topic Re: Curriculum for One in Community Chat

Curriculum for One

lolakimono — Fri, 02 Apr 2021 13:22:35 GMT

My friend is a Spanish teacher in another district.

The district follows a textbook, and one unit is about healthy living and giving recommendations for ways to be healthy.

One girl in her class has an eating disorder, and she and her friend (in solidarity) are refusing to participate in this unit because it is a "trigger" for her.

The Department Chair has reached out to the Board of Education because there is not an easy way to "accommodate" this student for a marking period while the rest of the class makes cultural comparisons between other countries and acquires all of the vocabulary related to health/fitness.

The Department Chair thinks that they might say to take out the unit and teach something else. For one student, they would remove an entire marking period of the curriculum.

She asked for my advice.

My first question was "did they accommodate this student in her health class?" and she didn't know. The girl has a 504 plan for generalized "anxiety" but does not have anything for the eating disorder.

What are your thoughts about this?

Re: Curriculum for One

Jaspersmom — Fri, 02 Apr 2021 13:38:08 GMT

Is your friend just asking you for your opinion or are you qualified to give recommendations? I'm not trying to be snarky, but how you respond makes a difference. I'm a teacher and I would say it's best to leave this to the professionals to make their decisions based on any and all information they can gather about the student. That would involve having contact with the school board, parents, therapists, medical doctor, etc.

Re: Curriculum for One

lolakimono — Fri, 02 Apr 2021 13:45:59 GMT

@Jaspersmom

I am a Spanish teacher in a different district (where she also previously worked) and I have a Ph.D. in Curricular and Instructional Studies, so I guess that I am "qualified", but she was looking for my opinion as a friend.

Re: Curriculum for One

Janey2 — Fri, 02 Apr 2021 14:00:09 GMT

I guess you could look at this in the same way as not being able to participate in gym because you have a physical disability. What does the district do under those circumstances? I am so tired of having to change everything because one person objects. As far as her friend that is a joke. You can feel for your friend but that's about it.

Re: Curriculum for One

SoX — Fri, 02 Apr 2021 14:07:54 GMT

In my opinion it's the student who should be "reassigned" rather than removing the entire unit ... pretty much like in the old days when a girl could not participate in swim class because of a monthly health occurrence.

Re: Curriculum for One

Goldengate8361 — Fri, 02 Apr 2021 14:10:49 GMT

It seems like a "big deal over nothing" to me. I don't see why the issue would rise higher than the teacher just saying "OK, I understand and we'll work something out." Why would this be escalated to anything further? When I was a kid, I sometimes had hearing issues, but my mom simply talked to the teacher and the teacher did whatever was necessary to help me. End of the story.....It was taken care of without ANY fuss or further discussions. I would view this example as an even easier issue to address.

Re: Curriculum for One

Goldengate8361 — Fri, 02 Apr 2021 14:24:44 GMT

@lolakimono This is a little off-subject, but I'm going to go ahead....Just wanted to say "good for you" for having a Ph.D. and being dedicated to education. I also have a Ph.D.; I was a professor for many years. I now work in a corporate job. Who knows? I bet there are many other Ph.D.s on these boards.

Re: Curriculum for One

lolakimono — Fri, 02 Apr 2021 14:27:42 GMT

@Goldengate8361 wrote:
@lolakimono This is a little off-subject, but I'm going to go ahead....Just wanted to say "good for you" for having a Ph.D. and being dedicated to education. I also have a Ph.D.; I was a professor for many years. I now work in a corporate job. Who knows? I bet there are many other Ph.D.s on these boards.

@Goldengate8361

Leaving college teaching for public school = double the salary

It wasn't a hard decision to make.

Re: Curriculum for One

Venezia — Fri, 02 Apr 2021 14:28:48 GMT

My two cents worth: I'd think, if the girl had an eating disorder, it would be even more important for her to learn about healthy living.

I wonder what else this girl avoids - it's a big world and not everyone is going to cater to her issues. She needs to be part of her own cure.

One student (and her friend) can change the curriculum for everyone else? No.

Re: Curriculum for One

Jaspersmom — Fri, 02 Apr 2021 14:31:11 GMT

@lolakimono wrote:
@Jaspersmom
I am a Spanish teacher in a different district (where she also previously worked) and I have a Ph.D. in Curricular and Instructional Studies, so I guess that I am "qualified", but she was looking for my opinion as a friend.

These are always tough situations and I understand why your friend asked for your opinion/advice. No simple answers in these cases. I would guess they'll come up with an alternative curriculum for the student and leave everything else as is. That's what they did for students in our health classes whose parents objected to some of the units of study because of the families' religious beliefs.

Re: Curriculum for One

Jaspersmom — Fri, 02 Apr 2021 14:35:09 GMT

@Goldengate8361 wrote:
It seems like a "big deal over nothing" to me. I don't see why the issue would rise higher than the teacher just saying "OK, I understand and we'll work something out." Why would this be escalated to anything further? When I was a kid, I sometimes had hearing issues, but my mom simply talked to the teacher and the teacher did whatever was necessary to help me. End of the story.....It was taken care of without ANY fuss or further discussions. I would view this example as an even easier issue to address.

