We Are Moving

We are moving this blog to Spreken. Updates on that site coming soon.

Missy

It's The Little Things

"We cannot all do great things, but we can do small things with great love.”
~Mother Teresa of Calcutta.

Today somebody sent me this quotation during an email exchange and it reminded me of something I used to say to my students when they were frustrated. "You can't save the world but if you try, you'll end up saving some kids."

This was usually said in reference to a student telling me about some education professional who advised them to quit spending so much time with kids who are "lost causes" or "just like their parents". The one that would really get me was "you'll learn not to be so idealistic."

I love it when a teacher is idealistic! It means they are going to keep trying. And while they won't save every child they will help many that others have written off. So keep doing those small things for the kids and think of Mother Teresa's words when the bastards get you down.

That Time Of The Year

Starting tomorrow, I'll be neck-deep in my student's final manuscripts. I'll spend the week reading the five chapters of their research competencies and I'll be meeting with those same students to review their work with them. I'm trying my best to have these suckers read before I meet with the authors so by Monday evening I'll be ready to pull my hair out, by Tuesday I'll be a bit grumpy (apologies in advance), and by Wednesday I'll be downright delirious (again, apologies).

Despite this grind, I secretly love this time of the year. Everything will be worth it when I see them Friday at the graduate hooding ceremony. Some kick-ass special educators are going to be crossing that stage. They're going to be teaching kids that a lot of people think are unteachable, getting to know kids thought to be unreachable and advocating for kids that have nobody else to care about them.

I love working with my students and will miss them, but on the other hand I can't wait for them get out of here so they can be more focused on fighting the good fight.

To Laugh, Or Not To Laugh

A colleague and I watched the video below from The Onion and thought it was hilarious. It features a reporter with autism reporting from the site of a train crash in which one person was killed. The reporter is completely focused on information about the train and is oblivious to the fact that his interview comes across as rude since he ignores the human drama of the situation. 

We think this is funny because we know people with autism who might see something like this and have the same reaction, not recognizing that this is a story about people not a train. It's not that they would be behaving rudely on purpose; it's just that some people with autism have trouble recognizing emotion and responding in a manner that society deems as appropriate.

We didn't just blindly forward the video to other friends in the field. We actually took a minute to discuss who we could send this to and who might be insulted, which led me to thinking -- when is something about special education just funny and when does it cross the line to insulting?

Watch the video and let us know what you think.


Autistic Reporter: Train Thankfully Unharmed In Crash That Killed One Man

Guest Speaker at WV ATC

Dr. Valerie Paradiz will be guest speaking at the WV Autism Training Center's College Support Program for  Students with Asperger Syndrome. For more information visit their blog: MU College Support

More Evidence That Vaccines Don't Cause Autism

More research that shows vaccines do not cause, or lead to Autism.

More Evidence That Vaccines Don't Cause Autism

NYTimes: Child’s Ordeal Shows Risks of Psychosis Drugs for Young

I can't help but wonder if family income combined with doctors being ready to meet pharmaceutical quota had anything to do with the state that this young child found himself in. A study recently found between 2000-2007 the number of 2 to 5 year olds medicated doubled. Of those medicated only 40% had been given a proper mental health assessment. This is a violation of practice standards according to the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry.

NYTimes:Child’s Ordeal Shows Risks of Psychosis Drugs for Young

Removal Of Asperger's To Change Special Ed Access : NPR

Professionals are proposing elimination of the diagnosis in an attempt to make it easier for parents, children. Children would no longer be diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome, they would be diagnosed as having Autism Spectrum Disorders. Professions state that this is in an attempt to allow easier services for students with Asperger's. I'm not sure that I understand this, since each student's IEP allows for individualized needs in the form of accommodations and modifications.

Read this article from NPR and let me know what you think.

Removal Of Asperger's To Change Special Ed Access : NPR

This Could Be A Great Victory for the Autism Community

Could parents and children in WV get so lucky? This would keep many families in this state that want to stay here, but leave due to the fact that they are unable to get insurance. I hope law makers open their eyes and realize this is something that has needed to be done for a while now.

http://www.wsaz.com/news/headlines/83977532.html

Five Million Births Analyzed in a New Study

A new study that analyzed 5 million births found some interesting results based on the age of the parents, and how those ages may influence the likelihood oh an autistic child.

http://m.apnews.com/ap/db_16052/contentdetail.htm?contentguid=Qj2YljP3

What an Inspiration!

My wife and I were up until 1:40am watching the HBO Original Movie Temple Grandin, based on the life of Temple Grandin. She was diagnosed with autism at the age of 4 in the 1950's. She has gone on to receive her Bachelor's, Master's, and finally her PhD.

Because she was not capable of physical human contact, she designed a "squeeze machine" that allowed her the physical touch that enabled her to reconnect and calm herself. She was able to design this by watching the cattle while working on her aunt's cattle farm and watching the cattle being placed in the chute to be inoculated.

Not only does she work as an advocate for early intervention for children diagnosed with autism, she is an advocate for the humane treatment for livestock. Nearly 1/2 of the beef consumed in the US is moved through a system designed by her.

From the movie, and what I have read and watched of her on YouTube, she is an extraordinary woman. Her is a YouTube video that shows just how passionate she is. I haven't watched the entire thing, but have watched a great deal of it, and do plan to watch more.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bgEAhMEgGOQ&feature=youtube_gdata

This May Just Be the Beginning of This Juggernaut

I caught the author of this study on The Today Show and was really surprised by his arrogance. He avoided most, if not all, of the questions and refused to admit that the participants were paid for giving blood samples. He insisted that they were compensated rather than paid. If they received $8 or $800 they were paid. I can't wait to see more information as it becomes available on this man and the mess he has apparently created.

http://s.nyt.com/u/eWt

City Panel Backs Closing of 19 Schools

The second of two articles concerning the problems currently going on in NYC schools. I'm not sure if it is for the best or not it just seems like many minorities and students with disabilities would be passed on from school to school.

