Gonna Teach Special Ed

You don’t say how old your students will be but my introduction format has often been a letter I write and then we read together on the first day of class. I ask the kids to write back as homework for that night.

Letter or not, I’d be sure to lead up to that with other information about yourself. My 5th graders enjoy knowing I have two dogs, two children, like to camp, even favorite color, favorite food kind of things seems to make them happy and offers them the kind of information that’s very real to them.

Last I talk about my feelings about school. I tell them I think school should certainly be a place where we all can learn but I also want it to be a place where we all feel comfortable and safe and look forward to coming every day. It should be a place where we can have fun as well as learn. I tell them I’m there to help them….

Only then would I talk about my own issues in school. And I’d be sure not to use the phrase learning disabled as does your post. I’d be sure to tell them that everybody learns in a different way from everybody else. Just as our fingerprints are unique, so is the way we learn unique. No one’s fingerprint is exactly like anyone else’s. We all have things we’re good at and we all have things that are hard for us. Sometimes school doesn’t pay enough attention to the things we’re good at especially if we’re really good at sports, or music, or art. School tends to pay attention to the really good readers, good mathematicians, and the people who can get their homework done on time. But I want my classroom to be a place where everybody knows they’re great.
Because you know what it feels like to not feel that way. You have some differences in your learning style that made parts of school really hard for you and made it seem like you couldn’t learn. You can learn and very well just as all of them can learn and very well but sometimes your teachers didn’t know the best way to teach you. You want to be a teacher who is always trying to find the best way to teach every student in the room.

Your good intentions and wonderful and your students will be lucky to have you. But my good intentions lead me to kindly encourage you to reconsider the implications of the phrase learning disabled for them and for you.

Good luck.

Hey Bobby,

I’m most amazed with the turn of events. As I recall, your post was a tough one, pain filled with much turmoil and distaste for the circumstances and experience of your childhood (as related to being ld). Between parents and teachers, the taste left in your mouth, as expressed in the post was a bit foul (if I am not mistaken).

You never know why life tosses you turns in the road, but odds are it was all leading up to doing something like this, if it is as you say, that it feels right and you are compelled to do this. I’ve made various career changes in the 25 (odd) years I spent after school. Most assuredly, take all you have learned from studying law, and be prepared to use some of it in areas (probably in arguments with administrators :) as life goes on.

I’m not trying to be pollyanna(ish) with you, but you can really move forward and do wonders with your life and those you touch by taking the positive stuff from your experiences and moving forward without hate, anger, regrets and other negative baggage that will drag you down and change your focus.

You are obviously well aware and qualified to understand what it feels like to be a misunderstood child with ld issues in school. Use your experiences to help you understand where these kids are coming from, don’t assume all have your identical experience, but on the other hand, know that the common thread that runs through us all (being ld myself), there are universal issues that both plague and bless the ld world.

I was in elementary and middle school in the late 60’s and early 70’s, in those days large classes were simply split into two groups; the fast and slow groups. There was a few of us that went grade to grade knowing we would be in the “slow” group. How very inspiring! I digress, and appologize.

Your choice to teach is one that must be done with passion and I’m sure you’ve got it. I can only reccomend, before the honeymoon wears off, already have in focus your goals, dreams and aspirations of what you would like to accomplish, and keep them somewhere to remind yourself, so you do not get disillusioned with the beaurocracy and idiocy of some of the policies… Please remember to choose your battles wisely, as you will probably have many opportunities to do so.

Finally, to dedicate your life to helping children in need is truly a most noble effort. I know it will be tough and demanding, but those types of efforts will reap the greatest rewards. You have my respect and appreciation for making a huge decision to do something so positive for the children, and if/when the time comes where you start to doubt yourself, know that there are people out “here/there” praying for you and your success in this endeavor.

Wishing you the best of luck.

Sincerely,

Andy

When you’re up to your ass in alligators, it can be tough to remember the initial objective was to drain the swamp! (Look out for what’s the best interest of children; and don’t get caught up battling with administrators, fellow teachers, parents…)

Congratualtions! My son had a teacher who was dyslexic and stuttered when excited or overly annoyed about something. The first day of school he explained exactly what his “disability” was and how it might show itself in the classroom. This was to a class of 3rd graders where nobody wanted to be known as “different” especially due to LD. Once he proved himself to be a great teacher to the kids (it probably took a couple of weeks) my ADD kid wanted me to come to school and explain about his “disability” to the class. I talked to the teacher, and he thought it would be a great idea and would help explain the reasons behind some of the “special” treatment that my son received from him. My son’s classmates afterwards seemed to be more understanding and helpful to my son. The teacher even told me later that several parents had called and said that their kids questioned them about what was their disability, and why didn’t they have a disability like the teacher and my son? Did it make my son feel special instead of different? It sure did but it only worked because of the kind of teacher he had! Unfortunately, the district lost this terrific teacher to another district beause they were going through budget cuts at the time and could not insure that he would have a job the next year. These are the type of teachers the world needs. Because of your past difficulties, I hope you will treat these “special” kids as the special kids they really are. You are someone who can truthfully say “I know just how you feel” and mean it!

Good Luck in the future!

First, let me say that I all but agree with you.

The problem I had when growing up was not that I was called “learning disabled” but that not a single “adult” in my life made any sincere effort explaining to me what the hell that phrase meant.

I don’t believe it to be any worse to be called “learning disabled” than blind. The difference is that you don’t have to explain too much to a blind kid what not seeing is like. My whole childhood would have been made much better had someone had the personal audacity to explain to me what that phrase meant.

