Teachers - tell me stories about students that have caused problems in class?

Question

For my college class, I need stories from teachers about students that they had with disabilities (i.e. deaf, bi-polar, mentally or physically retarded, etc.). I need the story to be descriptive so that I can present it to the class for discussion as to how the problem can be solved. Also, I need to know how you solved it, and how well your solution worked. Finally, if you could have done something different, would you have, and what would it have been.

THANKS for your help!

Answer 1

I'm sorry, but your wording here offends me, and I hope it's not the wording your teacher used.  Students with disabilities don't "cause problems" in class.  Their disabilities create challenges for a teacher who must meet each child's needs to the best of his/her ability.

"Problems," in my opinion, are "caused" by those who WANT to cause disruptions, aggravate the teacher, to make the class go off course, to fight other students, etc.

Answer 2

When I taught at a summer enrichment program, there was a mentally challenged boy in another group. He was a part of an "inclusion" program in which challenged kids go to camp with regular kids, but have a special aide who shadows them throughout the day. However, the aide couldn't watch the kid at all times.

So often, when we're be on the camp bus on our way to or from a field trip, the boy might be sitting a couple seats behind the aide. He would pull down his shorts and underwear exposing his privates to everyone.

All the non-challeneged students would start freaking out saying that was gross and carrying on and laughing. By the time the aide got to him, the damage was already done. He did not understand that the other kids were laughing AT him and not WITH him, so he learned that flashing was the way to get attention.

So it happened quite a few times until finally the camp director pulled him into his office along with his Mother. I think the kid got banned from camp.