I'd like to add a slightly different perspective on this important discussion. I strongly believe that all children, especially ones with challenging behaviors, need support and the opportunity to succeed in a classroom. With that said, not every classroom/school setting is right for every child. I say this from <g class="gr_ gr_45 gr-alert gr_spell gr_inline_cards gr_disable_anim_appear ContextualSpelling multiReplace" id="45" data-gr-id="45">first hand</g> experience. I currently teach in a Parent Cooperative <g class="gr_ gr_539 gr-alert gr_spell gr_inline_cards gr_disable_anim_appear ContextualSpelling ins-del multiReplace" id="539" data-gr-id="539">presschool</g> (modeled on Bev Bos' Roseville preschool and similar to Teacher Tom's) and our school is not a good fit for some students. We are play-based with choices all the time, mixed-age group 3 to 5 years, indoor/outdoor all the time, and 6 different parents working with 2 consistent teachers every day. I have found that children with sensory processing issues (and some other kids with diagnosed issues) become extremely overwhelmed and stressed in our environment, leading to challenging behaviors. Oh, and our class size is 24-28 students per day. We have plenty of adults - but most of them are parents, which varies the ability to manage children. We have plenty of students with differing needs that we have successfully served from speech and <g class="gr_ gr_335 gr-alert gr_spell gr_inline_cards gr_disable_anim_appear ContextualSpelling ins-del multiReplace" id="335" data-gr-id="335">langauge</g> issues to autism. However, some students need more structure and support than we can provide, or a smaller classroom, or simply a different type of program. We do children and families a disservice by not informing them that a setting is not right for their child or that their child needs more support (or in some circumstances, an evaluation).
I think it is educational arrogance to believe your setting works for every child - <g class="gr_ gr_31 gr-alert gr_spell gr_inline_cards gr_disable_anim_appear ContextualSpelling multiReplace" id="31" data-gr-id="31">its</g> simply not true. I have worked in different settings that are more structured, and some kids don't thrive in those settings. I also think that we beat ourselves up way too much when we cannot help a child. Those kids stick with us emotionally for a long time. I have had to counsel out families from my current school, and it is always a long process (usually 6 months of trying every strategy and looking for more support for the kid/family). And it is painful for everyone involved. But I have learned that sometimes letting go is the right choice.
As for additional training for teachers, I am all for it - but it's not a magic. I have an undergraduate degreee in Nursery/Kindergarten education from <g class="gr_ gr_413 gr-alert gr_gramm gr_inline_cards gr_disable_anim_appear Grammar only-ins replaceWithoutSep" id="413" data-gr-id="413">University</g> of Delaware, and a Masters in Early Childhood Special Education from Bank Street College of Education - and I still see kids each year that have me scratching my head. Training for classroom teachers is a starting point, but until all schools have integrated specialists (speech/language, OT, PT, psychologist) and services available, we won't reach the level of support needed for some students.
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Kathy Clark
Kensington CA
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Original Message:
Sent: 02-24-2018 08:19 AM
From: Jack Wright
Subject: Suspensions, being sent home, or being "counseled" out
Julie, thank you for that link. I especially like the third point: "Invest in Workforce Training, Preparation and Development." when we give up on a child we have failed, and the skills are known regarding managing disruptive behavior just not broadly known as yet. Acting out children are anxious about something they don't understand like why they have to sit in circle. When we learn to soothe and understand them they can do the thinking that will lead to them wanting to sit in circle.
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Jack Wright
Success With Children
St Ignatius MT
Original Message:
Sent: 02-23-2018 11:13 AM
From: Julie Ehle
Subject: Suspensions, being sent home, or being "counseled" out
Here is a link to the AFC Expulsion and Suspension Policy Statement. It may be helpful.
https://www.acf.hhs.gov/occ/resource/im-2016-03
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Julie Ehle
ECE Coordinator
Mid Michigan Community College
Harrison MI
Original Message:
Sent: 02-22-2018 10:55 AM
From: Kathy Grohs
Subject: Suspensions, being sent home, or being "counseled" out
I am an education coach in an Early Head Start program; I am also a parent. I have experienced two of my children being asked to leave programs due to behavior concerns. I have had teachers and/or the administration state to me that the teachers are not trained in how to deal with the spectrum of behaviors that my girls exhibited. They have stated the problem.....and the solution. It is time that we train teachers how to be effective in the classroom with all types of behavior. I realize that there are required trainings for teachers to have to meet standards. This should be one of them.
We can affect this by talking to policymakers on a local, state, and national level and asking that this be a priority for our nation's children and teachers.
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Kathy Grohs
Education Coach
Nebraska Early Childhood Collaborative
Omaha NE
Original Message:
Sent: 02-15-2018 05:56 PM
From: Mary Wonderlick
Subject: Suspensions, being sent home, or being "counseled" out
For children with social emotional and behavior differences, it has been altogether tooooooo common to just get rid of the problem (the child) instead of putting in the effort to find solutions and remediate. So, what is going on in your program, your agency, your area? What are you hearing about? Is there still a great deal of using the path of least resistance and removing the child? Are you learning of/experiencing more willingness to work with challenges, to find solutions, and to meet the needs of "those" children and "their" families?? Our Interest Forum is quite interested in hearing about what is actually happening everywhere.
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Mary Wonderlick
co facilitator
At Risk & Special Needs Interest Forum
Chicago IL
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