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Wow! I really need to vent. I am sorry but it is a very long vent, but I really need to express it.
I'm a retired special education teacher (and now I'm a substitute teacher) in an excellent school district with excellent special education services. In fact, many families would move to our school district just because of the excellent special education programs.
It has always annoyed and upset me that there is a double standardin education regarding who is hit, kicked, bit or otherwise injured by a special education student. Time after time I have observed special education teachers or aides being hurt by out of control or emotionally disturbed students and we are usually told "It comes with the territory" or "It is part of your job" or "Just make sure that the other students don't get hurt" or something similar.
I personally have been injured severely enough to need crutches for six weeks and an arm brace for a different eight week period but was still able to work with those injuries. I was also disabled and off of work for a month due to a back injury. In each of these cases it was due to being stuck or kicked by an out of control student who needed to be on medication but wasn't or in one case the child had been on medication but the parent abrupted stopped the medication, against the advice of the doctor, without informing the school. Just to clarify, I definitely do not believe that all special education or all hyperactive or even all violent students need medication, but some students do need medications and to stay on the medications prescribed by their doctors. But my vent really isn't about medication except the the parent has told the school that "she doesn't believe in medication".
Other special education teachers, aides and therapists have been injured as well. One was kicked hard enough by an autistic student that bone in her leg was cracked, and aide received a broken bone in her arm from a student. Thankfully major injuries were/are very rare but minor injuries and bruises were/are daily events.
II have seen it happen frequently where a special education student has hurt special education staff and special education peers and nothing was done about it except to tell the special ed teacher that they were not doing a good enough job with that student. However, on the very rare occasion that a regular education teacher or student is hit, kicked, bite, struck or whatever administrators immediately get involved and discipline, suspend or transfer the student.
Continuing my vent I have a specific situation to share that made my blood boil! It is difficult to completely explain while still keeping it confidential, but I'll try. I'm even changing some details but giving you the general idea.
Last year I was a substitute special education teacher's aide for several weeks while the school district was trying to find someone to accept the position as a 1 to 1 aide with an extremely difficult to handle student with autism, mental retardation and other problems. I returned to sub aide again for several weeks when the person hired quit after a week. After the new person hired quit after a couple of weeks I was again hired as the substitute 1 to 1 aide for this student until they could find a third person to take the job. The only reason that I kept coming back was that I felt sorry for the special education teacher, other classroom aides and other special education students as they were getting hit, kicked, pushed, etc on a daily basis.
The special education teacher documented everything and followed all the procedures and didn't get any help and assistance. After a while the teacher LITERALLY BEGGED the psychologist and director of special education to observe the student as he was exceptionally complex and difficult to teach and she wanted help. Meanwhile, everyone involved with this student, special education bus drivers, aides, therapists, peers etc. were getting bruised and battered on a regular basis. This went on for almost 9 months.
Now to my main vent.
He returned to school after the summer with even more behavior problems (and his fourth 1 to 1 aide had resigned). Unfortunitely, he was now attempting to strike his special education classmates more than his usual target, the adults. Again the teacher asked for assistance in planning for this child and was basically ignored apparently because it was "only special education staff and students being hurt."
Yesterday, he hit a regular education peer while he was included in regular education music class. Within one hour the principal & director of special education had scheduled an autism specialist to come to the classroom, observe the child and assist in creating a different behavioral plan. Within three hours plans were being made to totally change his placement to 100% 1 to 1 with no contact with other students. Today, less than 24 hours after he hit a regular education peer both the psychologist and the director of special education came to his special education classroom to observe him.
Hmmm, almost nine months of hitting, kicking, slapping, throwing objects at special education staff and special education peers and nothing was done by administration but action was taken immediately when he hit a regular education peer.
Again, sorry for this very long rant but this really doesn't seem right.
Thank you for letting me vent.
Last edited by germaine2626; 09-07-2012 at 07:42 PM..
Why should staff be proactive, when they can be reactive, instead? I have been there. And I was usually the one who got the worst ones, because I was not afraid to go to the mat with parents who insist that "junior" never bites anyone else. Wrong. They just leave junior in a corner with a tv when he is not at school.
