Regular Ed.class/aide vs. self contained UPDATE

[Guest guest]

Hi, sorry it has taken so long. We observed the current 2nd grade LLD self

contained classroom and the 3rd grade on the week before last. We were really

impressed with the second grade teacher and unfortunately didn't like the third

grade setting,and the teacher wasn't captivating.The third grade self contained

teacher made errors when she was doing a phonetic reading and spelling lesson

while we watched which just floored me. I wanted to rip the flash cards out of

her hand and tell the kids the right way to sound out the word. I couldn't

believe it. I know it seems crazy to say I don't want my child in her class on

one error,but I can't be there all the time to see how many other times she may

mess up. My husband thought the class room was not interesting and wasn't

impressed with the teacher even though he missed her messing up.

So, I may have had a knee jerk reaction to her current regular ED teacher and

resource room teacher saying all the things I said in my previous post about her

struggling to keep up,she is different than the other kids etc.;so, since we

really liked the teacher in the current self contained class and we loved the

setting,and the way instruction was set up we decided to transfer her over now.

Also, if she does better great,but if she still exhibits the same " zoning " out

behaviors, and just having trouble with classroom discussions,as they said she

does,(no kidding, she has verbal dyspraxia with language delays-how does she

talk over a bunch of enthusiastic normal speaking 2nd graders?)then it will show

them that it isn't the setting she is in, that it is her, and finding the right

teacher to encourage her to participate to her fullest is what is needed.

When I posted my question a few weeks ago someone said for me to not jump to

the conclusion that switching classes now would be disturbing to our daughter.

You were right! After I read that post I asked Shea if she would be interested

in trying a new classroom. Shea asked why, and if the new teacher was nice, and

if the teacher would like her.We set up for her to visit the class, and the

school let her spend reading time there for three days. Shea loved it and asked

if she could be in the new class. Shea also asked if her regular teacher was

going with her, or her aide(which she doesn't know it's her aide,she thinks

she's a classroom helper).I asked if she wanted them to, and she said " NO I Want

to go by myself. " What a trooper! The self contained teacher didn't want her to

have an aide. She has 2 aides with her who help with supplemental instruction

for the 14 children.The self contained class has a high functioning group of

kids and they are all working from a second grade math work book and doing

writing and spelling much at the second grade level.There are diffent groups and

levels in the class. It totally shed my preconceived notions of self contained.

I hope my decision was right for now. I want her to be in regular ed with

resource next year since we didn't like the teacher. This year I felt her

resource teacher didn't embrace Shea and her difficulties as something she

really wanted to help or could figure out how to help.I think she just had her

ways and her strategies of doing things and Shea didn't fit into her box.

I want to thank every one so much again for your input. Cheryl