WV - Teacher swipes mic from autistic boy set to perform in Thanksgiving play

[katydid23]

You were taught to ignore students with disabilities? That's insensitive, not helping them, and is probably doesn't conform with Americans With Disabilities Act.

What this teacher did was rude and also insensitive. Oh, she was worried what he might say into the mic but she was fine with letting him stand there, confused and in tears. BS.

I was taught to 'ignore' certain actions---to teach them by ignoring things they would do for attention. It is a way of training. It was not done only to special ed students.

 

[Ray_of_hope]

I believe if she thought him to be unpredictable taking the microphone was probably the better of limited choices. That said, it is not just one action that she could have done. She wasn't limited to just taking the microphone. She could have taken the microphone AND helped the child/acknowledged the child/guided the child to his parents/stayed by his side and silently attended him/ acknowledged the child and gently speaking to him. She chose to walk away and ignore him.

I have children with IEPs that call for planned ignoring but those plans are made with children and parents (as young as 5) and have specific instances where they can and cannot be used. Doesn't seem like mom and dad felt this was a part of a FBA/BIP strategy. If it is not, the teacher should have some explaining to do. Did she do what was in his IEP?

I agree. There is no reason to humiliate a child. And to the adults that laughed, for shame...
She could have even commented about how she loved his enthusiasm when she took the mic or guided him in saying "Good night" to the audience. That made me cringe and ache for the little boy.

 

[JeannaT]

Okay. So I went and watched the whole 12 minute thing, and I have a slightly different perspective. It was about the most boring presentation I've ever seen, save for the cuteness and spontaneity of the kids. All the kids approached the microphone with unintellible memorized lines (I literally understood less than 10 percent of what was said). They'd come in waves of 3 or 4. It goes on and on with each child delivering a line that can't be understood, although cutely. The turkey boy is wandering a bit aimlessly around the stage a lot of the time, but he's a little kid.

He has two lines - the last of which I think wasn't in the script. The first seemed to be "I'm butterann", and the last was something like "ow ow ow" where he didn't seem to be scripted there. Then a little boy near the end approaches the microphone and gets such a serious case of the giggles he can't deliver his line and after quite some time he giggles off the stage, and the audience is giggling too. Then they sing a sweet little song all together, the two get up to deliver the "happy thanksgiving" "thanks for coming", and the turkey boy is about to address the crowd again. At this point, it seems likely the teacher made that face to communicate what everyone was thinking - that's enough of THIS performance already, let's drop the curtain!!! The parents were kind of giggling, because the whole thing was so dreadful but the kids so cute. And so with a mighty flourish she removes the microphone, and people kind of giggle, but then it turns awful when the child is so hurt.

So anyway. Now no one else has to go sit through that dreadful play! ;D

 

[Woodland]

I was a teachers aide in a special ed class. I was taught to 'ignore' those kinds of behaviors as a way to show they will not get attention. If she had stayed and given him gentle voice and walked with him, that would be giving him positive feedback, I think? If he got back in line, then he really should not have been given a chance to speak again, especially if she was not certain what he was going to say. jmo

Fail to see what ignoring actions that have taken place has to do with anticipated behavior - it's the teachers 'swiping' action that some are frowning on.

Maybe she thought this, or maybe she thought that, maybe the child would have done this or that - imo, this is defending the teachers bad behavior - what did the children learn?

This is not making her classroom a great place to be. Jmo.

 

[katydid23]

You were taught to ignore students with disabilities? That's insensitive, not helping them, and is probably doesn't conform with Americans With Disabilities Act.

What this teacher did was rude and also insensitive. Oh, she was worried what he might say into the mic but she was fine with letting him stand there, confused and in tears. BS.

PLANNED IGNORING AS AN INTERVENTION STRATEGY FOR
PARENTS AND FAMILY MEMBERS INFORMATION FOR FAMILIES


Planned ignoring is an intervention strategy that has been effectively used to reduce inappropriate behaviors. Planned ignoring occurs when an adult ignores minor irritants or silliness in a child. It also requires the adult to determine which behaviors will stop on their own and which behaviors need intervention, such as damage to property, physical harm to self or others, or behavior that is morally or ethically wrong.

Implementing a planned ignoring intervention requires little material, money, or intensive training. Peers, parents, teachers, and other adults can be taught to implement the procedure easily and effectively. Planned ignoring can be easily embedded in natural routines and activities once the behavior is identified.


http://cecp.air.org/familybriefs/docs/PlannedIgnoring.pdf

 

[kaen]

So anyway. Now no one else has to go sit through that dreadful play! ;D

One of those "it is only engaging if your kid is in it" plays I am sure. I've been to a lot of those.

