| I'm easily shocked at times. I open the
| |
| | given him the attention that he needed.
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| newspaper, I read articles about child
| |
| | Unfortunately, the disorders would still
|
| abuse, the mentally ill, the shortcomings
| |
| | be there, but if they weren't exacerbated
|
| in our education system, and I feel
| |
| | by all the neglect, it is likely that he
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| things along the lines of torment and
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| | would've been able to function at a
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| anguish. But it doesn't stop there. It
| |
| | higher capacity.
|
| actually goes on, manifesting itself in a
| |
| | There are a handful of things that can be
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| dozen minor ways. Maybe in a dozen major
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| | done so that children and their parents
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| ways, if you're one who believes in the
| |
| | (and don't forget their grandparents)
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| magnitude of advocacy, of standing up to
| |
| | don't have to live with this gnawing
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| make sure that your voice can be heard
| |
| | frustration. The most obvious one is to
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| over all the loud chatter and backtalk.
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| | create special classes for students with
|
| For years, I've been investigating the
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| | learning disabilities. These classes
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| atrocities that are taking place in our
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| | would be run by specially-trained
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| schools each and every day. I've been
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| | teachers who would give them all the care
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| sending letters to our Presidents, our
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| | and guidance that they need. Also, the
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| Senators, and our Congressman, pleading
| |
| | classes would be smaller. The pace would
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| for them to be the change they so
| |
| | be slower. The punishments would be a
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| vehemently declare they are. But words
| |
| | thing of the past. Children would
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| are useless. We need Action. For what can
| |
| | actually have an opportunity to learn,
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| mere words really do, when so many
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| | and finally feel a sense of self-worth, a
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| mentally-challenged students are
| |
| | sense that somebody was giving them the
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| struggling to keep up in an education
| |
| | time that they so desperately need.
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| system that is unapologetically
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| | To be sure, a huge budget is required to
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| incongruent to their ways of thinking and
| |
| | implement a plan of this nature. It's no
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| learning?
| |
| | small task. So let's talk baby-steps.
|
| For the past 50 years, ADHD (Attention
| |
| | Let's make sure that teachers don't
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| Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) has been
| |
| | receive their credentials unless they're
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| increasing among our schoolchildren. In
| |
| | armed with training that prepares them to
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| fact, 12 percent of today's school-aged
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| | teach learning-disabled children. Every
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| children are affected by it, which is up
| |
| | time a student with A.D.H.D. comes into a
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| from 3-5 percent in 1998. That can only
| |
| | classroom, let's see to it that the
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| mean that we are lacking in solutions to
| |
| | teachers are alerted to the special
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| this problem. Or perhaps it means that we
| |
| | situation at hand. Maybe that way, kids
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| are not taking the time to implement
| |
| | like my grandson, who had a mental
|
| these solutions.
| |
| | breakdown and was diagnosed with
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| When a child with ADHD is confined to a
| |
| | schizophrenia, won't feel ashamed and
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| regular classroom, with no special
| |
| | angry at themselves for not being able to
|
| guidance or attention, it's unbelievably
| |
| | learn in school.
|
| troubling. Not only is it difficult for
| |
| | Patience and understanding are important
|
| them to keep up, but the amount of mental
| |
| | factors on the road to making these
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| frustration they experience is
| |
| | children feel centered. Teachers,
|
| immeasurable. So many teachers are not
| |
| | principals, school boards - they all need
|
| equipped to handle these children. They
| |
| | to put one foot forward and make the
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| don't understand the disorder, nor do
| |
| | choice to care and look out for each and
|
| they have the desire to. With this lack
| |
| | every student that we entrust them with.
|
| of empathy, they cause even more
| |
| | And this does not simply apply to
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| destruction in the children's lives,
| |
| | children with learning disabilities.
|
| punishing them for falling asleep or not
| |
| | I remember reading a news article a while
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| paying attention, when the children have
| |
| | ago about a 13-year-old student, in
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| no control over these things whatsoever.
| |
| | Southern California, who ended up
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| To be punished as the result of a painful
| |
| | collapsing and dying on campus one day.
