Special Education.
I had the chance to experience what most parents go through in looking for a school for their child. Being single and childless, I don't think about these things.
My sister was off most of the week to visit a couple of schools that her 5 year old girl may be transfered to. The first school looks like a housing complex. I wouldn't know it is a school by just looking at it. Lots of concrete and modern design. The second school was older, looks like a school, and has the school feel. Both have programs for special needs children. One is managed by the county. This means that the teacher reports to the county administrators. The older school is ran by the school district. This means the teacher reports to the principal. The disadvantage of the county ran class is that if the school district needs that room, they can move it to another place. There is no "ownership" to the special educ. class.
Education is a beaurucracy. Ran by administrators with limited money and limited resources. Federal laws keep the programs alive. It is up to the parents to find and request for services for their child. There are advocates and dedicated people who assists the parents in finding the resources their child need. This task is time consuming and frustrating.
Emotions can ran high when parents requests are denied. They want the best for their child so he/she can be succesful in dealing with their special needs.
I, being an emotional person, was specially touched when I witnessed the experience of a special needs children. The range of disability has a wide range and it's a heart breaking experience. A person of weak faith will readily question the existence of God. A child was fastened on a chair, hands flailing and head bobbing wildly. His eyes looks medicated. Another child has disproportionate body dimensions and he too was fastened to a special chair that is specially built for his body. One kid was being held down by a teacher assistant on a chair to keep him from running away. None of the children can communicate. Most just moans and some use their hands to sign language. There are taught to use a button that talks for them. The bottons have pictures indicating a certain needs like milk, food, book, and bathroom issues.
After talking to the teachers and witnessing the behaviour of future classmates, we decided on the older school. It's closer to home and the staff members are mostly Filipinos.
Looking for schools are tiring so we had lunch at Max restaurant. The perfect end for a busy morning.
I had the chance to experience what most parents go through in looking for a school for their child. Being single and childless, I don't think about these things.
My sister was off most of the week to visit a couple of schools that her 5 year old girl may be transfered to. The first school looks like a housing complex. I wouldn't know it is a school by just looking at it. Lots of concrete and modern design. The second school was older, looks like a school, and has the school feel. Both have programs for special needs children. One is managed by the county. This means that the teacher reports to the county administrators. The older school is ran by the school district. This means the teacher reports to the principal. The disadvantage of the county ran class is that if the school district needs that room, they can move it to another place. There is no "ownership" to the special educ. class.
Education is a beaurucracy. Ran by administrators with limited money and limited resources. Federal laws keep the programs alive. It is up to the parents to find and request for services for their child. There are advocates and dedicated people who assists the parents in finding the resources their child need. This task is time consuming and frustrating.
Emotions can ran high when parents requests are denied. They want the best for their child so he/she can be succesful in dealing with their special needs.
I, being an emotional person, was specially touched when I witnessed the experience of a special needs children. The range of disability has a wide range and it's a heart breaking experience. A person of weak faith will readily question the existence of God. A child was fastened on a chair, hands flailing and head bobbing wildly. His eyes looks medicated. Another child has disproportionate body dimensions and he too was fastened to a special chair that is specially built for his body. One kid was being held down by a teacher assistant on a chair to keep him from running away. None of the children can communicate. Most just moans and some use their hands to sign language. There are taught to use a button that talks for them. The bottons have pictures indicating a certain needs like milk, food, book, and bathroom issues.
After talking to the teachers and witnessing the behaviour of future classmates, we decided on the older school. It's closer to home and the staff members are mostly Filipinos.
Looking for schools are tiring so we had lunch at Max restaurant. The perfect end for a busy morning.
