North Vancouver school district discriminated against dyslexic boy, Supreme Court rules
It's about time! Parents bring their children to me every day who are waiting, 1, 2, 3 or more years just for an evaluation of a learning problem...while other programs at schools go on. School districts tell parents that testing and evaluating students needs to wait, and that there is policy against early testing even though this is standard care throughout most of North America. No assessment, and then, no treatment. Teachers can't provide appropriate education due to a lack of skill and support. Students with ADHD are told to do home schooling, or join out door programs because teachers have no skills in dealing with these students in British columbia schools. Just ask your school district for a list of what was offered to teachers last year during there days of "professional development" training. How many workshops were scheduled focused on ADHD, learning disabilities, classroom management? You will be shocked to see the lack of support available for teachers. Students with attention deficits, which could be addressed in the classroom through environmental adaptions are told to take medication or on-line classes. Because teachers don't get the training and support they need. (Most BC schools will not even classify -code- a student with ADHD so that they could qualify for support!) In the mean time teachers attending SFU and other graduate programs in education are required to take little if any training in classroom management, working with children who have learning disabilities, or any other skills focused training. Go on line and check out the requirements for these school district based degree programs. There is lots of focus on "reflection" but little on skills development and practice. If your plumber got licensed by focusing on "self reflection" as much as teachers do we would all drown in our homes. We need skill development, classroom management training, school psychologists to assess our children and well written IEPs that are followed by teachers who know what to do with students with special needs.
Just a few kilometres south, in Washington State, a parent or teacher may ask for an assessment and you can expect it to be completed within 50 days - by law. Then you can expect an education plan to be written that directly addresses the specific needs of the student. Finally you can expect your child's teacher to implement this plan because they have the training and support they need. Why can't we do better?
It's about time! Parents bring their children to me every day who are waiting, 1, 2, 3 or more years just for an evaluation of a learning problem...while other programs at schools go on. School districts tell parents that testing and evaluating students needs to wait, and that there is policy against early testing even though this is standard care throughout most of North America. No assessment, and then, no treatment. Teachers can't provide appropriate education due to a lack of skill and support. Students with ADHD are told to do home schooling, or join out door programs because teachers have no skills in dealing with these students in British columbia schools. Just ask your school district for a list of what was offered to teachers last year during there days of "professional development" training. How many workshops were scheduled focused on ADHD, learning disabilities, classroom management? You will be shocked to see the lack of support available for teachers. Students with attention deficits, which could be addressed in the classroom through environmental adaptions are told to take medication or on-line classes. Because teachers don't get the training and support they need. (Most BC schools will not even classify -code- a student with ADHD so that they could qualify for support!) In the mean time teachers attending SFU and other graduate programs in education are required to take little if any training in classroom management, working with children who have learning disabilities, or any other skills focused training. Go on line and check out the requirements for these school district based degree programs. There is lots of focus on "reflection" but little on skills development and practice. If your plumber got licensed by focusing on "self reflection" as much as teachers do we would all drown in our homes. We need skill development, classroom management training, school psychologists to assess our children and well written IEPs that are followed by teachers who know what to do with students with special needs.
Just a few kilometres south, in Washington State, a parent or teacher may ask for an assessment and you can expect it to be completed within 50 days - by law. Then you can expect an education plan to be written that directly addresses the specific needs of the student. Finally you can expect your child's teacher to implement this plan because they have the training and support they need. Why can't we do better?