Since Mayor Bloomberg's council was granted control of the school system in 2002, it has closed 91 schools. The article goes on to say that the mayoral check is relatively small since 8 of the 13 members on the council are appointed by the mayor and can be removed when he sees fit. Makes me think that they would vote a certain way to keep their position. Read the articles and see what you think.

http://s.nyt.com/u/tk-

Large High Schools in the City Are Taking Hard Falls

The first of two articles I am posting from the New York Times. I found this interesting that lower achieving schools are on the verge of being shut down. Especially, as I found out that numerous students from minority groups and special education students could be the ones that suffered most. Can the government really call this a "race to the top" with billions of dollars at stake if they are considering closing schools?

Who really wins if this happens?


http://s.nyt.com/u/tzJ

Blood Tests or "Food Challenges", You Decide

Are blood tests that decide if a child has a fatal food allergy being misinterpreted? Some doctors seem to think so. If there is a possibility that your child has a food allergy, would you risk introducing the questionable food in the surroundings of trained staff and doctors?

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703808904575025013194645130.html

Is It the Government to the Rescue?

Is the government dangling the carrot for struggling school systems that need money? Do school systems need money more than they need or want reform? I'm interested in how and if it can be done appropriately. This article raises those questions even more. With so many school districts having partial buy in to the program it is hard to decide if this program is the way to go or not.

http://s.nyt.com/u/rPG

Is "Teaching the Test" Truly Teaching

The state of education in WV is in need of a desperate overhaul. Students with exceptionalities are being short-changed and the policy makers need to realize that we are doing these students a great injustice. When standardized tests are the basis of how an entire school district or state is doing I say "phooey".

Many of our special education students are not getting an appropriate education that is going to help them be a productive member of society. Teacher's are forced too often to push these high stakes tests in today's school systems. At every staff meeting and inservice all that is discussed is test scores being too low, how to increase test scores, not making AYP (Adequate Yearly Progress), and that teachers are going to be held accountable if students don't perform up to par. I believe that these students need a functional curriculum instead of placing so much importance on testing. This is of course my opinion, and as the reader will find, I'm full of them.

Take for example; a student in the eighth grade that functions socially like any typical eighth grader. However, the student functions academically on a fourth grade reading level or lower. We can't look at a student and see this. We can't wave a wand and teach this student to read. If the student has made it to the eighth grade and is still reading on a fourth grade level or lower, then there are obviously some serious intellectual deficiencies. According to the student's IEP (Individualized Education Program) they receive such modifications to their curriculum as oral testing, extended time, preferential seating, and a copy of the notes that are presented on overheads and smart boards.

I believe that this is great. It is allowing the student success, while making the student responsible. The student is allowed the opportunity to make passing grades while having to work for them and not just "coasting" through.

Here is where the problem for me is. Three times a year a benchmark testing is administered to all students. The reason for this is to see where the class has problems, address these problems and take care of them before taking the WESTEST before the end of the year. I'm sure the same sort of test is given to students throughout the state, in all counties, so the name of the benchmark test is not important. All sections of the test are eligible to be read aloud to the students IF their IEP calls for it. Here is where it gets a little tricky. The reading section CAN NOT be read aloud to the student, regardless of what the IEP states. I have many students that could listen to Gone With the Wind and probably pass an oral test on it. However, because the WESTEST wants to gauge their readability and not comprehension skills (I suppose) we can't read it to them.

Now, if you have never seen a student that has difficulty with academics, especially reading, on the verge of tears, and not almost cried yourself, I would question your humanity. This happened to me today as my students were taking the reading section of our districts benchmark testing. I know it is not the districts fault, or the state, it is mandated from the federal government. Of course. They know how everything else is done successfully, so why not education.

My question is this: if the IEP states that students should receive oral testing, then why would all sections of the benchmark testing and the WESTEST (state of WV's standardized test. When you and I went to school it was simply called the achievement test) not be read orally to the students. The IEP is a legally binding document and must be adhered to. So, is the state and federal governments out of compliance or simply breaking the law?

Jealous

I read this article a few weeks ago and it has remained in my mind for that time. I think that a program like this should be implemented as a mandatory activity/course for all students in need of a functional curriculum. So many times, the activities the students engage in are contrived and artificial. How wonderful for those students to know they are serving a geniune need in their school and are appreciated!
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/09358/1023117-55.stm

As New Technologies Rise, Do We Abandon the Old Way

With technology increasing leaps and bounds everyday to benefit students with special needs, where do those age old tools go? Do they get stuck on the back shelf to collect dust until the ever repeating circle of education comes around and says that they are the most beneficial practice again? Or, do they get put out in the next yard sale for a next to nothing price and treated like they meant nothing to the millions that were given so much because of the intervention?

In over seven years in a special education classroom, I have never had a student that was Visually Impaired or Legally Blind. I have known of two, neither of which used Braille at all. I can't speak from experience on this one, but the article does seem to make some valid points. I do know I never heard the VI teacher discuss or mention Braille. Leave me comments and let me know if I am way off the mark on this one. Thanks.

According to this article in the New York Times, less than 10% of the 1.3 million people that are legally blind in the United States use Braille. It seems from this data that it may be falling behind other forms of technology.

http://s.nyt.com/u/AoL

Will This Increase Those Served with Special Education Services

The first thing taught to students enrolled in special education teacher education programs is that special education across the nation is misrepresented by the inflated numbers of minorities and males. According to the information contained in the following article, the trend is continuing. According to the article things are being done to increase the achievement gaps and drop out rates.

http://s.nyt.com/u/AJW