Let's see what does Landon know, academically speaking....hmmmmmmm.
He can write his first name, that was accomplished at some point LAST year.
He can sometimes count to 10, every once in a while he can count to 20.
He knows all his colors, but he only achieved that sometime last year as well.
He knows all his letters, but there are still a few he gets mixed up.
He can read some sight words, however he is still inconsistent with them.
He cannot say the days of the week, even though that has been a goal on his IEP.
He cannot say the months of the year, that has also been a goal on the IEP.
He still has trouble pointing and counting, they call this "one to one correspondence", he will just keep going even though there aren't as many objects there as he is counting.
I could go on and on, but I think you all get the idea. I always ask "What happens when he doesn't meet a goal for this year?"....well, it usually just gets carried over to the next year, but in my son's case it just keeps getting carried over and over and over and over..................
By law, I should be able to expect a year's worth of progress for a year's worth of work.
BUT, the school system gets out of this one by "reminding" me of his secondary diagnosis of "mild mental retardation".....in my opinion.
B*L#S@I&!!!!!!!!!! That's what I say to that! Sorry to be so unladylike, but I have had ENOUGH of this school corporation putting limitations on my son's abilities....they, BY LAW, actually have no right to do that.
Besides, as I mentioned before, he is NOT mentally retarded, not mildly or in any other way.
Landon's skill development is UNEVEN, he is closer to age level in some things and farther behind in others, it is my understanding that a mentally retarded individual reaches a certain level in ALL things, that is they sort of "top out".....if their mental age is that of a 5 year old, then all skills would match that of a five year old.
Landon's skills are age-appropriate in some areas and behind in others. Some of his fine motor skills problems keep him from writing like a "normal" 8 year old, but you can tell he KNOWS what he needs to write, but he is having trouble making the muscles in his hands do what he wants them to do, he KNOWS when he is wrong and does correct himself.
Landon also has manipulation skills, he is a smart little guy, he will try to trick you into doing something for him without you knowing it. It is my understanding that mentally retarded persons do not have that ability, that manipulation is a higher thinking process.
Landon's brain just works differently from mine, or yours, or the guy next door. I do not fully understand it, but it has been described as being a mental filing cabinet or like computer files and when asked a question or to perform a task, the person with autism has to "go through their files" to find the answer or the set of skills needed to do the task, and that takes time. Many of them have auditory processing disorders, which is not mental retardation, it is a difference in the way they process verbal information.
I have nothing against anyone who has been diagnosed with mental retardation, in my opinion, ALL person with disabilities are significantly underestimated in regards to what they have to contribute to our society. All persons, no matter what their diagnosis, are deserving of love, respect, kindness and to be helped to reach their full potential whatever that may be.
I am just simply sick and tired of the situation I find myself in, my son and our family. Our battle with the EVSC, to get them raise their expectation of him, to provide more visual prompts, schedules and aides, to also provide him with a personal aide....has exhausted us at times, and caused unnecessary stress and emotional pain.
It is bad enough that the autism my son has to deal with robs him of a normal life, but it also robs this family of many "normal" things that families do, the last thing we need to do is deal with a school corporation that has little interest in doing for my son what they are required by law to do and who also has no empathy for the parents involved.
I have had one person, with the EVSC, tell me that they are "very much an advocate for the children, but I have to watch what I say".....what kind of school corporation won't let a teacher, therapist or other individual involved in the case of a special education student NOT speak up and say "This child needs _________(fill in the blank)"!!!!!
That is just not right!
It is only my opinion, but I believe the EVSC is more concerned with NOT giving special education students what they need in order to succeed. Also, my opinion is that they do not see the potential being lost with these children, nor do they value their success. I think that, overall, they have extremely low expectations of these children. Children pick up on that, and that could have so much to do with why they are not achieving what they are capable of.
Children need for all the adults in their lives to believe in them.
As educators, they should be concerned when ANY student does not meet expectations, and be concerned that their is something THEY are not doing right. For many of these kids, simply changing the METHOD in which they are being taught can make a HUGE difference in the outcome, but I don't think the EVSC realizes that.
I believe they have convinced themselves, that there is nothing wrong with the WAY they are teaching theses kids, it is the child's fault for not learning. That is a simplistic way of putting it, but you get the picture.
The EVSC needs to revamp their special education department.
There is going to be a TIDAL WAVE of children on the autism spectrum coming this way, and they aren't even prepared to deal with the ones we have, what makes them possibly think they can deal with more?
It is way past time they became proactive and stopped sticking their heads in the sand.
Autism is growing, and it is here in Evansville in much bigger numbers than anyone realizes.
My personal opinion: there are older adults, young adults, teens, school age children and toddlers who have been wrongly diagnosed. They have been diagnosed with every other disorder, which may be displayed in small degrees, which if the doctor or professional would be honest with themselves, and look at the WHOLE picture, instead of the parts, the child is AUTISTIC,
not OCD/ bipolar/ ODD/ anxiety disorder/ SID/ADD or ADHD, etc......
The kids in Evansville need help. I hope to be one individual, along with others that helps them get it.
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