I work in special ed and let me tell you it’s not easy.
Kids screaming kids crying kids getting into fights and so on.
I love this job so much and it makes me happy every day but at the same time I’m feeling overwhelmed often.
9 out of 11 students jn my class are non verbal (this doesn’t mean they can’t be loud!) and it’s hard to have a productive day at any time with them.
We are two teachers working in the class and whenever we feel overstimulated ourselves we just turn on the big class tv and let the kids watch tv for a while.
Some kids still go crazy and are loud but we are having our moments of peace.
We never tell the parents.
It’s always some autism kids friendly stuff which makes it not THAT bad but yk, it’s not supposed to be like that in school 😉
AITA?!
YTA only because you stated you don’t tell the parents which 1) makes me believe you know it to be wrong and 2) parents then don’t know how much screen time their child has had if it is supposed to be limited per day.
I don’t think it is wrong to get a needed break, but the secrecy is what makes YTA
I feel like this is a specialised topic that probably shouldn’t be judged by the general public.
Are there policies on how to deescalate classrooms that you should be following? How much freedom in the curriculum do they give you?
Maybe this could be discussed with whoever your superiors are?
This. It just sounds like a school without the proper tools.
Most of them are.
I feel like this isn’t an AH situation and more you do not have the tools to properly help the kids in your class. The only AH part maybe is that the parents are jot being made aware of how non-productive and poorly equipped the school is to properly teach their kids..
Yes we don’t have the tools and resources to get a full day done. We would need a teacher for every single child to help them with their needs but that’s never possible
Why aren’t you telling the parents? YTA for that.
I work with adults who have disabilities, so I can understand. But you also have to find alternate ways to deal with the stimulation.
NTA but it’s a sign that your students needs are such that both of you together can’t meet them. Is there additional training you could do or is the issue the level of behaviours and student to teacher ratio?
Either way you need to find a solution that doesn’t involve tv because you are on the way to burning yourself out.
Doesn’t sound like an interpersonal conflict here to vote on
I work at a school with a big SpEd department. Television can be just a stimulating as real life interactions. The fact that you’re not telling the parents, tells us and you everything you need to know. I know that special education classrooms are usually horribly understaffed, so if you need more help, you need to go to your administrator and tell them that you need paras or you need part of the class moved to some other teacher. What you’re doing is slapping a Band-Aid on a big problem, and you are doing a disservice to those kids.
I mean YTA for not telling the parents, there should be no secrets in the classroom
I don’t care if it’s a snack or a movie, parents should know what goes down. There’s no problem with having a quiet time, but you’re acting like you’re *purposely not telling them* which is where the problem lies
Esh:
As a teacher myself, I personally know that 2 teachers for 11 disabled students is honestly a ridiculous ratio. My classroom has 2.5 (one only here in the mornings) for the same, and only one is developmentally challenged. I don’t even think that ratio allowed in my state for your specific role. I couldn’t imagine that.
I wouldn’t want to work in that setting, I’d advocate for another teacher. Maybe try to get some volunteers from a program or even parents?
You should be cueing the parents in. If you maintain good relationships with them, they will probably understand a little break here and there. You also don’t say how much you’re doing it, so it’s really hard to judge the original question about TV.
Your job is too difficult to do everything perfectly all of the time. You lack the supports and resources needed. You can choose programming that you see as beneficial and you are doing that. The reality is that you cannot do everything and be everything all at the same time. You are doing a great job and surviving the day, the week, the month and the school year is huge. You should be proud of yourself. Do not apologize for the work you do.
You and I both know why you aren’t telling the parents. It’s because they’ll give you shit and complain and shame. They don’t know the realities of what you do and how much of a struggle it is for you. They will judge but you and I both know that they cannot even handle their disabled child day in and day out on their own without resorting to a screen. Plus, you have a room full of diverse students all with their own individual needs and diagnoses.
If you don’t placate and calm some of those students with screen time they will become dysregulated and trigger the other students. You found a strategy that allows you to circulate and help other students that otherwise would not get your attention and help.
You have to find ways to survive. People who say you should ask for more help do not understand how toxic and vindictive some admin are. There is a reason you didn’t ask for more help. Maybe you did. Help is not coming. You know what you are dealing with and you know why you are doing it. If you could teach all day without putting on the television you would. But, the constraints of the system have forced all of our hands.
You cannot be the perfect teacher, if putting on the television for small chunked periods of time allows you to you to maintain your sanity, keep your positive disposition and share your love than you simply need to keep doing that.
What you do is incredible. You are an amazing job person and an amazing educator. The burnout and drop out rates of teachers, especially those in special education are huge. What you do to survive is amazing and beneficial. Guilt, shame and lecturing from people who don’t work with you is not going to help. Fuck em.