tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5763532437435602439.post5852385439954045369..comments2024-03-27T13:26:48.484-07:00Comments on I'll call Baila: Of switches and boardsBailahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14115498582378133552noreply@blogger.comBlogger16125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5763532437435602439.post-53421936145715279052009-10-28T02:18:56.110-07:002009-10-28T02:18:56.110-07:00First let me tell you how fascinating the explanat...First let me tell you how fascinating the explanations about how a child can express her/himself are.<br />Then I suppose that if you could explain all this to parents they would be reassured to know that their kids could achieve more than they ever thought possible.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5763532437435602439.post-70613129403321500112009-10-25T19:30:39.815-07:002009-10-25T19:30:39.815-07:00Everyone has the right to communicate and if they ...Everyone has the right to communicate and if they are unable it, it is our job as speech pathologists to find a way to enable them. Those children are too young to be written off.Bredanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5763532437435602439.post-10246265829875261542009-10-25T10:25:42.813-07:002009-10-25T10:25:42.813-07:00Darling, I'm the one who frequently gets into ...Darling, I'm the one who frequently gets into trouble for big mouth mistakes. <br />What you do is between you and the kids and their families. YOu may have to build up the families' expectations. Keep at it.Batyahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09402874037427009327noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5763532437435602439.post-68614347215131007932009-10-25T09:27:50.359-07:002009-10-25T09:27:50.359-07:00Baila, it seems to me that there are two problems ...Baila, it seems to me that there are two problems here: one, the supposed lack of time by the regular staff to implement what you want them to do, and two, the attitude of your supervisor.<br /><br />Perhaps the staff is truly overburdened, and a solution would be to find a volunteer to help in the classroom.<br /><br />In terms of the attitude of your supervisor, this is unfortunate and very frustrating, but perhaps she needs to "see it to believe it". Finding an example where this technology opened up a child's world would possibly change her mind.westbankmamahttp://westbankmama.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5763532437435602439.post-40702759857902782152009-10-25T05:34:11.176-07:002009-10-25T05:34:11.176-07:00Do you do mostly push-in or pull-out?
If its pul...Do you do mostly push-in or pull-out? <br /><br />If its pull-out, I would say keep going with using the switches/boards when in speech, and in a couple of weeks, when the issue has died down a bit, ask the teachers if there is something they would like on the board/switch that would be useful in the classroom. That way, hopefully they will feel as if you are helping them...<br /><br />Its unfortunate that its often such a touchy relationship between the classroom teachers and the SLP. As for the principal, this seems to be her philosophy, and I don't know how much headway you can make in changing it. Of course, we're not expecting miracles, but we definitely do get surprises.<br /><br />Just remember, its the kids that keep us going!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5763532437435602439.post-90083245574094605102009-10-24T14:31:27.850-07:002009-10-24T14:31:27.850-07:00I suggest you schedule a meeting with the principa...I suggest you schedule a meeting with the principal:<br />first, recognize and acknowlege her dedication and achievements. then, gently tell her what you have told us in your intro. That some kids can achieve a lot more and we don't know unless we can open some line of communication.<br /><br />make sure you pause often, allowing her to comment.<br /><br />Anything she says that you agree with, acknowlege verbally and, if you can refer back to it during your conversation.<br /><br />remember: you are both on the same side.RivkA with a capital Ahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09411034058195730044noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5763532437435602439.post-21690026393071951382009-10-24T09:34:51.706-07:002009-10-24T09:34:51.706-07:00Great post and interesting comments. I hope you ca...Great post and interesting comments. I hope you can get through to this principal eventually.mother in israelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13715046177293916034noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5763532437435602439.post-80674026363111406782009-10-24T01:13:07.327-07:002009-10-24T01:13:07.327-07:00Hey, I don't think I ever knew you were in th...Hey, I don't think I ever knew you were in this field. anyway.....although teaching Eng. now, my first starts, my first love, has always been Special Ed. <br /><br />Your story reminds me of a story when I was first teaching....my class hadn't yet been established so they had me assisting in the established classrooms. I was told one day to "help Annette get her boots on" after OT. Annette was non-verbal, non-mobile....and her mother had dressed her with COWBOY BOOTS that did not zipper open. I tried to get her foot into the boot but it was flexed tight. I turned to the teacher in the room and asked her how I was supposed to do this. Her response: "ANNETTE!!! let her put your shoe on!!!" which was followed by snickers and snorts from Annette!!! To this day I always think of her when people talk about whether or not multiply disabled people have thoughts and feelings and the capacity to advance. <br /><br />Sorry for the ramble, just wanted to give you a reminder that you are making a difference, and that you need to keep trying for all the Annettes out there. Target the classroom staff one by one, help them to open THEIR eyes to the miracles they are helping to create.....<br /><br />sending hugs......Totohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16188162186175200035noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5763532437435602439.post-40820471624468035932009-10-23T23:06:53.997-07:002009-10-23T23:06:53.997-07:00I can imagine your frustration--I was infuriated, ...I can imagine your frustration--I was infuriated, reading the principal's words.