Got Choices?

Some of the kids in the residential school where I teach have incredible behaviors.  They will kick, scream, throw themselves on the floor, bang their heads into the wall or the floor, and rip their clothing off.  Why?  Anger and frustration.

I really believe some of them feel powerless.  They may have little speech or difficulty with speech.  They may have little ability to express what they want.  Daily they are pushed, prodded, poked with needles and have medication shoved into their mouths.

Who wouldn't be frustrated?  Who wouldn't want to just rage?

At the same time I was thinking about the success that one of my students has been experiencing.  I realized that part of his success was he was getting to make some choices.  He was beginning to find the means to communicate what he wanted. I realized that for each of my students, I need to be thinking about how I build some choice into each kid's programs.

It also made me think about the premium that too many schools, especially public schools, put on compliance, quiet, straight lines and following directions.  How many of the behaviors exhibited by special education students are a protest against being, in their own way, pushed, prodded and poked into place without any choice, any sense of power over their own situation.

What kind of choices are you giving your students?  It may be choosing a preferred activity instead of the sticker.  It may be choosing to work on coins before addition.  It may even be to take a break.  After all, we have to start somewhere helping our students make choices for themselves.  Even severely disabled students will need to choose the strawberry shampoo or the lavender shampoo to take back to their group home.  We need to keep in mind that real success for disabled students is not just good data on our data sheets, but helping them realize their potential for independent living in our communities.