Secondly, I am not sure if a letter will suffice. Why should I explain to my students and introduce myself in a letter? It seems (a) impersonal and (b) may only play into the weakness of some learning disabled students whose visual processing deficits may only make “my introduction” unclear to them. I don’t wish to give those students headaches in merely trying to explain to them my own disability, and in the process, explain to them about their own.

Yep, that was me being a jackass! Glad you remember my better side :-)

And yes I agree teaching is a noble endeavor but it’s also a job with some pretty good perks!!!!

This is EXACTLY what I hope to do for every child I meet.

God bless that teacher for what he did for your child. I must say that I am envious of your child I wish I had a teacher like him when I was a kid.

This is EXACTLY what I hope to do for every child I meet.

God bless that teacher for what he did for your child. I must say that I am envious of your child I wish I had a teacher like him when I was a kid.

I hope you do well. You are the type of teachers this world needs. My 2 kids have each been able to have what I would call “understanding” teachers only once in their lives. I always think of what they could be capable of doing today if they had teachers like these two for every grade. Nothing could have held them back! Don’t let these kids down. Remember, they are your number one cause. They are looking to you for the help and guidance they need. Always be available for them no matter how tired, grumpy, disgusted you are. You are the one who could make all of the difference in their lives. You are the one who the parents and kids could be talking about years later and how you made the difference for them. Good luck!

Dear Bobby,
I am glad things are going well for you. I know from my own personal experiences with having a learning disability,and having two boys who also have a learning disability,that knowing someone who understands is a wonderful thing. I wish you all the best. I do hope that the pain of your school experience will be elleviated by the time you enter your first class. What will you do when the pain is realized again when your sitting in the first IEP,and the school administrator is railroading a student of yours? I ask out of pure innocent curiousity,because I know everytime my children felt the pain of being discriminated against,or the pain of being forgotten,mistreated,or generally taught by another teacher who just didn’t get it,that my own personal pain came back ,and it came back twofold,because it was my kid, they were doing it to this time. Although being a parent is far different,you’ll be in back in the very same place you were long ago. Have you considered this? I would think you too,will have more emotionally invested also? How will you handle this? Just curious. Your students will know you have an LD,but what about the rest of their world? Will you tell the parents of a kid with LD that they should tell him,why he is in Special Education classes? What about the ignorant teacher they have for their next class,the one who doesn’t believe in LD? I just don’t know what I would do,if I could be such a diplomat. They would probably fire me,my first week! I just couldn’t stand by and not fight for the kid,this will be a big Job.

I have a learning disabled child and a learning disabled husband. I am very appreciative for any teacher(s) who makes an effort to understand my child. Some do without effort, possibly because of personal experience.
My husband was in special ed during the early 70’s. He has no idea what his classification was. In obtaining records from his elementary and high school there were few answers. We now know that he should never of been inclusively retained in special ed. He is LD but, he has many, many strengths and is a successful adult. He too is/was very angry at his treatment, lack of understanding, lack of treating him as a person, mislabeling him as ‘retarded’, telling him ‘you can’t’, ‘you’ll never’, etc. He too came out of his school years as angry and bitter.

However, DUE to his LD & resentment at the ‘system’ he is unable to help our daughter effectively. Not only does his LD interfere with his abilities to understand and help with some homework. He also becomes frustrated & irritated when he hears, sees teachers demands, homework requirements, etc.
While your desire to be a more understanding teacher that can relate is admirable, I hope that you have ‘taken care’ of your own emotional problems where school or past errors are concerned so that it does not negatively affect your teaching. I hope that you are not there to fix the past, fix yourself, or for retribution, especially since you will be teaching in the same school you attended.
I don’t say these things lightly or to offend. I say it because I know the bitterness you feel. I see it every time my husband walks into a school building and becomes another person, and this happens at our school that is 50 miles away from his hometown. He has not, in 16 years, been able to go inside the school he attended because the past comes alive.
All I’m saying is for the GOOD of the kids make sure all YOUR demons are slayed before you enter the room.
P.S. as for the original question…it’s been our experience with our daughter (and my husband) that when she first gets to know, like and respect a person… THEN later finds out that they are LD that it makes the biggest impression. You might try that approach rather than making an “announcement” the first day/week of school.

First of all, let me make this very clear. My own special ed experience, while having been painful and having left it scars, will only make me a better special ed teacher in my view.

And I dare ANYONE to try to hurt any of kid in one of my classes, because I will fight for them till everyone “GETS IT!”

I know there will be many pains to come, but these will be way different, this time I volunteered for the duty.

I hope to be able to provide the support and be the role model many LD kids do not get.

I make this oath to you now, to be nothing but a GOOD teacher. I will do everything to find kids who have the same problems that I have and free them of the worries I had as a kid.

I will more than go to bat for my kids, I will assure they get to first base. That is my goal. Will I always succeeed? No. But I know now, as I have known for some time, that I have a great deal of talent. It is my oath to put it to its full potential to fight for the kids you all speak so rightly and so fondly.

I do not want to teach for retaliation or for revenge, but to help. I know many kids out there are going through the same exact thing that I went to. I will be there to alleviate as much of that pain as I can. I will be an example of what they can achieve despite their disabilities, as well as the best teacher that I can be. The only revenge I will gain, will be incidentally against those teachers who didn’t believe in me or who don’t believe in them. I will be more than JUST a teacher (although that is noble enough in itself) but I will be their as an advocate for the children. I will do by best by the abilities given me by God and allow my bad experiences to guide me to where I should not go. I promise to be the best teacher my abilities will lead me.