 

[katydid23]

Fail to see what ignoring actions that have taken place has to do with anticipated behavior - it's the teachers 'swiping' action that some are frowning on.

Maybe she thought this, or maybe she thought that, maybe the child would have done this or that - imo, this is defending the teachers bad behavior - what did the children learn?

This is not making her classroom a great place to be. Jmo.

What did the children learn? Maybe they learned that they could not get in line again to say something else, after the play was officially over?

 

[kaen]

Katydid23, I owe you an apology. I used the term first and you are being quote replied. I agree with your definition of the term and with the idea that this is a strategy used for children when they are using attention seeking negative behaviors. I am sorry that you are taking heat for discussing this when it was in response to my suggesting that if she was using the strategy it was badly employed.

PLANNED IGNORING AS AN INTERVENTION STRATEGY FOR
PARENTS AND FAMILY MEMBERS INFORMATION FOR FAMILIES


Planned ignoring is an intervention strategy that has been effectively used to reduce inappropriate behaviors. Planned ignoring occurs when an adult ignores minor irritants or silliness in a child. It also requires the adult to determine which behaviors will stop on their own and which behaviors need intervention, such as damage to property, physical harm to self or others, or behavior that is morally or ethically wrong.

Implementing a planned ignoring intervention requires little material, money, or intensive training. Peers, parents, teachers, and other adults can be taught to implement the procedure easily and effectively. Planned ignoring can be easily embedded in natural routines and activities once the behavior is identified.


http://cecp.air.org/familybriefs/docs/PlannedIgnoring.pdf

 

[Woodland]

PLANNED IGNORING AS AN INTERVENTION STRATEGY FOR
PARENTS AND FAMILY MEMBERS INFORMATION FOR FAMILIES


Planned ignoring is an intervention strategy that has been effectively used to reduce inappropriate behaviors. Planned ignoring occurs when an adult ignores minor irritants or silliness in a child. It also requires the adult to determine which behaviors will stop on their own and which behaviors need intervention, such as damage to property, physical harm to self or others, or behavior that is morally or ethically wrong.

Implementing a planned ignoring intervention requires little material, money, or intensive training. Peers, parents, teachers, and other adults can be taught to implement the procedure easily and effectively. Planned ignoring can be easily embedded in natural routines and activities once the behavior is identified.


http://cecp.air.org/familybriefs/docs/PlannedIgnoring.pdf

Not in public though - that can't possibly be an appropriate 'plan'. It's humiliation. Jmo.

 

[kaen]

Not in public though - that can't possibly be an appropriate 'plan'. It's humiliation. Jmo.

It would be implemented with parent and student knowledge under routine/repeated environments like a classroom or lunchroom. It is not an appropriate plan for that setting. If this child has a disability, teacher guidance would have gotten him off the stage and settled. Letting him cruise the stage and not do anything to help him only lets him get into more of sticky situation. With students with special needs, we want them in the least restrictive environment but we should never let them be humiliated the way he was.

 

[human]

As a retired teacher, who cares how a child carries the role on stage? What iI mean is that some of the cutest things happen when they do something unexpected. They are not Broadway stars.

The parents come to see their child. Just because that child was going tospeak again does not mean the rest of the kids have that need. Children understand when a child may have some kind of need. A teacher can discuss it with them.

The teacher could have said something like, "Oh I see Johnny has something he wants to say," Who knows what it could have been. She could have let him say it and then said something like let us all take a bow or wave goodbye. They are children. We expect the unexpected.

As I told parents, laugh at those difficult moments as those are the ones you will recount over and over. Who remembers the day Johnny was good all day.

 

[katydid23]

Not in public though - that can't possibly be an appropriate 'plan'. It's humiliation. Jmo.

I am not sure it was humiliation. He got back in line, when the play was over. She did not need to allow him to grab the hot mic under those circumstances. I think she figured that grabbing it and ending the play was a good option. I bet that was what she did during rehearsals as well.

 

[katydid23]

As a retired teacher, who cares how a child carries the role on stage? What iI mean is that some of the cutest things happen when they do something unexpected. They are not Broadway stars.

The parents come to see their child. Just because that child was going tospeak again does not mean the rest of the kids have that need. Children understand when a child may have some kind of need. A teacher can discuss it with them.

