I know we all claim to be tough guys at one point,

[irish]

Being a Special Education Teacher for almost a decade I have seen many different types of disabilities that prevent children from having a "normal" life. Kids with physical ailments as well as mental. I myself, have had to deal with autism (where kids were still wearing diapers at the age of 13/14, can't drink from a cup or feed themselves, oppositional defiant kids, visually impaired kids, kids with IQ's in the 40s, kids with hydrocephalus ( excessive cerebrospinal fluid on the brain) requiring shunts to drain the fluid into their stomach in order to get rid of it and then at times needing to go back for surgery to unblock a shunt as the fluid backs up and creates a pouch of liquid in the stomach, learning disabilities of all types (dyslexia), speech problems, etc. Point is I see these unfortunate souls going through life and my heart bleeds for them as I continue attempting to help make life more manageable, while hoping to teach them something that'll be of some use in a workshop or work program some day.

 

What types of things do you guys encounter or have seen that can stop you in your tracks and make you think long and hard about life and what you have that others don't or what difficulties you might share with others that makes life more challenging for you?

Edited January 8, 2007 by irish

[Ursa Majoris]

 

What types of things do you guys encounter or have seen that can stop you in your tracks and make you think long and hard about life and what you have that others don't or what difficulties you might share with others that makes life more challenging for you?

 

Nothing even approaching what you deal with. My hat is off to you.

[cre8tiff]

It's pretty tough sitting in on my adopted son's therapy sessions. He has had a recent setback after learning his sister (who was in another adoption placement) was pregnant and kicked out of her house. No one knows where she is. We suspect the druggie birth family knows, but doesn't want to tell anyone.

 

He wanted to call her on Christmas and so that is when we learned. Been a tough few weeks.

 

 

EDIT: Oh, and BTW she's 15.

Edited January 8, 2007 by cre8tiff

[irish]

It's pretty tough sitting in on my adopted son's therapy sessions. He has had a recent setback after learning his sister (who was in another adoption placement) was pregnant and kicked out of her house. No one knows where she is. We suspect the druggie birth family knows, but doesn't want to tell anyone.

 

He wanted to call her on Christmas and so that is when we learned. Been a tough few weeks.

EDIT: Oh, and BTW she's 15.

 

 

Yeah that's brutal because that is your family dealing with those issues and they're always there in the forefront. I at least get to leave school and head home to my family to take a breather.

[cre8tiff]

Yeah that's brutal because that is your family dealing with those issues and they're always there in the forefront. I at least get to leave school and head home to my family to take a breather.

 

 

It's interesting you teach these kids, in NOvember we had to make a very difficult decision to place our son in an ED classroom, based on his RAD behaviors. We struggled mightily to mainstream him, but he has a fairly tough mix of PST and RAD. As a byproduct of this he is exhibiting behavoirs that are similar to ODD, but in a passive way. He will DO the homework, then throw it away instead of turning it in. He wouldn't finish worksheets. When the teacher insisted he must finish the worksheet to be done, he would put the same answer for every question. Passive aggressive stuff like that. We put him in the ED classroom, (with both BD, ED and physically disabled (PD?) kids. It seems to be going OK, but the first day really had an impact on him. We are just hoping and praying he doesn't slide into more agressive behaviors.

 

Sounds harsh, but it is a real eye-opener to go from hoping your kid will be a success in life to hoping your kid will stay out of jail and not hurt people.

[godtomsatan]

What types of things do you guys encounter or have seen that can stop you in your tracks and make you think long and hard about life and what you have that others don't or what difficulties you might share with others that makes life more challenging for you?

 

 

This?

[irish]

After going through all I do during one day, the added insult to injury is when someone says to me, " You put up with all that and make how much?!?"

 

I respond with something I read once by saying (and of course this applies to only some of the kids I work with):

 

I make kids work harder than they ever thought they could.

I make a C+ feel like the Congressional Medal of Honor.

I make kids sit through 40 minutes of class time when their parents can't

make them sit for 5 without an I Pod, Game Cube or movie rental.

I make them question.

I make them criticize.

I make them apologize and mean it.

I make them have respect and take responsibility for their actions.

I teach them to write and then I make them write.

I make them read, read, read.

I make them show all their work in math.

I make my students from other countries learn everything they need

To know in English while preserving their unique cultural identity.

I make my classroom a place where all my students feel safe.

Finally, I make them understand that if they use the gifts they were given,

work hard, and follow their hearts, they can succeed in life.

