bush and special education

Of course not. My neuro tests are scheduled for next month and I’ve been warned they will cost me $150/hour for 6-10 hours worth + the initial 1 hr consult, and I’ve been told that’s a relatively good cost. Adult testing is not covered by insurance either. Knowing what the tests can tell us is only half the battle, that knowledge must be put to appropriate use in order to have an effect on our lives.. Without the tests, we don’t get that chance…

What group are you talking about? SPED is a whole other can of worms. Traditional education benefits kids who fall into that narrow part of the spectrum currently labeled normal because they are the most easily accomodated using current teaching methods. If standard teaching methods are overhauled and revised to embrace a larger percentage of kids, (I’m talking about changes in method and tools that benefit all students in one way or another) there wouldn’t be so many that are labeled “special needs”. Few school systems have the budget to support SPED for all of them. These kids fall through the cracks and are blamed for their difficulties because the system either can’t accomodate them, or accomodates them poorly.. It’s appauling.

I want to be clear that I think there are many dedicated SPEDand traditional teachers who deserve an award for their persistent compassion and dedication in the face of budget constraints, administrative nightnares, and not much personal compensation. I believe the problem lies with how those teachers are trained and how they are expected to function within an archaic system..Additionally, as more is understood about LDs, teachers should all be required to educate themselves about what to look for, and how to deal with a a child who is struggling in school appropriately.

I really hate the term “disability”. In this context it’s based on the most convenient definition of what makes a person “able”. Testing, painful as it is, tells us what we need to know. Without awareness of what we are struggling with we are powerless over it, and that is what’s disabling.

Bush and education in the same sentence just doesn’t make sense. Here are some word that go with Bush: Oil, Money, Coup deTage, Cocaine, War, Murdering the Retarded, Puppet

I think trying to modify educational methods to accomodate LD student could end up trying to put a square peg in a round hole which is what we al ready have. Even with more effective education we will still end up with square pegs and still no square holes for them.

Education methods need to be updated as we learn more about LDs, the current system is archaic and the current view of what’s normal hurts kids unnecessarily.

There will always be kids that fall outside whatever the established definition of the “norm” is, my thoughts were to decrease that number as much as possible so limited resources intended to benefit SPED kids may actually do just that. SPED student teacher ratios would improve in a big way, and there will be far less strain on SPED budgets.

I’m talking about simple things. For example, when the teacher speaks, there could always be a clear visual instead of chicken scratch handwriting on a chalkboard; a computer generated presentation (there are several programs out there designed for teachers specifically for this purpose). A handout with exactly the same clearly organized visuals to take home. This makes it more fun for all kids, but it also pulls in kids who have auditory or organizational note taking problems. There would be less stigma too because they wouldn’t need something different than their classmates are getting. There are lots of things along these lines that cumulatively can make a big difference for a whole lot of kids.

Assistive technology already makes a big difference for lots of kids, usually those with parents who do the research and provide it themselves. Too many teachers are technology phobic and don’t understand the value in it. They need to be educated, and that needs to be a requirement not an option. I’ve heard of teachers who have such equipment in storage because they don’t know what to do with it. What a shame for the struggling kids down the hall who would benefit so greatly by it.

There are lots of things that can be done that aren’t.

Audrey,

You make an excellent point. More technology should be used in learning.

Why not put headphones on LD and ADD kids while the teacher is lecturing? (low tech and inexpensive)

Overhead projector instead of notes. Also darkerrooms offer less distractability.

There is so much that could be done with out spending money.

We all absorb at different rates. I am super slow but I can win a jeopardy.

