Quote From: dhutchinsI am a substitute teacher and have had the luxury of being able to teach at the elementary school and high school I attended. We live in a very small community and I think we have a really awesome faculty at both the elementary school and high school. Both have the philosophy of positive discipline. At this point, we have not had much trouble with drugs or weapons at school. It makes me very proud to see that a public school system is still doing things right.
Unfortunately, I ended up teaching ten children at the high school this week, who cannot function in "main stream" high school. Although they are part of the local high school and on that campus, they are considered a form of continuation school. These students are freshmen and sophomores. The first day of my assignment, I met with the teacher and he had a list of everyone in the class and an explanation to let me know what their personalities and special learning needs were, as well as excuses for their behavior. He told me that I had to be very careful with these students because they needed special attention and not to step on their toes. What I came to find out during the week is that this group of kids were "wagging the dog"! Everyday the kids would come to class whenever they felt like it and then would start just doing whatever they wanted to. They were just bodies taking up space in the classroom and that was about all . Two girls had special chairs and blankets and slept all day. Two other girls used their laptops to communicate through instant messaging with friends and to listen music. There were several boys who would use their laptops to play computer games all day long. One boy sat in the corner building model airplanes all day, asking me to read the directions to him, because he couldn't understand simple directions. When I would ask them to do their work, these kids would become extremely agitated and tell me that their teacher would never treat them this way. I thought to myself "what way? making them do their school work?" The instructions that the teacher left with me told me that he allowed them to eat in class, walk out of the class any time they thought they needed a break, swear in class and that I was only supposed to gently encourage them to do their school work. There was one 45 minute time period of structured time everyday, where they were supposed to listen to a book on tape. During this time the students were to turn off their computers, put their headphones away and be quiet and listen. That was the only requirement of structure in the whole six hours. By the third day, allowing these students to speak to me, each other and any visitor who came into the classroom disrespectfully and rudely, using four letter words, I had all I could take. I went to the principle and told him that I would finish out the week, but I would not return to teach this group of students again (the teacher was out for surgery and was supposed to be gone for six weeks).
Now I feel bad and a little guilty and possibly like I am abandoning these kids. For the past four years, I have been the most popular substitute teacher at these schools, with a philosophy of my own that some of these kids need to have positive words and reinforcement for things they have done right, because it might be all the positive feedback they get for that day. I always try and lead with a positive example, I don't get into power struggles with students and I always try really hard to reach each and every one of the students. Now I have given up on this group of ten. The attitude of the teacher and the principle is that they get paid for these kids to be at school, so they don't care what they do, as long as they show up. They don't have to follow the rules that the rest of the campus has to follow and I am told they will always be in special school, which is the equivalent of continuation. I feel that the school is not doing these kids any favors, these kids will never learn to function in the "real world." They will always feel that they are owed something and that they don't have to follow the rules that everyone else had to follow. It frustrates me that a school would rather have the money for these children rather than trying to work with these kids to help them academically as well as how to follow rules. I have never seen teen aged children who behaved the way these kids do.
What should I do? Should I return and substitute again in this class? If I do go back, how can I reach these students in a positive way? I feel that if I give up on them, I am just one more adult that reinforces that they are "bad people" and that they don't deserve anything good in their lives. I know they already look at themselves as losers and if I don't go back, the administration and teacher will only reinforce that to them, by telling them that I won't return because they are horrible. I want to see the administration and teacher take some responsibility for these kids! These kids deserve to be educated, no just counted on for the money they bring in to the school.
I have to ask, do these kids have ADD/ADHD or what? As a mother with an ADD child, I have seen many of the school staff throw my son to the side because he was not an easy child to teach. He has a learning disability and needs special help. All he wants is a teacher to take a minute out of their day and show him something that other kids get right away. Children with ADD/ADHD have a little more special needs than other children. They need their classrooms to be exciting and energetic. They need to feel needed in the class and it needs to be fun for them. Although I do not feel these kids need to be playing on their laptop, taking naps, listening to music. I do feel that they need a structured class room that teaches, but also is fun for them to learn. So many of our school systems have given up on our kids that have special needs so the kids react just as these kids are. Sure, there need to be guidelines and there needs to be structure, but most kids with learning disabilities have to have structure with a lot of support. In my personal opinion, if you walk away from these kids, no they won't show they care because they feel as though no one cares for them, but then you will be the same as all those other teachers out there that just think if you let them have their way, they will be ok. There is a web sight that I have been to more and more since my son is in Middle School. These are somethings that kids with ADD/ADHD would like for teachers to know:
1) I really do forget things, I am not trying to be smart, sassy or arrogant, I simply do not always remember. The myth that if it is important enough I will remember it is just that, a myth.
2) I am not stupid.,
3) I really do complete my homework. It is easy for me to lose papers, leave them at home and otherwise not be able to find my homework at the proper time. Completing homework in a notebook is much easier for me as it will not get lost as easily. Loose papers are difficult for me to keep track of. (Once my mother found my homework in the bread drawer after I had left for school!)
4) If I ask the same question over or ask many questions, it is not out of arrogance. I am trying hard to understand, comprehend and remember what you have said.
Please be patient and help me.
5) I want to do good. I have struggled with schoolwork for many years and it is frustrating to me. My goal is to do my best and pass this class with flying colors.
6) ADD is not an excuseADD really does exist and it does affect my thinking process. I would like to be "normal" and be able to remember and process information quickly, I do not enjoy being "different" and made fun of for my differences.
7) I need your help to succeed. It isn't always easy for me to ask for help and sometimes asking makes me feel stupid. Please be patient with my attempts and offer your help.
8) Please be sure to talk with me in private about behaviors or actions that may not be appropriate. Please do not humiliate me, insult me, or call attention to my weaknesses in front of the class.
9) I do better with a detailed plan and knowing what you expect. If you should change plans in the middle to adapt to some outside influence, please help me to adapt. It may take me longer to adjust to the changes. Structure and guidance are my best allies.
10) I don't like having "special accomodations." Please do not draw attention to them and help me to succeed with the least amount of attention drawn to my ADD.
11) Learn about ADD/ADHD. Read information and find out all you can on how kids with ADD learn and what can make it easier for them.
12) Always remember that I am a person with feelings, needs and goals. These are as important to me as yours are to you.
The Web Sight Address is : http://add.about.com
Do we want our children going out into the real world without a clue? I don't and I don't think you do either. Just my 2 cents worth.