|
| handicap is blatantly unfair to and
| |
| | Somebody called 911, and within five
|
| disconcerting for the child. So many of
| |
| | minutes, the paramedics were on the
|
| us wonder why the drop-out rate is so
| |
| | scene. Disturbingly enough, when they got
|
| high. We wonder why our kids are turning
| |
| | there, they noticed dozens of students
|
| to drugs. Stealing. Killing. We think, in
| |
| | and school officials, standing around,
|
| many cases, "kids will be kids," then we
| |
| | not doing a single thing to help the
|
| turn our backs and look the other way. We
| |
| | girl. In fact, she was still facedown on
|
| yell at them to do better, to make us
| |
| | the ground when they found her. Nobody
|
| proud one of these days, to stop playing
| |
| | made an effort to turn her over and
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| so many video games. As if tossing out
| |
| | revive her. Upon assessing the student,
|
| the old X-Box will focus their attention
| |
| | the two paramedics found that she had no
|
| on the classroom.
| |
| | pulse and was not breathing.
|
| In some cases, there are children who do
| |
| | Now, I would like to believe that the
|
| lean too heavily on television and video
| |
| | entire student body's lack of
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| games, pushing aside their homework with
| |
| | participation in this unfortunate
|
| a shrug of their shoulders. This is
| |
| | circumstance had to do with the fact that
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| something that parents have the ability
| |
| | they were not acquainted with any
|
| to keep an eye on and control. However,
| |
| | life-saving techniques, which left them
|
| students spend the majority of their time
| |
| | feeling unequipped to help her. Even if
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| at school, and the classroom not only has
| |
| | this is true, though, it alarms me that
|
| a huge impact on their day-to-day lives,
| |
| | not one person stepped in to try and
|
| but also on the ways in which they will
| |
| | revive this girl, even without the proper
|
| eventually function as adults in the
| |
| | knowledge. Sometimes care, concern, and
|
| so-called "real world." And if education
| |
| | fortitude can take the place of
|
| cannot equip each and every one of them
| |
| | technique. Something as simple as human
|
| with something as basic as functionality,
| |
| | compassion can often yield major results.
|
| what is school really doing for our
| |
| | I recall reading about another tragedy.
|
| children?
| |
| | This one happened back in 1999. After
|
| You may wonder why this hits such a
| |
| | overexerting herself during a high school
|
| personal nerve with me. This is why: I
| |
| | physical education class, a 14-year-old
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| have been blessed with eleven beautiful
| |
| | girl died from an asthma attack. The
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| grandchildren. Two of them have been
| |
| | substitute teacher in charge denied her
|
| diagnosed with ADHD, two others with
| |
| | request for permission to stop running,
|
| panic disorder and agoraphobia. The
| |
| | even after her breathing became labored.
|
| battle that they have to endure during
| |
| | The girl's friends noticed that her lips
|
| each day of class breaks my heart. When
| |
| | were turning purple. But the student did
|
| they return from school, I see the relief
| |
| | as she was told, and kept on running. A
|
| on their faces, the gratitude of finally
| |
| | little while later, during her next
|
| coming home and ducking away from the
| |
| | class, she became so ill that she passed
|
| judgments of their teachers, and in some
| |
| | out, only to die after 20 minutes.
|
| cases, even their fellow students. I also
| |
| | Apparently, the girl's family had
|
| see the depression in their eyes. I ask
| |
| | provided the school with all the
|
| them how their day was, and they reply
| |
| | pertinent medical forms, which fully
|
| that it was "okay," but I know that the
| |
| | explained her breathing problems. They
|
| matter goes much deeper - painfully
| |
| | did everything right, yet still, their
|
| deeper - than that.
| |
| | daughter was forced to run much longer
|
| Back in 2001, one of my grandsons
| |
| | than her lungs could possibly endure.
|
| suffered a mental breakdown in his middle
| |
| | Her normal physical education teacher was
|
| school classroom. I took him to see a
| |
| | aware of her problem and gave her the
|
| psychiatrist at the Child Guidance
| |
| | special attention that she needed,
|
| Center. We discovered that he was
| |
| | excusing her from class whenever she had
|
| suffering from severe Depression and
| |
| | any difficulty breathing. So why did the
|
| Phobic Anxiety. He was very unhappy in
| |
| | school not make the substitute aware of
|
| his new Mainstream Literature class and
| |
| | her condition?
