I’d like to share my daughter Mia’s story with you.
She is an amazing 11-year old girl, who at age three was diagnosed with autism. Mia’s story is likely similar to others; she was going to public school previously, and let’s just say we had an “adventuresome” time with our IEP (Individualized Education Plan) meetings.
I remember walking in and there would be staff that we already knew were really challenged by my daughter. Even in a classroom with 15 kids, with a special education teacher and an assistant, my daughter was quite the handful.
She was quite a handful, but for good reasons. Ever school day my daughter was woken up about 5:30 in the morning and was on a bus by 6:30. I would then pick her up at about 2:30 p.m. so she can go get ABA therapy (Advanced Behavioral Analysis) at a clinic until about 6 p.m.
“We were pleasantly surprised,” said Rabbi Shlomo Soroka, director of government affairs for Agudath Israel of Illinois who has also led the Jewish organization’s efforts in Missouri.
Fatiha Belfakir | 5/7/2021, 6 a.m. Navigating the virtual learning process is very challenging for students with developmental disabilities. Courtesy Photo
What happens to individuals with developmental disabilities (IDD) when their lifestyle and support system suddenly changed due to the COVID-19 pandemic? What happens when their daily school routine was converted to remote learning sessions via google meet and zoom room? What happens when the pandemic places tremendous demands on limited resources for these individuals, their families, and for the provider system?
Most of the results, sadly, arenât good. The COVID- 19 pandemic has created unprecedented and unique challenges for IDD, who were disproportionately isolated prior to the pandemic.
Save
During lessons, Eeshani doodled rainbows and flowers on her notebook, using funky-colored gel pens to take the dryness out of note-taking. Her brain wandered during lectures even though she looked at the board; no hint of her inner struggle for the outside world to see.
At night, she had to study the material taught in class for hours. During a home study session, she could focus… but on the wrong tasks. If she had assignments due on Wednesday and Friday, she’d start Friday’s first. She observed that her peers spent less time studying than she did and earned higher marks. This hurt her self-esteem. Her inner critic told her that she was stupid.
Link copied to clipboard
Brightmoor (Detroit, MI)
Jasmin Barmore, Detroit Free Press
May 4, 2021
Teachers gather behind Gompers Elementary and Middle school principal Bobbie Posey Milner for a portrait at the school in Detroit April 30, 2021. The teachers are asking for donors, who participate in DonorsChoose, to donate to help fund materials for the teachers to enhance students learning experiences.Mandi Wright, Detroit Free Press
For 24 years, Yabea Butler-Hall never experienced a time where she taught new students without meeting them in person, until last September, when the pandemic kept Detroit Public School students in virtual learning as oppose to in-person classes.