I have seen this great idea on The Goldfish's website, so I wanted to add my two cent...
Future DocWilson’s Book Meme
1. One book that changed your life?
The Autobiography of Malcom X, would be at the top of the list. I man whom American history is just starting to consider for his oratory and personal triumph or adversity.
2. One book that you have read more than once?
Well, I would have to concur with The Goldfish, about The Bible. Not only is it a religious text, but is the source of many philosophical (Proverbs), and cultural (Creationism versus Evolution) concepts and ideas.
3. One book you would want on a desert island?
I do not think one book would do it, so I would have to hedge this one, and go with a completed works set, in a leather binding. I think the collected speeches of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. These speeches are motivational, and insightful. I would also go with the Complete Works of Tolstoy.
4. One book that made you laugh?
I'm sorry, I can not restrict myself to one. If I choose The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy then that means I have to neglect Puckoon, and Three Men in a Boat, and No Bed for Bacon, and Clive James's Unreliable Memoirs, and My Family and Other Animals, and The Cat Who Came in from the Cold, and Pickwick Papers, and....so I won't choose any.
5. One book that made you cry?
One Thousand Years of Solitude. A strange book, that tells the story from the end, and threads its way backwards, to explain tragedy. Gabriel Garcia Marquez has the power to find the paintful, private truth of life and love. gem.
6. One book you wish you had written?
Roots, by Alex Haley. This book created a whole academic specialities around genology, travel through the African Diaspora to slavery sites, and increase the number of African American family reunions. It also helped to decrease several prevalent myths around the dynamics of slavery, and slave families. Fascinating.
7. One book you wish had never been written?
Mein Kampf. It creates a platform for serious consideration of racism, antisemetism and other Ayran disfunctional constructs.
8. One book you are currently reading?
Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave, by himself. This is a great book, which gives insights on slavery, and American political thought of the 1800’s. It also is inspiring on how far someone can come, by grit determination and a few random acts of kindness.
9. One book you have been meaning to read?
I have hear and seen various versions of Homer’s the Oddessey. Any book that have been so copied, parodied and retold is a must for required reading.
10. Now tag five people.
Monday, August 21, 2006
Tuesday, August 15, 2006
Illogical Syllogisms and the Dissertation
Five months of revisions, rewrites, edits.
Done.
Committee approved.
Just when I thought there might be smooth sailing ahead, the dissertation process runs into another snag...NEW procedures implemented.
Q: Was the doctoral student told in advance of submission?
A: No.
Q: Then the doctoral student is grandfathered in under old standards, right?
A: Wrong
Q: SO what happened to due process, uniformity of standards and accountability?
A: Do you want this doctoral degree, or not?
Done.
Committee approved.
Just when I thought there might be smooth sailing ahead, the dissertation process runs into another snag...NEW procedures implemented.
Q: Was the doctoral student told in advance of submission?
A: No.
Q: Then the doctoral student is grandfathered in under old standards, right?
A: Wrong
Q: SO what happened to due process, uniformity of standards and accountability?
A: Do you want this doctoral degree, or not?
Tuesday, August 08, 2006
Special Education Determination- A Paradigm Shift
Some good news on the special education front for parents...
August 4, 2006
The New York Times
By Diana Jean Schemo
WASHINGTON, D.C. For more than 25 years, federal law had required that schools nationwide identify children as learning disabled by comparing their scores on intelligence tests with their academic achievement. This meant that many students had
to wait until third or fourth grade to get the special education help they needed.
In regulations issued today after changes to the law, the federal Education Department said states could not require school districts to rely on that method, allowing districts to find other ways to determine which children are eligible for
extra help.
It was the final step in the federal government's repudiation of the old approach, which had come under severe criticism from advocates for children with disabilities, testing experts and eventually federal officials themselves. Advocates for those
children applauded the change.
"If you talk to principals and special ed directors, there is pent-up demand for better ways to serve struggling kids than waiting until they crash and burn in third and fourth grade," said James H. Wendorf, executive director of the National
Center for Learning Disabilities. The new rules also require schools to alert parents as they begin exploring whether children may need special education, another change that won praise from advocates for children with disabilities.
The regulations come after Congress updated laws covering special education for some six million schoolchildren nationwide in late 2004.
Comparing intelligence tests with academic achievement, known as the discrepancy model, came under intense criticism in the debates over the law and over special education.
Federal officials and advocates for children with disabilities contended that the practice of waiting for children to fall behind on tests in third or fourth grade before getting them extra help consigned them to failure, and opened the way for
the disproportionate numbers of poor and minority children to be labeled as needing special education.
The 2004 law abandoned reliance on that approach. And the new regulations favor alternative methods of identifying children who need services, like evaluating the response of struggling children to extra help before the third grade.