 

I MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

 

"Teachers make every other profession "

[PantherDave]

I cry every time I have to spank one of my kids(two girls)-privatly of course. It does of course hurt them alittle and for that breif instance they are scared of their father-I hate that with a passion. I now fully understand what my parents meant when they said-"This hurts me more than it does you.".

[irish]

It's interesting you teach these kids, in NOvember we had to make a very difficult decision to place our son in an ED classroom, based on his RAD behaviors. We struggled mightily to mainstream him, but he has a fairly tough mix of PST and RAD. As a byproduct of this he is exhibiting behavoirs that are similar to ODD, but in a passive way. He will DO the homework, then throw it away instead of turning it in. He wouldn't finish worksheets. When the teacher insisted he must finish the worksheet to be done, he would put the same answer for every question. Passive aggressive stuff like that. We put him in the ED classroom, (with both BD, ED and physically disabled (PD?) kids. It seems to be going OK, but the first day really had an impact on him. We are just hoping and praying he doesn't slide into more agressive behaviors.

 

Sounds harsh, but it is a real eye-opener to go from hoping your kid will be a success in life to hoping your kid will stay out of jail and not hurt people.

 

I deal with these types of decisions with Case Managers/Child Study Teams very often.

 

Sometimes just seeing how other kids "misbehave"/struggle can be enough to motivate others to improve. Then again they might also regress just to fit in. You never know.

[irish]

I cry every time I have to spank one of my kids(two girls)-privatly of course. It does of course hurt them alittle and for that breif instance they are scared of their father-I hate that with a passion. I now fully understand what my parents meant when they said-"This hurts me more than it does you.".

 

 

My mother used to say this to me all the time and when I was little it pissed me off as I thought she was just saying that. But now I realize that she was being 100% truthful. She kept me home from my last 8th grade dance just because I mouthed off once and later she told me that while I cried upstairs in my room she cried downstairs in the livingroom. "Tough Love" pays off though and I hope to be as successful as she was/is when it comes to being a parent.

[The Holy Roller]

I applaud all the Special Ed teachers. I don't know how they do the miracles that they do. I teach 7th grade history and I get everyone as their mainstream class. This year I have boy with Tourettes (cursing, head banging, uncontrollable limb movements, etc) and I cannot imagine how his folks live with it 24/7. I just have him 2 hours a day. Kids will tell you anything once they know you like them and treat them with a little love. Some of the stories... And I have a boy who just told the counselor that they haven't had electricity for three weeks at his house. And kids that are hungry because there's no food at home. They get breakfast and lunch here and that's it.

 

So, yeah, it's things like that.

[sundaynfl]

Special Education teachers and the parents of Special children are amazing people! In High School I helped out at a Special Summer Camp and it was very rewarding but very tough work!

 

My son has definitely helped to reopen my eyes as to how fortunate our family is... one of his first grade classmates has Cerebral Palsy and is confined to his motorized wheelchair and can only speak through a computerized voice. My son stood by his new friend as several of his friends shunned the "Special" kid; my wife and I were actually concerned that our son would loose his other friends, since he would stay by Carson's side as all the other kids would play at recess... it's been five months now and all the other kids have accepted Carson and he is now incorporated into the games at recess! When we celebrated my sons birthday party this weekend it was amazing to see my son and Carson light up when they saw eachother, communicating through hugs, handholding and smiles! We can all learn a lot from our children!

 

Carson also has a twin sister that is not special needs, but his father is paralyzed from the waist down and is an inspiration as well. He drives a special van in which he pulls up to school crawls out, grabs his wheelchair hops in and then gets the kids out of the van. It may take him three times as long as the rest of us but it is pretty amazing! His mom is also very active with him and the school and an amazing member of an amazing family!

[irish]

I applaud all the Special Ed teachers. I don't know how they do the miracles that they do. I teach 7th grade history and I get everyone as their mainstream class. This year I have boy with Tourettes (cursing, head banging, uncontrollable limb movements, etc) and I cannot imagine how his folks live with it 24/7. I just have him 2 hours a day. Kids will tell you anything once they know you like them and treat them with a little love. Some of the stories... And I have a boy who just told the counselor that they haven't had electricity for three weeks at his house. And kids that are hungry because there's no food at home. They get breakfast and lunch here and that's it.

 

So, yeah, it's things like that.

 

 

I hate hearing stories like these as these kids go through needless suffering. I've had involvement with DYFS because of things like this where kids had drug-abusing parents.

 

Special Education teachers and the parents of Special children are amazing people! In High School I helped out at a Special Summer Camp and it was very rewarding but very tough work!

