I got into this in the first place. She's a teacher, and a bloody good one, as well as being a kind disiplinarian. She knows the time constraints. She's also been through all the files in detail and communicated to the teachers. "He'll have to learn..." has been replaced by "How can we help him with this?"

This is precisely what I'm trying to show her. This is a woman who took a child's schedule (best practice btw) away from him because it was too distracting... for her I think. She doesn't understand typical children of this age group let alone my guys. I may have had a small break through with her last week when she watched as I guided an undiagnosed but obviously somewhere on the spectrum girl through a couple pieces of playground equipment that terrified her preventing her from being with a girl she's bonded with. It took maybe ten minutes of really focused support to get her jumping up and down on the bridge with her friends and accepting that others would do the same. It isn't rocket surgery, you just have to look at the world through that child's eyes.

[xoxoxoBruce]

Yes, the Temple Grandin view. The knack, you gots it.

[Clodfobble]

Originally Posted by Griff

This is a woman who took a child's schedule (best practice btw) away from him because it was too distracting... for her I think.

OMG WTF. I haven't even seen a gen. ed. teacher be that stupid. How can you have special ed training and not understand the necessity of schedules?

[DanaC]

Well, I have no training in that regard, but understand the need for schedules for autistic children. Actually, not just for autistic children. There are many kids for whom a schedule is a saving grace, an anchor that makes sense of the world.

Setting aside training, how has that teacher not just picked that up from general culture? Presented with pupils with special needs in her class, how has she not just done a quick google? How the fuck can anybody not know this stuff, let alone someone with special training?

[Griff]

She's the gen ed teacher but is a couple credits from dual certification. She actually complains about college instructors who don't know anything about real classrooms.

[DanaC]

Ffs.

I've known a few people like her in adult education. People who, when faced with mildly learning disabled adults who've dropped out of schooling because of the massive barriers to learning that they faced, try to recreate a classroom atmosphere and treat them like recalcitrant children. Confirming all their initial anxieties and further entrenching barriers.

[limey]

Mr Limey had a cold all last week, gradually turning into a cough but we decided not to go see the doc on Friday. All weekend the cough and breathlessness kept getting worse and worse so I decided to take him to the ER in our little cottage hospital, and they've decided to keep him for a couple of days .
Obviously there they've got the anti-biotics (giving him them IV), oxygen if required etc., but I wasn't expecting to come home without him. What's making me uneasy is that they called in the radiographer to xray him. Straight away. On a Sunday evening.

[Clodfobble]

An xray means they're checking for pneumonia. Hope Mr. Limey feels better soon!

[orthodoc]

Sorry it's been a nerve-wracking day, but sounds like they're doing good things for Mr. Limey ... hope he improves quickly! Sending good vibes and positive thoughts.

[Big Sarge]

prayers sent for mr. limey

[monster]

trading in my paid off car of 12 years in which we've created 100s of thousands of miles of happy road trip memories for a new car with a payment

[glatt]

Congrats! What did you get? Did you go with the Town and Country?

[monster]

grand caravan. 1pm. I are afraid.