I rarely bothered administrators, they could care less. I did work with parents. That is the key.
I probably broke all the "rules", I went to kids homes, worked with families, ate tacos and barbeque with folks. They had my cell number, I had theirs, and we actually worked together. A rarity in SPED.
Why should staff be proactive, when they can be reactive, instead? I have been there. And I was usually the one who got the worst ones, because I was not afraid to go to the mat with parents who insist that "junior" never bites anyone else. Wrong. They just leave junior in a corner with a tv when he is not at school.
I rarely bothered administrators, they could care less. I did work with parents. That is the key.
I probably broke all the "rules", I went to kids homes, worked with families, ate tacos and barbeque with folks. They had my cell number, I had theirs, and we actually worked together. A rarity in SPED.
The difficulty may be hiring inexperienced teachers or staff? Not to say it is the staff's fault, but when you are new, dealing with behaviors can be more than frustrating.
I had a similar situation, except the final straw was when the principal was hit.
Eventually the administration and behavior specialist determined I was the cause of the student's behavior. I had a class of 6 very aggressive boys and ONLY one who continued to act out.
I was foolish enough to suggest that it was the child's home life (mom in and out of jail, 3-4 different boyfriends in and out of the house every month, etc..)
BUT, 99% of the time Jasper is right. My class ran like clock work as long as the admin was left out. Once they were involved--learning and social skill improvement grind to an immediate halt!
Most parents of severely impaired parents are great when it comes to support and working with behaviors.
As for the tacos and cell phone exchange, I have done this as well. It works wonderfully when parents know the classroom has their back and best interest of their child.
Admin usually has very bad reactions to this type of relationship and in my experience they will do everything to discourage this working relationship with parents outside of school.
The difficulty may be hiring inexperienced teachers or staff? Not to say it is the staff's fault, but when you are new, dealing with behaviors can be more than frustrating.
I had a similar situation, except the final straw was when the principal was hit.
Eventually the administration and behavior specialist determined I was the cause of the student's behavior. I had a class of 6 very aggressive boys and ONLY one who continued to act out.
I was foolish enough to suggest that it was the child's home life (mom in and out of jail, 3-4 different boyfriends in and out of the house every month, etc..)
BUT, 99% of the time Jasper is right. My class ran like clock work as long as the admin was left out. Once they were involved--learning and social skill improvement grind to an immediate halt!
Most parents of severely impaired parents are great when it comes to support and working with behaviors.
As for the tacos and cell phone exchange, I have done this as well. It works wonderfully when parents know the classroom has their back and best interest of their child.
Admin usually has very bad reactions to this type of relationship and in my experience they will do everything to discourage this working relationship with parents outside of school.
That happens in my district as well. When there is a child that is disruptive and out of control it is always the special education teachers fault.
Child frequently beaten by mother's drunk boyfriend...it is the teacher's fault that the child is disruptive, violent, and/or acting out.
Parents do not believe in saying "no", having rules or placing demands on child...it is the teacher's fault that the child is disruptive, violent and/or acting out.
Dad in and out of jail and Mom on drugs...it is the teacher's fault that the child is disruptive, violent and/or acting out.
Student is absent 60% to 70% of the time...it is the teacher's fault that the child is disruptive, violent and/or acting out when they do show up in school.
Child transferred from a special university program with 100% 1 to 1 instruction (part of the day even two adults working with him at one time) into a typical special education classroom with 10 students, a teacher and two aides...it is the teacher's fault that the child is disruptive, violent and/or acting out (this one was a particular nightmare for me).
Parents believe that their child does not have any problems of the type reported by the teacher and refuse to agree with the evaluations so the child is forced to stay in a totally inappropriate classroom...it is the teacher's fault that the child is disruptive, violent and/or acting out.
I could go on and on. These are all true examples from my classroom or in my building that happened within the last few years.
I agree that most parents are wonderful (or at least fairly cooperative) and most students are great, but those exceptions, together with administration, can make your life a living hell.
Thanks for letting me vent.
Last edited by germaine2626; 09-08-2012 at 07:55 AM..
