Hollow kids : recapturing the soul of a generation lost to the self-esteem myth by Smith Laura L

Author:Smith, Laura L [Smith, Laura L]
Language: eng
Format: epub, pdf
Tags: Youth, Self-esteem -- Social aspects, Social values
ISBN: 9780761516743
Publisher: Roseville, CA : Forum
Published: 2001-06-19T19:00:00+00:00

FEELING GOOD IN SPECIAL EDUCATION

Darrel, Jasper, and Juan all attend the same regular education first-grade classroom. The classroom teacher, Mrs. Walker,

works with the three boys in reading. She is frustrated by their lack of progress but is sympathetic because each boy has a problem. Darrel comes from a disadvantaged home. He began first grade without knowing all of his letters and appears more interested in recess and physical education than learning. Jasper whirls around the classroom, oblivious to what he is supposed to be doing. At the first conference, Mrs. Walker plans to suggest to Jasper’s parents that he get evaluated for attention deficit disorder. Juan comes from a family who speaks only Spanish. He attends a special bilingual class in the afternoon but just doesn’t catch on to reading. By the end of first grade, the three boys still can’t read even basic words. They have memorized several simple books, but fail to recognize words out of context. The boys have similar report cards, with many comments like “needs improvement” and “works hard,” though no grades appear.

Of course, the school passes them on to second grade with the hope things will get better. As in most elementary schools, holding students back when they don’t master the grade-level material occurs very rarely, if at all. By the third grade, each boy still reads at a beginning first-grade level. Jasper’s behavior spirals out of control. Constantly in trouble for not listening, not finishing his work, and not following directions, he spends many days out of his classroom, working on handouts in the school detention room.

Juan sits in quiet despair. Not understanding much of what goes on in the classroom, he hopes the teacher will just ignore him. She does. He languishes in the back of the classroom, falling further behind every day.

Darrel still likes physical education and recess but, like Jasper, can’t seem to control his behavior. Darrel bullies others, gets into fights on the playground, and shows disrespect to his teachers. The staff believes that he acts this way because of low self-esteem and searches for ways to bolster his self-image.

For three years, kind teachers, aware of these poor children’s difficulties, valiantly attempted to protect the boys’ self-esteem. They maintained meager expectations. Teachers shortened the boys’ assignments, gave them extra time, paired them with more able partners in committees, and praised every effort. Even with all of the extra help, by the spring of their third- grade year, the boys were referred to the special education department for testing.

A bilingual school psychologist evaluated Juan. Regular and special education teachers, the principal, the director of special education, and Juan’s parents crowded into a small office to hear the results and decide what to do. Juan’s mother told the psychologist that her son was always cheerful at home and helped his parents with their successful landscaping business. The psychologist said Juan was smart. But Juan had a disability, a learning disability. The school psychologist knew this because Juan couldn’t read in Spanish or English.

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