 

My son has definitely helped to reopen my eyes as to how fortunate our family is... one of his first grade classmates has Cerebral Palsy and is confined to his motorized wheelchair and can only speak through a computerized voice. My son stood by his new friend as several of his friends shunned the "Special" kid; my wife and I were actually concerned that our son would loose his other friends, since he would stay by Carson's side as all the other kids would play at recess... it's been five months now and all the other kids have accepted Carson and he is now incorporated into the games at recess! When we celebrated my sons birthday party this weekend it was amazing to see my son and Carson light up when they saw eachother, communicating through hugs, handholding and smiles! We can all learn a lot from our children!

 

Carson also has a twin sister that is not special needs, but his father is paralyzed from the waist down and is an inspiration as well. He drives a special van in which he pulls up to school crawls out, grabs his wheelchair hops in and then gets the kids out of the van. It may take him three times as long as the rest of us but it is pretty amazing! His mom is also very active with him and the school and an amazing member of an amazing family!

 

 

That is a great story and Carson is a wonderful child for sticking with his gut emotions and not being deterred by other possible negative outcomes in regard to his social life.

[Skippy]

Irish – I have an autistic nephew that went though the first three grades without any sort of autistic diagnosis. He is very high functioning boy that had some very amazing skills at a very young age. However, you just sort of knew that something was not exactly right with him. He was such a nice kid with great manners and all that teachers just sort of pushed him along. He was tested by the school physiologist at the age of seven but that drunken misfit completely dropped the ball on him. Two more years go by and the problems start becoming more and more noticeable. Lots of little quirky things but the whole time this is such a pleasant boy that no one sounds any alarms. Sixth grade comes and by now this boy is being tortured for being different. He has a lunch box that is a cartoon and the older kids make fun of him. He has no defense skills at all. He is pushed and kicked and just flat out picked on daily. By the end of that year he is very depressed and not that same happy boy. My sister is up at the school daily and actually volunteers so that she can be near him. She witness’ three bullies kick him down some steps and stop him lunch box.

 

That day I witnessed that saddest thing in my life and that includes seeing both my parents die.

 

My nephew is sitting on the porch crying. He tells me that he knows that he is weird but he can’t help it. He says that he knows that he is causing his mother a lot of pain by not being smart enough to fight back. He told me that he can not take another day like this one. He wishes that he could just be a normal boy or that the other boys could be him for one day just to see what it is like. He tells me that he thinks it would be better if he died so that his mother did not need to worry about him. He knows that his mother will have to watch over him all his life. He told me that he is going to really think about making it so that she never has to worry.

 

That boy is now 18 and still very quirky. However, he is travel trained and works two different jobs. He is most reliable person in this world that I know. Yes he is weird. Yes he is always going to need us. Yes he knows that he is weird. “Weird” is his word, by the way.

 

Now my favorite part of the story. About three months ago he called me on my cell phone. He told me that he has a girlfriend that is just like him. He told me that he knows that he is too young for love but he and Julie are in it. He explained about his attempt at safe sex with Julie and that the two of them are going to get married because “we are perfect for each other”.

 

Well, day to day life goes on and I really do believe that this two kids are going to spend life together. They watch out for each other like you would not believe. They are both high functioning assburger(sp) kids that take classes together to learn to live together.

 

That’s it for now. Just finally seemed like the right place to put this out there.

 

Oh and Irish – I commend you for what you do. I have seen a lot of the autistic life from kids not a lucky as my nephew and it really does take special people for these kids.

[broncosn05]

think long and hard about life and what you have that others don't

 

You're talkinf about Frank Gore, right?

[irish]

Irish – I have an autistic nephew that went though the first three grades without any sort of autistic diagnosis. He is very high functioning boy that had some very amazing skills at a very young age. However, you just sort of knew that something was not exactly right with him. He was such a nice kid with great manners and all that teachers just sort of pushed him along. He was tested by the school physiologist at the age of seven but that drunken misfit completely dropped the ball on him. Two more years go by and the problems start becoming more and more noticeable. Lots of little quirky things but the whole time this is such a pleasant boy that no one sounds any alarms. Sixth grade comes and by now this boy is being tortured for being different. He has a lunch box that is a cartoon and the older kids make fun of him. He has no defense skills at all. He is pushed and kicked and just flat out picked on daily. By the end of that year he is very depressed and not that same happy boy. My sister is up at the school daily and actually volunteers so that she can be near him. She witness’ three bullies kick him down some steps and stop him lunch box.

 

That day I witnessed that saddest thing in my life and that includes seeing both my parents die.

