Index

Home

About webmaster

Award page

Visitors from the Global Community

Guestbook sign in

Main Directory

School Information

Educator and Parent

General Education Info.

Grade Level

Organizations-info. and support

Parent

Research

Resources on Web

Student

Curricula

General Curriculum

Early Childhood

English Curriculum

Math Curriculum

Fine Arts Curriculum

Reading Curriculum

Science Curriculum

Science and Math Curriculum

Social Studies Curriculum

Technology Curriculum

Vocational

Special Education Info.

ADD/ADHD

Assistive Technology and
Alternative/Augmentative Communication

Brain Research

Developmental Disabilities

Down Syndrome

Emotional Disabilities

Inclusion/Accommodation

Learning Disabilities

Physical Disabilities

Special Education

Syndromes

Welcome to A School Zone. I have purposely not put in frames, but rather have included an index on every page on the left hand side. It may not show until you scroll down the page. The javascript navigation bar is here for those with newer browsers with javascript capabilities.

---

I am currently teaching classes of 9 to 17 "mild to moderate" retarded students. My California credential is Learning Disabilities Specialist. I graduated from San Jose State College in 1964 as a physical education teacher. After staying home to raise two sons, I returned to teaching by substituting. I decided to get my special education degree at University of California, San Diego. I taught for 8 years in special day class at both the junior and senior high school level. I then returned to UCSD to get certification in Educational Therapy.

In 1991 I moved to northern California near Sacramento and was hired as a Designated Services Counselor at the senior high level. I did this for 4 years but because of the teaching shortage, I was asked to go back to the classroom.

I chose to work with the developmentally delayed students in a special day class. I have been teaching the retarded for 5 years now. The 2002-2003 class currently has a variety of syndromes: Down syndrome, Williams syndrome, Fragil X syndrome, Autism, Blind. The abilities range from no reading, no writing, not being able to count above , not knowing basic concepts of first, different, and same to reading at 3rd grade level, doing math at the 5th grade level and holding afterschool jobs with no assistance. In 1999, 2 students got their diplomas. Both are working for Pride Industries full time. In 2002, 4 students got their diplomas. 3 are working either in private industry or Pride Industries.

Inclusion is part of their everyday school life, but as of yet, they have only their special day class teacher as their teacher for any academics. We currently have three teachers in the program that started with 10 students in 1996 and there are 37 students now. The success of the program keeps being spread by parents and some are choosing where they buy their home very carefully.

Their regular education classes are such classes as: physical education, dance, ceramics, drama, art, crafts, culinary techniques, and office aide. Some are accompanied by an adult aide, some with a student aide and some are able to attend by themselves. On occasion I have run into teachers who are hesitant to accept the students, but it usually due to their lack of understanding of what the students are capable to doing and modifying the assignments to their level. It has been overcome by information and lots of attention to the teacher from me and my aide until they feel comfortable. My biggest problem has been finding appropriate materials for my classroom. The reading level of most of the students is at or below 1st grade level. I object to the students having to work with materials that are obviously created for very young children. I have ended up creating a lot of my own worksheets to coordinate with my lessons. I have been successful in getting a California's Department of Rehabilitation "Transition Partnership Plan." This plan helps in money towards helping all special education students who qualify for services from the Department of Rehabilitation while they are still in public school. We will hire 2 job shadower/developers and place the students in jobs in the community.