Ok, ok, ok.  Just to be the nitpicker, sit on the fence, annoying one (I'm
good at this, just ask my husband).  First, inclusion is more of a state of
mind.  It means the kids in the special education class get to participate
in all the activities that the other kids do, not neccessarily with them.
Mainstreaming, what I feel some people may more appropriately alluding to is
putting children with disabilities in regular education.  Splitting hairs
you bet.  I'm for most appropriate placement, with a school that's willing
and supportive of either programing.  I've seen learning disabled kids in
special education programs learn more than the regular education kids, I've
seen other LD students totally flop in mainstream, I mean,not a clue,
totally lost, no friends, being picked on and the bunch.  Seen this with
gifted kids also.  I'm also working with a girl with Rett's who has 50-50
mainstreaming/special education and the regular ed kids adore her, accept
her, and think she's cool.  All environment.  I've seen kids supposedly
mainstreamed but, that are pulled out for math, reading, OT, etc.  What time
do they really have with the other kids if they keep getting pulled out like
this?
So, am I for or against?  Depends.

off soap box

Beth the OT, it depends

email address: [log in to unmask]


-----Original Message-----
From: St. John's University Cerebral Palsy List
[mailto:[log in to unmask]]On Behalf Of greer.bobby
Sent: Tuesday, March 27, 2001 7:39 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Formal Education - Inclusion


So much is expected of public schools, they can't do their essential job,
i.e.,
teach the 3 R's!!!! Even "inclusion" is just one more "job" thrown at the
public schools. For a long time "special educators" told other teachers,
"you
can't teach these kids, only we can!". Now, they change their tune and
wonder
why regular educators balk. Make up your cotton pickin' minds!"

I am through ranting now.

Bobby

Cleveland, Kyle E. wrote:

> Yeah, Laura has to carry teacher's "malpractice" insurance, of all things.
> Can you believe that crap?  Ah, well,  Western "democracies" are no better
> than totalitarian governments--they only have one tool to fix all
problems:
> a hammer.  Public Education "worked" for the masses when decisions were
made
> at the local level.  Now State Boards of Education and the Feds have to
> micro-manage every thing that happens in the classroom.  Not every social
> ill can be fixed by a social "program".
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Barber, Kenneth L. [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
> Sent: Tuesday, March 27, 2001 6:28 AM
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: Formal Education - Inclusion
>
> the way things are today, i'd hate to be a teacher.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Bobby Greer [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
> Sent: Monday, March 26, 2001 5:55 PM
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: Formal Education - Inclusion
>
> Lee,
>
>     Iam 63 and went I 1st went to school there were no special ed.
classes.
> My first grade teacher(Mrs. Burke, I stilll remember her name) hugged me
> every day. Did it make me feel good? You bet it did. Did it affect me? I
am
> finishing a 33 year career as a teacher. We need more Mrs. Burke's, but
> sadly, today she might be accused of sexual exploitation, or worse!
>
> Bobby
>
> In a message dated 3/26/01 10:04:11 PM, [log in to unmask] writes:
>
> << Is there anything you (a person with c.p.) would have liked your
teachers
> to know, to be more sensitive to, or is there anything you would like to
say
> to schools in general that could have made your time in school more
> beneficial?  What do you think about, or do you want to comment on the
> growing movement toward inclusion of ALL students into the general ed.
> classroom?  Or you could just make comments or statements regarding c.p.
and
> school at any  >>