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tchalways - hi Melissa
tchalways - R U a teacher?
Melissa - this is my first time...so I'm figuring it out
tchalways - mine too
Melissa - yes, I teach 1st grade
Melissa - yourself?
tchalways - K-3 Special Ed
Melissa - ahh ok
Melissa - where?
tchalways - NY
tchalways - u?
Melissa - Michigan
Melissa - Is this your first year?
Melissa - and what do you know about EMI children?
tchalways - no-5th
Melissa - Do you teach them?
tchalways - what do you call EMI?
Melissa - oh
Melissa - EMI = educable mentally Impaired
tchalways - got it--different terms here
tchalways - I teach emotionally disturbed
Melissa - you teach emotionally impaired?
tchalways - how about you?
Melissa - What do I do about a student who has been tested and has come out EMI but parents want nothing to do with the label and want to keep him in my reg. ed classroom
alissia101 - does any 1 teach autism here'
tchalways - i had 4 autism students last year i have a bit of background
tchalways - i am currently working on my qualifications for an applied behavior analysist
alissia101 - my students are complaining
tchalways - how is the student functioning in your class?
Melissa - he's barely functioning at all
Melissa - i teach 1st a nd he's going to the kind. classroom in the morning and not keeping up in there and he's 7..should be in 2nd grade
tchalways - alissa-do you tch students w/autism
tchalways - not classified-so no spec ed services right?
Melissa - nope parents want nothing to do with it
tchalways - i have 10 year olds in my 2nd grade rdg.
Melissa - but they agreed to morning kindergarten
tchalways - how is he socially?
Melissa - not good
Melissa - doesn't have any friends
michelle - have they thought about how this is going to affect the child when he is older?
Melissa - don't think so
tchalways - what do the parents do for a living?
Melissa - mom cleans houses
Melissa - dad is self employed
Melissa - don't know what he does
tchalways - maybe they can observe him-what are their goals for him?
Melissa - what to do
Melissa - they think he's just a little behind a nd said they are working with him at home
Melissa - he doesn't know his colors and he's 7
michelle - do they have other children?
Melissa - that's how behind he is
tchalways - maybe they need to see kids his age level at grade level so they can see the difference
Melissa - yeah highschool age tho
tchalways - hi michelle
tchalways - u a teacher?
tchalways - do they function age appropriate?
Melissa - tch...yeah I will try to invite them in
michelle - yes I teach LD to middle school students
Melissa - good idea
Melissa - tch i guess they had problems too
Melissa - like took an extra year to graduate
Melissa - not as severe
tchalways - wonder if the parents had trouble too and don't want the label for fear of the bad things it could do
Melissa - hm not sure
Melissa - but he's sooo unhappy
michelle - that sounds like a possibility to me
Melissa - hes confidence is dropping quickly
cj - does anyone know about reverse inclusion in gifted program?
michelle - I have a student with MD whose parents finally acknowledged it this year (5 years since diagnosis)
tchalways - the sooner the better-definately
michelle - never heard of reverse inclusion in gifted
tchalways - cj-which state are u in?
cj - Fl.
Melissa - hm cj i never heard of that either
Melissa - can you explain it?
michelle - it sounds like it could be a program where the child is taken out of the classroom
tchalways - does it have anything to do with gifted students working with inclusion students in th inclusion classroom?
Melissa - that's what i was thinking
cj - I quess how this works is if there are any slots opened in gifted they will let high achievers in
tchalways - are you on the gifted end or the inclusion end?
Melissa - interesting
tchalways - cj-that makes sense but i am curious where they came up with the name?
cj - but as a parent you would have to know someone who knows about it the school does not let everyone in on it
tchalways - a lot of schools are like that!
cj - my daughter was tested years ago but did not pass only by 2 points
tchalways - all about who you know!
tchalways - do you know of open slots?