Wow! I really need to vent. I am sorry but it is a very long vent, but I really need to express it.
I'm a retired special education teacher (and now I'm a substitute teacher) in an excellent school district with excellent special education services. In fact, many families would move to our school district just because of the excellent special education programs.
It has always annoyed and upset me that there is a double standardin education regarding who is hit, kicked, bit or otherwise injured by a special education student. Time after time I have observed special education teachers or aides being hurt by out of control or emotionally disturbed students and we are usually told "It comes with the territory" or "It is part of your job" or "Just make sure that the other students don't get hurt" or something similar.
I personally have been injured severely enough to need crutches for six weeks and an arm brace for a different eight week period but was still able to work with those injuries. I was also disabled and off of work for a month due to a back injury. In each of these cases it was due to being stuck or kicked by an out of control student who needed to be on medication but wasn't or in one case the child had been on medication but the parent abrupted stopped the medication, against the advice of the doctor, without informing the school. Just to clarify, I definitely do not believe that all special education or all hyperactive or even all violent students need medication, but some students do need medications and to stay on the medications prescribed by their doctors. But my vent really isn't about medication except the the parent has told the school that "she doesn't believe in medication".
Other special education teachers, aides and therapists have been injured as well. One was kicked hard enough by an autistic student that bone in her leg was cracked, and aide received a broken bone in her arm from a student. Thankfully major injuries were/are very rare but minor injuries and bruises were/are daily events.
II have seen it happen frequently where a special education student has hurt special education staff and special education peers and nothing was done about it except to tell the special ed teacher that they were not doing a good enough job with that student. However, on the very rare occasion that a regular education teacher or student is hit, kicked, bite, struck or whatever administrators immediately get involved and discipline, suspend or transfer the student.
Continuing my vent I have a specific situation to share that made my blood boil! It is difficult to completely explain while still keeping it confidential, but I'll try. I'm even changing some details but giving you the general idea.
Last year I was a substitute special education teacher's aide for several weeks while the school district was trying to find someone to accept the position as a 1 to 1 aide with an extremely difficult to handle student with autism, mental retardation and other problems. I returned to sub aide again for several weeks when the person hired quit after a week. After the new person hired quit after a couple of weeks I was again hired as the substitute 1 to 1 aide for this student until they could find a third person to take the job. The only reason that I kept coming back was that I felt sorry for the special education teacher, other classroom aides and other special education students as they were getting hit, kicked, pushed, etc on a daily basis.
The special education teacher documented everything and followed all the procedures and didn't get any help and assistance. After a while the teacher LITERALLY BEGGED the psychologist and director of special education to observe the student as he was exceptionally complex and difficult to teach and she wanted help. Meanwhile, everyone involved with this student, special education bus drivers, aides, therapists, peers etc. were getting bruised and battered on a regular basis. This went on for almost 9 months.
Now to my main vent.
He returned to school after the summer with even more behavior problems (and his fourth 1 to 1 aide had resigned). Unfortunitely, he was now attempting to strike his special education classmates more than his usual target, the adults. Again the teacher asked for assistance in planning for this child and was basically ignored apparently because it was "only special education staff and students being hurt."
Yesterday, he hit a regular education peer while he was included in regular education music class. Within one hour the principal & director of special education had scheduled an autism specialist to come to the classroom, observe the child and assist in creating a different behavioral plan. Within three hours plans were being made to totally change his placement to 100% 1 to 1 with no contact with other students. Today, less than 24 hours after he hit a regular education peer both the psychologist and the director of special education came to his special education classroom to observe him.
Hmmm, almost nine months of hitting, kicking, slapping, throwing objects at special education staff and special education peers and nothing was done by administration but action was taken immediately when he hit a regular education peer.
Again, sorry for this very long rant but this really doesn't seem right.
Thank you for letting me vent.
Isn't this was mainstreaming is all about?? I agree with you, no one should ever be injured while working. Teachers, including SPED ones, are adults though. What about the "average" kids (what we used to call "normal") in those classes watching these violent kids and their outbursts? It isn't fair, it's wrong.