The teacher could have said something like, "Oh I see Johnny has something he wants to say," Who knows what it could have been. She could have let him say it and then said something like let us all take a bow or wave goodbye. They are children. We expect the unexpected.

As I told parents, laugh at those difficult moments as those are the ones you will recount over and over. Who remembers the day Johnny was good all day.

What if he was known to say things that were not cute, but were curse words or something along those lines? I have seen kids who did so repeatedly when given the chance. If she thought he was just going to say GoodNIght Folks, she probably would have allowed him to speak. jmo

 

[Woodland]

Unable to fathom defending a bully - ever.

 

[katydid23]

Unable to fathom defending a bully - ever.

Maybe I am wrong. Maybe she is a bully. I really do not know. But I do know that working with special ed students can be difficult and it can LOOK like one is being a bully when trying to teach a class.

One example I remember clearly. We had a young girl that was obsessed with food. She always watched the others trays and wanted the food they were not eating. He parents wanted us to stop her from doing that. She was always given plenty of her own food to eat. They did not want her taking every one else extras. It was not good for her. She had digestive issues and took lots of meds that did not mix well when she binged on the extra food.

I remember when some parents complained angrily when they saw me taking food back from her that she had taken from other trays. I did so without being angry or aggressive. I just matter of factly took it off her tray and said NO. That is what I was told to do by her parents and her teacher. I was told to ignore her whining and complaining about it. I had to take food away several times each meal.

I am sure it looked like I was being a bully. But it was for her own good for many reasons. She had to learn that she could not eat 7 pieces of cornbread at lunchtime.

 

[flourish]

my first question is....what does autism have to do with this? or what she did?

wouldn't it have been the same if it were any other child without so called "autism"?

so why bother mentioning autism at all?

that being said, i don't think the adult/teacher did this on purpose, i don't think she realized that kid was going to say anything into the mic, give her a <modsnip> break,

i don't believe in autism anyway, IMO its just an excuse for kids to act out because they have never been told not to do so, or have not been raised properly,

http://addictinginfo.org/2012/02/27/dr-humphreys-autism-isnt-real-its-just-bad-parenting/

Well, I'm just aghast. Appalled. You are stuck decades behind. The days of "refrigerator mothers" are gone and it took a lot of work getting there. Apparently there's much more to be done. I'm choosing to assume you just haven't had the opportunity to become more educated about this. Except you provided a link to "prove" your offensive assertion which tells me you've likely had the chance to read about autism spectrum disorders and chose to go with the opinion you chose to go with.

Alas, autism, which is an actual thing whether or not you choose to believe it, can be better understood and absolutely doesn't reflect or stem from parenting styles. Willful ignorance, however, is another story. Good luck with that.

 

[bluesneakers]

Katydid23, I owe you an apology. I used the term first and you are being quote replied. I agree with your definition of the term and with the idea that this is a strategy used for children when they are using attention seeking negative behaviors. I am sorry that you are taking heat for discussing this when it was in response to my suggesting that if she was using the strategy it was badly employed.

Is this recommended for children with learning disorders?

 

[Woodland]

Maybe I am wrong. Maybe she is a bully. I really do not know. But I do know that working with special ed students can be difficult and it can LOOK like one is being a bully when trying to teach a class.

One example I remember clearly. We had a young girl that was obsessed with food. She always watched the others trays and wanted the food they were not eating. He parents wanted us to stop her from doing that. She was always given plenty of her own food to eat. They did not want her taking every one else extras. It was not good for her. She had digestive issues and took lots of meds that did not mix well when she binged on the extra food.

I remember when some parents complained angrily when they saw me taking food back from her that she had taken from other trays. I did so without being angry or aggressive. I just matter of factly took it off her tray and said NO. That is what I was told to do by her parents and her teacher. I was told to ignore her whining and complaining about it. I had to take food away several times each meal.

I am sure it looked like I was being a bully. But it was for her own good for many reasons. She had to learn that she could not eat 7 pieces of cornbread at lunchtime.

Unable to figure out how this relates to the subject at hand - maybe O/T should have been used?

 

[katydid23]

Is this recommended for children with learning disorders?

YES. It is designed for children with Learning Disorders in mind.

 

[katydid23]

Unable to figure out how this relates to the subject at hand - maybe O/T should have been used?

Not at all off topic. I am explaining how the 'planned ignoring' strategy works with special education students. And how it can make it look like the adult is being a bully, when in fact, they are doing a strategic action in response.