AMEN!!!!
----- Original Message ----- From: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <mosaic@literacyworkshop.org> Sent: Wednesday, October 15, 2008 11:37 PM Subject: Re: [MOSAIC] overwhelmed gen. ed >I believe my bias will ooze out into this post ... I really mean no > disrespect... I,too, am frustrated. > > I worked in a private alternative school where specialists came into the > classroom and provided intervention that would benefit the entire class > but was > inspired by the needs of our special ed students. It really worked like a > charm.... in that... the classes were extremely small 10-15 in class... so > during given periods in the day there might be four adults in the room > providing > differentiated instruction geared around one particular strategy... > miracles > occurred because it truly was an inclusive class with flexible grouping > that > was "multi-modal" (did I just make that word up?).... mutli-approach to > materials and tools . > > Now I am in public school. Classes are between 20-25. Inclusion occurs > (more in some rooms than others) because according to the specialists' > schedule > ... those needy kids can be reached better if they all grouped > together....or > because in the eyes of some administrators ...there are some teachers who > are > "good with those kinds of kids." In the seventies and eighties that was > called "dumping" but now under the veil of inclusion and support services > it is > deemed co-teaching. > > In most cases, it just doesn't seem to work in our district.... kids don't > have an exchange of ideas because the division is a steep curve... > teachers > don't get the support they need because in many cases the specialist time > is > blocked in 30 min intervals for the entire school ... and the support is > not > every day....in addition... there is no planning time... because our > special > interventionists must support every teacher ...therefore, you need to > sign up > in advance if you want to plan with him/her.... by the time we dismiss > the > kids...planning time is over.... several our support service people are > part-timers and keep to the letter of the contract... because there is > more work than > can ever be contracted for. > > Usually my posts are not so self-absorbed... but I think when we work for > the good of the kid.... real district problems are sometimes overlooked > .... > being in a contained classroom teachers just go with it and make it > work.... I'm > with the McGovern post who noted that not every program works for every > kid.... and the more we can offer to a child the better for us all..... > but one > person trying to offer it all... with less... is not the answer. > > I://snipurl.com/MosaicArchive. > > **************New MapQuest Local shows what's happening at your > destination. > Dining, Movies, Events, News & more. Try it out > (http://local.mapquest.com/?ncid=emlcntnew00000002) > _______________________________________________ > Mosaic mailing list > Mosaic@literacyworkshop.org > To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to > http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/mosaic_literacyworkshop.org. > > Search the MOSAIC archives at http://snipurl.com/MosaicArchive. > > _______________________________________________ Mosaic mailing list Mosaic@literacyworkshop.org To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/mosaic_literacyworkshop.org. Search the MOSAIC archives at http://snipurl.com/MosaicArchive.