Since a regular ed. peer was hit everything is in high gear for this student. Psychologists observing, principals helping out, assistance given in curriculum planning, extra money in her classroom budget to order materials & supplies, etc. The superintendent even sent an e-mail to the special education teacher saying that he was going to post the vacancy for an aide for this child (his previous aide left in June). It is amazing! What a change from the previous nine months that this child has been in school, kicking, hitting, and injuring special education students, special education teachers and special education aides, and everyone in administration just ignoring it.
However, now that the child is totally removed from contact with other students it is his teacher getting the full brunt on his anger and behavior problems. So it is bruises every day for her.
This is not surprising, when you consider that most administrators and central office staff have zero SPED experience. Last year, I restrained a child with Fragile X, and this was witnessed by a visitor in the school, and as a result I was placed on administrative leave and investigated for "violently berating and intimidating" the student. The entire investigation was based on a letter, which made it sound like I beat the living crap out of this kid. A few months later, I returned to school, and a long-term sub that takes the stance that these kids should be pitied, ratted me out for "depriving the child of food" because I wouldn't give him a snack because it would be rewarding negative behavior. Another investigation was done, and this time they sided with the sub's account and I was suspended for three days. An administrator came from the central office to yell at me like a child, accusing me of hating my students and my job and for treating my students like animals, and even referred to my suspension as a "vacation".
This year I am back in the same class. Since we have fewer students, and our most troublesome students are now either in alternative settings or in high school we can have a more structured class. I am working with this same child, and we are stiving to give him more structure, which is something he is not used to because teachers in the past either pitied him or gave up on him. He is fighting us every inch of the way, but we are sticking to our convictions. The other day the custodians got all over me, saying that I was being too harsh on him; all I've done in their presence is direct him to stay in line (and he is fighting me tooth and nail on that one, too).
And people wonder why there is so much turnover in Special Education.
Which is why I preferred to work in self contained schools. Everyone knows what is going on. It is really almost like a hospital, with nurses, OT, PT, speech. I started teaching in 1982. And I don't think that least restrictive environment has really been always the best placement for some students, SPED and regular ED. And the cost...crazy. LRE is what has jacked up the cost of education.
Now that this child has no contact with regular education peers and no contact with his special education classmates (if he is in one area of the classroom 1 to 1 with the teacher, I am in another area totally separated by book cases/ shelves/ & other pieces of large furniture with another student or students) what a change. If he has an outburst his special ed classmates immediately leave the room with an aide.
Well, it is "out of sight. out of mind" for this child. Now that there is no chance of him ever hitting another regular ed peer all the help has disappeared for the teacher. The autism specialist was cancelled, the things that the teacher wanted to order were cancelled, his therapists (OT & speech) won't give suggestions, the psychologist refuses to answer her emails, etc, etc.
Several times he hasgrabbed poop out of his diaper and threw it at the teacher (remember he is 11 years old and not toilet trained). The principal blamed the teacher and said that she should improve her lesson plans! OMG!
Yesterday he pushed the teacher and she hit her head on the cement outside wall of the classroom and she was dizzy for a while and had a huge lump on the back of her head. The principal said that it was the teacher's fault for standing too close to him when talking to him. OMG!
There are no consequences for his actions. Last year he could be restrained when "someone was in danger of being injured". It is still in his IEP but this year Administration says "No, he cannot be restrained". OMG!
Today he grabbed and held another aide by her shirt and pulled back his hand to punch her in the face and the teacher grabbed his hand to stop him. When she told the principal that this had happened -------you guessed it--------the teacher got yelled at "for touching the student". Remember, appropriate restraint is in his IEP and everyone in the room has been properly trained.
His 1 to 1 aide quit in June and they still haven't even interviewed to find a replacement. Next week will be my fourth full week in the classroom as a substitute. The principal said that "they didn't have time this past summer to look for anyone." Hey, next week is the fourth week of school, find the time!
While, I understand that the teacher may need her salary, I think if it was me, I would quit without notice, then publicize this to the newspapers and get a lawyer. The school principal and school board need to be sued for assault, not the child.
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