Migraine

Y'all know I teach Special Needs kids. We're teaching Inclusion this year. We go with our kids for Social Studies and Science. They are Self-Contained (come to us) for Math and Language Arts.

We are now teaching 6th graders, 7 in the morning, 8 in the afternoon.

I am having to literally chase after 2 of them on a regular basis. Their elementary schools let them walk out of class whenever they wanted to. They walk out of our classrooms whenever they want to.

Since I am the assistant, I get to follow them. If they decide to go into another building, I have to physically block them from doing so. One child has pushed me twice, and threatened to knock me down. The other waved a fist in my face and laid a hand on my arm.

Yes, the school administration knows about all this. Yes, the kids' parents know about this.

We have a third child who has a "sensory processing disorder." He has to leave the room from time to time to "push on a wall." I go out with him and push on the wall, too - great stress reliever.

This kid makes grossly inappropriate remarks & plays with himself during class. He will deny making the remarks (sexual, racial, etc.) or deny knowing what they mean. He denis playing with himself. Today during lunch, he stood on the railing in the cafeteria line, then denied doing it.

I'm getting concerned that one of these kids will hurt me.

One of our "Shadows" was bitten by the boy she shadows. He is known to be agressive. She pressed charges. He was suspended for 1 day. She is still his shadow.

So, I'l almost afraid to talk to my school administration about all this. I need to stay employed by the school district so Sallie can stay at her high school. (We live out of the district.) I'm afraid my principal will tell me if I don't like what I'm up against, I can just go find another job.

I'm sorry this is such a long post. I'm just at my wits' end! I'm going to talk with my "morning teacher" Monday. She's very sympathetic and supportive. My "afternoon teacher" and I have butted heads since Day One, but I'll talk to her, too.

Thanks, y'all, for letting my cry on y'all's shoulders . I feel much better now.

Rebecca, The Stressed

Rebecca,

I'm SO sorry you're going through all of this. One of my daughters in-law is a special ed teacher. (She's staying home with her own kids right now.) When she was pregnant with Alexandra, a kid pulled a knife on her. Her principal actually expected her to let the child back in the classroom. She called in her union rep and got it resolved. Good thing too. I was ready to go have my own conference with that principal.

Please keep us posted? I'll keep you in my thoughts and hope for some resolution for you.

Oh Rebecca what a time you are having. It takes a very special person to work with special needs kids. But that should not be taken advantage of and it sure sounds like it has been.

I hope you are able to get the help and support you need from school. You certainly cannot be physically in danger from your students. That is not right, not right at all.

I hope you are able to rest and relax over the weekend. Take care of yourself.

Cindy

Rebecca, do you have district level special ed coordinator or someone who oversees the special ed department for the whole school district? If you do, you should call them and ask what the district's policy is on special needs kids who are aggressive. Express your concerns to the person. When they do this inclusion stuff it is usually to save money.

Do you belong to a union? If so, that is another avenue to ask your questions to.

I'm wishing you well.

Rebecca I have dealt with that many kiddos before and that can be rough.

Are you documenting everything that is going on in this classroom? This sounds like a situation that can quickly turn into a lawsuit nightmare for you with this child who denies everything and sounds like he gets away with it. How do his parent's respond to the allegations?

My son has Asperger's syndrome and we have dealt with the inapporiate language and comments. However, my son knows that my husband and I are going to believe his teachers over him if they tell us about something at school. So what support is there from the parents or are they a huge part of the problem?

Mary in NM

hey Rebecca

God, sounds like u really have a struggle on your hands here! I have 2 daughters with special needs, a child with autism, and a child with ADHD, wpilepsy, frontla lobe brain damage and nehaviour problems.

I know what its liek to be ont he receiving end of the violence and aggression, on a daily basis with my oldest (14yrs old). My oldest responds differently in different situatins though! She very rarely violent or aggressive in school!

If I were you, Id be asking for some kind of review, invovling you the toher staff, the parents, and any professionals invovled in working withthe child. After all, surely the parents have some kind of psychologist or psyhiatry invovlemtn for behaviou management! Its not acceptable to be abused at t work, even if it is by children with special needs.

The mistake many ppl make is making allowances for the bad behaviour due to the disabilities. My daughter had brain damage tot he part of her brain that controls impulse! However, whetther she cant help some of her actions or not, she has to be made aware the behaviour is not acceptable! and wnt be tolerated! hope you get soem support witht his

sorry about all the typo errors, recovering from migrane!!

Rebecca,
hun I know how difficult it can be to work with special needs children. You are an to have to patience and understanding just to be able to get this far. Unfortunately most school districts do not have to time, money or hours to adequately train or equip their special needs class rooms . this is unfair to the children and the staff.

I do want to echo what has been said though and please do contact the appropriate resources as well as document everything! Also I am not sure how you district does this but is there any team approach? By this I mean is there a specific care plan in place for each of these children with the teachers, parents, and social worker person's (sorry having trouble placing the right word atm) recommendations? I have seen these put together for some more difficult students and may be a positive to come out of a negative situation.

I so hope you have at least had some time to relax this weekend and release some stress dear

/hugs and positive soothing thoughts to you
Julie



aww Gail no worries - check out my signature - trust me we do understand

quote:

Originally posted by gail:
sorry about all the typo errors, recovering from migrane!!

Rebecca dear I can only echo what others have said - a lot of good suggestions about going to special ed supervisor, union rep, etc. It is not acceptable for you to be in physical danger. It is not okay to let special ed kids "off the hook" for bad behavior.

But most especially I want to say - take care of You! We love you and don't want anything to happen to you!

Megs

I'm so sorry you've been having such a difficult time. It sounds very stressful, to say the least.

Take care. I hope things will improve for you.

Diana

The school is not doing this child any favors if they let him get away with violent behavior. Society is not going to be that tolerant all of his life.

btw Rebecca,
Let us know how this goes and what you find out. I know we are are all concerned and are hoping things work out for the best for all involved.

/peace
Julie

I too work with special needs (especially O.D.D.) students. I am at the HS level and my sister is at the elementary level. I agree with someone who said to check with the union! Obviously the behavior plan is not working, one needs to be designed with attainable goals for the student. We had a parent that wanted her son to be able to masterbate at school and have us clean up after him!! As professionally as we could...we told her that we couldn't allow that to happen as it would be too hard for him to dissern the appropriate place to accommodate this behavior in the "real world", but rather we thought home would be a more appropriate place for her to deal with the behavior. HONEST TRUTH!! I am telling this story because a lot of times we not only have to deal with the behaviors of the student, but the parents also. You DO NOT have to put up with this behavior. Will they let you contact the police. Sometimes when they are involved in the "legal system" it MAKES the parent have to get involved and if medicine treatment needs to happen it may be court ordered. Good luck and keep us informed!