Monday, January 23, 2006
A visit with Nancy
Recently I went with a teacher and a couple of parapros to visit Nancy, one of our special ed students (not her real name of course).
Nancy, an eight grader, had her hip replaced and will be in cast that covers both legs for at least six weeks. She was at home with her mother, who speaks English haltingly and her two younger sisters, one of whom is old enough to be an honor student in sixth grade. They are lovely people.
I don't know what Nancy's underlying problem is, something genetic I suspect. She is paralyzed from the neck down, cannot speak and has severe skeletal problems including scoliosis. It is very hard to tell of course but she is probably profoundly mentally handicapped.
Nancy can do several things. She can turn her head, look at you with big brown eyes and give you a smile that lights the room up. She can also laugh like an angel, a sound like chimes in a gentle breeze.
She is quite the favorite around school. The man who drives her bus, a mountain of a man, gets tears in his eyes when he talks about her. Students who have trouble focusing on almost any activity will sit and read to her. When we take her to a regular class the teacher and students will fuss over her.
A smile and a laugh will take you a long way.
I have been asked, why is the state spending resources bringing this child to school? And make no mistake the resources are significant, Nancy needs someone with her at all times, severe needs students require twice the expenditure than for other students. Shouldn't we concentrate more on the regular students and let kids that obviously cannot learn stay home?
How do you draw the line? I answer. At what point do you say, "This child cannot benefit from school, this child can". Who makes the decision? I think there is wisdom in universal education.
There is another aspect. When we take Nancy or any of the severe needs students into a regular classroom the students in that class get a lesson in acceptance and tolerance. They might just think "Things are not so bad for me, at least I can walk".
I know I do.
Nancy, an eight grader, had her hip replaced and will be in cast that covers both legs for at least six weeks. She was at home with her mother, who speaks English haltingly and her two younger sisters, one of whom is old enough to be an honor student in sixth grade. They are lovely people.
I don't know what Nancy's underlying problem is, something genetic I suspect. She is paralyzed from the neck down, cannot speak and has severe skeletal problems including scoliosis. It is very hard to tell of course but she is probably profoundly mentally handicapped.
Nancy can do several things. She can turn her head, look at you with big brown eyes and give you a smile that lights the room up. She can also laugh like an angel, a sound like chimes in a gentle breeze.
She is quite the favorite around school. The man who drives her bus, a mountain of a man, gets tears in his eyes when he talks about her. Students who have trouble focusing on almost any activity will sit and read to her. When we take her to a regular class the teacher and students will fuss over her.
A smile and a laugh will take you a long way.
I have been asked, why is the state spending resources bringing this child to school? And make no mistake the resources are significant, Nancy needs someone with her at all times, severe needs students require twice the expenditure than for other students. Shouldn't we concentrate more on the regular students and let kids that obviously cannot learn stay home?
How do you draw the line? I answer. At what point do you say, "This child cannot benefit from school, this child can". Who makes the decision? I think there is wisdom in universal education.
There is another aspect. When we take Nancy or any of the severe needs students into a regular classroom the students in that class get a lesson in acceptance and tolerance. They might just think "Things are not so bad for me, at least I can walk".
I know I do.
// posted by Old Math @ 8:08 AM 
