Educate the Educators…
Recently, I had the wonderful opportunity to speak in front of a group of special education and some regular education students at Cabrini College. At the end of my first group, one of the professors asked the most poignant question possible and I thank my lucky stars that she had the foresight to ask it… “To these students who will be going into regular classes, etc, what is the best piece of advice you can give them regarding the kids?” THANK YOU!!!! My response was simple… Do not forget about the kids. I realize that there are politics, guidelines and red tape with the schools, but you need to make sure the child’s best interest comes first. Listen to the parents. We are not asking for trips to Disney. We simply want our children to have productive educational experiences and we want the school district to do their part to ensure that is happening. We want to make sure our child is not left behind.
This is NOT too much to ask. It is NOT too much to ask for the school system to do their jobs. It truly isn’t. It IS a shame that we have to fight the schools as much as we do to get simple accommodations for our kids just so they can succeed in school. Trust me, I do not think there is one parent who actually wished or is excited their special needs kiddo had it so hard and experiences greater struggles and obstacles then the rest of their classmates. Believe me, I don’t. I will be the first one to tell you, the extra challenges Dominic faces in school is NOT fun. It is NOT a pleasure cruise to have to go to all of these meetings, etc, JUST to make sure my son can fare well in school, especially since I have another child at home who also needs my time and attention. Nope. Not my idea of paradise at all. However, this is what it is and this is what I must do as a parent. I’m not a super parent. Just a parent. As a parent, you do ALL that you have to for your child(ren).
So parents, I ask you… What is it that YOU would like your school system, teacher, etc, to know about your child. What could they be doing differently to provide a better learning environment for your kiddo? Let’s hear your thoughts…
Signed,
A dad fighting for his kid.
Saturday, April 14th 2012 at 10:57 pm |
I would like schools to teach tolerance to all the children. While I know it’s important for my son to learn the rules of life, I am a firm believer in teaching all children how to be compassionate to others regardless of differences.
Tuesday, July 3rd 2012 at 2:28 am |
I once had an advocate lay it on the line for me. She said, “The school district is not your friend, they are not there in the best interest of your child and they only want to save money.” Shortly after we filed a due process suit against our district. After our attorney pulled our son out of school for the rest of the year, he got a new teacher, and twice as much OT, PT, AP, and speech therapy each week as he was getting. He is also receiving outside tutoring and OT at district expense all because they were failing my son so miserably. This year was very different and my son is thriving and so much happier. I want the districts to do what is right, not above and beyond but APPROPRIATE. My child has an IQ over 100 and he scores over the top on his cognative ability. He is able to learn. It’s their job to figure out how to do it.
Wednesday, October 31st 2012 at 9:34 am |
I think there is so much to be done within the schools. They need to find a way to give these children the best education but in a way that is fit for them you find that the only choices you are given is a self contained class with children who may be too low functioning or an inclusion class with 25 or more kids now if you have a child with sensory issues this can be overwhelming and if you ask for a one on one its like pulling teeth. I know money is always an issue but so is the fact that our children are left with being put in situations that are not productive. I am disgusted with the current system we have and I want no I need something to be done