Ball,

There are things called FM systems that are used with kids who have APD, or mild hearing loss. I don’t know a lot about it but it is being done for some. The problems within the current system are that things like this fall under the heading of SPED, and there’s never enough money in those budgets to accomodate all those kids. In order to get one of these systems, a child must first have a particular diagnosis that the school accepts. The schools sometimes argue with the diagnosis, and I believe that is often motivated by budget concerns. Once the diagnosis is accepted, a written plan must be implemented and followed through on by the SPED teacher. The equipment must be purchased and the traditional teacher must be trained. Too many steps, too much time, too many ways it can go wrong. It can take months or years to get an IEP in place.All that time the child is suffering, and so are the parents. I’m on a couple of list groups for people with APD, and parents of children with APD, and it’s heartbreaking how many obstacles these parents face with their kids every single day. It’s a struggle to get the services every step of the way. These are the good parents, the ones who understand what their kids are struggling with and desparately want to give them the best possible chance at life, and they are just being told “sorry”. The ones who get what their kids need can afford to make it a full time job to follow up and make sure it happens. This system is broken, obsolete, tangled in so much red tape it’s amazing anyone gets past it. Those kids need all of us to speak out, and this board is a good place to start. The system is fighting against them, not for them.

I took a workshop recently on assistive technology, thought it would give me some ideas back when I was so sure I had APD. There really are a lot of tools out there, both hardware and software. They showed us something called an Alphasmart, which is just an inexpensive portable word processor with a full size keyboard. It’s very user friendly, apparently kids take to it quite naturally, and it cuts way down on distractability. Less than 1/10th the cost of a laptop, some schools buy them in bulk. One of the teachers in this workshop is one I mentioned earlier who had a closet full and didn’t know what to do with them. She’s one of the few who are willing to learn about it on her own, we need more like her, and everyone else who was there for that workshop.

Kinda makes you wanna go to the school with a flame thrower.

If were a teacher I would go to my local Radio Shack and fork over 50 bucks for a Mr. Microphone and a couple of FM radios with head phones.

When I was in Jr High some of the teacher used to put brand new winter coats, gloves, and boots it the poor kids lockers.

Teachers today need a lesson in humanity.

I am sick to death of politcs.

Well, there are good teachers and bad teachers, but they didn’t create the problem. They are working within a system that resists change. Changes in educational administration, where policy is set, must come first.

In order to accomodate what we’ve learned about LDs in the last 30 years, we need a new overhauled system that is based on different standards. Trying to squeeze an accomodation in here and there no longer works with the current system, which was designed a loooong time ago. Our knowledge about LDs has increased astronomically in the last 30 years and the current system just wasn’t built to handle it. Without major changes in how all kids are educated, all this new knowledge can’t effectively be put to use for the vast majority of kids who need it .All children would benefit from a change like this, in many different ways. If nothing else it would become a built in part of the learning process for kids to be more accepting of others who are different than they are.

Just an added thought. As I said earlier, there are good teachers and bad teachers. One teacher in the workshop I took told me she couldn’t get some assistive software approved through her budget, so she offered to buy it herself as a donation to the school. The administrators told her no, thay would not allow her to use equipment in the classroom that she bought on her own. I have no idea what their problem is, but you’ve gotta know that some of these teachers give 1000% for their students and it often puts their jobs on the line. The problem begins higher up, and that’s where it needs to be fixed.

The problem is indeed higher up therefore a flame thrower may be an effective tool as fire burns up.

Seems that the old saying is true that those who can do and those who can’t teach and those who can’t think become administrators.

All I can say is that those muckety mucks are lucky that I don’t have an LD kid in school. They’d be eating soup a lot.

We really gotta stop being nice and stop playing by the rules.

Bush and Special Education what an interesting mix. He wants to improve Education? He certainly needs to. How? With little or no funding. By passing paper laws with no Federall Funding. I personnally feel Bush probably has a learning disability just like me. He just doesn’t get it, or prehaps he’s making fun of people with LD by acting and saying LD things. The truth is IDEA is only funded 16% and many States are hurting to provide services. Same old story, no money,no resources, and who suffers? People with disabilities. Bush is all talk and no action. He should just tell the truth, but that would be to easy and no one wants to hear it. What we need is more people like myself teaching, I have a LD in math, four of my children have special needs ranging from CP to apraxia. I understand fully the rewards and challenges. I went in with my eyes wide open!!