The 2004 law also streamlined procedures and reduced the paperwork involved in providing children special education services, and relaxed burdens on schools when children with disabilities had behavioral problems.
A draft of the regulations published in June 2005 prompted an outpouring of 5,500 letters and comments to the Education Department from advocates for children with disabilities, as well as parents, teachers' unions, and state, district and
local education officials.
The department posted the final regulations on its Web site today, along with answers to each of the comments it received. The final regulations will be published in the Federal Register on Aug. 14, and will take effect 60 days later. In unveiling the new rules, Education Secretary Margaret Spellings said her priority was "that we not lose our vigilance for educational attainment for every child."
Advocates for children with disabilities said they were disappointed that the regulations did not address some problems they saw in the 2004 federal law. For example, the law says that instead of reviewing each disabled child's educational plan every year automatically, schools could review them only once every three years, provided parents agree to the change. The regulations do not help ensure
parents are properly notified, advocates said.
"But who is going to make sure that parents now know what they're giving up if they agree to that?" said Ricki Sabia, associate director of the National Down Syndrome Society Policy Center. "The department could have made clear what constitutes
that agreement."
------------------
But it goes to show that constant vigilance is always required....
August 4, 2006
The New York Times
By Diana Jean Schemo
WASHINGTON, D.C. For more than 25 years, federal law had required that schools nationwide identify children as learning disabled by comparing their scores on intelligence tests with their academic achievement. This meant that many students had
to wait until third or fourth grade to get the special education help they needed.
In regulations issued today after changes to the law, the federal Education Department said states could not require school districts to rely on that method, allowing districts to find other ways to determine which children are eligible for
extra help.
It was the final step in the federal government's repudiation of the old approach, which had come under severe criticism from advocates for children with disabilities, testing experts and eventually federal officials themselves. Advocates for those
children applauded the change.
"If you talk to principals and special ed directors, there is pent-up demand for better ways to serve struggling kids than waiting until they crash and burn in third and fourth grade," said James H. Wendorf, executive director of the National
Center for Learning Disabilities. The new rules also require schools to alert parents as they begin exploring whether children may need special education, another change that won praise from advocates for children with disabilities.
The regulations come after Congress updated laws covering special education for some six million schoolchildren nationwide in late 2004.
Comparing intelligence tests with academic achievement, known as the discrepancy model, came under intense criticism in the debates over the law and over special education.
Federal officials and advocates for children with disabilities contended that the practice of waiting for children to fall behind on tests in third or fourth grade before getting them extra help consigned them to failure, and opened the way for
the disproportionate numbers of poor and minority children to be labeled as needing special education.
The 2004 law abandoned reliance on that approach. And the new regulations favor alternative methods of identifying children who need services, like evaluating the response of struggling children to extra help before the third grade.
The 2004 law also streamlined procedures and reduced the paperwork involved in providing children special education services, and relaxed burdens on schools when children with disabilities had behavioral problems.
A draft of the regulations published in June 2005 prompted an outpouring of 5,500 letters and comments to the Education Department from advocates for children with disabilities, as well as parents, teachers' unions, and state, district and
local education officials.
The department posted the final regulations on its Web site today, along with answers to each of the comments it received. The final regulations will be published in the Federal Register on Aug. 14, and will take effect 60 days later. In unveiling the new rules, Education Secretary Margaret Spellings said her priority was "that we not lose our vigilance for educational attainment for every child."
Advocates for children with disabilities said they were disappointed that the regulations did not address some problems they saw in the 2004 federal law. For example, the law says that instead of reviewing each disabled child's educational plan every year automatically, schools could review them only once every three years, provided parents agree to the change. The regulations do not help ensure
parents are properly notified, advocates said.
"But who is going to make sure that parents now know what they're giving up if they agree to that?" said Ricki Sabia, associate director of the National Down Syndrome Society Policy Center. "The department could have made clear what constitutes
that agreement."
------------------
But it goes to show that constant vigilance is always required....
Monday, August 07, 2006
The Future Doc Wilson: The Season of Hope and Renewal: Dissertation Proposal Submission
The Future Doc Wilson: The Season of Hope and Renewal: Dissertation Proposal Submission
Update:
The Future Doc Wilson has submitted an updated proposal to her dissertation committee...
Stay tuned.
Update:
The Future Doc Wilson has submitted an updated proposal to her dissertation committee...
Stay tuned.
Mastering The 504 Plan
It is that time of year—parents start buying school supplies, putting overpriced sneakers on layaway and developing a new strategy for dealing with teachers, administrators and various other academic interveners, disguised as well meaning and caring purveyors of public school education.
