Re: personal reflection...don't hate me!

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 9/26/2005 9:48:40 A.M. Eastern Daylight Time,

lowenthalrj@... writes:

She's

taking standardized assessments and interestingly is doing much better on

them than the district predicted based on their educational prejudices--oh,

sorry, I meant educational expertise.

I was just talking with another mother and she told me (we are in the same

county) that it was interesting to note that the classes her son attended in

the regular ed environment were the ones he scored highest in on the

standardized assessment. (He wasn't the only special ed child that did that.)

You

would think that would tell the school system something, but all they see is

the

overall number is lower than your typical child not that of all his subjects

the ones he scored highest in were the ones in which he was in an inclusive

environment.

I think it stills goes back to school systems worrying about meeting NCLB

standards and special ed students bringing them down. You'd think they would

learn that based on actual examples that included students typically score

higher than non-included students even if they score lower than the typical

population. Or is it the goal of the school systems to have all special ed

students (with mental developmental delays) put on alternative assessments?

Cari

[Guest guest]

Thank you , it's nice to hear from all perspectives and it's nice to know

that there are supports out there after high school!

Di

Re: Re: personal reflection...don't hate me!

Dear All,

I was way too tired last night to respond to this post appropriately, but

feel I can do so now that I have had adequate rest. First of all, I do not

hate the original poster. I feel that many of her comments were right on

point. I have Cerebral Palsy (I joined this group hoping to help some people

because I noticed that those with downs face many of the same challenges we

do). I am 22 years old and attend college now and this is my take on things.

Getting inclluded in public school was very difficult. Even though the laws

were on my side, many of the team members we encountered from special ed and

the administration throughout my years were not. My parents (and I when I

became old enough) endured many painful and bitter IEP meetings to ensure I

received the basic therapies and services I needed to succeed, even though

these things were required by law.

College on the other hand has been a completely different story. Here,

where there are no written documents to specify what needs done, I have

found more support than ever! I have been blessed with wonderful aides from

a local home health agency that assist me during the school day and sevceral

professors who have become better friends and advocates for me than the

Disability Services or Special Ed department of any school or university has

ever been! I have shined in this environment and feel they deserve a good

share of the credit. I also receive therapies now as private medical

insurance allows tghat put school therapy to shame! Just had to give a

" veteran's " view of things.

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 9/26/2005 8:48:57 AM Central Standard Time,

lowenthalrj@... writes:

But I'm so glad that you feel better for expressing it.

Judi (sorry , but I couldn't not say it)

HI Judi

WOW while I was reading your post I was thinking, hey I wanted to say the

same things last night lol you did and put it so eloquently I must add all

your 1-8 comments I have heard in the past at a few of Sara's IEP meetings

........ " NO language skills " " needs the small group " " less distraction "

and my favorite lol " inclusion will be more of an option [as a Sara gets

older] " Every one of their statements was answered with me saying " no let's try

it

and see, we can always change it later, nothing is wrote in stone " I

really think a lot of parents I know believed the team’s statements because I

have had more grief from peer parents than the administrators. One told me I

was

wasting the tax payers money on Sara, her child was in Sara's Sped

classroom. I've never pushed my beliefs of Inclusion on them, I've never made

any

judgment calls to their decisions on placements but a lot could not return the

favor or respect to me but I still stayed available to parents, to help them

if they wanted to get their child included and make sure they had a well

wrote up program so their child would not fail in their placement.

Before I get slammed lol the 1-8 statements might be true for some children

but in my experience those same statements are being said to ALL parents in

my " old " area whether they are accurate or not.

Right now in my new area I have to focus on how to have a legal IEP meeting

with Sara's new team, for the legal eagles you all would be blown away at the

lackadaisical attitude to the meetings themselves .......... I feel like I

need to hold a class " 101 IEP meetings " . We will see how Friday goes (IEP

meeting) so far I have not received my notice telling me about the meeting (no

idea who will be there or why) I've asked for (and not received) results from

any evaluations before the meeting (asked for them last Monday) This is one

meeting that I have no idea what is going to happen lol Now I must say from

work sent home they are doing Sara's last IEP goals and objectives and the

staff are the sweetest folks I've ever met.... boy talk about throwing me off

of

my game (my sisters statement lol)

Anyway as long as I am a member of Sara's IEP team I will work hard to

ensure that her program succeeds, side by side with them, long hours and all

I

look at it this way Ive been a soccer Mom, PomPom mom, baseball mom,

football mom and now I'm just the IEP mom being Sara's case manager has

really

been my easiest job

Kathy mom to Sara 13

¸...¸ ___/ /\ \___ ¸...¸

,·´º o`·, /__/ _/\_ \__\ ,·´º o`·,

```)¨(´´´ | | | | | | | | | ```)¨(´´´

¸,.-·²°´ ¸,.-·~·~·-.,¸ `°²·-.¸

As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.

Josh. 24:15

[Guest guest]

I also think that some of the recent studies have shown that the typically

developing children ( as if any child developes typically) also score higher

if they are educated in an inclusive classroom then those who do not have

that experience... though I think it might be because the teacher is used to

thinking outside the box for those special children and it spills over to

those who most think do not need extra help.....

Re: personal reflection...don't hate me!

>

> In a message dated 9/26/2005 9:48:40 A.M. Eastern Daylight Time,

> lowenthalrj@... writes:

>

> She's

> taking standardized assessments and interestingly is doing much better on

> them than the district predicted based on their educational

> prejudices--oh,

> sorry, I meant educational expertise.

>

>

> I was just talking with another mother and she told me (we are in the same

> county) that it was interesting to note that the classes her son attended

> in

> the regular ed environment were the ones he scored highest in on the

> standardized assessment. (He wasn't the only special ed child that did

> that.) You

> would think that would tell the school system something, but all they see

> is the

> overall number is lower than your typical child not that of all his

> subjects

> the ones he scored highest in were the ones in which he was in an

> inclusive

> environment.

>

> I think it stills goes back to school systems worrying about meeting NCLB

> standards and special ed students bringing them down. You'd think they

> would

> learn that based on actual examples that included students typically score

> higher than non-included students even if they score lower than the

> typical

> population. Or is it the goal of the school systems to have all special

> ed

> students (with mental developmental delays) put on alternative

> assessments?

>

> Cari

>

>

>

>