Just take a look at the “No Child Left Behind Act” and all the empasis on National and State testing. This is such a tell tale sign of how ignorant these politicians are concerning learning differences. It’s just a matter of time before the lawsuites start flying. “You expect my child to pass these mandated tests but don’t provide funding for help to pass them?” What logic is that?

“but I can win a jeopardy.”

Yes ball, and you also have excellent ideas. Ever thought about advocacy for people with LDs as an avocation? You clearly express your ideas well in writing, and didn’t I read earlier you also had a physical handicap? Then, why not consider advocacy as a possibility? Seems obvious to me if those are your original ideas, that while you might be slow in processing, as am I, you can still get the job done, and with a creative flair. You’re just what’s needed.
SBL, I believe you are right. I have thought for a long time that Bush has learning disabilities. I recognize it in his lack of fluent speech, biting his lip, and his appearance of struggling to find words. He’s figured out he can’t compete with someone like Gore, who’s quite eloquent, while unfortunately at the same time, terribly egotistical to the point of being obnoxious. Remember how insecure Bush was in the beginning of his presidency? He’s obviously had someone working with him one on one to help him communicate as skillfully as he possibly can, because he’s improved. I don’t think he’s much of an abstract thinker though or at least he doesn’t come across as such, and he’s still only passable as a speaker, but cheers to him, if he got that far in life on daddy’s money & inspite of LDs.

If he is ever big enough to admit publicly he has LDs, then can you imagine what positive impact that could have on our community and the children within it struggling with LDs? You know his wife is bound to recognize this. She isn’t a skillful communicator either. She has taught in public schools, but I’d bet she has some LDs as well. Like tends to marry like or at least someone at the same psychological level in dealing with life.

As for Bush, and the Republican Party, they have more in common with the democratic leadership & democratic party than they do with the american public at large. I’m not sure anymore if it makes a difference who is elected.
The president doesn’t pass the laws anyway; congress does. President only has right to veto bills. And I don’t remember what the rules are about this. So that’s as far as I can take it at present.
Sorry I’m so long winded everyone, I guess ever since I figured out how to connect my thoughts in logical sequence, I like to talk (write).
Wren

This,” No Child Left Behind Act,” is a joke. We all see how it has been affecting our children. When I was a child the special education department of my school was on top of me, no fighting for you rights, they are the ones who refered me every where. My son now in 5th grade has had such bad experiance in school that I now home school him. We both have ld/adhd and it is a can be difficult to keep it together but, it beats the humiliation from teachers and the mentalitiy of fair that they have. They seem to think it is unfair to the other kids to adjust things for my son and he feels the resentment from other kids and the teachers.
We had to fight to get him the right to services at the public school. He has an IEP in place so, the school system after looking it to law, said they had to. They at first said that by home schooling I gave up those rights and they were not responable. Even after the Assistant Superintendent approval it the, Speacial Education Department, said, “It was not their resonsability.”
It took me telling them that I would be calling a lawer to get them to accomidate him.
The Special Education Department has recieved budget cuts and I’m sure that was the reason why they didn’t want to help my son. I have heard of children going from 5 days a week of help down to one as if LD just gose away. This year a new IEP will be made for my son and they know I am home schooling. I am afraid they will find a way out of making one to ease the burden they feel.
It is crazy the people who choose to go into special education are turning our kids away. I’m sure if they had the money they would help the kids who need it.
Also, Bush him self has LD and you would think he would care. But, when you have daddy, family friends in high places, and oil money to help you along I supose you don’t feel the impact like the rest of us!

let’s reember that it was under Clinton that IDEA funding wen from 10 to 17%, and Bush does ………………. yes htere is a difference, yes it does matter.

p.s. do you think those Bush twins are in Iraq right now?