Shouldn't All Education Be "Special'?


Photo by   Nick Hillier 



I've been thinking a lot about special education students lately. I'm not a special education teacher, but of course, I teach special education students every day.  I was reaching for a gallon of milk, and my eyes gravitated to the "Sell By" date. I zoned in on those words and I thought, "I hope that when I am teaching a special education student I remember to see more than just a label." Some of our students have an  Individualized Education Plan (IEP), but shouldn't we be individualizing education for ALL of our students? Shouldn't all education be "special"?

In 17+ years, I have worked with over 100 different teachers.  I have seen teachers come and go. Some of my mentors have retired;  others teachers were peers who relocated, started families, or switched careers.  I can honestly say that the teachers I have come to know and love are good people. We care. We really do.

But we are human. Sometimes I worry that we think about "labels" too much, and sometimes I fear we don't think about students' unique learning needs enough. Why is Henry Whitehorne so impulsive? I know he has ADHD, but I don't think he's trying hard enough. Why does he blurt things out? His binder is a mess! Well of course Henry W. is struggling to control his impulses and organize his materials! He has ADHD!

 I really wish that we could all just lighten up a bit. Laugh a little more. Be human. Make a joke. Ditch the script. Spare the students the platitudes about getting them ready for the middle school or the high school or college or the real world. What if there were nothing to get ready for? What if it were just about teaching and ACCEPTING the students in front of us right now?

I have plenty of materials in my library for all kinds of learners and all kinds of interests, but I can't put them in students' hands if we are holding the audio books and graphic novels hostage because of our preconceived notions about reading. Please, can we let kids listen to audio books instead of reading? It's not cheating.  Let the kids buy or borrow the graphic novel. It's not a comic book. It's an art form; I promise you. Read El Deafo by Cece Bell right now. You will immediately become a believer in graphic novels.

https://flic.kr/p/s5nisG


By the way, I hope it doesn't seem like I'm on a soap box up here. I mean, okay, I'm completely on a soap box, but I mean it in the best possible way. I know that as teachers and parents we are all just doing the very best we can. And I think that Henry W. is just doing his best, too.


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Be Somebody's Hero

Image
Photo by  Kat J  on  Unsplash We can craft the perfect classrooms School supplies neatly arranged Bulletin boards that deserve awards  But it’s our hearts that need to change. Lesson plans are all aligned to standards Chromebook lessons set to go. Google Apps?  We have it covered.  But there’s something else we need to know. Why does Joey seem so lonely? Why doesn’t Anna have a friend? Patrick stopped by to chat with me. Is he avoiding lunch again? Why is Carmine so impulsive? Something about Ella doesn’t seem quite right.  I’m worried about John again. What happens when he goes home at night? Future doctors, authors, and lawyers  They’re all sitting in our class. So, too, is that child who’s struggling Who just can’t seem to meet the task. Sometimes when we  think about students  We think that their problems must be small. They don’t have mortgages or bosses. Sometimes I thi...
Read more

You Matter

Image
Photo by Cole Keister on Unsplash I didn't feel like waiting for a special day to spread some love, so here are some shout-outs to all of the teachers and other staff members who make a difference in the lives of students everyday. In no particular order, I would like to thank you. Special Education Teachers You matter. You teach me that learning is NEVER "One size fits all." No one explains things better than you, advocates more fiercely than you, and appreciates every gain in learning more than you. Thank you. Classroom Aides and One-on-One Aides You matter. You are unsung heroes in my book. You do a million little things and don't often get the credit you deserve. You make sure students are ready to learn and help smooth out all the little bumps on the way to success. Thank you. School Nurse You matter. You boldly go where most of us fear to tread. Puke, blood, and mucus? All before 10 a.m.? Wow. You amaze me. You heal the little boo-boos and you...
Read more

The Do's and Don'ts of Raising Readers

Image
  Air conditioning taught me how to read.   It sounds crazy, but it’s true. We didn’t have central air conditioning in the home where I grew up. We could have afforded it, but we didn’t have it. What a blessing that I didn’t have everything we could afford. It gave me a reason to work for my dreams.   Anyway, let’s get back to reading and air-conditioning. I wanted to be like my big sister and my mom. On hot, sticky summer nights, they would lounge in my parents’ bedroom and read on the cozy bed under the loud but powerful air conditioner in the window. I knew how to read, but I  was not allowed into this exclusive reading club until I could master the art of reading silently. It sounds silly, but I didn’t know how to do this as a young child.   I sure learned fast, though.   My mom is a genius. She made reading everything it should be. Inviting. Special. Volitional. Thank you, Mom. You taught me to love books and more importantly, the poetry, the truths, a...
Read more