job training

October 28, 2005

I'd like to clarify the situation with my brother Tim. And again

state that I totally approve of learning life skills; we do it here at

home every day! Very helpful for kids to know how to help out and

clean, and they DO get a lot of enjoyment out of a job well done. I'm

sure its no different for kids with DS or any other disability.

However, Tim is not being taught to read or use computers or play an

instrument or anything else as far as I can tell. The man in charge

of his education program told my mother and I that he estimates his

emotional/intellectual maturity to be about that of a 5 or 6 year old,

and his IQ around 40; thus, we shouldn't be expecting much out of him.

In my opinion, that's why he is bussing tables at lunch. They don't

expect him to be able to do anything more than that for the rest of

his life. I expect him to be able to do those things and lots of

other things, too. My mother was not given the option of REAL job

training - what Jackie was describing - where Tim might get some

experience doing things other than cleaning the cafeteria, and find

out what he likes to do. There is nothing wrong with anybody being a

janitor, if that is what they enjoy or what best suits them, but it

should be a choice, not a class.

As far as being paid, other kids WERE being paid, while Tim was told

that he wouldn't get paid till he was a sophomore - class rule.

Recently we found out that in OK, the vocational rehab program is

funded by the state, and children are eligible at age 16. Tim will be

18 in January. So, he should've been enrolled in the program last

year when he started working. No one told us that. Their story now

is that they sent the paperwork home with him twice last year and

never got it back. So, they think he has the intellect of a 5 year

old, but expect him to work like an adult and be responsible for

transporting important documents back and forth to school. Whatever.

I am pretty sure no such application was ever sent with him. I am

quite certain that if he had a piece of paper in his backpack that

would get him a paycheck, he would have gotten it where it belonged,

if he had to fill it out himself! BTW, the application was finally

sent in this year, the end of September, after he had already been

working a full month (for free).

I still think its wrong to single out any one group of kids to clean

up after the rest have gone back to class. And, if I was his mom, Tim

wouldn't have been doing it. My mom could've been more involved and

insisted that Tim be doing something different, but I'm not going to

blame her because it is the school's responsibility to do what's right

and educate my brother, and instead he is stacking chairs. The more I

think about it, the madder I get.

in OK, sister to Tim (17)

October 28, 2005

I agree that it's wrong to have students working in the lunchroom during

school time, UNLESS, they are getting paid and UNLESS it is a job that ALL

students are doing, not just the sp ed students.

In our middle school, the sp ed classes ate earlier so that they could be

cleaning while the rest of the kids were eating. I informed them that

Maverick will NOT be working in Jr. High at all, unless it is an inclusive

class project.

In the HS they have the sp ed students do academics in the AM and in the PM

they work on jobs. We informed them, during our transition meetings, that

we didn't want that for Maverick. We wanted him to work on academics all

day, just like his brother! They had a problem with this, because they

feel it's totally OK at age 14 to give up on learning to read and write. I

don't.

Maverick works with the sp ed class on doing sales event. Every other week

they sell something during lunch. (Snow cones, Eegees, Frito Pies). This

is a fundraiser for the " Flying Tigers. " The teacher ties academics into it

by having the kids sign up for the area they want to work at, planning on

what supplies they need, and setting it up. This is fine with me, althought

it's all sp ed, it's a club, just as other clubs have their sales on other

days. And Maverick enjoys it. But I will NOT have him, as a freshman,

learning to work INSTEAD of learning to read. We told them, we'll discuss

jobs when he is a senior.

His father and I feel very strongly about this. I know others feel

otherwise, and that is fine, but I bet there are many parents who don't even

realize that their kids are starting to " work " at age 12 when they enter Jr.

High School. Or that they even have a choice.

And the fact is it comes down to choice, but it should be the parents and

child's choice.. NOT the schools.

Study it, discuss it, learn the laws, know your child and then make YOUR

informed choice for your child.

October 28, 2005

-----Original Message-----

<<Tim is not being taught to read or use computers or play an

instrument or anything else as far as I can tell.>>

What are the goals and objectives in the IEP? If he needs reading

instruction, that needs to be in the IEP.

<<The man in charge

of his education program told my mother and I that he estimates his

emotional/intellectual maturity to be about that of a 5 or 6 year old,

and his IQ around 40; thus, we shouldn't be expecting much out of him.>>

Estimates??!! No decisions should be based on " estimates. " Is this guy even

qualified to make an estimation in this area?

<<My mother was not given the option of REAL job

training - what Jackie was describing - where Tim might get some

experience doing things other than cleaning the cafeteria, and find

out what he likes to do.>>

The team has to discuss this area and IDEA 04 mandates some evaluation in

this area. Joh coaching, job shadowing, vocational assessments, etc. might

be appropriate things to be doing (probably should have been done before

now).

<<As far as being paid, other kids WERE being paid, while Tim was told