A
Noble Experiment...
Just a brief remembrance of the day I stepped out of special education...
| THE DAY I STEPPED OUT OF SPECIAL EDUCATION
Donald J. Asbridge, Ed.S., LEP, RSP Bakersfield, California USA I'd like to think of it as a simple,
noble experiment in education. Kind of like Summerhill. About
six years ago I stepped away from special education. Because our
profession is spending a lot of time discussing our roles both statewide
and nationwide, I'd like to share a little information regarding my decision...
I'm not saying you need to do what I did, but ultimately, I hope that whatever
you do works for students.
"I must be the luckiest school psychologist in the state."Why I left special education isn't really the important part. If you've read some of my past and recent writings, you can probably make your own inferences or deductions. I guess I just want to work with students... and not sit all day writing reports and sitting through endless meetings trying to be some lawyer. I want to be part of something that works, is useful, and is positive for students. Sure, there was probably more going on that particular foggy winter day when I stood in the middle of the Guidance Center with parents, students, teachers, counselors -- and my boss -- present, and proclaimed, "That's it! I'm out of special education!" "I'm on my way... I don't know where I'm going."There was a pause. A stillness. Everything halted -- for about two seconds. Then everyone resumed their business. Students kept signing in. Counselors took students to their offices. Teachers kept filing through records. My boss resumed his conversation with the parent. Not even a comment or a stare. "There, I said it," I thought to myself. And I can only assume everyone heard me? They must have. I haven't looked back since. "Don't look back."I had mustered up all my courage. I had figured, "if I get fired for this, then so be it." But I had to do what was morally and ethically right, at least in my own mind. Judging by their responses, either I was right -- or, uh, no one cared. To this day I'm not sure which it was. But either way, I was out! Free. Free to work with all students with real-life problems and issues, not just special education students afflicted with the modern day invented fallacy of a learning disability. ALL students. REAL-LIFE! The first thing I did was to change the heading on my memos and letterhead. It said, "Don Asbridge, Psychological Services." Not, "Don Asbridge, Department of Special Education! Still not fired! "I'm a man with a whole lot on his mind."I admit I work in a situation that probably has made it much easier for me than for you to step out of special education. In my small rural district, we only have about 900 students -- that number quite obviously makes a decision such as this somewhat more feasible for me than for another school psychologist who has, say, a 4500:1 ratio. I understand that. But let's say a student is considering suicide... what am I going to say, "sorry, I'm not going to work with you because you're not a special education student?"Working with ALL students, I stay plenty busy. I don't need to "invent" problems to justify my job. I don't have to make students come to my office... they know where my office is if they need my services. I can even actually engage in some prevention, working with entering "at risk" freshmen. I've run clubs. I've coached. All are activities performed by professional educators... school psychologists are professional educators, aren't we? "Whoa, oh, oh, oh. Hmmmm. Uh, uh, uh, uh, ohhhhh."I know I must be one of the luckiest psychologists in the entire state of California. I don't have to sit and strive toward my 5000th career WISC administration, sit for four hours and type a report that no one will ever read, sit through a two-hour meeting to officially slap the label on, and then getting to do it over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over again. I don't have to go to work every day to disable students -- I get to work with ALL students regarding real-life problems -- and encourage them toward SELF-EMPOWERMENT! Do I work with special education students? Of course I do... I work with ALL students! Just as no doubt your's, my job description describes and includes activities such as attending IEP meetings and addressing the special needs of special education students. Do I do that? Of course I do! But there's nothing that says I can't address the special needs of ALL students too! So I do! Including §504 students. Including students in the alternative school. Including students in ISP. Including ALL students... including student-athletes... including angry students... excluding no students, of course. I encourage you to "step out" of special education too. It's easy! Just step right on out! All you have to say is, "I work with ALL students... my door is open for ANY student ANY time. I'll be happy to consult with ANY parent, teacher, administrator, or community member ANY time regarding ANY educational, psychological, or mental health issues. Please NEVER hesitate to contact me... here's my phone number and e-mail!" Ultimately my role in special education is exactly the same as it is in general education... I work with students. "You can't go on thinking nothing's wrong."I've forwarded my explanation of my services for all students available for the entire world. My webpage has been up for about six years and I haven't been fired yet (knock on wood). If you'd like to see how I advertise and communicate my psychological services for ALL students in my district, please feel free to visit my professional school psychologist's page at: www.taft.k12.ca.us/psych/psych.htmStep out now.
Published Tuesday, November 1st, 2005 as part of the November Monthly KOG. The reality expressed herein is my reality only and not necessarily anyone else's reality. KOG Opinions © 2005-12. KASP. Kern County, California, USA. Some rights reserved. |