The die is cast. Distance learning is the new reality. As a high school instructor, this creates a big learning curve for many of us, but, as a high school special education teacher, it's truly even more challenging. I am Amrapali Sharma and, as a special ed teacher, I follow an IEP (individualized education program), which we draw up for each student, keeping in mind their current abilities, and including some reasonable goals we'd want them to work towards. Given what we’re now facing, a lot of that is much more challenging.
Last year, we launched an all-new A4 Curriculum in my school as we recognized the need for improving the employability skills that our special education students held. If that wasn't realistic due to the skill sets the students possessed, then we’d focus on improving their life skills. This usually helps them learn to function with minimal assistance when they leave the school at 21 years old.
Our life skills program revolves around teaching these kids important life skills like doing laundry, cleaning, cooking, using a microwave, grocery shopping, organizing a kitchen, and managing our class store or our school food bank among other things. While it was fairly easy to do this at school, it became very difficult to accomplish them in remote environments.
Apart from connecting with parents on a regular basis through phone calls or with our class app, I used to send them regular pictures of students participating in the various activities during the course of our day so that they could see their growth. Now, with schools closed, the tables have turned and they’re sending me pictures of students helping around the house!
I'd sent them a daily and weekly schedule of activities that they could help their parents with for each day. A few parents are trying to follow that schedule as best they can with their personal circumstances, which is really all I can ask, but it certainly is tough.
For example, one student is living in a motel room that was arranged for the family by a shelter. They had been staying with family friends, who found it too difficult to house them any longer. This was back in late February and, as I got things moving with the help of an amazing facilitator who got the family connected with the organization, this offered them a temporary solution.
The only piece of tech that this family has is the mom’s phone. Thankfully, I have an amazing administrator and, with help from our school board, this family and two others received Chromebooks. This strong mom, however, did not let her circumstances stand in the way of her son’s learning. She gets him to help out with simple tasks like making the bed, putting on a pillow cover, and practicing his writing.
Meanwhile, the admin and I are making sure that they'll get bags of food and information about food banks in the area to help sustain them. This particular case involves a single parent with no job, a younger sibling, and no technology. Personal circumstances are playing a huge role, but the mom is persevering as best as she can. I’ve seen this trend happening a lot as parents are working closely with their children to make sure the learning continues in one way or another.
There are also a couple of non-verbal kids, who probably aren't even understanding why their schedule has changed so drastically. One of them has a younger sibling at home, who takes up most of their mom’s time and we know it is a lot to ask of this mother to find the time (and motivation) to educate this student. I keep sharing various activities and websites and my amazing TA staff shares recipes for things that we’ve made in school so the kids can still participate in some familiar and meaningful activities at home.
One TA created an exercise schedule that students can follow at home, but they're one-on-one, so children often need help. These struggles and personal circumstances of the parents are very real. Some have been temporarily laid off. Others have had their work hours trimmed. Some don’t have access to any technology and, for one family in particular, English is not their primary home language.
For regular students, these distance learning experiments may be working out somewhat. For my students with learning differences, however, it has certainly been challenging. Apart from the fact that we are all now expecting busy parents to carry the mantle for teachers, help break down the instructions that the teachers are sending, and then teach, there is virtually no respite for them.
When these special education students were attending school, they were not only engaging in meaningful activities based on their skills, but their parents were also getting a much-needed respite. Now, that respite is a distant dream for a lot of them.
The kids don’t understand why they can’t go out. Their parents are afraid and tired with a lack of resources and support. When you're worrying about which food bank you're going to next, curriculum is the last thing on your mind.
As a teacher, I am trying to help them as best I can. This includes sending them online resources, arranging for food drop-offs, or sharing information about food banks, CERB, and Child Benefit. For others, it's just a brief conversation. I listen to their stories and offer some comfort and empathy, which are among the most needed commodities right now.
I will not give up on them and continue to support my students and their families as best I can. Technology and curriculum are only as effective as the teacher dispensing it. Screens can never replace their teacher. These special kids learn with their five senses and mostly by watching, copying, and practicing repeatedly until skills are mastered. The human connection is what brings the learning to life so hopefully we're back to that sooner rather than later.
About Amrapali Sharma:
I am a teacher at the Bramalea Secondary School in Brampton, Ontario, specifically in their Developmental Disabilities program. I also recently earned the “Award of Distinction for 2020” from the Peel District School Board. Now, I have over 23 years of teaching experience, with 15 of those years spent working with special education kids. I'm no expert, but I'm observing and learning each day from these children and colleagues, continuing to aim for “heart-gogy.” All learning must start from the heart so that it can reach the heart. And, then, the mind shall follow.