<br /><br />I am echoing everyone else's sentiments, but nonetheless. My two cents--continue giving this job your all...while looking for a new job. Something will come up.Gilahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13246089571573457394noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5763532437435602439.post-11508879329050065022009-10-23T06:30:23.904-07:002009-10-23T06:30:23.904-07:00I think that the principal's remarks are indic...I think that the principal's remarks are indicative of a defeatist attitude that is much too prevalent among educators. Too many educators assume that a child with special needs will never be "normal", so we shouldn't expect too much of them. <br />I work with autistic preschoolers and I encounter that attitude every day. Thankfully, the children themselves don't know that not much is expected of them, and given the right educational and social support, they easily surpass our expectations every day.SuperRaizyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06742653185025562286noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5763532437435602439.post-45953678883168523722009-10-23T04:50:13.790-07:002009-10-23T04:50:13.790-07:00Baila, that's so frustrating. I would also lik...Baila, that's so frustrating. I would also like to know how principal views your role in the school, given her attitude towards the children's potential?<br /><br />Maybe try to find some good professional articles in Hebrew to throw her way, to back up what you're saying? Are you in contact with any Israeli speech therapists or special pple?Commenter Abbihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07753256568022159103noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5763532437435602439.post-50184317546799382782009-10-23T04:13:19.089-07:002009-10-23T04:13:19.089-07:00One other thing: I'm also having some professi...One other thing: I'm also having some professional issues in my corporate-type job -- but over the course of time I've realized that job opportunities come and go, that situations change, that supervisors change, and sometimes it's best to make the best of a bad professional situation because you can't see the future.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5763532437435602439.post-70099034199824716212009-10-23T04:10:40.865-07:002009-10-23T04:10:40.865-07:00This is so close to home, because we have a mostly...This is so close to home, because we have a mostly nonverbal 5 year old and I think an AAC device is our next step ... scary and exciting at the same time. The issue will be how to get the school district to pay for it and train him. B'h he's not cognitively or physically handicapped, and he is a little stubborn, so I don't know if he would even want to use it.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5763532437435602439.post-57156734609581161602009-10-23T03:58:58.257-07:002009-10-23T03:58:58.257-07:00My quick note: it sounds like the job is more the ...My quick note: it sounds like the job is more the problem than the profession. Hard when you know more (or think differently) than your supervisor. I hear this from other people that work in the public sector.Leorahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12303493764579879710noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5763532437435602439.post-55547081553384552162009-10-23T03:37:55.310-07:002009-10-23T03:37:55.310-07:00Beatrice, you did a beautiful job of the describin...Beatrice, you did a beautiful job of the describing the difficult work that you do. Having worked with you in the past I know that you are an excellent therapist and an assest to your school and students. I am sorry to hear that others do not see the potential that you (and I) see in some of our most impaired children. I am sure their parents appreciate it. Although you may be frustrated by your situation, you must stay true to yourself and ethical to your students. So you will just do your best you can for them with in the current limitations you are given. That is probably more than many others would do. Thanks for blogging such an interesting and important issue about our profession. All the best from one dedicated SLP to another!Stephanienoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5763532437435602439.post-52110949103527835592009-10-23T03:33:58.231-07:002009-10-23T03:33:58.231-07:00Hey Baila-
Hi, it's Shari. So, which 'exp...Hey Baila-<br /><br />Hi, it's Shari. So, which 'expectations' of yours were too high? Is the classroom staff unwilling to implement ANY augmentative communicative devices? I'm curious to hear what you were asking them to cooperate in doing? If she supports NO devices/alternative communcation systems in the classroom, she's wrong, and unethical. Of course, I'm just surmising here, based on the 'we give them parties, love, and cookies' attitude conveyed in your blog. Did anyone ask her what she believed all the therapies were for? Did anyone mention that there are different degrees of 'dependence', and that every child is entitled to learn in their least restrictive environment (I'm guessing the law in Israel is similar)? Did she expand on what exactly she SEES as the 'key role' that the therapists play within the classroom? I'm disappointed that (it seems) she didn't spend time explaining to the classroom staff that you are, in fact, not coming to 'check up', but rather to share professional knowledge to better the lives of the children. I can go on and on, but I am going to start feeling like I'm preaching to the converted. Of course you know I haven't (yet) experienced how it is to work in the classrooms at *our place of work*, but it is disheartening to hear that this is the attitude of our chief administrator, though not all that surprising; I bet you'd find a similar attitude (if not worse!) elsewhere. Are you thinking of a career switch because it's just too frustrating? Good luck with your thoughts on all this. I'll talk to you soon.<br /><br />ShariAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com