Melissa - yeah i even heard of a tester who passed kids on to the program who he likes
tchalways - request your daughter be retested
michelle - we don't offer a gifted program, but we offer challenge classes to all students interested
cj - well after letting my daughter in the class because of her grades they decided to tell the kids there was a field trip but the h.a. had to stay behind
tchalways - i work in a building where most students are classified and have IEP's
tchalways - don't know too much about gifted programs
michelle - that sounds horrible. what was their reasoning?
cj - they said that they had to show differentiation between gs and ha because it is government funded
tchalways - goodnight all-good luck
cj - I had know prob with this except they never told me in the start of school year and then said the h a were going to have subs and stay in class and do busy work
michelle - from the other end, at least in MN if I provide service to students such as bringing students somewhere, I can take the entire group that I work with regardless of their label, special education or regular education
cj - when i went to talk to the principle he did not know a lot so he said they would talk to the teacher
cj - she emailed me and told me that is the way it is and nothing she could do about it and wasn't it a small price to pay to have my child in the class
michelle - cj, keep talking to the principal, the squeaky wheel gets the grease...
michelle - I would ask her to think about the impact on your child's self-esteem. She's good enough for the class and the work but not for the perks!!!
cj - I went to the school board they are now having a meeting to change things I did get the field trip canceled but that isnot what i wanted then to do I wanted all the class to be able to go
cj - you are right they need my child in this class just as much as i need her to be there but they should tell the parent up front about the things the kids would be left out of there are 14 total 2 different classs
cj - That is not all the teacher pulled my daughter out of class today to tell her she heard a rumor and her name was in it and it was say the gifted teachers get paid more money she told my daughter that she does not talk behind peoples backs and no the we do not make any more money
michelle - sounds like the teacher is pretty defensive
cj - as a parent what would you do now this teacher new how opened this pandras box why would she put a child in the middle??
michelle - i would consider finding a different place to get your child challenged. As a teacher, i can't understand why any teacher would put a child in that position.
cj - that is what i think
cj - but if i move her that to me they got there way I would hope parents should not have to fear what will happen to their child if they challenge a teacher
michelle - that was my other thought, but can you take her out of the situation and still fight it? i'm not sure you can
cj - this teacher is made because how she was organizing her class has to change now and she does not like that
cj - we live in small town not a whole lot of opp.
michelle - my mom went through the same problem when my brother was in school almost 20 years ago. If she is changing the way she organizes the class, then you have won at least a battle
michelle - i guess i would try to get her tested again, but that seems crazy
cj - If they would have told me she should be test because of the rewards that come with the lable I would of had her tested noone told me
cj - I have found out like myself parents do not get kids re tested in fear how other kids will look at them
michelle - sounds familiar. I am constantly told thank you for telling parents about programs and telling them the straight up truth without a lot of fluff and jargon
michelle - the testing should be confidential!
michelle - not that I know of
cj - the funny thing about this I know she is gifted I don't need a test to tell me that but I need all the help with her college and being labeled would help
michelle - in what way would the label help
cj - My daughter has been chosen to take the SAT or ACT by DUKE UN only 61 kids in the school were picked
michelle - how old is she
cj - It opens up doors for scholorships
cj - 12 in 7th
michelle - well, i was able to get 4 years of college paid for and was not identified GT. I was in the top 4% of my class and was involved in a lot of diverse activities
st - anyone have any ideas for a career bulletin board for 6th grade
cj - That is great
michelle - ask the students what careers they would be interested in
michelle - start with the careers available in the area
st - thanks
michelle - cj, being gt may help, but it's not the only way to get scholarships was what i was trying to say.
michelle - being able to say that she was chosen to take the DUKE UN tests will also impact her and open doors to scholarships, I would think
michelle - you are welcome st
cj - o I know i was just saying that ever little bit helps and if she is doing the work she is entitled to the label, I just wish they would have told me the benefits
cj - yes michelle you are right about DUKE
michelle - yes that makes sense. See what she wants to do. Does she want to be retested ( and understand the consequences good and bad)
cj - I don't know if I have won but I hope I did save another child from feeling left out
michelle - i hope so too. That is usually why i stick to a battle like that so noone else needs to feel the way i or my students did
michelle - gotta go!
