[etni] Fw: re: Jennie's letter

----- Original Message ----- 
From: teachertacher@xxxxxxx
Subject: Re: Jennie's letter

What I read here is that your school failed the student and his parents by 
not insisting he be taken for complete neurological and psychological 
evaluations.  Besides befriending the student, the parents needed to be 'won 
over' and not be made to feel that no one wanted their son.  I was involved 
in a similar situation but on a much smaller scale since I teach 
kindergarten.  I embraced the parents, made the problem 'ours', and 
convinced them to 'do the right thing' for their son.  He has been 
evaluated, is on medication, and we are all best friends.  Though I was very 
strict with the boy, he knew that I loved him and cared for his welfare.

Where I work, if a parent does not take care of a child's needs, we have an 
obligation to report child abuse or neglect to the proper authorities.  I 
have no doubt that Israel also has laws to protect its children.

I am a very well paid teacher working for the United States government.  I 
have many resources available to enhance my teaching and have had much 
training in many areas.  I agree that the school system in Israel needs a 
complete turnaround.  Though I am planning to make aliyah, I would not want 
to take a job away from anyone.  I certainly don't agree with the new plan 
of providing a 'crash course' for would be teachers.  The money would be 
better spent on present employees who need extensive training in such areas 
as determining who may need testing for special education, behavior 
modification, nurturing parent-teacher relationships, recognizing gifted 
children, etc.

Needless to say, higher salaries and smaller classes work wonders!

I salute you all!

Cheryle


Jennifer wrote:
re: Jennie's letter
>The last school I taught in (I shall mention no names), had a boy whom the
councellors, teachers, principals, and powers that be had all tried to get
transferred to a special more suitable school, from when he entered the
school in sixth grade.
>I got him in 9th grade.  He was disruptive, and dangerous, and when he was
in class, it was impossible to teach; he was all over the room, taunting,
hitting etc.
>One day, when he was playing catch me if you can games with cars in the
street, he got run over, and we next saw him in a wheelchair, temporarily..
You  have no idea how dextrous he was at managing that wheelchair between
the desks.  That same day he ran over a pupil with that same wheelchair, and
the pupil had to be hospitalized for some time.  Of course he was suspended.
>Did he come back?  You bet!  Into my class, on crutches, which I 
>immediately
took away!  (How could you teacher, take the crutches from a cripple?) Well,
in his hands they were dangerous weapons.
>Of course, we were all assured that the boy would not return to the high
school; they were no longer under the obligation to accept him.  The
following year, there he was again.
>Now whatever troubled background he came from, and despite it all he was
very bright, I cannot conceive of a school sytem that would allow such a
pupil to continue in the regular school system, just because his parents
didn't agree to his being moved.
>As people who read my occasional postings must know, I believe that the
system is in dire need of a total makeover.  I still believe that teachers
should go out on stike and not return till the problems haave been dealt
with.  Of course this means a considerable amount of money being spent by
the government.  Well, you can't make an omlette without using eggs.  What
about the teachers who cannot survive a long strike.  It is time we started
collecting funds, so that these teachers are not left penniless.  I no
longer work in the system, but I will be the first to contribute.


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