Yaaaawwwwwnnnnnn

I set a goal to write on my blog every night.

I didn't last night.

After school, I went straight to the Union meeting.

Then I dragged myself home.

It's not that I was so tired that I forgot.

It's that I was sssssssssssssssssooooooooooooooo tired, I fell asleep.

So, here I am now.

Tomorrow I have an appointment with the interim principal to discuss why my special education students with learning disabilities and read at a 3rd grade level do not meet expectations on the ISATs.

This is the same interim principal in her second day of leadership asked my fellow special education teacher why all her students fell into the category of "below expectations" in reading on the ISATs. This teacher tried to explain to the interim that her students have learning disabilities (which if they are classified as such that means a psychologist had to make that call and that call is made if a child is performing at least 2 stanines below their intelligence quotient).



The interim's response, "Well, we'll set it up so you can watch a special education program that works."

Really. Show mewhere studetns who read at 1st, 2nd, 3rd grade levels can meet or exceed expectations on a 6th grade level reading test. If there is any out there, sign me up. I'll pay to check it out.

That's not to say we have low expectations for our kids. Facts are facts. A diabetic is not going to suddenly start making insulin because he is trying hard. No matter what "The Secret" says.

Several of our students with LD do meet or even exceed expectations on the math and science portions of the ISATs. This was not the case for reading where they ALL fell into the categories of "below expectations" or "academic warning"--the lowest of the classifications. Well, we can READ the math and science tests to the SWDs (students with disabilities). In fact, we're provided with scripts and audio CDs. However, we cannot provide ANY modifications for reading except for extended time. Now, I ask you, how can a student meet expectations on the ISATs if their form of dyslexia, let's say, has them reading at a 2nd grade level, according, again, to a psychologist, but are expected to read, retain and answer questions pertaining to a passage written at the 7th grade level.

It would be like giving me a phonetically spelled out test in Chinese. I could sound out the words, but I would have absolutely no idea what I had comprehended. And you could give me all the time in the world, and I still would not meet or exceed expectations....unless I got lucky in my guessing.

Now about that Union meeting.

More on that later....feeling very sleepy.
G'night