 

My nephew is sitting on the porch crying. He tells me that he knows that he is weird but he can’t help it. He says that he knows that he is causing his mother a lot of pain by not being smart enough to fight back. He told me that he can not take another day like this one. He wishes that he could just be a normal boy or that the other boys could be him for one day just to see what it is like. He tells me that he thinks it would be better if he died so that his mother did not need to worry about him. He knows that his mother will have to watch over him all his life. He told me that he is going to really think about making it so that she never has to worry.

 

That boy is now 18 and still very quirky. However, he is travel trained and works two different jobs. He is most reliable person in this world that I know. Yes he is weird. Yes he is always going to need us. Yes he knows that he is weird. “Weird” is his word, by the way.

 

Now my favorite part of the story. About three months ago he called me on my cell phone. He told me that he has a girlfriend that is just like him. He told me that he knows that he is too young for love but he and Julie are in it. He explained about his attempt at safe sex with Julie and that the two of them are going to get married because “we are perfect for each other”.

 

Well, day to day life goes on and I really do believe that this two kids are going to spend life together. They watch out for each other like you would not believe. They are both high functioning assburger(sp) kids that take classes together to learn to live together.

 

That’s it for now. Just finally seemed like the right place to put this out there.

 

Oh and Irish – I commend you for what you do. I have seen a lot of the autistic life from kids not a lucky as my nephew and it really does take special people for these kids.

 

 

It's Asperger's but the way you spelled it brought a smile to my face and made me hungry at the same time. I tell you what the one autistic boy I have this year is very high functioning but, I'm going to steal your nephew's word, weird. I see other kids go to make fun of him and I get very defensive telling them that they should be as nice as he is. He's incredibly sensitive and always wants the best grades (A+) and if he doesn't get them he will begin to cry and actually pull at the skin on his neck. He sometimes tells his mother who I talk to everyday for 15 min. or so that he doesn't want to come to school when the kids make fun of him or he gets a grade he doesn't accept. He is one of my most special cases ever and regardless of his abilities I'm filled with sadness wondering what will happen to him in years to come.

 

You're talkinf about Frank Gore, right?

 

 

He's always secretly on my mind you know that.

Edited January 9, 2007 by irish

[isleseeya]

Irish you are the man and a good man ....children are gifts , period ...and when I see any child suffer , I feel for them ...that is what breaks me down th most

 

Well done again as it pertains to your job and what you do ...it is truly great

[Doc Holliday]

You deserve all the respect in the world Irish.

 

And you DO make a difference.

 

I have a Autistic nephew and we can only hope he ends up with someone like you helping him grow once he hits school.

[skins]

Good for you Irish. You are doing something vert good and should be applauded.

 

My sister in law is severely mentally handicapped and just spent Christmas up here with her new niece. My wife will get custody eventually and she will come live with us. It is sobering and makes me very thankful at the same time.

[irish]

Irish you are the man and a good man ....children are gifts , period ...and when I see any child suffer , I feel for them ...that is what breaks me down th most

 

Well done again as it pertains to your job and what you do ...it is truly great

 

 

 

You deserve all the respect in the world Irish.

 

And you DO make a difference.

 

I have a Autistic nephew and we can only hope he ends up with someone like you helping him grow once he hits school.

 

 

 

Good for you Irish. You are doing something vert good and should be applauded.

 

My sister in law is severely mentally handicapped and just spent Christmas up here with her new niece. My wife will get custody eventually and she will come live with us. It is sobering and makes me very thankful at the same time.

 

 

I thank you guys for the kind words and appreciate you taking the time to share them. Many people get into my profession for all the wrong reasons and I work with some of those people on a daily basis and they are what's wrong with education. They work for the time off, benefits, retirement plans, etc. and their (school) children are the ones that suffer. I've been known to select my moments wisely and let some of them have it for their poor choices when it comes to their students. I have known since I was in 6th and 7th grade that I wanted to teach and help children/people with special needs and started with a Religious Ed. program in my home town and the rest is history. It's funny how I started this thread sharing my feelings about how as tough as I may be on the exterior at times, my school kids bring out my softer side. I wondered what some of the things were that brought out the softer side for you guys and have found that my example is shared by all of you.

[Yukon Cornelius]

I thank you guys for the kind words and appreciate you taking the time to share them. Many people get into my profession for all the wrong reasons and I work with some of those people on a daily basis and they are what's wrong with education. They work for the time off, benefits, retirement plans, etc. and their (school) children are the ones that suffer. I've been known to select my moments wisely and let some of them have it for their poor choices when it comes to their students. I have known since I was in 6th and 7th grade that I wanted to teach and help children/people with special needs and started with a Religious Ed. program in my home town and the rest is history. It's funny how I started this thread sharing my feelings about how as tough as I may be on the exterior at times, my school kids bring out my softer side. I wondered what some of the things were that brought out the softer side for you guys and have found that my example is shared by all of you.

