Do severely mentally handicapped students get an education or does their day revolved around behavior control?

Question

Are severely mentally handicapped students in the public school system for other people's convenience and peace of mind, rather than to learn anything?

Answer 1

The number one goal is education.

Behavior comes with the territory.  Teaching good behavior might be at another teaching facility.  It all depends if the same school has qualified teachers to do the job or is written in the budget.

There are a several ways to go with behavior problems. It all depends on the school and school system.

Even the mentally challenged need to get an education.  Content may be at a lower level, just the same schools systems are required to educate the mentally challenged.  They deserve an education right along with the other students.

As for other peoples convenience and peace of mind, which I believe you're talking about the parent's, I have to say no. The parents of mentally challenged with behavior problem children do there best so there children get the best education  under the circumstances that present themselves.

Equal education for all. Andicapped or not.

Answer 2

This depends on the quality and experience of the teacher.

Answer 3

Ask George Dubyou B*** His day has to be controlled.

Answer 4

Nothing could be further from the truth. Most school districts have Lifeskills classes that teach students to master those skills that the rest of us did not have to learn. The idea is to enhance their futures by teaching them to be as independent as possible, given their ability.

Some of these students take years to learn some very elementary skills such as toileting. But, as you can see, being able to toilet yourself will enhance your future enormously, especially if you turn out to be a large person.

There are a number of curricula out there for such students, amongst which is the Targeted Lifeskills Program. Students are assessed and then enter the program at their own level. They proceed through a task analyzed series of activities. At the end, they will have a number of important skills like dressing themselves, social skills, personal hygiene and appropriate eating skills, to name just a few.

In addition, there is now a mandated assessment called, Alternate Assessment that is similar to the standardized testing that regular students are required to take. The students are on a special diploma track and are assessed according to their ability levels. There are two special diplomas, Option 1 for students who are mildly to moderately mentally handicapped and Option 2 for severely handicapped students. Their progress is measured from year to year just like any other student.

We are light years away from the days when mentally handicapped students went to school to play. The benefits to the community and these children are enormous!

Answer 5

My sister is severely mentally and physically handicapped.  She is thirty-seven and has the mental facilities of about the average six year old.  She learned to read, basic (very basic) math, and hand-writing.  The importance of school is not so much that they learn the "Three R's" but rather normalize into society.  There is a collective conscience that is part of being an American that is founded in early childhood education.

Answer 6

i was a special ed para and our students were taught everyday..we weren't there to babysit those kids..we were there to make sure they got an education...based on their maturity level is what we taught them...

our kids went to regular classes everyday with regular kids, they were taught that it didn't matter if they're different on the outside they were still expected to be a functioning member of the class..alot of people look down on mentally handicapped kids and thats sad...

those kids are just as excited or grumpy about school...they want to learn..so what they may not learn the same way that "normal" children they still learn even if it's how to interact with other people...going to school is not a babysitting service...it is our responsibility to make sure these kids get the best education we can give them.

Answer 7

I don't understand why schools have 'life skills' classes but then teachers turn around and say  they are not there to teach what the childs parent is suppose to do.   WTF ??????

Answer 8

NO!

I am so discouraged over the mindset of some people that teachers do nothing.

We TEACH as best as we can.

Because of Bush's NCLB, which is a load of c**p, ALL children are to make the same amount of progress every year, no matter what their IQ (50 or 150).

Must of a regular teacher's day revolves around paperwork and testing, rather then teaching: Pre-tests, post-tests, practicing for standardized tests, etc.

We don't get to TEACH like we want to do, but we do the best we can.

Teachers are GOOD people.  We are professionals.  We want children to learn.

School is NOT a "baby sitting" service.

How sad to me that we are looked upon with such disdain when we work so hard!

***sad face***

Answer 9

What is your definition of learning? Tasks may take much longer to learn when faced with a disability. Students who are severely hadicapped have many obstacles to overcome which the regular population takes for granted. It may take a couple of months before a person with a disabilty can learn to hold a pencil in the proper manner to use it let alone express themselves with it. surely their are crappy teachers who do nothing with their students, just like you have crappy workers in every occupation, but for the most part I believe the severely handicapped are given the best oppurtunities possible.