As a new educator, is there a real value of classifications for students with emotional disabilities?

Question

As a new educator, is there a real value of classifications for students with emotional disabilities?

Answer 1

How about seeing your students for who they are and not their disability?

Instead of seeing Bobby as "the kid with ADHD" or Sue as "the girl with ODD" but as eager learners with special needs.

Regardless, the classification is useless because you have their IEP to work by.

Answer 2

The value would come with more understanding of behaviors exhibited.

Answer 3

Yes, there is real value because then the child can access special education services. Many children with emotional disturbances need extra support to make it through school. Though some can be maintained with very little help in the general education classroom. there are kids that need either more supervision or a smaller setting.

Any special education label must have educational relevance. If a child receives this label, it means that their emotional issues are interferring with learning.  Here are the criteria for the label.

An emotional handicap is defined as a condition resulting in persistent and consistent maladaptive behavior, which exists to a marked degree, which interferes with the student's learning process, and which may include but is not limited to any of the following characteristics:

    *An inability to achieve adequate academic progress, which cannot be explained by intellectual, sensory, or health factors

    *An inability to build or maintain satisfactory interpersonal relationships with peers and teachers

    *Inappropriate types of behavior or feelings under normal circumstances

    *A general pervasive mood of unhappiness or depression

    *A tendency to develop physical symptoms or fears associated with personal or school problems

In addition to the above criteria, an emotional handicap must exist over an extended period of time, and in more than one situation.  The emotional handicap must interfere with the student's learning in academic areas, social-personal development, language development, or behavioral progress and control.

As you can see, a child who is experiencing these kinds of problems is going to have trouble in school. That is why the criteria were developed.

Answer 4

Yes it gives you more info on how to deal with, and help them. It also gives them rights that they normally would not get.