Re: [Phys-l] Time Outside of Class

["Kilmer, Skip" <kilmers@greenhill.org>]

Why do you keep YELLING at us, Rick?
skip

-----Original Message-----
From: phys-l-bounces@carnot.physics.buffalo.edu
[mailto:phys-l-bounces@carnot.physics.buffalo.edu]On Behalf Of Rick
Tarara
Sent: Tuesday, March 27, 2007 10:41 AM
To: Forum for Physics Educators
Subject: Re: [Phys-l] Time Outside of Class



----- Original Message ----- 
From: "John Clement" <clement@hal-pc.org>
> As to the "mentally handicapped" needing a special curriculum, they need
> cognitive enhancement.  At one time the truism was that Down's syndrome
> children would never be educable, but now a significant number can make it
> through school, even in regular classes.  There certainly are some 
> students
> who can not handle regular classes, but the rest need the special services
> to equip them to handle education.
Spoken like someone who has NO EXPERIENCE in the field.  First they lowered 
the cutoffs to put even lower functioning kids into the 'normal mode'.  This 
also pushes the cutoff for the 'mild' students down into the range that was 
once considered 'moderate'.  Now the NON-POLITICALLY CORRECT terms for these 
groups were EDUCABLES and TRAINABLES but those terms were (are) functionally 
accurate.  The trouble here is that the two groups have been mixed.  Besides 
all this, the Severe & Profoundly handicapped students have also been dumped 
on the public school system.  While this group does deserve public 
assistance, it is should NOT BE in the school system (but again lawyers at 
work here).   But it is currently pointless to talk to the JCs and worthless 
to talk to administrators who see mainstreaming as ECONOMICALLY to their 
advantage.  Talk to the teachers--both special-ed, trying to serve many 
students in different classrooms and to the regular-ed teachers who have 1st 
grade (at best) readers in their 6th grade classes.  It will eventually come 
around, but in the meantime the likes of JC will continue to foster chaos in 
the classroom.  I give up as have many special ed teachers who are rapidly 
bailing out of the field.  It has become a case of rather than being 
flexible enough to recognize the special needs students who can be 
successful (how those successes are measured and how much REAL cheating goes 
on in such assessments is another story) and recognizing that many (if not 
most) 'retarded' children DO NEED a non-academic curriculum, we insist on 
throwing them all together.  The net effect is that from top to bottom (ask 
the teachers) no one is being served very well in school system after school 
system despite some well publicized (and from my wife's first hand knowledge 
I will remain skeptical about this) 'success' stories.   But no need to keep 
shouting at a brick wall so no more posts on this from me.  Just get out 
your checkbooks and watch for your next property tax bill.

Rick  (who worked two years at a dedicated center for the 'retarded' and who 
has done a lot of volunteer work with adults with such handicaps and whose 
wife has an EDS in the field and a lifetime of work experience--all of which 
I'll match against the 'California consciousness' on the topic.)


_______________________________________________
Forum for Physics Educators
Phys-l@carnot.physics.buffalo.edu
https://carnot.physics.buffalo.edu/mailman/listinfo/phys-l