So here is my Five Step Survival Guide to special education advocacy:
1.Have a building based plan. Many districts require special education services to go through a central office. If you can avoid this, by all means do. These people do not know you child, and only have his/her psychological testing, social work evaluations to go by. (Have you ever wondered how you would be described in an evaluation done by a perfect stranger asking you things you don’t tell you best friend?) While this snapshot may be clinically acceptable, it is only a snapshot—you child needs should be based on more than that. If you cannot avoid going through a central committee, still pursue an unofficial meeting with the building based team leader—it may be the speech, OT or PT. In the worst-case scenarios, someone is usually the carryover year to year, and is the de facto coordinator of special services.
2.Know your legal rights. Well meaning administrators and teachers tell parents so much bad, subjective and completely wrong information, its scary. Parents have been mandated to medicate children, allow aversive therapies (electro-shock), deny medication (insulin), etc. that is critical parents have a copy of the IDEA law, the 504 section of the ADA, and the mandatory guide to special education services, which is required (but seldom seen). Learn the appeals process, the grievance process, etc.
3.Know your legal options. There are lots of treatments, therapies and services that are available outside of the school district. Some health departments’ offer home based services to children at the pre-school stage, or children with serious medical conditions. Many health insurance plans cover speech, OT, PT. There are also services through the Office of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities for children with less severe issues (respite, summer camp, special play groups, equipment rental, etc.) If you have to try to wrangle services form the school district, there are disability advocates through centers for independent living (CIL’s), VESID and other local disability rights organizations; let you finger do the walking through the Yellow Pages.
4.Get a second opinion. You child’s kindergarten teacher may know finger paints and nursery rhymes, but that does not apply to disabilities. Most teachers are not required to take any classes about disabilities, or any cognitive impairment. Those fortunate enough to be at a school with a minor or electives have a limited selection, and little or no practicum. Always get a psychological evaluation outside of your child’s home school. This local person never can give a truly unbiased assessment, when they have the feedback of peers, teachers, and building neighbors.
5.Develop your own plan. The Internet had leveled the playing field between parents and practioners. Anything you want to know about any issues, illness or disability is yours for the reading. Gather information, go the libraries and support groups, to bounce ideas around. Use parenting experience to document your child’s strengths, weaknesses, responses to stimuli, etc. This information should be distilled to a one page report to give to new teachers; share the long various with the building based special education/support services team.
Not everyone will value your level of preparation and knowing what you want, but one person will benefit—your child.
So here is my Five Step Survival Guide to special education advocacy:
1.Have a building based plan. Many districts require special education services to go through a central office. If you can avoid this, by all means do. These people do not know you child, and only have his/her psychological testing, social work evaluations to go by. (Have you ever wondered how you would be described in an evaluation done by a perfect stranger asking you things you don’t tell you best friend?) While this snapshot may be clinically acceptable, it is only a snapshot—you child needs should be based on more than that. If you cannot avoid going through a central committee, still pursue an unofficial meeting with the building based team leader—it may be the speech, OT or PT. In the worst-case scenarios, someone is usually the carryover year to year, and is the de facto coordinator of special services.
2.Know your legal rights. Well meaning administrators and teachers tell parents so much bad, subjective and completely wrong information, its scary. Parents have been mandated to medicate children, allow aversive therapies (electro-shock), deny medication (insulin), etc. that is critical parents have a copy of the IDEA law, the 504 section of the ADA, and the mandatory guide to special education services, which is required (but seldom seen). Learn the appeals process, the grievance process, etc.
3.Know your legal options. There are lots of treatments, therapies and services that are available outside of the school district. Some health departments’ offer home based services to children at the pre-school stage, or children with serious medical conditions. Many health insurance plans cover speech, OT, PT. There are also services through the Office of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities for children with less severe issues (respite, summer camp, special play groups, equipment rental, etc.) If you have to try to wrangle services form the school district, there are disability advocates through centers for independent living (CIL’s), VESID and other local disability rights organizations; let you finger do the walking through the Yellow Pages.
4.Get a second opinion. You child’s kindergarten teacher may know finger paints and nursery rhymes, but that does not apply to disabilities. Most teachers are not required to take any classes about disabilities, or any cognitive impairment. Those fortunate enough to be at a school with a minor or electives have a limited selection, and little or no practicum. Always get a psychological evaluation outside of your child’s home school. This local person never can give a truly unbiased assessment, when they have the feedback of peers, teachers, and building neighbors.
5.Develop your own plan. The Internet had leveled the playing field between parents and practioners. Anything you want to know about any issues, illness or disability is yours for the reading. Gather information, go the libraries and support groups, to bounce ideas around. Use parenting experience to document your child’s strengths, weaknesses, responses to stimuli, etc. This information should be distilled to a one page report to give to new teachers; share the long various with the building based special education/support services team.
Not everyone will value your level of preparation and knowing what you want, but one person will benefit—your child.
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