Kids with disabilities in standard classrooms

[i-need-a-martini]

This has been in the news this week thanks to the school in Canberra that felt the need to 'gaol' an autistic kid in a cage whenever he became hard to handle or violent.

Obviously an extreme case and I am not condoning it.

But I can;t help but wonder if teachers feel they have little choice? Can they really spend a significant amount of time tackling children with disabilities which neglects other kids in their care? Is it really fair that they have to spend the day monitoring a child with a disability to ensure that nothing triggers an episode? And is it reasonable that they should have to grapple with kids who lash out or are violent?

Whilst I get that any parent who has a chikd that is different would prefer they went to a mainstream school instead of a ' special' school (not that there are many of those around), personally I think it is asking a lot of teachers and schools.

And before I get criticised, I have a daughter with an intellectual disability who goes to a mainstream school. But there is no way I expect her teachers to spend the amount of time they would need to in order to help her through each day, each year. Fortunately for me I can afford to send her to a private school that can provide extra assistance to her classroom teacher. But if she was at the local public, it just wouldn't be possible for them to provide her with the extra care she needs. 

[azureline**]

In my experience, it increases the standard of education.

I very much doubt you would find a "normal" class with no children who have any issues, either behavioural or emotional, neurological etc. Why do the "good" children have to put up with that?

It also helps to stem that bullying aspect. (in my experience)

There are still special schools for the children who cannot mainstream.

[lurker172602]

Another way of looking at that, is that the other children could be learning empathy and tolerance and sharing and all those other good things. I do agree though, it must be terribly hard for the teacher to manage any classroom with special needs without assistance.

[k0llectable5]

True Lurker.  Thats the thing I didn't want to sound insensitive by saying what I said.  I'm absolutely in disbelief at the amount of these problems children are developing these days and cannot imagine how hard it must be for families to deal with.  They deserve all the support they can get. I also understand that every case is different some kids have a much harder time than others.  And on the flip side some kids have recovered from autism (using mostly alternative methods and focusing alot on diet) but some say it can be done.  

Maybe it does improve the quality of education Az.  I hope you are right.  We can only wait and see, I guess as, this new generation of youngsters progress into high and tertiary levels.  

[purple_haize]

Down in the eastern suburbs of Melbourne, they have turned an unused secondary college, into a school for children with autism and other disabilities.

They take kids from prep to yr. 12... The only other school similar is over in the northern suburbs somewhere, I have a friend that sent her daughter to that one and she said they were brilliant.

Most of the primary schools here in The Dandenongs and Yarra Ranges are all small schools, there is only 180 kids where my grandson goes, as I mentioned before, the schools up here all have an aid in the class rooms, so any child with a disability is well looked after.

[i-need-a-martini]

I think it does the lower the standards. It has to.

Let's say that a teacher has 19 kids in her class. She divides her time as equally as possible amongst all the children.

But if one of them is a problem (in whatever way - could be autistic, could be behavioural, could be like my daughter with a learning disability), suddenly that teacher is spending MORE time with 1 child and less time with 18 others. Depending on that childs level of problem, the time required to service one child could be significant. If the child is also disruptive (and they don't have to be violent to be disruptive) then even when the teacher is not with the single problem child, then others in the classroom lose focus.

Or, as is often the case with children with learning disabilities, the child is simply left behind as the teacher has no time to focus on getting a single child up to speed.

Certainly if there was a school that addressed my childs disability and that was available within travel distance, I would have jumped at the chance to send her there.

[azureline**]

The reason I say it raises the standard, is, the teacher needs to be more aware of the children's specific needs and run her classroom to suit all of the children.

They all have the right to her attention.

I do know that there are now programs in place, scholarships, inservices and further education, for teachers to make use of that they may need to teach the class as a whole, new units covering the disabilities some children may present..

We have been fortunate in that, so far, all of my grandie's teachers are exceptional teachers who go above and beyond what is expected of them. Of course the parents also contribute to this. Both schools are excellent and have a fabulous reputation

[the_great_she_elephant]

It's so hard sometimes to know what works and what is counterproductive. Some of my children spent a couple of years at a public highschool in a large country town.  They were streamed into four houses or "colours" - from memory these were red, blue, gold and sapphire. Sapphire were the 'special ed' kids and I suspect that someone thought giving them a fancy colour would boost their self esteem. What actually happened was that among the teenagers in that town the worst insult you could offer anyone was to say "You're a Saph." 

[roseworthy11]

correct me if I am wrong - but I find it interesting that what the parents of the child wanted or think has not been reported anywhere?

What if the parents were happy with the situation and were part of instigating the "cage"?

We haven't seen pics of the "cage" - I read it was pool fencing - which I assume is see thru - it could have only been 2 sided, or 3, - it could have had special pictures on it - like "name's special space" and had streamers etc - cushions inside - the child's own desk.

What about the child - maybe the "cage" - was the child's special place were they felt safe - each child with disabilities has their own personality and needs. What if the child now refuses to go to school because their special safe place was removed? What if the parents now won't let the child go to school because their special safe place was removed?

What about the teacher whose reputation is now open to possibly uniformed people's opinions - the teacher must feel dreadful about the way this has been reported.

What about the head of the school who has apparently been relieved of his duties

And who and why "bought it to the attention of the authorities?"

What also if another professional had suggested the school implement this - for example an occupational therapist, or the child's physcologist?

There are too many unanswered questions about this and the one who is going to suffer the most in this particular situation is probably the child.

[grandmoon]

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@roseworthy11 wrote:
correct me if I am wrong - but I find it interesting that what the parents of the child wanted or think has not been reported anywhere?

What if the parents were happy with the situation and were part of instigating the "cage"?

We haven't seen pics of the "cage" - I read it was pool fencing - which I assume is see thru - it could have only been 2 sided, or 3, - it could have had special pictures on it - like "name's special space" and had streamers etc - cushions inside - the child's own desk.

What about the child - maybe the "cage" - was the child's special place were they felt safe - each child with disabilities has their own personality and needs. What if the child now refuses to go to school because their special safe place was removed? What if the parents now won't let the child go to school because their special safe place was removed?

What about the teacher whose reputation is now open to possibly uniformed people's opinions - the teacher must feel dreadful about the way this has been reported.

What about the head of the school who has apparently been relieved of his duties

And who and why "bought it to the attention of the authorities?"

What also if another professional had suggested the school implement this - for example an occupational therapist, or the child's physcologist?

There are too many unanswered questions about this and the one who is going to suffer the most in this particular situation is probably the child.

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" A concerned member of the school community referred the matter to the ACT Human Rights Commission."

This person bypassed the Education Department and the Minister

[i-need-a-martini]

I think the fact that it had bars on it gives someone from outside the situation an impression of gaol (which equals punishment). That is probably more the issue than the fact that it was needed at all.

But I understand from a news report that the space was considered the childs "special" place and apparently it was in place for months so I am sure the parents would have been aware.

And on a practical level it is more sensible than an enclosed room with a window which is what someone else mentioned earlier as an example of what happens in their school. And from the sounds of things what happens in many schools and hence there is now an enquiry into how widespread the practice is.

The 'cage' would have been see through enough that the child could still participate and see what was going on.

Perhaps, as barbaric as it seems, it was the best and only solution for this child.

But on saaying all of this, is it appropriate to school a child in a mainstream school that needs this mauch attention?