 

yah i bet youre well loved buy the other staff... nuthing like pullin you're own chain... usually avoid those types as much as i can...

 

but im glad to see you enjoy what you do, we dont have enough teacher that care, doesn't matter why...

 

oh how long have you been teaching???

[CarryTheRock]

I work in Social Work and feel bad for the kids in the houses I have to go in on a daily basis.

[irish]

yah i bet youre well loved buy the other staff... nuthing like pullin you're own chain... usually avoid those types as much as i can...

 

but im glad to see you enjoy what you do, we dont have enough teacher that care, doesn't matter why...

 

oh how long have you been teaching???

 

 

You may have been being sarcastic with this statement and that's cool but if not ...

 

Selecting my moments to tell others off had/has nothing to do with pullin my own chain, tooting my own horn, patting myself on the back, etc. and everything to do with being pissed off about another teacher reading the newspaper with their feet up on the desk while their kids do worksheet after worksheet while getting no personalized attention which is why they're in that environment/setting to begin with. I never embarrass someone in front of other people. I've gotten I.E.P.'s (Individualized Education Plans) from teachers of students that I have currently and they had the year before and their P.L.E.P. (Present Levels of Educational Performance) which is supposed to explain all the child's strengths and weaknesses just says, This child struggles in many areas and needs alot of help. I'm like this is all you have for a written report on this child's abilities and you call yourself a professional?!?!?!? I'm am not only very well liked and respected in my school but also in the district as a whole. I didn't start this thread to compliment myself and certainly won't turn it into one to do so. I am very happy teaching and have been doing so for 8 years with a certificate and several years longer without.

[cre8tiff]

You may have been being sarcastic with this statement and that's cool but if not ...

 

Selecting my moments to tell others off had/has nothing to do with pullin my own chain, tooting my own horn, patting myself on the back, etc. and everything to do with being pissed off about another teacher reading the newspaper with their feet up on the desk while their kids do worksheet after worksheet while getting no personalized attention which is why they're in that environment/setting to begin with. I never embarrass someone in front of other people. I've gotten I.E.P.'s (Individualized Education Plans) from teachers of students that I have currently and they had the year before and their P.L.E.P. (Present Levels of Educational Performance) which is supposed to explain all the child's strengths and weaknesses just says, This child struggles in many areas and needs alot of help. I'm like this is all you have for a written report on this child's abilities and you call yourself a professional?!?!?!? I'm am not only very well liked and respected in my school but also in the district as a whole. I didn't start this thread to compliment myself and certainly won't turn it into one to do so. I am very happy teaching and have been doing so for 8 years with a certificate and several years longer without.

 

 

I have to agree. In my son's IEPs it has been a real battle with ignorant teachers who think they can analyze his disability (Just dose him on Ritalin and he'll be fine), or judge us (Why are you being so harsh on him). We go to battle every time, because it is what is needed from us. It would be easy to see someone without the dogged determination we have knuckling under to the pressure from the teachers and doing precisely the WRONG thing for our son, just because they said so.

[The Holy Roller]

You may have been being sarcastic with this statement and that's cool but if not ...

 

Selecting my moments to tell others off had/has nothing to do with pullin my own chain, tooting my own horn, patting myself on the back, etc. and everything to do with being pissed off about another teacher reading the newspaper with their feet up on the desk while their kids do worksheet after worksheet while getting no personalized attention which is why they're in that environment/setting to begin with. I never embarrass someone in front of other people. I've gotten I.E.P.'s (Individualized Education Plans) from teachers of students that I have currently and they had the year before and their P.L.E.P. (Present Levels of Educational Performance) which is supposed to explain all the child's strengths and weaknesses just says, This child struggles in many areas and needs alot of help. I'm like this is all you have for a written report on this child's abilities and you call yourself a professional?!?!?!? I'm am not only very well liked and respected in my school but also in the district as a whole. I didn't start this thread to compliment myself and certainly won't turn it into one to do so. I am very happy teaching and have been doing so for 8 years with a certificate and several years longer without.

 

 

And I believe this is the crux that hangs so many people in the educational field. Teachers biitch and moan about no respect, low pay, etc, yet when it comes to being a "professional" many are sadly lacking. I have a lot of fun with my kids but I take what I do with a professional attitude and expect that same degree of professionalism from my comrades. When educators don't do their professional duties it results in some kids being ripped off of the education/help they're supposed to be getting. So Irish, keep doing what you're doing and thanks for being a professional teacher.