That does seem like the simple solution, but unfortunately, teachers aren't always permitted to make those changes without an administrator's or school board's permission.

Re: Curriculum for One

Irish1210 — Fri, 02 Apr 2021 14:37:22 GMT

This is truly a tricky situation that makes me happy to be retired from education. Many opinions would have to be considered and that makes for some difficult discussions.

We, as educators, have to problem solve for all, but I often wonder in these times how we do that with all the concerns about "pronouns", gender identity in sports, use of restrooms, and other issues.

**Being sensitive to all involved is most important ~ there are a lot of moving parts here.

There is the concern for the student with the eating disorder THEN one would have to consider the friend who stands in solidarity.

I'm thankful I do not have to make this decision, but my thoughts are with those that do have to tackle this. I know they will want to do what's best for all the students involved!

Re: Curriculum for One

lolakimono — Fri, 02 Apr 2021 14:40:15 GMT

For some perspective, the district has between 55,000 and 60,000 students. Of course, not all of them would be enrolled in high school Spanish courses, but it gives an idea of how this change could impact others. The number of high schools is in the teens.

Re: Curriculum for One

Sooner — Fri, 02 Apr 2021 14:44:00 GMT

@lolakimono wrote:
My friend is a Spanish teacher in another district.

The district follows a textbook, and one unit is about healthy living and giving recommendations for ways to be healthy.

One girl in her class has an eating disorder, and she and her friend (in solidarity) are refusing to participate in this unit because it is a "trigger" for her.

The Department Chair has reached out to the Board of Education because there is not an easy way to "accommodate" this student for a marking period while the rest of the class makes cultural comparisons between other countries and acquires all of the vocabulary related to health/fitness.

The Department Chair thinks that they might say to take out the unit and teach something else. For one student, they would remove an entire marking period of the curriculum.

She asked for my advice.

My first question was "did they accommodate this student in her health class?" and she didn't know. The girl has a 504 plan for generalized "anxiety" but does not have anything for the eating disorder.

What are your thoughts about this?

And we wonder why our kids aren't learning in school? It's because it's all geared toward exceptions rather than the body of knowledge for the majority of students.

We devote so much time to chasing rainbows for a perfect world that will never exist. It is a medical issue isn't it? Not a school curriculum issue? The friend needs to stay out of it, and the school needs to let the kid go to study hall that period.

What on earth has happened to common sense?

Re: Curriculum for One

Venezia — Fri, 02 Apr 2021 14:48:18 GMT

@Sooner - I agree. I was just thinking: so, if they change the entire curriculum to cater to this one student (let's leave the friend out of it), what's to stop another student objecting to something else? Where does it end?

Maybe we should take a leaf out of Mr. Spock's book in "Star Trek": "The needs of the many outweighed the needs of the one."

Re: Curriculum for One

hckynut — Fri, 02 Apr 2021 14:55:24 GMT

@Goldengate8361 wrote:

Who knows? I bet there are many other Ph.D.s on these boards.

@Goldengate8361

I am a long ways from being one of them. My education level is also described by letters of the alphabet, GED.

hckynut

Re: Curriculum for One

Mersha — Fri, 02 Apr 2021 14:55:46 GMT

@Sooner I agree with you.

I am not sure how this escalated so far.

Send the student in question to the library during class time. The teacher should be able to come up with some alternative Spanish related work that could be done.

This should appease everyone involved.

Re: Curriculum for One

Desertdi — Fri, 02 Apr 2021 14:59:01 GMT

@lolakimono wrote:
For some perspective, the district has between 55,000 and 60,000 students. Of course, not all of them would be enrolled in high school Spanish courses, but it gives an idea of how this change could impact others. The number of high schools in the teens.

@lolakimono I would think this student needs PERSONAL COUNSELING by a psychologist........ Her mental challenge shouldn't be made a "class example".

Re: Curriculum for One

mspatmac — Fri, 02 Apr 2021 15:02:16 GMT

I have such respect and admiration for all the great teachers who have stuck with teaching the sweet darlings. Their parents make life as difficult as possible for them to do their job. They are under constant scrutiny for everything they say and do for less than fair compensation, especially is some states. Your darling is failing, must be the teacher, a disapline problem, teacher can't control their class. I am not nor was a teacher and no longer have school age kids. to all teachers

Re: Curriculum for One

hckynut — Fri, 02 Apr 2021 15:09:50 GMT

@lolakimono

My thoughts? A situation that is out of the norm in a classroom should be up to the parents and/or the student with the issue, not other class members or the teacher.

Seems from the watching news, that schools have enough issues, without having to have individual classes for children that have specific "triggers". If they "refuse to participate"? Sounds more like a personal and individual issue that should be addressed by her family and/or doctor, as opposed to a Public School issue.

hckynut