before IEPs were invented

[Guest guest]

I was in junior high, about age 12, (1964)IEP's were unheard of. I had great

fatigue and couldn't play team sports. Simply, my doctor wrote a letter

to the school. My mother took that letter to the principal. The doctor

recommended not to participate in sports, my mother and the principal

came up with the idea of me going to the library. There I could be in a

quiet atmosphere, do homework or read. I also learned how to be alone

and use my time in a positive way. I was also excused from P.E. the same

way in high school. A few friends and I started a morning study group

during study hall. Afternoon study halls allowed me to do homework and

take a speed reading course while my peers were slamming around on the

tennis courts. After school I could go home and nap or have my doctor's

appointments.

It irritates me that someone would have an IEP and still be made to sit

on the PE sidelines or keep score. There is so much for kids to learn -

time is valuable. I'm grateful for those early library days and study

halls. I'm also grateful my mother fought for me - it taught me to fight

for myself too.

Gretchen

[Guest guest]

> It irritates me that someone would have an IEP and still be made to sit

> on the PE sidelines or keep score. There is so much for kids to learn -

> time is valuable. I'm grateful for those early library days and study

> halls. I'm also grateful my mother fought for me - it taught me to fight

> for myself too.

>

> Gretchen

I agree entirely! Ever since I was in middle school in the early 80s I was

excused from gym

classes. I don't recall ever needing a doctor's note or anything; all it took

was a meeting

with my parents and the principal.

The school's suggestion for the first year of middle school was to be an aide in

the school

office but running notes to classrooms proved to be exhausting. My solution was

to

suggest a study hour in the library and they agreed. Those extra hours gave me

time to

do my homework and prevent me from having to carry all those heavy books home at

the

end of the day.

I was surprised to hear that in this day and age with so much awareness on

disability a

child would still be made to sit on the bleachers and watch the other kids.

Talk about

being made to feel like an outcast! That's horrible!

~

[Guest guest]

Hello,

You know not everyone is atheletic they should set up a class for

children whom have health issues due to physical limitations. Do it during the

same

time but in a seperate part of the building so they are doing like stretching

and such. Maybe I should have been a PE teacher for the children whom are

physically challenged hmmm this sounds like a good idea to me. Maybe I should

write

a letter to the school. Also another issue is during the winter here children

have the choice of skiing or skating and nothing else for the children that

can not do these activities. Our world is full of diverse people, why can we

not have diverse activities?

Thanks Heidi