CLICK HERE to see a question and answers sheet about the phase-out of the secondary learning centers that made the following promises:
"During the summer of 2007, 3 days of mandatory training will be provided to general and special education teachers who will be working with grade 6 students coming from learning centers. (page 2)
Did parents of the transitioned students have a right to expect that "mandatory" meant "mandatory?" Apparently not! See page 17 of the OLA report on the LC phase-out, where it is reported:
"An item on the survey of classroom professionals asked teachers if they had attended the mandatory summer training. Sixty one of the 132 Grade 6 teachers who responded to the survey indicated that they did not attend the mandatory summer training...." (page 17, OSA report)
And what happens when classroom professionals either don't go to the "mandatory training" or the training is not productive?
Almost half of all the survey respondents rate themselves as only "somewhat prepared" to meet the needs of these students. See Table F-5, on page 93 of the OSA report:
"How prepared are you to:"
Implement assistive technology in your classroom: Somewhat prepared: 56%
Implement co-teaching strategies: somewhat prepared: 45%
Provide differentiated instruction: somewhat prepared: 47%
Understand characteristics of disabilities: somewhat prepared: 47%
Implement behavioral strategies: somewhat prepared: 47%
Did parents and students have the right to expect that the receiving classroom professionals would be "fully prepared" to implement assistive technology, and provide differentiated instruction? Advocates urged the Board of Education to delay the plan, saying that three days of training were not enough. Apparently, the advocates were correct.
I am not surprised by this. In my experience some elementary teachers are not trained or possibly interested in the instructional process needed for children with such learning issues as ADHD and autism.
ReplyDeleteChildren with learing disabilities are being forced into LRE environments with ill-prepared teachers.I personally have had discussions with teachers who can not provide or see the need for alternate forms of instruction for children with special needs. Instead, my child sat in class during the day, did not receive the adaptive materials necessary( in violation of their IEP) and was sent home to complete both classwork and homework.The diagnosis of ADD was not addressed from an educational standpoint by three different teachers in the classroom.
These teachers are being forced to teach students even though they admit that they are ill-prepared as verified by this survey. How does it help a child stay on grade level if their teacher is not prepared? The idea that three days of training in special education is enough is absurd.
In other school districts, the focus is on providing children with the best possible education in a setting which is in the best interest of their individual needs. When will MCPS realize that that some children are better served in private schools with highly trained professional who understand the need for assistive technology,provide differentiated instruction,and understand characteristics of disabilities?