>>> Part 3 of 4...
 
stories she is just now beginning to tell me of things her teacher said
or did to her just make me want to puke.  I've told her that if those things
she speaks of happen again in second grade, she has to tell me so that I
can help her and ensure that things like that won't happen again...the
anger I feel about what they did and didn't do for my daughter is very
high...and I'll be damned if they'll do it again!
 
 DT> You mentioned that her reading teacher has pressured her for answers
 DT> and  Chelsea has begun to cry.  I am assuming that you have talked to
 DT> the  teacher and questioned him/her on this approach.  What have they
 DT> had to  say?
 
First they rolled their eyes, then they snickered, then they proceeded to
tell me that Chelsea is just an overly emotional girl, and that they did
that because they KNEW she knew what the answer was...they were just
trying to get her to say it.  Sick, isn't it?  They added that they weren't
being mean or anything, it was just that it would make them SO angry when
she wouldn't tell them what the answer was or that she was so afraid to
say what the answer was.  Good time to rip off their arm and beat them
to death with it...eh?
 
 DT> I was wondering, is it possible to transfer to another school that has
 DT> a  philosophy a little more in line with helping all kids learn??  From
 
At this time, no...my state of health is not good enough for me to drive
on a daily basis twice a day...and we haven't the money to move...I have
to try to make the best out of the cards we have now...
 
 DT> your description, it sounds like they are not teaching children but
 DT> teaching curriculum.  This may be too harsh a judgement since I only 
 DT> know what you have told me but your descriptions send shivers in me.  
 
NO, your observation is not harsh or off at all...I agree with you 100%  I
don't believe that many of the teachers are there because that is where
they want to be...I believe that a lot them come to work to get a pay
check, not work for one.  There are a few excellent teachers at that
school, and I'm sincerely hoping that one in particular is still around
by the time Chelsea reaches third grade.  My son had her and she is honestly
a wonderful teacher.  She believes that ALL children are different, and one
way of teaching may be good for some and not for others, so she expects
some children EVERY YEAR to need whatever it is she's teaching that day
to be explained in another way.  Anyone with children knows this...they
are different!  She just loved my son and was so good to him...he really
blossomed in her class!  She was the one that cared so much about my son
that if he forgot his homework, she would drop if off on her way home, or
she would call me in the evening from her home, or send notes home letting
me know if Ryan was having some kind of trouble!  She is fully aware of
everything that Chelsea has endured this year, as well as her epilepsy
and other physical handicaps, and says she can't wait to have her for a
student in her class!  We need more teachers who love teaching, not just
the paycheck!
 
You're statement above about teaching curriculum instead of children, I
couldn't have said it better myself.  At least my daughter's first grade
teacher was like that...she didn't care what child could do what, or if
they had any special needs or limitations, they were ALL expected to do
the same level of work, and if they couldn't, too bad...they were all
graded the same...and those who needed special help, were destined to
fail.  What encouragement...eh?  BTW...she was recommended to repeat
first grade.  It was a shock to me, as we had a conference with Chelsea's
teacher in March and at that time, she said that she saw NO indication
that she was going to recommend she repeat first grade.  At the beginning
of May, she brought home her Mid-term, and it reflected that she was
still having trouble reading and with phonics, but the rest of her grades
were all satisfactory.  When Chelsea THEN brought home this letter from
her teacher recommending her repeat first grade, I was shocked, and more
than angry, I wanted an explaination.  What a joke.  I later found out
that there were 10 students in my daughters class that were recommened to
repeat first grade.  Now, who would you say has the problem, the children,
or the teacher???  We received in the mail on Thursday, or last report
card.  Her teacher failed her in everything except Art, Music, and Gym.
I looked at it, screamed "You *itch" and screamed again at her teachers
total ignorance of my daughter for the last nine months, and then to have
the utmost gull to write "Have a safe and happy summer! :) ".  My comment
was "Kiss my Ass".  Dan, I was never so angry as I was when I saw that
report card.  I felt as though she was mocking me as well as Chelsea.
 
 DT> While Chelsea may not qualify for LD.....it does seem to me that she
 DT> may  qualify for health impaired.....I am not sure what the criteria is
 DT> but  you could check this out with your state Epilepsy 
 DT> foundation/chapter....if you have one....I am just guessing here..
 
I spoke to the head of the Special Education Department, and she was just
totally upset that she was NOT informed of Chelsea's handicaps when she
was first diagnosed Sept. 18 in Kindergarten.  She said her handicaps
alone should have sent her name to her desk, and that Chelsea should have
been monitored for the last two years in school.  She said that more than
likely, her handicaps alone will get her a tutor for second grade,
speech therapy and physical (?) therapy to help her in her small and large
motor skills.  She gave me different ideas of things to do with Chelsea
over the summer, things to work on, and on the last day of school, she
sent home with Chelsea, three work books and a SunShine Reading book for
first/second graders.  She sent a note home attached saying to do with
them as I wanted, that she was giving me the books to keep and that she
thought that they would help Chelsea!  And they have, and she loves them!
There are GOOD people in this school system, there's just a lot of lousy
 
 >>> Continued to next message...
 
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