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Is this special education teacher being too hard on her students?

I just got done reading a blog post by a high school special education teacher who teaches students with autism and mental challenges. She said many of her students (all teens) were interested in things that are normally targeted at young children (such as Mickey Mouse cartoons, character themed shirts and lunchboxes, toys, etc). She didn't like her students having "age-inappropriate" interests, so she told them not to bring any childish things into her classroom, and she created a sorting activity where students sort stickers with items for little kids on them and stickers with items for teens on them. She is very stern about students acting their age and having age-appropriate interests. Many other teachers commented on the post saying they were in agreement with her. 

For a special ed teacher, I feel she is being too hard on her students by forcing them to give up childlike interests and hobbies (that don't even hurt anyone) and pushing them to "man up." Some of these students with mental challenges may not even be capable of "acting their age." If I were a special ed teacher, I would let my students be who they are and enjoy what they like, as long as they're not hurting anyone.

Anyone agree?

3 Answers

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  • Anonymous
    2 months ago

    MYOB                                          

  • Anonymous
    2 months ago

    i don't agree with her. 1st of all, people of all ages like mickey mouse. 

    when it comes to developmental disabilities there needs to be a compromise between age appropriate and personal preference.

    work time can be stricter about age appropriate.  instruction time for social skills can be geared toward age appropriate. but during 'free time' it should be more personal preference.

    students need to learn leisure skills, its not leisure if they don't like the age appropriate activity.

    the students do need to learn that there is a time and place for 'fun' and a time and place to be responsible and productive.

  • Matt
    Lv 6
    2 months ago

    eventually these children will have to go out to the real world, she is just trying to prepare them for this, so that they will be able to live the most normal life that they can, this is the point of education, to prepare children for the real world 

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