Not every special needs child is able to complete the academic program and reach matric.
Special Needs Child Who Is Not In The Academic Program?
For him/her the pre-vocational program is scheduled, after which a report is received indicating the child's potential in a variety of dimensions including social skills.
It is this group of special needs children who are most at risk for being under-educated if their teacher is unskilled or not motivated to guide the child to a better future. In some instances the child may finish school without being able to read, write or talk in sentences.
They most at risk for being treated as invisible during classes, scolded, rebuked, shunned, isolated, and talked down to by a teacher who does not have the calling to teach.
The only Queen in this class is me!"
Such a remark from a teacher after a child from her class featured in a press report due to her amazing progress in entrepreneurial work, sparked questions about the caliber of special needs teachers.
Many such instances are coming to the fore where we need to question special needs teacher's motivation, intention and expertise as trusting families are investing ten years of their childrens' lives and tens of thousands of hard earned monies to discover that at the end of schooling youngsters are dismissed from school, and remain at home or worse still engaged in menial jobs that serve the teacher.
Teachers Using Learners To Work For Their Friends During School Hours
One such investigation uncovered that a teacher at an elite school had for years used children in her special needs pre-vocational class to work during school hours at businesses owned by her friends. Furthermore, she had convinced trusting parents that since their "children would not have much of a future after school" they should sign permission forms to allow the children to travel unsupervised on a school bus during school hours to supposedly "train" at businesses.
It was noted that none of these children were actually offered jobs at the businesses after they left school. The teacher, now on the verge of retirement will be joining one such business venture!
What are parents to do?
Yes it is possible to home school, but it takes fortitude and courage to question the non-academic educational system for special needs children and take a closer look at the know-how and level of commitment of the teacher who is shaping the life of your child.
Is the teacher teaching merely for the salary and life long benefits? Or is she/he truly vested in your child's future?
Revelations from Special Needs Educators Behind Closed Doors
I was once again surprised to learn during several meetings with special needs educators and support staff members in an elite school, that they feel the child will never ever be able to optimize their life potential and that they as teachers and support systems know this from their years with the child.
Despite my citation of many children who have proved their misconception wrong, the groups in the meetings fervently clung to their views......