|
| couldn't face the ongoing judgments and
| |
| | On top of all this, even after the girl
|
| name-calling that his classmates were
| |
| | passed out, nobody in the classroom tried
|
| dishing out. He would come home from
| |
| | any CPR or life-saving techniques while
|
| school despondent, refusing to eat. He
| |
| | awaiting the paramedics. CPR is a basic
|
| would just crawl into bed and sleep until
| |
| | skill that our school officials should
|
| the next day. He started to wear a
| |
| | really emphasize. Shouldn't we feel
|
| blanket over his head, refusing to take
| |
| | confident and secure when we send our
|
| it off, fearful that he was ugly to
| |
| | children off to school? Shouldn't we be
|
| everybody. (All the name-calling in
| |
| | allowed to go about our days, comforted
|
| school had lead him to this conclusion.)
| |
| | by the fact that they are in good hands?
|
| He even started having nightmares about
| |
| | I also have three daughters with learning
|
| being at school. And then there were the
| |
| | disabilities. Neglected in the classroom,
|
| voices in his head; voices that spoke in
| |
| | they developed severe panic disorder. One
|
| loud, sharp tones, criticizing him and
| |
| | was even diagnosed with agoraphobia. As a
|
| debilitating his sense of self. It was
| |
| | result of this, two of them were left
|
| eating away at him. And me, as well.
| |
| | unable to work or drive.
|
| I was determined to get him the help that
| |
| | It's hard to put your child onto that bus
|
| he needed. I pleaded with the
| |
| | every morning and have to worry about the
|
| Individualized Education Program (I.E.P.)
| |
| | potential negative encounters they will
|
| at school, telling them that the
| |
| | have to deal with throughout the day. In
|
| Mainstream Literature class was ruining
| |
| | the beginning, when I didn't understand
|
| my grandson's life. They heeded my words
| |
| | their disorders as much, I practiced
|
| and removed him right away. This actually
| |
| | politeness and passivity. I gently asked
|
| relieved a lot of his torment, but then
| |
| | questions, trying to encourage the
|
| all the Phobic Anxiety and Depression
| |
| | teachers and my children to meet each
|
| seeped right back into his life again, as
| |
| | other halfway, not wanting to upset
|
| forcefully as it had before.
| |
| | anybody in the process.
|
| Trips to the Psychiatrist became
| |
| | As I got more involved and came to learn
|
| frequent.
| |
| | more about their learning disabilities, I
|
| Resperial and Paxil were prescribed to
| |
| | hit the ground running and never looked
|
| bring some sense of balance into my
| |
| | back. I attended all the school meetings
|
| grandson's life. He ultimately had to be
| |
| | and made certain that my voice was heard,
|
| pulled out of school. I promised him that
| |
| | loud and clear. I sent out letters every
|
| he would be home-schooled until he was
| |
| | week, passionate letters, written to
|
| successfully treated, which I assured him
| |
| | inspire immediacy and resourcefulness. I
|
| would be soon.
| |
| | made time for my children and my
|
| The most disheartening thing about this
| |
| | grandchildren, always giving them the
|
| situation, aside from my grandson's
| |
| | attention that they needed, knowing how
|
| mental condition, was the obvious lack of
| |
| | important it was for them to feel wanted
|
| attention shown by the teachers and
| |
| | and safe. If they weren't feeling those
|
| I.E.P. Team. When he transferred back to
| |
| | things at school, I would see to it that
|
| high school in California, the school was
| |
| | they felt them at home. My late husband
|
| given all the proper materials to fully
| |
| | and I always made sure that they had
|
| prepare themselves for my grandson's
| |
| | everything they needed, and that they
|
| condition. I made sure to give them
| |
| | could express what was inside them and
|
| access to all his medical reports, which
| |
| | not have to worry about judgment.
|
| clearly noted his learning disabilities.
| |
| | Needless to say, I do these things
|
| I even made sure to enclose a letter from
| |
| | because there's nothing more important in
|
| his previous teacher, who wrote of his
| |
| | this world than family. But there are
|
| difficulty in regular classes and his
| |
| | other reasons as well...
|
| need for special attention. All of this
| |
| | These reasons are blazingly clear to me
|
| obviously went "in one ear and out the
| |
| | when, from time to time, I come across
|
| other." Perhaps they didn't even bother
| |
| | other children who are struggling with
|
| to look at a single piece of
| |
| | difficulties at school. When I see the
|
| documentation?
| |
| | vulnerability, the fear, and the distrust
|
| I wonder, of course, whether my
| |
| | behind their gazes, my push toward change
|
| grandson's condition wouldn't have
| |
| | continues to intensify.
|
| worsened so rapidly if the teachers had
| |
| |
|
