Today I finally got a phone call to sub in the Carson City School District. It was for Special Ed and was only for the afternoon. I was so disappointed in what I found. There were 12 children ranging in age from 6 (kindergarten) to 9 (2nd grade) with a huge range of disabilities all in the same tiny classroom. Six of these children were non-verbal, though only one tried to communicate with screams. Most were silent, using hand signals or quiet murmurs. Their mental abilities were wide-ranging, too. I felt like I was in a classroom of the 1960s. These students never interacted with the larger school population. Even for their recess time they had the playground entirely to themselves. My professors from Carlow would be mortified that this is still standard procedure for a school today.
In PA all students spend at least some time in the regular classroom. Those who need it have a one-on-one paraprofessional. Most are pulled out for the areas they need extra help with such as physical or speech therapy. Not only was this a healthy environment for those who needed additional help, but it was also a learning experience for the "regular" kids. The students in my 3rd grade classroom helped and encouraged their autistic classmate. What a great life lesson for all of them.
I read in the paper this morning that Carson City Schools is one of the finalist districts competing for the "Race to the Top" federal monies. I'm hoping that if they are awarded that money, they will be required to change the way they "educate" all their students.
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